After Curfew

Chapter 23 - Mr. Santiago

Like my entire life, my locker is an unorganized mess and I was literally searching everywhere in it for my history book. Apparently the guys aren't very patient because the next thing I know, a pair of arms were  wrapping around me and I was being tossed over someone's shoulder.

"Seriously Slate!? Every time." I grumbled as the guys all started to laugh. I wasn't annoyed because Slate had thrown me over his shoulder; I definitely don't mind being in his arms, however the element of surprise had nearly given me a heart attack not to mention we were attracting a ton of attention as we walked down the halls to history class.

I might not have minded the attention so much if it was just curiosity but the nasty glares and not-so-quiet whispering is a whole other story. Over the last month—since I've been hanging out with the "four hot bad boys" (as the girls at school like to call them) I'd started to realize how many jealous and just plain mean girls there are at my school. Some of them even went as far as calling me names (cough—Sasha—cough) and even spreading rumours about me.

"You were taking too long." Slate teased in that not-even-purposely seductive voice of his and I felt myself becoming uncomfortably hot. When we finally arrived at the entrance of our history class Slate finally put me back on the ground, but not before purposely brushing his lips against the side of my neck. He's been doing little things like that for the last week to try and seduce me into breaking the pact I made against kissing him.

We all walked in and sat at the back of the class, me directly in the middle of everyone. Our history teacher wasn't in the class yet, which I was grateful for because much like every other girl in our school, she is unashamedly smitten with the guys. (I can't exactly blame her, but that doesn't mean I don't hate the way she eye-f*cks Slate every class.)

"Willow, are you coming to—" AJ started, only to be cut off by Christian punching him in the arm and shaking his head at him. I stared at Christian with an eyebrow raised in question.

"Am I coming where...?" I asked looking around at all the guys who had suddenly become uncharacteristically quiet. My mind immediately jumped to the worst case scenario...had they been planning on going somewhere all together and not wanted me to come?

It felt like freezing cold water was being poured over me as I finally realized what was going on... Had I basically forced my way into their group? Slate and I made out one time at a club and Christian and I talked a lot for one week and suddenly I showed up at their apartment when my parents kicked me out... who does that?

Was that why they'd let me stick around since then, because they felt bad that I have no one who cares about me? Had I become a sort of pity project? I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being irrational but as I sat there in the middle of all the guys who were sitting silently with guilty expressions on their faces, I felt my heart sinking lower and lower. The feeling of being unwanted was all too familiar and I felt my breathing becoming more laboured.

"I actually have to go to the bathroom, I'll be back." I said getting up from my chair as I tried to act as unaffected as possible. I didn't want to see there reactions, I just wanted to get out of there and that's exactly what I did. I passed Ms. Vixen on my way out of the class and she called after me asking where I was going. I turned back towards her and wanted to cringe when I saw the extremely low cut shirt she was wearing that showed off her obviously fake boobs. 

Somehow, I still managed to say that I wasn't feeling well and she gave me a pitied look before saying she'd mark me as present, although in the moment I couldn't have cared less. I made my way to the girls bathroom and after I made sure it was completely empty I released the breath I'd been holding.

I stared at myself in the mirror and sighed realizing I may or may not have overreacted and that there was probably a valid explanation. Maybe it's because they're going to a strip club? Either way, I hate the way I reacted but the whole situation just hit a little too close to home. As I exited the girls bathroom to go back to class, Mr. Santiago exited the men's bathroom at the exact same time.