BLUNT. | Liam Dunbar

Not Cocky... Confident - Chapter Two

L I A M

As I walk up to my new school, the first thing I notice is how different all the people are. At Devenford Prep, everyone dresses like a million bucks, and if you don't... you will never hear the end of it. Here, sluts dress like sluts, jocks dress like jocks, the nerds dress like nerds, yet everyone looks unique... Like anyone can fit in here, like being unique is not only acceptable but encouraged.

The fact I've been in town for over two weeks and I've only made one friend is not only alarming to my parents, but to myself as well. I need to slack off on myself a bit, though, it's the second semester of my freshman year... I'm a sixteen year old with anger issues... it's gonna be a little difficult make "friends".

I take off my sunglasses, throwing them into the side of my bag, and smirking at the first girl I see. One thing I didn't underestimate was my way with the ladies.

Cocky?

Not a chance.

Confident?

Definitely.

Plus, half the girls I've seen aren't even that impressive... no offense. They're all pretty, they just aren't my type.

As I walk through the doors leading into the main hallway, a rush of people drag me forward, and not even my smolder can stop them. A hand tangles around my arm and a small, red haired girl pulls her way next to me, smirking up at me. I sigh, looking back down the hallway, trying to ignore her obnoxious presence.

"LIAM!" An inaudible voice calls to me.

A hand pops it's way into my vision, and I trail it down to Mason. I shoot my hand up too, almost taking out the red-haired girl that had given up on getting my attention.

I jog to the side of the hallway as quickly as I can, making sure not to trample over anyone in the process. "Hey, Mason, I've been looking everywhere for you. Not to brag or anything, but the only attention I'm getting is from all these girls with raging hormones."

Mason stands up ahead by a girl in a pink blouse with some design on it and a black skirt on, with some type of boot that highlights her legs.

She is my type.

Her gorgeous chestnut hair glows even in the crappy light of the hallway, she is short but well built, with muscle but not too much muscle, and I can't see her face... but I'm guessing that it is amazing too.

In my definition, she is perfect.

Mason chats to me about something, but my attention is transfixed on this girl. She is beautiful. She is so beautiful, it kind of hurt.

Her phone buzzes and I watch as she flips her hair around one of her shoulders and texts someone back... probably her boyfriend.

"Liam," Mason slaps my arm, waking me up from my daze, "have you been paying attention at all?"

I clear my throat, looking back at the girl, and then to him. "I'm sorry, what were you saying?"

"We'll get back to that," Mason squints his eyes at me. "Where you looking at her?"

I shrug my shoulders, "Who her?"

Mason leans in close to me, speaking through his teeth, and averting her eyes back to the girl. "Her, her. You like her, don't you?"

I bobble my head, "I don't even know her... but yeah, she's cute. What's her name?"

Mason smirks, "Her name's Annie. Annie—"

"Yeah, that's her. That's the Argent girl." A chick speaks out from across the hallway as she stares at the Annie. "Her aunt killed a ton of people, and then she died. Then her mom died. Now, it was sister," she laughs. "Who knows when she'll croak next."

Annie slams her locker, charging over to the girl. "Shit..." Mason sighs, walking up behind Annie.

I stand back at the lockers, watching as Annie fumes at the girl.

Her aunt killed people... then died? Then her sister and mother died, too? Maybe she isn't as perfect as I believed, but I guess everyone has their secrets. She has a homicidal aunt and I have anger issues.

"Do you have something to say to me, cake-face?" Annie spits the girl, her small features making her even less intimidating.

The girl looks at her friends, scoffing, then looks Annie up and down. "Not worth it," she comments before walking away.

Annie's hands tremble as Mason touches her shoulder, trying to comfort her. She pulls her phone out, texting someone quickly. As I am about to say something, two boys rush down the hallway, the crowd practically splitting like the Red Sea for them. Annie collapses into one of their arms, and the other looks up at me. They both walk her away.

Mason turns back to me, shaking his head, "Sorry about that, man. She's still having trouble with the death of her sister."

I nod, "And aunt... and mother... I heard. What the hell happened to them? Does her family sign up for first line or something?"

Mason shakes his head, diving into the story about how... "Her aunt went a little crazy, she burnt down an entire house of people, killing 97% of that family. Then she died of a wild animal attack. Her mom committed suicide, back in '11, for unknown reasons. Then there was Allison..." Mason pauses, "she was a junior. Great, gorgeous girl... nice to everyone. Then one day, her and her friends got jumped by some people in the downtown area up by San Fran. Allison got stabbed and killed."

I crease my forehead, "That is terrible."

"Yeah. And ever since, Annie hasn't really been the same. She keeps to herself a lot, disappears at random times for random reasons, she barely tells me anything anymore."

I nod, following along the story. "What about her dad?"

"He went to France for a bit, took whoever wanted to go with him. I don't blame him," Mason shrugs, "if my entire family had been slaughtered in a town, I wouldn't want to be there either."

I shake my head, confused, "So Annie stays by herself?"

Mason scoffs at me, "No. Yes," he sighs. "She didn't go... Annie is the kind of person who likes to face her problems head on, instead of waiting for them to go away... But no, she lives with Scott. The kid that was just here hauling her away in a hug. Stiles was the other one."

I nod, beginning to walk with Mason into the slightly less crowded hallway. "And their connection to Annie is?"

"Scott dated Allison for forever, way-back-when, and Stiles and Scott are inseparable, so that covers him."

I laugh, "Well, I'd like to get to know this Annie Argent some more."

Mason snorts a laugh, "Good luck with that, my friend."

I shake my head in repulsion and confusion, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that you're not the only boy that is head over heels for Annie. If I wasn't gay, I'd probably be all over her, just like the other 3/4 of the school is. Plus, she barely let's anyone in. If you're name isn't Scott McCall, Stiles Stilinski, Lydia Martin, Malia Tate, or myself... You don't even have a chance with her."

I scoff, walking into Chemistry, my first class. "We'll see."