disposition. | jack gilinsky

| Chapter 1 |

The flight to Omaha was long and the entire time, I held on to the thrift shop teddy bear Taylor gave me on my last birthday. My mother didn't let him come wish me farewell so we talked on the phone until it was time for me to board. I'll never forgive her for this. There's a lot I still don't forgive her for.

For a while I've wanted to fix the missing eye on the bear, replace it with a button or something. But I left it, feeling it was a representation of me. I won't lie about being a broken soul, but it's a part of me. I feel you should embrace every thing about yourself. Even the bad things.

We'll see each other again, the last thing Taylor told me on the phone. Whenever that'll be.

Aunt Sophia was late to pick me up from the airport in Omaha. She reminded me of my mother...only older & a tackier fashion sense. But they shared the same atrocious old Kate Gosselin hairdo. Aunt Sophia didn't smoke, though. No, she was a gambler. When she wasn't working like hell in the hospital, she took time off to spend her hard earned money in casinos. Not the local ones either. I'm talking Atlantic City, NJ or good old Las Vegas. Which is why I didn't mind too much living at her place. I'd be alone a lot more than I was back in LA. She greeted me with a hug, not even addressing my prior behavior, but once we got off the highway and drove through a lavish suburb, she laid down the law.

"Okay missy, no boys over, no drinking, no smoking."

"I hate cigarettes," I responded.

She nodded. "Well no smoking the marijuana. I know what it smells like."

Not like she'll ever be around to smell it.

"No drugs in general," she continued. "I spoke to my neighbor, Mrs. Dallas, she's going to be keeping an eye on you from across the street. Your butt better be home by 10 PM. Hear me? I know you just turned 17 but listen, that's not 18. You need to get into some form of control before adulthood." She snaps her fingers at me to make sure I'm paying attention.

"Got it," I said. I did get it, but I never said I'll remember it.

"I'll drop you off at school tomorrow. After that, you can walk. It's only 6 blocks down. I just have to be there to get you enrolled. Good thing she sent you a week after the year began."

At this point, her voice was just white noise to me.

____________

I wasn't sure what to wear for my first day at Westside High. After 10 minutes of thinking on it, I gave up & went my usual. White tank top with a black t-shirt over it (the shirt had a couple holes considering I've had it since I was 13), faded black shorts, and Vans...no socks. It showed off my ankle tattoo that said "No Guts, No Glory". Taylor's cousin Snake did it for me when I turned 17. All I had in my red Jansport was a spiral notebook, my sketchbook, and two ink pens.

The ride to school was so annoying. Aunt Sophia was addicted to that song that goes If you like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain. Old people shit. Thanks to it being on repeat, it got stuck in my head. Catchy songs are crap. If I were in the car with Taylor he'd probably be bumping some ratchet music that I never heard of. I don't really keep tabs on current music; something to do with this notion that my soul was in a different body during the 90's & maybe that body was...compromised. Then that soul jumped in this body when I was born. My mother said I'm just a looney bin. Sure.

I sat in the principal's office with Aunt Sophia, slouched down into the cozy designer chair. The nameplate said Principal Kramer and the lady looked intimidating with her red lipstick, salt & pepper hair, and a mean pair of patent leather pumps. She reminded me of Meryl Streep from The Devil Wears Prada.

"Pleasure to meet you, Miss Riley," Principal Kramer says.

"Just Imogen...please," I requested.

She grins. "Imogen. I hear you've had a bit of trouble at your last school."

"Just at school?" I smile.

"We have a special after school program for teens like you. Sort of like a group where you can meet others that are...troubled and there's open discussion. Now, you don't have to speak about anything you're uncomfortable speaking about. But your family and the doctors at the hospital tell me it's required you attend. Remember this is only to help you."

"I don't need help. Sorry you wasted your time."

Aunt Sophia shot me a look. "Oh you're going. Would you rather I make your curfew 5 PM?"

"2 1/2 hours of freedom before lockdown? Sounds like a quickie."

"That's enough, Imogen," Aunt Sophia asserted. I was just kidding.

I rolled my eyes. "Fine, I'll go."

____________

The first three classes before lunch were tedious. Everyone was all cliqued up and I didn't see anyone worth talking to. I got a few stares but I just stared back, sticking my tongue out at them. At lunch, I struggled to find a place to sit. But a handsome stranger caught my eye. He had a stern look, a mysterious one. His eyes were deep & dark, so was his hair. I was sure his jawline could cut through steel and his lips looked good enough to eat for dessert. The red flannel shirt he had on just made things worse for my hormones. I wasn't even watching where I was going when I bumped into another stranger. My open can of orange soda spilled on his jeans.

"Shit," I exclaimed. "I'm so sorry, dude."

I didn't even think about it when I grabbed a napkin and started wiping his pant leg, close to his crotch.

"Ummm," his voice shook. "You don't have to, haha, wow, you're friendly."

I stood up straight, looking at him. Another guy with plump lips. What is this? Pucker-up City? He had brown eyes and brown hair. Super sexy too.

"Not really, but I could be." I winked at him.

He nervously chuckles and never takes his eyes off mine & licks his lip. I wasn't sure if his lips were chapped or he was hungry.

"I'm Cameron Dallas," he extends his hand to me and I shake it.

"Imogen Riley at your service."

"My service?" He laughs.

I shrug. "You wouldn't happen to be son to Mrs. Dallas on Orchard Street, would you?"

"Maybe. Who's asking?" He has yet to stop smiling.

"Imogen Riley is asking." I place my hands on my hips.

"Well in that case, yeah." His jaw clenches and it's the sexiest thing ever. "So you're new, I'm guessing."

"New to what?" I joked.

He laughs again. "You're clever. I like that."

There was an awkward moment of silence and staring. I cleared my throat.

"So, before you go falling in love I have to warn you: a lot of mothers consider me to be a demon," I joked.

"Wicked."

The look in his eyes change from 'marry me' to 'fuck me' and I was happy to oblige sometime.

"What are you doing after school?" He asks.

"Noth-" I pause and roll my eyes. "I have a thing to go to. They're kind of making me."

"Oh." He frowns. "When is this thing over?"

"I wish I knew."