The Push & Pull

Chapter 1

Charlotte's POV
Charlotte knew that high school relationships weren't always set to last. She knew that hormones ruled over all when it came to the teenage food chain. However, she also knew that having a crush was the best and worst feeling in the entire world. And right now, it was the worst.

She sat in bed, a slight scowl crossing over her sleepy face. She has just ended a FaceTime call with this boy. This Reid. Reid Carter; the very bane of her existence. She knew him back from when they were innocent. Kids, barely the age of 5. They had gone to preschool together, and summer camp. Then they went to elementary school together, playing together early in the morning for before-care, as both their parents worked so the children would be dropped off early at school. But then, as the threat of middle school loomed around the corner, her playmate moved away and she hadn't seen him since.

That was, of course, until the end of her sophomore year of high school. She was walking back to class from having an emergency trip to the bathroom. As she left the girls' room, a loud-mouthed, dark-haired, obnoxious, freshman boy came sprinting out of the bathroom, wisps of smoke twirling from his mouth. He nearly coughed on them when he bumped into her, sending her stumbling towards the ground.

"Hey, I'm so sorry" he managed to choke out before reaching for her hand to help her up.

She took it gladly in her own, and with a gleam in her eye, "Better watch where you vape, the principal might see you."

He grinned. She recognized him.
Reid Carter. He got hot.

"I'll heed to your warning." He murmured under his breath before continuing in his direction.

She looked after at him for a moment, trying to figure out how the hell Reid Carter grew up so nicely. He used to be this short, greasy, and messy little boy. Now, he towered over her, lean but muscular, with shining dark eyes, wavy dark hair, and a sensual smile.
Puberty did him good.

Reid's POV
Reid liked girls. Reid had always liked girls. He never knew what to do about them, though. They were so complicated. And this girl, she was no different. But he wanted her all the same. Charlotte Scott.

He turned down the brightness on his phone and tucked it away, taking all of the light out of his room. He stared into the darkness and thought about the girl he had just spoken to for four hours on FaceTime.

Reid remembered her from the early mornings in elementary school, and the sweaty days of summer camp. But when his parents divorced when he was in fourth grade, he moved to a different town and had to switch schools. He hadn't seen her again until one perfect day in high school.

He had been in the bathroom, sharing a juul with his friends. Over the summer, Reid had become quite the nicotine addict. While hitting mid-rip, a security guard walked in, causing all of the boys to scatter. Reid bolted before he could get caught and ran out of the bathroom, crashing into a small girl.

She fell to the floor quite clumsily, and he couldn't help but laugh a little. Once she looked up at him, he knew who she was exactly.

But holy hell, had she changed.

The girl had delicate features; a petite nose, full lips, and deep green eyes framed with thick black lashes. Her skin was pale, speckled with soft freckles. Then, his hormones raged and he took in all of her; the swell of her breasts, the curve of her hips. Her figure was surrounded by a curtain of dark, thick, wild hair. Reid brought his eyes back to meet hers and stuck out his hand.

"Hey, I'm so sorry." He offered.
She accepted his hand and stumbled to get up. The scared look in her eyes from falling melted away into a sultry smirk.
"Better watch where you vape. The principal might see you."

He froze for a second. If this bitch rats me out... oh the things I could do to her...
Noting the sarcastic tone in her voice, he responded with a snarky grin.
"I'll heed to your warning."
Then he continued off. The buzz from the nicotine fading, but the memory of Charlotte lingered in his mind.