A Bad Boy Stole My Bra- SAMPLE

Chapter 3- SAMPLE

I can hear the teasing in her voice.

I cringe as we begin the slow walk towards Math, popping some gum into my mouth to cover the fact that I forgot to brush my teeth this morning in my dazed, sleepy state. I probably should have told my best friend, but honestly the idea never occurred to me. The events of this weekend were short and intense. Violet, taking my silence as an answer, chatters on beside me.

"Of course I'm wrong, but you know, I don't even care. I can't believe you live next to Alec Ryder and you didn't tell me. Dammit, you're lucky. You probably don't even realise how lucky you are, you know that? You might even –"

"Stop right there!" I pull her to a stop. "I don't care that this new guy is living next door to me, I really don't."

She raises an eyebrow. "You should care. This guy is new to town, apparently very confident and definitely very attractive. This is a good thing, surely?"

"No, it's not a good thing."

My best friend looks at me for a long moment and laughs. "Just because you're allergic to boys."

"I'm not allergic to boys!"

"You know, Riley, I honestly think it would be healthy for you to start dating again," Violet's tone becomes serious. "I know you've been repulsed by the idea of crushes and relationships since the Toby Incident, and I get that, but you shouldn't have to punish yourself for what happened with Kaitlin –"

Immediately my heart rate increases, and I find myself shaking my head viciously to try and eject the words from my brain. I don't want to talk about this. I hate it when she brings it up, and I don't know why she still pushes me.

"It's not that easy," I cut in sharply. "Besides, that isn't why Alec moving next door is a bad thing...I'm not repulsed by him in that sense."

Just every other sense instead.

"Then what is it?"

"Well basically, I was woken up on Saturday night because –"

"Riley!"

My eyes jolt towards the source of the voice. Dylan Merrick stands further up the corridor of blue lockers, flanked by Joe, both of their gazes fixed on my disgruntled form. At the sound of his husky voice, people immediately zone onto me and before I know it, I've gone from my safe spot below the radar to hot topic for gossip in a matter of seconds. I cringe as the two head towards me, shrinking back into the lockers and hoping that there is some other Riley standing conveniently behind me.

"Hey there." Dylan greets me with a small smile as he nears us, leaning on the locker beside me. "How are you?"

Is he completely oblivious to the curious stares we're getting? Maybe he's just grown used to it by now, what with him being popular and all. Suddenly self-conscious under multiple gazes, I flush and tuck my hair behind my ear.

"I've been better." My voice comes out surprisingly strangled and croaky as Joe steps into my only escape route. Help required, sharpish. I hate being a focus of attention.

"So has Ryder given it back yet?" Joe asks me, shooting a sideways glance to an incredulous Violet. Her face is puckered in confusion, and it would take a blind man not to see the barrage of questions ready to tumble out of her. Yay.

"Nope," I grumble. "Yesterday, when I was at his house, I tried to find it for a solid fifteen minutes while he watched me, before admitting defeat. Infuriating grasshole."

"You know I could help you get him back . . ." A spark of excitement flares in Joe's eyes as he says the dreaded words.

"Er...no thanks." I chuckle uneasily. "Helping isn't really your forte. Your forte would be fire, danger and exclusion." I glance uneasily to my side. Thankfully, not many people are looking over anymore.