The Boy Who Never Smiled

Chapter 14

Chapter 14
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"Get out," was the first word Rixton said when I slid into the seat next to him.

"Why?" I demanded, crossing my arms over my chest and raising an eyebrow as if to say, You gonna try to make me?

Rixton glared at me, so coldly and intensely I saw a round girl with a plump face and wide glasses sitting in the seat next to us with her friend whimper.

Woah.

I turned to face Rixton. "Why do you shut people out?" I asked bluntly. "Because people are annoying as hel--" I cut him off. "Don't finish that sentence."

Rixton frowned at me and I looked away as the bus gave a powerful lurch and began to move again.

"Really," I insisted. "Can't you see I want to try and be your friend?"

Rixton was silent for an agonizingly long amount of time before he finally sighed, a deep and heavy sound. "Why would you want to be my friend?" he asked, his tone dry.

"Um... because I said so?" I stated in a 'duh' tone. "And your also the only person who also reads Percy Jackson that I have met in my 16 years of life."

Rixton glanced at me briefly, and for once I thought I saw a hint, the tiniest hint, of amusement in his obsidian eyes.

"Look," he began firmly with a flat expression, "I know I am stunningly handsome--" I coughed in an awkwardly loud tone of sarcasm at that-- "But honestly, you futile attempts at becoming 'friends' with me are useless. So, no, I won't be your 'badboy boyfriend' who gets you all the attention and popularity status. Sorry, but not sorry. And, besides, I'm not too popular anyway."

I burst out laughing.

Like, the laughter where you just can't stop.

It racked my whole entire body in spasms, so much I doubled over, clutching my sides, ignoring the confused stares people were sending me.

Let them stare, my brain said confidently.

Be quiet, I told it before wiping my eyes free of the small beads of tears that had formed during my fit of obnoxious cackling.

"You, dear Rixton, think I'm trying to become your friend for popularity?" I began to choke on air, giggling uncontrollably.

Rixton's expression remained flat.

I turned to him and frowned, my laughter slowly sliding to a halt.

"What do you think I am?" I demanded. "Some golddigger?"

Rixton shrugged. "I don't know, you tell me."

I glared at him then sighed and looked away. "No, Rixton, I am not a golddigger, for your information. I am going to be your friend. Can you say the word 'friend'?" I looked at him expectantly.

Rixton only glared at me.

"Okay, let's try to sound it out. Fr--ie--nd," I said, putting great emphasis into each word.

"I get the picture," Rixton muttered, looking out the window at the passing cars.

I only smiled. "You'll warm up to me, just wait and see. I know you will."

"Yeah, I will not," Rixton replied coldly.

"Yeah, not want to not be friends with me," I said, waving my hands around in the air for dramatic effect.

Rixton gave me a 'are-you-crazy?' look and I only beamed at him.

"I don't even know your name," Rixton pointed out, his dark eyebrows raised, almost touching his shaggy black bangs.

I frowned at him. "But I told you it when we first met, remember? Were you not listening?" I replied in a confused tone. I could have sworn...

"Oh, hey, yeah. Something like Avery Apollo or some junk like that," Rixton said, shrugging almost carelessly.

I glared at him. "Ariana Allo," I corrected, "and as much as I love Apollo, I'm not a demigod, and he's not my father."

Rixton shrugged again. "I don't care much," he stated flatly.

"I can tell," I said scornfully.

Suddenly, the bus lurched to the left and I yelped, my head slamming into the front of the seat.

Rixton twitched, and I wondered for a brief second if he was reacting on impulse on trying to stop my fall.

Does he care? I thought.

Duh! my brain yelled at me.

Okay, okay, jeez! Sometimes moody...

No comment.

I shrugged and rubbed my forehead. "Stupid turns," I grumbled and then leaned back in my seat once more.

"So, are we almost at the high school yet?" I asked him.

"I don't know," Rixton replied stiffly.

"Oh, okay..." I trailed off awkwardly and then pointed towards the window.

"I like that color on that car. Don't you?" I asked, nodding at a car we were passing, which was dark purple with black stripes running down the hood.

"It's ugly. Looks like a plum with Sharpie drawn on it," Rixton replied coldly.

"First of all, plums are good. Second of all, Sharpies are awesome to draw with, so your attended insult has backfired," I told him smugly, sticking my tongue out at him.

Childish, I know, but technically I'm still a child. Until I turn 18.

Rixton glared at me, his bangs once again highlighting his cold dark eyes, until he looked away again.

"So, does this make us friends now?" I asked him suddenly after a brief moment of silence.

"No," Rixton answered flatly, almost in boredom.

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"Dammit, I said no!" Rixton yelled, causing the bus to fall silent and everyone to look at him.

I remained calm and perfectly unphased, however.

"We'll see. We will be friends, Rixton. Mark my words," I vowed, and I doubt he realized how literal I really meant that.

(A/N: I loved making this :)

Ariana and Rixton are just so cute together, don't you think?

I think so.

Anywho, remember:

Ariana's brain is bolded and italicized, and Ariana's thoughts or replies to her brain are italicized.

(Also when I intend to make a word more clear or emphasized more firmly, like I love brownies. Like that).

Okay, so, don't forget to VOTE, COMMENT, and FOLLOW ME.

Thanks!)