Breaking His Rules

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Aaron's POV

"You may have conveniently forgotten to mention that you were dating again", Keon says in his British accent as he catches up with me after lunch, and I shrug, half dismissively, half apologetically.

Keon is my closest friend, and pretty much the only person I would trust with my life. We've known each other since we were in grade school, and we were nerds together, spending our evenings discussing chemistry problems and whatnot. He'd gone to England for two years, but we still kept in touch. Even when I joined the football team, we never grew apart, and I was even able to convince a lot of the jocks to stop bullying him.

He smoothed his dirty blond hair through his fingers and adjusted the thick glasses which were firmly placed on his nose. Unlike me, he actually needed his glasses to see.

"Are you angry at me?", I ask, because he looks a bit pissed.

He seems to consider the question for a while, then he shakes his head. "I know things have been hard with your parents and football and... Alicia. So I am considering your recent hardships and giving you a pass."

I give a small breath of relief, but he isn't done.

"Isn't Kayla one of the rule breakers though? I thought she and some guy on your team were dating."

"They were, but he cheated on her, and now she is with me", the lie slips easily off my tongue.

"So, technically speaking, you're more of a rebound than a potential boyfriend yeah?"

Maybe it's the way that he said it in his judgmental British accent, but I don't like his choice of words.

"I'm not a rebound ok? I'm genuinely dating this girl. Maybe I do have feelings for her"

I nearly gag as I say the words, but I can't bring myself to tell him that I am only dating her to get Alicia back. That would sound low, desperate and slightly psychotic. Also, Keon never really liked Alicia, always calling her a stuck up snob, but I know that he'll eventually adjust to her, if only for my sake.

His voice brings me back to the present.

"Sorry, I zoned out. What did you say?"

"I was just saying that you shouldn't allow the bad girl ruin you and all that. You're not permitted to skip classes or get any of those deplorable marks of ink. You know how your parents are."

Yeah, I do. They'd probably kick me out of the house if they heard of me skipping classes.

"Don't worry.", I say bumping his shoulder. "I don't intend to lose my star personality."

"Star personality? I beg to differ. Anyway, when do I get introduced to her?"

Good question. At the moment, I have no idea where Kayla is. As soon as lunch ended, she grabbed her bag and took off

I am about to reply when we round the corner to the classroom, we bump into a group of giggling girls. I smell familiar perfume, and I don't even need to look up before I know that Alicia is one of them.

"Excuse us ladies", I say while Keon just remains blank and unapologizing. He doesn't talk much around girls, especially the elites – they were responsible for a lot of bullying that came our way when we were still under the popularity radar and he doesn't forgive as easily as I do.

Alicia looks up at me, her soft brown eyes locking onto mine.

"Hi", she says to me.

"Hi"

The other girls start laughing, then pushing each other as they scramble away. Keon raises a blond eyebrow at me, but he too disappears.

And then it's just both of us in the hallway.

"You look nice. I guess you've been working out for the football season", she says, a faint smile on her lips.

"Thanks", I sniff.

"It's been a while."

"That's not my fault"

She stares down at the ground, the faintest red staining her cheeks. "You're right. I guess you've been busy with your new...girlfriend."

A part of me wants to run to her, scoop her into my arms and tell her that there is no girlfriend, that she is the only girl I would ever want.

And another part of me tells me that if I give in too easily, in less than a month, I'll be single again and pining for her.

So for both of her sakes, I need to play the long term game.

"Yes, I have a new girlfriend."

"Kayla Barnes? The girl who put earthworms in your pencil case when we were in grade school? The girl who breaks all the rules and skips every class? She is your exact opposite, and you hate her and besides she's so common and cheap."

"Alicia, I will not stand here and let you insult my girlfriend. Show some respect."

She looks at me a stunned and slightly wounded expression on her face.

"I... I just didn't expect you to move on so fast"

Of course she didn't. she is the best option... heck the only option for me and she knows it. That is why she is shocked.

"Well, I have."

She looks up and down the hallway to make sure that we are alone, then sidles up to me, her arms round my neck. I am encased in the aroma of her expensive lavender perfume and the feel of her silky hair as I thread it through my fingers.

"I can tell that you still want me Aaron", she says, her tone sultry. "Why are you with another girl when you know that it is me you want?"

It takes every ounce of control not to grab her and kiss her, but I succeed. I untangle her hands from my neck and push her gently away.

"You may have a rich dad and get whatever you want, but that doesn't mean that everyone wants you Alicia."

She gasps sharply, like it she has been punched in the gut.

"I have to go to class now. I am already late."

I turn and walk away from her, intent on getting to the classroom, but I hear someone singing and I stop. The sound is coming from the arts lab. Vaguely, I wonder if Miss Peach, the arts teacher has recently started taking singing classes. I peek into the door, and I see, not Miss Peach, but Kayla. She has her headphones on (headphones are against the rules), and she is humming. But that isn't what captures my attention.

Her fingers are tightly wrapped around a paintbrush, and, in time with the beat, she adds strokes to the canvas in front of her. The painting seems to be a mix of blues, reds and greens, all forming into one cohesive image. She looks so calm, so serene, and I don't think that I've ever seen anyone look so at peace.

Quietly, I tiptoe away determined not to disturb her work though I should probably tell her that headphones are against the rules. She needs to understand that when I am her 'boyfriend', she isn't allowed to break any rules. I'll inform her. Later.

My mind turns back to Alicia as I enter the class, and although the teacher is scolding me for being late, I can't help the smile on my face as one thought remains in my mind.

The plan is working.