Painting The BadBoy ✔

21 | The First Headache

The next day was a Friday, and the rain continued. However, since the storm wasn't so bad as yesterday, schools weren't closed, which was a disappointment to all the people hoping for a longer weekend.

Claire and I were waiting by Eli's locker, hoping to hear something about Jessica since neither of us had visited her. We were going to, though. After school. If the storm didn't start up again.

We saw Eli trudge towards us, rubbing his eyes. "Hey, guys." He said with a yawn.

"Didn't get enough sleep?" asked Claire.

"Nope." He said. "Jessica's still in the hospital."

"Why?" Claire leaned by the neighboring locker, twisting a blonde lock around her finger. "You told us she broke her wrist, right?"

Eli nodded as he unlocked his locker. "And hit her head pretty hard. She has a mild concussion."

"Is she doing okay?" I asked. Cayden had skipped school today to visit her. I had thought he was going to her house. And me being the nice sister that I am, decided to not tell either mom or dad.

Mom wasn't particularly fond of Eli, so naturally, she didn't like Jessica either. It had nothing to do with them, though. The only people mom liked were her friends. They were like older versions of Catherine and Kelly, I'm not even kidding. And Gold-diggers. That's what Cayden and I called them.

Sometimes I wondered why mom married Dad only for his money. She may love him, but she loved money too.

Cue the big house -or mansion, as Dani had put it- and the lovely jewellery in mom's safe. It probably cost more than her children.

"She's okay." He replied as he took out his World History text book. Claire frowned and then glanced at the timetable sticking on the locker door. "You have Chemistry with me."

"As flattered as I am, I'm not your type. I thought we had gone over that." Eli said. I chuckled. It was good to know Eli still had his sense of humor. Nonetheless, he took out the appropriate book and shut the locker.

"C'mon then, Romeo." She muttered. "I'll see you at lunch, Cia?"

"Yup." I said and turned around, heading towards History, my first class of the day.

I was early. Students came filing in as I took my seat and I mentally braced myself for Dani's not-so-hurtful-but-still-very-cocky comments and jokes.

But they never came.

Dani was late to class today, and as he took his usual seat beside me, he didn't utter a word. Which was strange. For Dani.

I said a simple hello, and he nodded in response.

By that time the teacher had started his lecture, and most of us were already bored. That's what you get when you teach in such a low and monotonous voice. Besides, who cared what year the Battle of Hastings took place in, or who the King was at the time? I mean, no offense, but they're all dead anyways.

And so instead of listening like I had planned, I nudged Dani instead. It was strange for me because usually he did the nudging and the talking and the remarking. Half in Spanish, which was super sexy yet super annoying. "Hey, Dani?"

"Mm?" He looked in my way, and I noticed the dark circles under his eyes. It was stupid, but I was wondering whether he was afraid of storms. I mean why else would he stay up all night long?

You don't know him well enough, Valencia. He could have a million reasons.

Yup, that was right. And I didn't plan on butting in either. But we were almost, sort of, kinda friends and I was worried.

"What's wrong?" I asked him.

"Nothing." He shut his notebook and rested his arms on his table. "I have a headache, that's all."

"You want some Advil?" I asked. I kept some in my bag for emergencies. And since this would count as one, I didn't hesitate to reach into my bag and get some when he agreed.

I handed it to him, and he popped two in his mouth before swallowing.

When class was over, I said to him, "Maybe you should visit the nurse."

He smiled a little. "It's not that bad."

"Okay, then." I replied. "See you at lunch?" I stuffed my books into my bag and turned around.

"Yeah. Thanks, Valencia." I turned back and he was there looking at me, scratching his head awkwardly.

"Ofcourse."