The Ice Princess and The Bad Boy

Chapter Seven - Conquering Stage Fright

{Chapter Seven – Conquering Stage Fright}

•Violet Preston•

I took a seat at the table in the far right corner of the cafeteria. I began eating my lunch alone as usual while reading a book. It was too chilly to eat outside in the school's garden.

The chair across from me suddenly screeched very loudly causing me to nearly drop the book in surprise. I looked up to find none other than Grayson in front of me.

"Sorry," he said with a smile as he took a seat across from me. I hadn't seen him since the morning when I ditched him right after we arrived at school. He was bombarded by a million fan girls the moment he got out of my car and I quickly got away before he could follow me around like a little puppy.

"Hi Grayson." Ali popped up out of nowhere and took a seat next to him. "Hey Violet," she grinned at me.

A blonde girl with gray eyes popped up out of nowhere and sat on the other side of Grayson. "Hi, I'm Carly Henderson, Ali's best friend," she introduced herself to me.

"Violet Preston." I nodded at her.

Then she and Ali began chattering away to Grayson as Grayson gave me a pleading look like he was hoping I'd help him. I only smirked at him and watched the three of them in amusement.

"I see you're kind of smiling." Eli took a seat next to me.

"I am not," I scowled, remembering about our little bet.  There was no way I was giving my soul to the devil.  Who knows what he would make me do if he won.

"I said 'kind of smiling," sweet pea."

"I'd rather you call me Preston."

"Okay then, sweet pea." He wiggled his eyebrows at me as he leaned in closer towards me while I leaned away.

"Hi! I don't think we got to speak to each other the other night," Grayson interrupted us.

Eli reluctantly leaned away from me and turned to Grayson. "Right, you're Mr. Hollywood," he said, looking him up and down like he was analyzing him.

"Weren't you two a little too close to each other considering the fact that your parents are getting married to each other?" Grayson suddenly stated with a funny expression I couldn't quite make out.

"So? Can't future siblings be close?" Eli taunted, pulling me closer to his side.  This seemed to annoy Grayson.

"Look dude, I'm just saying-" Grayson started.

"No, I understand what you're trying to say. You don't like me being too close to your little girlfriend," Eli said nonchalantly.

"Girlfriend?!" Ali and Carly snapped their heads in my direction.

"What?!" I exclaimed, not expecting Eli to say such a thing.

"I didn't- she's not-" Grayson looked as shocked as the rest of us.

"I'm not his girlfriend," I objected for him.

"Yeah, you aren't. That's because you're mine," Eli pulled me into his chest.

"What?!" This time Ali, Carly and Grayson exclaimed in disbelief.

I immediately pulled away from him and looked around to find the whole student body watching us now. Were we that loud?

"I'm not your girlfriend," I exclaimed, whacking Eli in the arm.

"Violent as ever I see. You should be called Violent Violet, get it?" Eli joked.