Raise The Bar

chapter six

"Where have you been?" Nellie freaks out.

"What's going on?"

"Adrian Castillo PUNCHED someone for you," she screams. Punched a guy. All this Adrian stuff is making my head spin. "He punched one of the water polo guys in the campus gym locker room."

"What why?" This is something out of a teenage comedy movie. And I am the least bit amused.

"I'm not sure, Mads texted me. She heard from Shelby who heard from her boyfriend Axel, the running back on the football team who was at the gym too. Not gonna lie, possessive but kind of hot." I give her a look and she takes it back, "Not hot," she shakes her head.

A knock sounds at the door and I go to answer it only to be met with annoyance, "Why'd you hit someone?" I look into his deliciously gray eyes that make me want to take all of my clothes off every time I look into them, and by every time I mean the three times I've seen him.

"Word travels fast around here," he smiles. He walks in as if I invited him, which I didn't, and sits down on my white couch. My perfect white couch I upholstered with Mads last summer when we got back from Europe and my family helped us move in. I love that couch and now he's sitting on it.

I'm not sure why but it heavily irritates me.

"You're not actually mad, you're probably even flattered." I hate that he knows me so well, not flattered, but surprised he likes me enough to get physical with someone. The well-being of an athlete's hand should matter to them.

"I'm sorry I don't speak bullshit. Could you repeat that for me please?" He does not get to win this one.

"Cherry, you wouldn't be interested in any of those losers and I punched the guy for insulting you," he shrugs my response off as if it doesn't mean anything.

"What'd he say?" He stood up for me. Part of me wants to give in but the other, more stubborn side is failing to stay strong. Distractions cannot be afforded this year.

"His name's Albert Bergstein," I almost want to laugh right then and there but I hold it in, "Names a mouthful isn't it?" He smirks.

"I would say poor kid but he was acting like an ass. Called you a few select names, told me a few things, and after all of that I just don't understand why he'd tempt fate especially with a name like that."

"So you just threatened every other guy on campus?"

"Of course not, I'm not a creeper Laurence. Word spread around after the kid started gushing blood all over the floor and people are just not interested in the trouble you bring." My jaw almost hits the floor, I bring trouble?! Great. Now he's my only option for the next two years.

"And what if I just went to a different school and hooked up with one of those guys?"

"You aren't the hook-up type of girl," why do I tell people things.

"I made it through my freshman year without wanting a guy, I'll make it through the next few years too," I head over to the door and open it, gesturing him out.

"I don't need you to defend me," I express defensively.

"Needs trump wants babydoll. I'm sexy, respectful, God knew what he was going when he made me," he leans against the door with a smirk.

Holding the door ready to slam it I furiously dose my tone with annoyance, "You're also an egotistical, hot-tempered ass. Goodbye Castillo." I close the door and run my hair through my hair moving it behind my ears and slumping onto the couch.

I turn around and see Nellie forgetting the fact that she was here the entire time and now her mouth is left agape, "That was such an intense encounter."

"He punched someone. For me." I'm wide-eyed and shocked, repeating the words again in my head. 'He punched someone. For ME.'

"Before this, no one knew your name, now everyone on campus knows you," she laughs.

If this was some professional accomplishment I'd be on cloud nine but the fact that I'm known for some tatted-up, arrogant, basketball player punching Albert Bergstein in the face is mortifyingly impossible for me to wrap my mind around.