Smile Innocently Lie Easily

Chapter 1

Summary:  Rachel got sick of the jocks picking on Jeremy and decided to offer him a deal; she’ll be his bodyguard and he can tutor her. It doesn’t take long for them to become friends. She never thought she’s end up falling for the resident geek who has beautiful blue eyes and a cute smile. It’s just too bad as she starts to realize her feelings there’s someone else in the way.

Smile Innocently Lie Easily

Chapter 1

She sat on the tree branch with her feet swinging during that Tuesday lunch period. The tall oak tree was the only thing she liked about high school; it let her escape the crowds and mundane torture. Up there she could see the whole campus.

Jeremy Hansen was running from Brian Woods and his merry men. Poor Jeremy dropped the pile of books he held, they scatted all around his feet. He was angry but he didn’t dare stand up to the biggest jock at their school.

Jeremy was slightly taller but Brian had muscle on his side from playing football. “Hey dork I told you to stop.” The bully taunted.

She shook her head; Brian was one mean son of a bitch. She watched as he pushed Jeremy again and sent the poor guy stumbling back. She felt bad for Jeremy, no one deserved to be picked on and beat up for being different or smart. He needed to stick up for himself but she didn’t see that ever happening.   

Brian’s next push sent Jeremy to the ground. She jumped from the tree when the son of a bitch kicked him in the gut. “Hey! Cut it out.” She stood in front of Jeremy as he tried to stand upright and gather his books. “What the fuck has he ever done to you?”

Brian chuckled. “Check it out guys it’s Rachel the crazy girl jumping to save the day. I’ve heard of girls being hard up but him, really?”

She glared at him, she didn’t care how much bigger he was or what he said. She trusted her right hook against any man’s. “Go find another way exercise that pea brain of yours.” She grabbed a hold of Jeremy’s arm and pulled him away from the crowd that gathered to see the fight. She snatched up his fallen glasses along the way. “You have to stop letting that guy pound on you.”

He kept his head down and wouldn’t look at her. “There’s nothing I can do.”

Rachel sighed, she hated the fact he was right. “Here.” She passed him the glasses that magically hadn’t broke when they fell. “I hate that guy and I really hate people getting picked on for being different.” She sighed again and ran a hand though her very long black hair, it touched down to her thigh. “How about I make you a deal?”

With his glasses back securely in place he glanced up and waited.

“I’ll help you with Brian, I’ll make sure he doesn’t beat up on you anymore and you help me.”

“With what?”

“I’m failing algebra.” She shrugged and crossed her arms. The idea popped into her brain and she couldn’t push it away. She wanted to help the guy and if it meant getting a passing grade which would make her mom happy then why not? It would be a walk in the park handling Brian.

His eyes danced around her face. “You want me to do your homework?”

“Hmm no I could see why you would think that. How many people here make you do their homework? Never mind. I want you to help me learn the stuff because come test time you won’t be there to cheat for me.” Rachel explained.

Jeremy stood silent and looked over her head while he considered her offer. “You’re just a girl, no offense.” His voice was soft and painfully shy.

“Hey I helped you now didn’t I? With guys like Brian it’s all about the attitude and I’ve got it. Plus if he messes with us too much I have a mean right hook. You can ask anyone and they’ll confirm.” She smiled proudly.

“I know you’ve been suspended for fighting.”

“See my reputation speaks for it’s self. I won those fights.  Do we have a deal or do you want Brain and his friends to pound on you until you have a matching black eye?” she winced noticing the shiner that looked only a few days old. “Or you rather take the ass beating instead of being seen with me?” she had long abnormal length hair that girls liked to laugh at, she wore heavy dark eye makeup that made her green eyes look brighter like a cats, and she wore a variation of the same outfit everyday, they called her a freak, thought she was crazy because she had no friends and said outrageous things.

“No it’s not that.” Jeremy rushed to say.

“I was just making sure. Relax you don’t have to be afraid of me. So?”

“Everyone already thinks I’m weak, having a girl bodyguard isn’t going to help my image.” They moved over to a nearby bench and sat down.

“Yeah but you’ll live to tell the tale. Stop caring what anyone else thinks. At the end of this year this bullshit is all over and these people become nonexistent. You help me and I help you.” Rachel proposed the idea one last time; it’d be his loss if he didn’t take it. She could always find another way to pass algebra but there was no one else out there willing to help him.

“Ok you have a deal.” He said after a minute of serious thought.

“What class do you have next?” she never lacked at any job, if she said she was going to be his bodyguard well that’s what she was going to do and that meant walking him to class. It turned out they shared a few classes, with those it wouldn’t be obvious what they were doing and it’d help ease the blow to Jeremy’s ego.

During the remaining time left of the lunch period they laid out a plan. They would meet in the front of the school tomorrow and after every class they’d meet at his locker where she’d shadow him and punch Brian if need be. After school he had to go home where his mom was waiting so she agreed to go to his place to study.

Rachel Martin didn’t have a set time to be home. Her mom was working and then out with friends or a boyfriend, she always said her daughter was eighteen and didn’t need babysitting which held true from when she was seven on. They coexisted more as roommates than mother and daughter.

The bell rang and she walked him to his class, along the way she tried to crack a joke and get the guy to smile but he was awkwardly shy and tried to avoid acknowledging her. Jeremy just didn’t need help keeping the bullies away, he needed help with life. He was like a little wounded puppy and Rachel felt like the person who found him on the side of the rode. She couldn’t leave him there to die she had to help him find his legs.

She had been watching Jeremy get his ass kicked for the last month since school started; today she had, had enough. Something inside of her wanted to protect him.