Being Bad

Chapter 39: The Guitar Keychain

"THREE MONT-" He puts his hand around my mouth.

"What's happening here, isn't as bad as what happened back in LA. But, he is still hurting and angry. So, he just needs time to cool off. He will be back."

"How do you know that?" My face displayed a bit of melancholy.

"Because he came back the last time, didn't he? This wasn't as bad. He will come back. He has to." He was saying it almost like he was trying to convince himself more than me.

"I'm just worried that he's going to get into trouble because of me. And I'm going to end up feeling guilty, because I caused him to be like this. I made him feel like shit." I bowed my head, unable to look at Eli in the eyes.

"Hey, hey, hey, don't beat yourself up other this. Look, Andrew knew what he was getting himself into when he decided to go after you to spite Mason. I guess he didn't know that he would develop feelings along the way."

Wait, what?

"Feelings? Andrew developed feelings? There's no way." I felt like laughing.

"Well, he hasn't flat out told me, but when he's around you, he's happier. When he looks at you, every girl is screaming because they want to be looked at like that. He worries about you too, just as you do with him. You two belong together, Lia."

"I don't think so." I haven't told anyone about my feelings for him, and I wasn't about to spit it out in front of the whole school at lunch.

"Yes you do. Deep down you know it's true. Sure, Andrew has his highs and his lows, but he still likes you. Whether or not he's admitted it yet, we all know the truth."

He makes a valid point. But still, I'm a bit hesitant.

"So, is he going to be okay? Like out there...alone?" I asked Eli nervously, changing the uncomfortable subject.

"To be completely honest, I don't know. He goes off the rails when his anger gets the best of him. I just hope his rage doesn't make him do something stupid. I'd hate for him to get in trouble with the police. It's terrible for him, and his parents, and his job."

"Job. What job? Andrew is loaded, why would he be working?"

"Well, he does have a job. I think it's because his parents always handed things to him as a kid and he wanted some sense of stability on his own."

"So, what kind of job is it?" I asked.

"He's a model."

My heart almost dropped out of my chest. I didn't realize that modeling was his job, I thought it was more of a hobby.

"Wait, wait, wait. That's his job? I thought it was more of a hobby, but he's making it a full blown career?"

"I think he wants to keep it low key because of all the gangs and things like that. He's worried that they will find out who he is and come for him. But, he loves it. His mom got him into it when he was four years old and he's loved it ever since."

I'm swooning so hard right now, I might have drooled just thinking about him.

A Calvin Klein model maybe? Hell yes.

Wait! Lia, no! Stop! You're supposed to be mad at him! Broke your heart, remember?

"Earth to Lia?" Eli waves in my face. I snap out of it almost immediately.

"What? What happened?"

"I just asked you about Mason. Has he forgiven you yet?"

I look over to his table, the table that I used to sit at daily, and received multiple glares and stares from my ex-best friends. They were all whispering to each other, and I assumed it was about me. Clearly they have nothing better to do than talk shit about me.