Late Bloomer

Chapter 9 Who Let the Dog Out?

Amber loved pop music just as much as I did although I was more of a weirdo at times, humming classical pieces from two hundred years ago. Her favorite song was Demi Lovato's 'Heart attack'. She would play it in her room on repeat at least a dozen times before she decides she's heard enough of it. Because of that, I learned the words by heart. Therefore, after the golden boys made me their own personal possession, that song played in my head. I felt like I had to put up all my defenses; because if I didn't, I was terrified I might fall in love.

I had three new chaperones—the golden boys. They guarded me from Karen's wrath and even their own fuming fangirls. I practically lost all my rights to privacy. But I was very well guarded. I felt like a helpless doll that they possessed, only they treated me like a princess. Better than I deserved actually. After trying so hard to avoid them and being sort of ungrateful to them in the beginning, it made me feel guilty; they seriously went out of their way being nice to me. I couldn't understand it. Were they really 'golden' boys?

"What are you thinking about?" Pierce asked me one afternoon, interrupting my thoughts.

"Hmm? Oh, nothing," I replied quickly. I was sitting on a bench under a red oak tree on the school grounds. I had a free period and invited Pierce to work on the psychology assignment with me—I'd rather do it at school than have him meet me at home again. His first visit had been nerve-wracking enough.

He joined me across the table now.

"Here's your book," he said, dropping my psychology book on the table. "I thought you might need it for research."

"You broke into my locker again?!" I asked, scandalized. "Pierce, you can't just keep breaking into people's lockers!"

"Why not? Last time I checked, you benefited from it," he replied with a nonchalant shrug. "The rope incident?" He reminded me. I sighed. He had a point.

"So why are we doing this here anyway?" He asked, looking somewhat disgruntled. "Why couldn't we have done this over the weekend at your place?"

"I feel more comfortable doing this at school," I said, not sounding very convincing. "There are too many distractions at my house." Pierce clicked his tongue.

"Still, we could have worked around that. I like it at your place..." He pouted at the end.

"Well, we have a free period now so why waste it?" I reasoned. He grunted.

"We have a free period and you choose to spend it working..." he grumbled. I smiled. Pierce Hartman was smart enough to be in college, but was a little lazy from what I could see. Didn't stop him from topping everything though.

A few students passed us by and I nervously ducked my head.

"Why are you so antsy?" Pierce asked on seeing me. "You're not still worried about being seen with me, are you?"

"Maybe..." I mumbled.

"You're already branded with us babycakes, might as well get used to it. they're not going to stop gossiping whether you sit with us or not," he said rationally. Boy, he would make a good politician.

"Sorry. I'm just not used to all this," I said truthfully, feeling abashed.

"Why don't you like to hang around us anyway? Don't you like us?" Pierce asked.

"It's not like that! I do like you, I—" I stopped, realizing what I blurted out and going red in the face. Pierce smirked. Good grief! In my hurry not to offend him, I totally fell into his trap!