FIRST KISS (High School Romance - FYI - In need of redrafting/rewrites)

Chapter Twenty-Five

I couldn't really sleep that night; I was too worked up at the idea of turning up to school with Bryce's arch-enemy and Taylor's ex.

I swear, Ali was a crazy bee-atch sometimes.

I had packed and re-packed my bag over and over, making sure the heels of my shoes were separated from the sequinned dress in case they caught on it. I was going straight to Anna's after school, with Olivia and Jen.

I got up early and waited nervously at the kitchen table for the doorbell to ring. I couldn't eat, so instead I just strummed the back of a spoon on the wooden tabletop until mom got so irritated she told me to stop.

When the bell rang I literally jumped up so fast that I toppled a glass of milk and had to stop to mop it it up.

Meanwhile Ali had already answered the door, her hair all tousled and a fluffy pink robe tied tightly around her tiny waist. She was laughing and chatting to the great hulk in an animated way. In fact, she was definitely flirting with him.

"Oh, here is the girl herself," she said, turning her body sideways so that Jimbo could see me.

Recognition flickered in his eyes and then died quickly, like a candle placed by an open window. Maybe he couldn't remember that I had been with Bryce when he had assaulted him.

I made the effort to smile whilst hiking my bag onto my shoulder and we exchanged pleasantries.

"Have a great day," said Ali, as she waved us off.

Jimbo immediately took my bag from me and put it in the trunk, and I meekly thanked him.

The car was stupidly flashy. I mean, not even Luke would have a car like that. It was a red convertible sports car that sat so low to the ground that it was awkward to get into.

"Was this the car that got keyed?" I asked, feeling the soft leather of the seat beneath me.

"No. That was another one," he said matter-of-factly, as though he had as many cars as I had pairs of socks. "So why does your sister want me taking you to school today?" he asked, spinning the wheel through his hands as we took a corner.

Crap. Ali obviously hadn't given any kind of explanation.

"Frank told me it was a favour to her. I think he's always liked your sister." He grinned, and I glanced at his profile as he stared out in front. His jaw was heavy and masculine, and his broken nose was sort of distinguished, in a Roman way. He could have been an Emperor or, better yet, a Russell Crowe type Centurion-come-gladiator. And he was so broad and heavily muscled that he made even Bryce look like a prepubescent child. In fact, I thought I could actually see chest hair tufting in the unbuttoned neck of his shirt. Now that was something Bryce had none of: chest hair.

"Ali gets these weird ideas..." I clasped my hands in my lap, unable to finish the sentence.

"That you'll look good if I drop you off?" He laughed a big loud chuckle, that made me want to like him.

I smiled, but I still felt awkward, sitting in the car like that, not knowing quite what to say or how to explain myself. I fervently wished I was one of those really sweet and charming girls that everyone liked, because I could just have smiled and flirted and he would have been completely smitten by the time he dropped me off. Like Ali. She could have done that.

Right on time he drew into the parking lot, driving right up to the steps of the main building, where he obnoxiously stopped the car, despite the fact that he was blocking the access, and got out, collecting my bag from the trunk before opening the door to allow me to get out.