𝒀𝑶𝑼 𝑺𝑨𝑽𝑬𝑫 𝑴𝑬 // mileven

fifteen

i raise my eyebrows, sighing. "i know people talk, my question is, why do you care about me? there's so many girls who would love to smoke with you, talk to one of them."

"couldn't help but be drawn to you." miles says lazily as he reaches into his backpack. i flick my gaze to him and watch as he pulls out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter, laying them on the table for all to see.

my eyes widen. "what are you doing?" i hiss, narrowing my eyes at miles. if any teacher or student sees a cigarette or lighter in front of me, my already tarnished reputation could become so much worse.

"if you don't go outside with me, i'll smoke in here." miles says carelessly, shrugging as i gape at him. "your choice."

"god, you're such a brat." i mutter under my breath, forcing my attention back to my work, trying to ignore miles' hand stretching towards the lighter.

miles doesn't hear me, too busy taunting me with the lighter he now loosely holds in his hand. he slides a cigarette out of the box and with a smirk he turns the lighter on, alerting a group of students next to us.

"god, fine!" i blurt out, frustratedly shoving my notebooks back into my backpack and glaring at miles. if me going outside with him would stop him from creating a scene, i have no choice but to do it.

"i knew you have potential." miles says, grinning as he turns off the lighter and shoves it and the cigarettes into his pocket, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

he doesn't wait for me to respond before he walks away to the library exit, gesturing for me to follow.

i hold my middle finger up at his back as i grudgingly follow him.

————

"how come no one likes you?" miles asks suddenly as he plops himself down onto the grass behind the bleachers, where he has dragged me against my will.

i raise my eyebrows at him, surprised by how unfiltered the question is. i don't reply, only harden my jaw as i turn away from him, staring off at the football field.

"come on, it's not a secret." miles says with a scoff. i can hear the click of the lighter as he lights the cigarette between his fingers. "you seem likable enough, what went wrong?"

"i don't understand why i'm obligated to spill all my life secrets to you." i say flatly, scrunching my nose in distaste when i smell smoke from the cigarette. even though people may think i do, i've never smoked a cigarette in my life, hating even the slightest smell of smoke.

"fine," miles grumbles. "have a smoke with me."

i laugh, turning back around to face him. "not a chance. i don't even smoke."

"aww, come on, don't be a buzzkill." miles whines, holding out the cigarette to me almost tauntingly.

"i'm nothing close to a buzzkill." i say raising my eyebrows. "you should see me at 1 am on a school night, drinking at some frat party."

miles' eyes gleam. "you know, i should accompany you sometime. i want to see this famous el for myself."

i narrow my eyes when he says my name, the word sounding foreign on his lips. "thanks, but no thanks. i like to party alone." miles sighs in defeat and i slide my phone out of my pocket to impatiently check the time, feeling miles' gaze on me.