The Bad Boy

I felt like
everyone knew about it. I felt as if all eyes were on me but in
fact, the people around me were only focused on their lives. I got
curious glances or sympathy looks but nothing where I was being
openly gaped at. That was what I wanted.

               
It has been two days since I found out my
boyfriend Conner had cheated on me. I found him at a party from a
different town over making out with some other girl. I guess he
thought, he would be safe there. He must have forgotten I knew the
people throwing the party.

               
Today, which was Monday was the day I was
regretting the most. I knew people would find out right away
because Conner and I had dated for two years straight and you could
say we were on the more popular side in school. Which I took as I
was friends with a lot of people, Conner took it as he owned the
school.

               
And I was right. Once I found the scene of him
sucking face with the girl, I broke up with him right away. I took
down I was in a relationship on Facebook that same night;
apparently that made it official. That same night, I got texts,
calls, and messages asking what happened. I didn’t respond to any
except to my close friend Hailey but sooner or later everyone was
going to find out. That happened within an hour.

               
Now, as I watched people go on with their life and
stop for a minute to say sorry before moving on, I stayed in place
wondering about my past. What I did to deserve him doing that to
me. I was never one to believe in love at such a young age but I
felt as if Conner changed that. Boy, was I wrong or
what?

               
I closed my locker and made my way to my first
period class. I waved or smiled as people greeted me but didn’t
stay long to chat like I usually did. I was scared I would see
Conner and I don’t know how I would react. On Friday, I was fueled
by anger and hurt and lashed out at him. Today though, I just feel
stupid about my judgment and know I would break down if I was to be
confronted by him.

               
“
Hello my sexy friend.” I looked to my right at my
best friend Hailey who was grinning at me. My lips twitched at her
greeting. Leave it to her to make me laugh when I feel like shit.
Hailey was the only person I trusted more than myself; considering
we were so much alike, it would be like not trusting myself.
  

               
“
Hello girl who has a sexy friend.” I answered
back jokingly. My mood was brightened a little already. I guess all
I needed was my best friend. After all, she did sit with me all
weekend eating tubes of ice-cream as I cried. Well she did do that
until she smacked me and told me I was better than that. God, I
loved that girl.

               
She gave me a cheeky grin and threw a piece of
paper in my face. “Guess what we are going to go to
soon?"

               
I shrugged looking down at the orange piece of
paper. Couldn’t they have picked a prettier color? Big bold letters
caught my eye written at the top:
TOWN FAIR!
Oh! They had
one every year with rides, booths and random games where you win
stuffed animals. For the past two years, I went with Conner and he
would always win me a stuffed penguin because they were my favorite
animal. 

  “
I don’t know Hailey. What if I see him there… with another
girl?” My stomach clenched at that idea and I pushed it away. I
didn’t want to see him with another girl even though I ended it
with him. It would just be a slap in my face if he started dating
other girls already.

               
She grabbed my arm halting me in my steps, “Who
gives a shit? You know you are going to see him again right? Well
why not show him that you are fine and he looks like a dick for
what he did?” Her eyes softened as she finished, “I don’t want you
to give up on life because of some jerk.”

               
My heart thudded hard at the look she was giving
me. Was she scared for me? To reassure her I sighed, “Okay, I’ll go
and don’t worry I’m not giving up on life.”

               
“
Awesome!” She hugged me and pulled me back at
arm’s length, “Well I got to get to class. I’ll see you at lunch
right?” I nodded giving her a smile because when she smiled it was
hard to not smile back. She waved one last time and then headed
down the hallway and out of sight.

               
Rolling my eyes at my weirdo best friend, I turned
to go into my classroom but smacked into a hard chest instead. My
nose took the impact making me cringe and rub it when I moved back.
“Sorry.” I murmured and then looked up at the victim.

               
Crap!

               
“
Just watch it, 'princess' would ya?” Jared
McKingsley smirked as he pushed pass me. My body wavered to the
side because of his large frame. He turned his neck and laughed at
me. “Told you to watch it.”

               
I was in no mood to fight back. Jared was the
‘bad-ass’ of our school and this would be my first in counter with
him. Sure, I had always seen him around school but we were from
different groups. His friends were trouble makers, always getting
in trouble with the police.

               
His dark hair almost jet black, hung down his
forehead, the tips just brushing his eyes which were a stormy grey.
I heard that was what made girls fall for him. That’s another
thing; he doesn’t stay with one girl. But who could blame them?
Would you really want to date a guy who has been arrested four
times and gets into fights every day? And is only
seventeen?

               
“
Yeah, sorry.” I said walking through the door
finally and taking my seat in the class. I guess the only good
thing about having classes was I had none with Conner. Usually that
had upset me but now I was more than grateful. Too bad, I would see
him at lunch.

               
Hopefully, by then I would have put a front up and
could take him head on.

~*~

               
My stomach clenched when the bell rang for lunch.
I wasn’t right, my front was down and I was scared shitless. What
if I walked into the lunch room and everyone just stopped what they
were doing like in the movies and just stared at me? What if Conner
had some girl sitting with him and was kissing her?

               
Pushing the thoughts aside, I stumbled into the
room and let out a breath of relief when all students kept up to
what they were doing. I spotted Hailey right away only because she
was waving her hands frantically making me think they were going to
fall off any second.

I was making my
way over and got side tracked as I said hi to a couple of people
and for the second time ran into someone. “What did I tell you
about watching where you go princess?”

               
That voice, that sarcastic voice. I frowned and
looked up into Jared’s grey eyes that were full of humor. Great,
why did I have a feeling I was going to be his new ‘friend’ to pick
on? The only difference this time was he was with his group of
friends. There were four of them in total, including
Jared.

               
“
You told me to ‘watch it’.” I snapped and slapped
a hand to my mouth. I really shouldn’t have done that but I was a
little peeved at this point.

               
He raised his eyebrows at me in surprise but still
kept an intimidating façade. My thoughts also came true because I
officially had the whole cafeteria’s attention. It’s not every day,
you see the popular girl talking with the school’s bad-ass.
 

               
“
Feisty, that’s hot.” My mouth dropped and I’m
pretty sure my jaw had met the floor. I was so not expecting him to
say that. I looked around the room as I blushed hoping no one heard
that and thanked God when it seemed like everyone was
just confused on us having
a conversation.

               
I cleared my throat and straightened my shoulders,
“Whatever. Excuse me but I have to meet someone.” I shouldered
passed the group but not before hearing Jared say, ‘Probably to see
her boyfriend the fabulous Conner Hanglinton’. His voice was all
mockery.

               
My steps stopped for five seconds before I
continued on. I felt the chill over my body escape from the
conversation when I was safely seated beside Hailey who was gapping
at me, not even trying to hide her shock.

               
The once silent room filled with noise once Jared
was seated on the other side of the room and me on the other.
Completely in two different worlds.

               
“
What just happened?” Hailey accused frowning at
me. Like I was supposed to know. Even I was confused!

               
“
I wish I knew the answer.” I spoke looking up
from the table to where Jared was sitting. He was already looking
at me and when our eyes connected he winked at me and then started
laughing with his friends. “But I have a feeling it’s not
over.”

               
My stomach erupted in butterflies when he looked
at me again with a dark smile. As if I didn’t already have a
problem with Conner now I might have to add Jared to the
list.

Lunch ended with
no more problems thrown my way. Conner didn’t show up which made me
a little worried, sending thoughts to run through my head. That
maybe he was with some girl somewhere doing… things. Jared kept
sending me looks but never talked to me again during the period.
That didn’t mean his looks didn’t send chills down my body… and not
good ones either.

               
I opened my locker, switched books and closed it
again letting out a screech when I saw a smirking Jared leaning
against my neighboring locker. He rubbed his ear giving me a
painful look. “I usually get a reaction from girls but nothing that
crazy.”

               
I clenched my books tighter to my chest and backed
up. Being that close to Jared didn’t make me feel safe; he wasn’t
safe. He noticed my uneasiness and smirked. Do I just attract
problems? I feel like someone up there really is started to hate
me. Could it be because I lied to my aunt when I told her that a
dress she bought looked good on her when really she looked
like a pumpkin?

               
“
Hi Jared.” I spoke with confidence. “What are you
doing over here?” He took a step closer and I gripped my books
tighter. I hated how he made me feel weak and being the only ones
in the hallway didn’t help.

               
He twisted his finger around some of my hair and
used it to pull me closer. “What I can’t just walk around the
school?” His smirk grew evil. “And talk to a pretty girl like you?
You do know you are pretty right? I mean that’s what all the guys
say in the school… even a couple of girls.”

               
What was he trying to accomplish out of this? Make
me feel weak and intimidated by him? Even though it was working, I
wasn’t going to admit to it. I pulled his hand out of my hair and
moved further away from him. “I know I am not ugly and I don’t tell
those people to say it so it’s what they think, not me.” I said
straitening my shoulders out.

               
He went to move closer to me
again
—what
were we doing? Playing a game?—when footsteps echoed down the hall
making us snap our heads in the direction they were coming from. I
couldn’t tell if my heart was beating faster from who I saw walking
down the hallway or from the death stares the two boys were giving
each other—it could end up in a fight.

               
Conner stopped right next to us and threw his arm
around my shoulder pulling me closer to him. The heat radiating off
his body made me remember all the times he had held me.  “Hey
babe.” Conner smiled down at me kissing the top of my head. I was
too shocked to react. What was he doing?

               
Jared looked in between us pointing a finger. “I
thought she dumped your ass when she caught you sucking face with
another girl?” He made it sound like a question but you could tell
he was stating a fact trying to rile Conner up. My reaction; my jaw
hit the floor. How could he be so blunt? Oh, right he was a
bad-ass.