His Name Is Trouble

2. Laughter.

Chapter 2: Laughter.

I am awoken by the bird that keeps pecking at my room window. The sun is too bright today. I squint my eyes as I get out of bed. I put my slides on and I tie my pink robe around my body. Walking over to my dresser, I pick up my purse and remove my phone. I have three messages, one from Zachary and two from Adam.

I click on Zachary's message which reads;

"Hope you slept well. Can't wait to see you today."

Why do I still have his number?

I drop the device on my bed and head to the shower.

Ten minutes later, I am walking down the stairs. I see my parents in the living room. They seem to be making some business calls.

I walk to the kitchen where I see our chef, Pierre, making pancakes.

"Mmm, this place smells like heaven." I tell him.

"Thank you, Miss." He says, flipping a pancake in the frying pan.

"I'll have mine to go, please." I tell him, not wanting to sit at the dining table with my parents this morning.

"Okay, Miss Valarie." He replies.

I open the fridge and grab a bottle of Snapple. I open the bottle and I take in the sweet juice.

"Honey." I hear my mother call from behind me.

"Yes mother." I say, turning around.

"Ashton's here." My mother informs me.

Ashton McCain, the classic definition of a snobby rich boy. He is selfish, conceited, and spoiled rotten. He is the boy my parents want me to go out with. Just because his family owns three hotels.

Over my dead body.

"Why?" I ask her, looking puzzled.

"What do you mean by 'why', he's here to give you a ride to school, young lady." She says smiling.

"Well, I wasn't informed." I say, folding my arms as I stare at her.

"Well, I'm informing you now." She says, staring at me with a look in her eyes that said 'obey me or else'.

"Whatever. I'll go with him." I tell her.

I pick up my pancakes from the island and I leave the kitchen. I kiss my mother goodbye and I walk out of the front door.

Ashton's car is a red G-Wagon with black finishing. Ashton is leaning on his car, he lifts his head up and smiles at me. I walk over to his car and I just stand there.

"C'mon, give Ashy some sugar." He says before he hugs me, my hands stay at my sides. Not returning the gesture. He kisses me on my cheek and my skin crawls.

"Can we just go already?" I ask and he lets go of me. Releasing me from his embrace.

We get inside the car and head to school.

***

The hallway of Barkridge High are buzzing with full blown hormones and gossip. Ashton puts his hand on my waist as we walk down the halls and I brush it off.

"Hey Ashton." Courtney says, walking beside him.

That's Courtney Bridgeport, Barkridge's finest and the poster child for harlotry.

"Hey, how are you?" He asks her.

"I'm good, a lot better now that I've seen you." She says, batting her eyelashes.

This girl is such a kiss ass.

"Ashton, I have P.E." I tell him and he lets go of my waist.

I walk away, leaving the two of them in each other's disgusting company. I walk into the girls locker room and I open my locker. I take out my gym shorts and a white tank top. I place them on the white bench and I am about to undress when Hannah walks in.

"Son of a bitch." She says in anger.

"What's wrong?" I ask her.

I've never seen her so riled up.

"Chad. That's what's wrong." She says scowling.

"He probably said something sexist as usual." I say, knowing how stupid Chad Handler can be.

"No. He asked me out." She says and I burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" She asks, raising an eyebrow.

"You and Chad." I say chuckling.

"Well, it's never happening. I don't want Sasha's leftovers." She says.

"He's really a floozy." I point out.

"Just like Zachary." She replies.

"Um, yeah." I say, looking away.

"I gotta go change." I tell her grabbing, my clothes from the bench.

***

The spring formal is three days away and I am not going, for two reasons.

One; I don't have a date. I mean Zachary asked me to go with him, but it's not like I was going to go with the devil's son.

"I thought he was the devil himself?" My subconscious asks me.

And two; I don't have a dress.

Moving on, I'm in my bedroom listening to Keith Yarander, my favorite musician right now. He's a new RnB artist and he's killing it.

I sprawl out on my queen-size bed and I sigh.

This is the life.

I hear a knock on my door.

"It's open." I yell from the other side of the room.

My mother walks into the room with a worried look on her face.

"The Hendersons are downstairs." She says, frowning.

Is Zachary there too?

"Except Zachary of course. That boy is not allowed on the property, not after what he did to you." My mother says, answering my thoughts.

"Why do you look so worried?" I ask her.

"Because your father and Mr. Henderson had a huge disagreement, and they pulled out of the contract they both had together." She says, her hands are shaking by her sides.

"Mum, why are you so nervous? You're overreacting." I tell her, touching her shoulder.

"The two of those men in the same house..." She says, staring off into space without finishing her sentence.

"Mom, you're being weird. Where's dad." I ask, wanting to know about the whereabouts of my father.

"He's in his study, but if he finds out that the Henderson's are here. There'll be hell to pay." She says.

I put my hand on my forehead to ease the pressure that has started building up in my head.

"We're opening up a hell mouth." I tell her as we both walk out of my room and down the marble steps.

"Good day, Mrs. Henderson." I say, greeting her.

"May we talk to you in the kitchen?" Mr. Henderson asks.

"Sure." I tell them.

We walk to the kitchen and my mother walks behind me.

"We'd like to talk to her alone, please." Mrs. Henderson says, scowling at my mother.

"Well, whatever you want to say, you can say it in front of me." My mother replies, standing her ground.

"No mum, it's fine. I'll be fine." I tell my mum and she calms down and nods.

She leaves the kitchen and Mrs. Henderson folds her arms and stares at me.

"What is it?" I ask, my patience running thin.

"We need you to date our son." Mr. Henderson says and I burst into laughter.