Had I really done the right thing by letting him slip through my fingertips when he seemed to be genuinely interested in me?
He didn't try to use some stupid, cheesy pickup line or try to hit on me like I was a thing with no feelings. Or like I was a cheap, worthless whore.
He’d treated me as an equal, respected my rights.
Except that time when he’d suddenly kissed me, but hey, it’s not like I minded, right?
Oh, God, what am I thinking?
“There is so much more fish in the sea. Archer Harrison is not the only fish in the whole ocean. “I replied in a futile attempt to get the stupid images of the green eyed boy in my mind.
Ugh.
She’d always loved to use the ridiculous quote that compared guys to fishes, and I was hoping that she’d lap it all up.
It fit the situation anyway, didn’t it?
Guys are a lot like fishes; brainless and slimy.
“Uh-huh.But he was the only ‘fish’ that impressed you and swept you off your feet.” She replied, looking at her nails before wondering out loud. “Hey, I should totally go for a new manicure. Wait, what am I saying? Ang, could you please come to your senses?”
‘I couldn’t argue with her on that because she was right. I likedhis straightforward approach. The way he didn't even think twice about asking me out within hours of meeting me. The way he was so infuriatingly persistent and determined to get what he wanted.
It was rather hot.
And his kisses.
Oh, and that she needed a new manicure. But whatever.
Okay I should stop thinking about that. Archer, I mean. Especially that I have to see him every day and we were now officially, strictly just friends.
But no other guy has ever invoked such feelings of that degree in me.
I dare say I've seen my fair share of hotties, but they had nothing on him.
Maybe it's just me.
But another part of me was convinced that I was right. I mean, romantic relationships are overrated and mainstream. And Archer was just a smooth talker. Nothing else, nothing more, nothing relatively new. Love is word that wreaks havoc in my own personal idea of utopia. It’s irrevocable, deadly and detrimental. It’s the most vicious form of poison in existence.
Relationships are complicated; all they seem to do is give you pain, sorrow and misery. You get cheated on, mistreated and used, downright manipulated, until they get tired of you. No, I don't want to walk down that lane.
Vic's prediction was true. The following week, I saw Archer enter the school holding hands with nobody other than Gisele Sampson.
Gisele Sampson, the girl who used to have light brown hair and freckles, a bright smile and an outgoing personality like every other girl. But the moment she entered freshman year, she’d transformed into a blonde head with copper highlights, crystal clear skin—of course it was after applying all of that makeup –and a complete change of wardrobe. Low tops, short skirts and stiletto heels became her daily obsession. Not to mention the fact that you see a new guy on her arm almost every week.
I'm not the kind of girl who forms opinions based solely on hearsay—I’m not even easily swayed by all the gossip Victoria hears, even if they’re usually legit, but I've seen it myself.
Thank God I hadn't been stupid enough to actually have a relationship with him. He had basically proved my point that he was just another typical guy, all ready to get into a girl's pants the moment she says yes. Gisele would say yes in a week. No, pardon me. The way she was throwing herself at him was telling me that it was going to be in a matter of days, hours, even.
Maybe even seconds
Sometimes, having the school gossip queen as a best friend pays off rather well. Aside from all the rare, juicy insights that I get to relish in every once and a while; it actually brought out a lot of dirty, nasty scandals, the things that people try so hard to hide but end up being the talk of the school. And almost every day, there was always a mention of Gisele without fail.
Seeing as how the girl seems so proud of any gossip, it’s not like she actually minded.
Gisele was smart though. She always hooked up with the smartest, most talented hot guys in the school and leaves them as soon as she gets bored. She reminded me of a black widow or a praying mantis, minus the fact that she doesn't eat the guys up.
It was not an uncommon sight to see Gisele shoving her tongue down some guy's throat in school... Sometimes, you could see worse. She was a walking multiple STD specimen, and I'm pretty sure that scientists would actually be able to discover new types of STDs if they studied her.
Did I mention what happened at her birthday party?
I shudder at the memory of it all.
Our entire class was invited and Vic decided that we should go and "watch the fun, there’ll be so much juicy gossip!”
Not surprisingly, halfway through the party, I saw her making out with a classmate of mine in full throttle. Hands all over, moans that just became louder and louder and more erotic every passing minute and the fact that their clothes were coming off faster than you can say “Sex”. Something happened along the way that made her so angry that she slapped him and walked away. Did I mention that this was happening in full view of everyone in the foyer of her mansion?
As if that wasn’t enough scarring for my mind, later towards the night, I really had to use the bathroom urgently, and entered the first toilet that was unlocked and oh my god what I witnessed made the first incident look tame.
Hell, it made Lindsey Lohan and Britney Spears seem like Mother Teresa.
She and a senior from our school were... never mind, I shall not go into details.
And to this date, I could not understand why she hated me with such a passion. In our junior year, she tried to steal my bra and put it in the guys’ bathroom. Let's just say that she’d underestimated Victoria’s power of gossiping.
Guess who had the shock of her life when she discovered that all her clothes went missing. But she couldn't care less. She started screaming in her insanely high-pitched voice and gave up when she realised her mistake, and tied her short pink towel around herself and strutted out into the hallway like a supermodel, giving all the boys a wonderful view of her ass.
She always said that I stole all the boys. Ironically, I’ve never even dated a guy, let alone steal one from her. Speaking of which, I finally snapped out of my reverie to see her running her hands over Archer's chest while whispering something in his ear simultaneously.
Can someone give me a reason why I shouldn't go over there and punch her face?
Gisele planted a lingering kiss on his cheek and encircled her arms around his neck before giving him a hug that I'm pretty sure after knowing her for so long, would touch on specific strategic locations. She gave him a final wave and blew him a kiss, winking flirtatiously before joining the rest of the cheerleaders to her next class. He gave her his classic smirk before heading to his own classroom, and I groaned as I remembered the seating arrangements he’d made for me.
Oh, God, why do you torture me like this?
"Wow. I need to tell people and tweet about this!"Vic exclaimed like a over-zealous puppy.
"Tell them what?"
"Tell people that the latest couple in the school are Archer Harrison and that- that… thing." She spat disgustingly though I was pretty sure she was still dumbstruck over the news.
Archer Harrison and Gisele Lindsey—ironic, isn’t it?—Sampson are officially going to be announced as the latest couple in school.
And I’m seeing the former in my next class. And sitting beside him.
For the next four periods till lunch.
You’ve got to be kidding me.
I groaned as I hit my head on my locker repeatedly. This was going to be a long, long day.
Chapter 14
Start from the beginning
