Roses and Revenge

Chapter Seven: The next Albert Einstein

After vomiting the two mouthfuls of Tyler's pancakes (which if i hadn't been feeling so rough would've actually been pretty delicious), I was in definite need of a shower.

Thousands of piping hot steamy droplets hit my skin.   The burning water washed over everything, my hair, my skin, my nasty stench of BO and alcohol and perhaps most importantly, my feeling of disgust from the night before. I more than ever needed to feel clean. As I began washing myself for the third time, I traced my hands over the blossoming bruises on my legs and arms. It wasn't as if I've never been bruised or beat up before, in my past it was a regular occurrence, but this - this was different. Never had I not realized how i'd gotten them, and that definitely hurt a lot more than any physical ache or pain. 

After slipping back into the fresh set of clothes I'd worn down to breakfast I glanced at the clock. Well shit...

"TYLER! We're gonna be late for school, i'm already half a fucking hour late for training." I scream, whilst running down the stairs.

"Relax Mrs Incredible, what are we missing right now?  Besides everyone knows the cool kids always turn up late. " Tyler teases as he tries to hold in a laugh at my seriously pissed off expression. 

"If I keep missing practice I could lose my scholarship. We can't all be rich kids who can afford to turn up half way through the school day!" I retaliate, maybe a bit too harshly, but I was not in the mood for jokes this morning. 

"Look around Maya, I live in a tiny flat in the shittest part of town, my mum works eight hour shifts as nurse on top her waitressing job just to pay the rent. You really think I can afford the prestigious Templeton High, without a scholarship. "

Now it was my turn to look at the ground and my throat felt dry with guilt. After everything that happened or didn't happen last night, Tyler of all people was being well... nice, and I being me, pushed him away. 

"Hey don't sweat it, i'm more clever than I look, most people have got no clue i'm gonna be the next Albert Einstein." Tyler smiled easily, showing me that my scathing assumption didn't upset him.

"You as in Tyler Grey, as in Templeton High's resident badboy, are on an academic scholarship!" I let out a sharp giggle.

"Yup. What can I say not everyone can be both smart and exceptionally good looking" 

"Who said anything about being good looking..." I laugh again as I shove my purse and phone into my pocket. My mind thinks back to school and I realize i'm gonna have to get there fast.

................................................................................................................................................................

"No. Way." I state bluntly whilst folding my arms across my chest in defiance.

"You said it yourself, you didn't wanna be late, and this is the only way..." Tyler grins as he brandishes his 200 horsepower gleaming black motorbike. 

"I'd rather walk. Never in a million years will I be getting on that  two wheeled death sentence."

"Well you can just tell your coach that you were late to training because you didn't want to get a lift with me, i'm sure he'll understand. I mean its not like you've already missed a session in the week you've been at Templeton, oh wait my bad! - you missed your first session when you were in detention with me..." he sniggered sarcastically as he walked towards me. All Tyler's strange niceness has definitely faded and I've gone back to wanting to punch his smug face again. But before I knew it he had his huge arms wrapped around me and lifted me off the ground. 

"TYLER GREY, PUT ME DOWN. NOW!!!" As my legs are in the air, there is no way with my small frame I can use a karate move and flip him onto the ground. With me swung over his left shoulder, he uses his right arm to rev the engine before plopping me on the back of the seat.

"Sorry looks like you've got no choice, hang on tight Maya." And before he even finishes his sentence the engine revs again and we're flying at what feels like a million miles an hour. 

Once were on the straight road I slowly open my eyes. I don't wanna admit it and give Tyler the satisfaction but this whole motorbike thing is actually pretty cool. My long dark hair is flying wildly behind me and the wind brushing past my face makes me forget everything. All the noisy shit in my brain has suddenly silenced and the only thing I can think about is the buildings rushing past me and the sense of pure exhilaration. We speed up and I wrap my arms tighter around Tyler's chest, not because i'm scared, but strangely because it feels nice.

As we near the parking lot we slow down and I catch glimpses of peoples shocked expression as they see me and Tyler together. But we don't just slow more and glide to a stop, nope in a very Tyler-esc fashion we skid to a blinding halt so that the bike creates a high pitched screeching noise as if he wants to draw even more attention to himself. Then he smoothly hops off the bike, shakes his head and runs his hands through his dark curls of hair as if he's in some kind of a fragrance commercial. To be fair if he had a small bottle of cologne in his hand, with his toned physique and piercing dark eyes, he wouldn't look out of place in a high end fashion magazine, but there was no way in hell I was letting him know that. His elephant sized ego does not need to get any bigger.

"You're such a girl" I scoff at his extravagant displays in front of the parking lot. 

"Oh please , I know you love it, almost as much as I know you loved the ride." To that I reply by sticking my tongue out and mime throwing up again. Then I look up at the tall stone clock-tower and realize the time.

"Anyway, thanks for the lift and the two mouthfuls of pancake were actually not terrible, but I should probs get to Karate like ASAP." I smile trying to be grateful, but making sure Tyler understands i'm not just one of his regular obessors whose gonna try and make out with him and beg for another ride on his bike. I can see that very group of short-skirt wearing, bitchy looking girls standing behind us and they give me their hilarious attempt of an intimidating glare. 

"Maya, after last night and everything, are you sure you wanna still go to training?" Tyler questions with that same twang of concern in his voice from earlier. 

"Look, I really can't lose my scholarship and although what happened was really freaky, it's got nothing to do with my karate class, right?"I smile and quickly turn to walk inside.

If I hadn't been so keen to avoid the dagger eyes from the mean girls, I might of lingered longer and I noticed Tyler's bunched fists. Perhaps, more significantly, I also might've heard his bitter mutter of  "If Jason dares to show his fucking face", but it was too late and I continued to jog into the gym.