The Bad Boy's Choice

Chapter 1

It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this nervous.  Once Jay and I started dating, it didn’t take long for me to become popular. It’s how high school cliques usually work, you date the captain of the basketball team and voila you go from being at the bottom of the food chain to being one half of the couple everyone wants to be friends with. Of course it helps that I’d lost weight in the summer prior to Jay asking me out. In part I’d lost it because I knew Jay was interested and for him to cross the line from being ‘ just good friends’ to boyfriend and girlfriend, I needed to step up my game. Things changed a lot for me that summer and without wanting to do so, I immediately think of Cole.

            My phone rings before I can think further on that particular topic and the screen lights up with a picture of my best friend Nicole. It’s one of both of us and was taken just last month during our summer break when we went to the beach. She looks like a Victoria’s Secret model with her tanned skin and flat stomach which her two piece does nothing to hide. Next to her I pose awkwardly in my own more modest swimsuit and we grin at the camera, our arms around each other’s shoulders.

“Hey,” I ask as I dig through the fridge to find a water bottle.

“Hey birthday girl, why aren’t you with your attached to the hip boyfriend right now?” She fakes a yawn and I smile. It’s sweet that they’re all trying so hard to pretend that they haven't planned a huge, elaborate party just a few houses over.

“I’m asking myself the same question. Maybe I’ll just go over to his place and ask him that.”

I finally manage to find the lone water battle amongst my brother’s several cans of Red Bull. Shutting the fridge behind me I take a seat on the kitchen island.

“No don’t do that!” She almost yells and I bite my lip to keep myself from laughing. “I mean, you don’t want to come across as being desperate. Let him come to you and chew him out for bailing on you.”

“I don’t know, I feel sorta lame just sitting here waiting for him. Remind me why didn’t I make any plans with you?”
“Because you chose your boyfriend over me, crappy thing to do to your one and only best friend but I understand.” She sighs dramatically. “You know what? Why don’t I text Cole for you?  He’ll find out where Jay is and I’ll ask him to subtly kick his ass into action.”

I curl my fingers around the counter top at the sound of his name, “Nic don’t. You know how he is.”

Her voice is laced with frustration, “What’s with you two? I swear it’s like you were born to be sworn enemies.”

“Yeah not the most ideal when he’s my boyfriend’s brother and my best friend’s…uh what exactly is he to you?”

She snorts, “Whatever he wants to be Tessa, have you noticed how the man looks?”

Quite shamefully I admit to myself that yes I’ve noticed and should probably stop noticing, “I can’t believe you’re attracted to him! He’s… a monster!”

“A hotter than the fiery pits of hell monster,” She corrects, “but you have to admit, he’s gotten much better now. He’s no longer pranking you every single day.”

“As opposed to looking at me like I’m something stuck to the bottom of his shoe?”

“At least you’re not permanently glued to your chair anymore.”

“Small blessings Nicole, small blessings.”

She laughs, a musical sound that never fails to hypnotize the opposite and sometimes the same gender. “I’ll get a hold of Jay okay? Sit tight and look pretty.”