Scott Appleton is a simple country boy. He rides a mule everywhere he goes and lives on a farm. Though he's never been good at interacting with girls. So when his best friend Ezekiel gets a record deal and dumps his girlfriend Ann Maria, Scott write...
Usually, I would take the crew to school but Shawn got his license over the summer and Anne Maria's friends offered to drive her. It sucked that we wouldn't be going together. The plus side was that Malu really wanted to join me and Albertha so I would be picking her up each morning.
School wasn't really my thing. I wasn't the smartest or most handsome guy. Up until freshman year I was a bully until I decided to reevaluate my life. Cameron and Mike are still scared of me though no matter how much I try to make it up to them. I didn't participate in any sports and mostly just goofed around.
I was at my locker when I heard a loud and dramatic voice. I turned around to see a girl with a golden mane of hair with pink ends talking to Gwen. Frankie never liked Gwen or any of her friends. But I knew she put up with them because Courtney and Gwen grew up together.
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"It's so weird how you're at MY locker. Going to steal it like you did Courtney's man?" She asked looking at the paler girl as if she was the queen and Gwen, was scum.
"It's just a locker... no one's claimed this one yet." Gwen said looking nervous.
"Got a problem blondie?" Crimson asked from behind Gwen.
"Your face is my problem." The blonde grinned.
"Ladies... ladies ladies break it up." Tristan said cutting in between the girls. "It's the first day of school and you're already scaring away the poor freshman." He smiled as he pointed to a tiny guy Jacob had over his shoulder. I didn't know if they were going to help or hurt him.
"Whatever Nelson." Frankie said glaring at Gwen. "Watch out Ingrid." She faked smiled before walking away. I knew things would be tense between Courtney and Gwen's friend group but I didn't expect it to be this bad.
I was glad I kept myself out of drama. I already had a hard time with my past reputation and Duncan's hate for me. I didn't need anything tearing me down.
"Scott what is this?" Courtney asked me a couple of days later holding my letter during gym class. Shawn looked from me to Courtney and got up and just ran away. My face turned red as I sat frozen. She sat down next to me neatly crossing her legs and holding my letter.
"I'm not stuck up... or bossy." Courtney said looking heated. "And I'm surprised you're not over that stupid kiss. We were kids Scott."
"I... know I wrote that a couple of years ago." I said nervously. "Can I have this back... we'll have to talk again." I said flushed.
"Fine by me." She shrugged standing up and walking away. I put the letter in my book bag trying not to scream. If Courtney got a letter does that mean the others are out. As soon as I was home from school I ran up to my room and looked for my Lucky hat. It was gone.
"MA DID YOU TAKE SOME STUFF WHEN YOU CLEANED MY ROOM THE OTHER DAY?" I asked panicking.
"It was such a mess." She called up. "I also gave some stuff up to the Goodwill. But I didn't see a hat."
"If the Goodwill found some letters, would they send them in the mail??"
"Yeah, I would think so.."
I panicked as I finally realized the situation. My letters were out. Courtney already showed me hers. So, there was only Meghan from camp, Dawn who I used to bully, Sammy who I danced with once, and Anne Maria. FUCK ANNE MARIA.
My doorbell rang and I heard my mom answer it. "Anne Maria it's good to see you sweetheart." No no no no. I climbed out my window and made my way out of the house. I ran towards the barn and hid for a couple of hours to process my messed-up predicament. I came back around dinner time. My mom told me she stopped by as we ate.
The next day I told myself I was going to avoid running into Anne Maria at any cost. But when I shut my locker, she was on the other side holding my letter her hand on her hip.
"What is this?" She asked whisper yelling. "And why haven't you been answering my phone. I've been texting you since yesterday." Anne Maria said looking annoyed.
"Listen before you say anything I wrote that a long time ago..."
"Why'd you send it to me?" She asked confused.
"Somebody in my house found where I put the letter and Good Will sent it, I think." I said furiously blushing at how stupid I probably sounded.
"You mentioned stuff about me and Zeke... and uh." Suddenly I noticed she looked pretty flustered for once. "You still like me?" She asked.
"I can't and I don't." I panicked putting my hands on her shoulders before blushing and moving them off. "It was years ago."
"Why didn't you tell me before? If I would've known..." she said looking at me with an adorable look. The same look she gave me in the flower field. I couldn't take it. If me and Anne Maria got together Zeke would hate me.
"Well, these things happen." I said looking away. "It's a good thing I have a girlfriend now." I lied.
"You do?" She asked looking like I just hit her. "Who?" I looked past her and saw Courtney Barlow walking bye. She was glaring at Duncan and Gwen who were flirting at Gwen's locker. Her beautiful eyes looked like they were full of sadness as she walked around them.
"COURTNEY HEY." I suddenly shouted.
"Huh?" Anne Maria asked as Courtney looked at me confused.
"See you later." I said to Anne Maria before going up to Courtney.
"Scott wha-" I walked up to Courtney Barlow and kissed her right on the lips. I thought for sure she'd beat me up but rather than fight me she kissed me back. Courtney Barlow was kissing me back. We broke apart both flushed.
"See you later." I said awkwardly before walking off.
"Yeah..." she said.
I tried to lay low during the day but it was kind of hard when everyone was staring at you and whispering. As soon as gym class was over, I walked out into the hallway and into a flustered Courtney who had been waiting for me. Shawn stopped when he saw the two of us talking and awkwardly patted me on the back and went off. We waited into no one was around to begin talking.
"What the heck were you doing?" Courtney asked me. "You know I could report you for sexual assault." She said pissed off.
"I'm sorry. I was just panicking." I said blushing. She was cute when she was angry. But Courtney was always adorable.
"Listen, you're definitely one of the nicest guys I know and you're great. But we can't be together. You're... messy and I have a reputation to uphold plus I recently got dumped and I'm not over Duncan yet." She said.
"Good think I don't like you then." I shrugged.
"Then why write me a letter?" She asked confused.
"You see I actually wrote to a couple of other girls..."
"How dare you! If you were going to write me a love letter why write to other girls." Courtney said folding her arms and pouting.
"I actually wrote them a couple of years ago. Someone sent them out." I said.
"Who are the other girls?" She asked.
"Not telling." I said. She suddenly pinched my arm.
"Fine, I'll tell you the one I actually have feelings for Anne Maria."
"Isn't that Zeke's girlfriend?" She asked.
"They broke up."
"Then why not go for it?"
"They still love each other plus I don't want to get in the way. And I kind of told her we were dating..."
"You'll be hearing from my lawyer." Courtney said disgusted as she walked away. That went well.
