Bleeding Hearts

Chapter 3

          I woke up the next morning smiling, I hurry up and get ready and then wait for Tamen to pull up to my house. My heart did a slight jump when I saw his car stop in front of me. I had so much fun with him last night, and I think he might be really good for me.
          Jogging up to his car I hop in. "Good morning beautiful." The butterfly's erupt in my stomach and I blush slightly.
           "Just drive weirdo." I look away from him shyly. I don't know why I feel this way. I mean I knew he was attractive but I didn't like his personality much. Now even the way he talks sounds like heaven.
     ———
           Arriving at school I hear whispers as we walk in together. They probably think I look desperate, but who cares! I'm happy, he makes me happy, it doesn't matter what they think. I didn't even realizing I was smiling until Tamen says, "What's got you so happy today?" I shrug simply, "I'm just happy Tamen, you've only known me for like a day you can't just assume I'm miserable all the time."
         He laughs at that and shrugs. I see Reese glaring from his locker, and my smile falls slightly. He starts walking over to us and I already have a bad feeling.
         "We need to talk."
         Tamen eyes him up and down, "No I really think you don't."
          Oh god I am so not doing this. "What's up Reese."
          I knew he wanted it to be more of a private conversation but I doubt Tamen would let that happen anyways.
          "I don't know what's going on but your not acting like yourself. Drinking and partying, showing up everywhere with him. You're headed down a bad path Kaden, I can already see it."
          He wasn't wrong, getting drunk at a party wasn't me. Clinging to a man wasn't me. But that doesn't mean I'm headed down a bad path, and who is he to tell me anything about my life? He wouldn't even speak to me yesterday.
         My eyes narrow in on him and I say, "I don't remember asking for you to watch and judge my life Reese. I think you should get a hobby."
         Tamen laughs beside me, and I saw something snap in Reece. He charges forwards pushing Taven into the lockers. I gasp as the start to fight Tamen was kicking the living shit out of him but Reece just kept coming back.
         I run over quickly, and jump in between them stupidly. Unfortunately Reece was mid swing and it hit me in the chest. I stumble harshly into the lockers proceeding to really slam my head off the corner of it. I hit the ground pretty clumsily.
         The boys paid no mind they just kept fighting. I felt something drop down my forehead and I reach up to touch it. I had cut my head. It hurt to the touch but it was only a small cut. The head always bleeds the most though.
          I look at the blood on my fingers, and suddenly Tamen grabs Reece by the neck and lifts him off the ground against the locker. His head snaps to me and his eyes seem to darken. Luca suddenly appears and pulls Tamen away from him. He grabs him by the shoulders and says, "Go cool off." Tamen looks at me dangerously but then stalks down the hallway.
             Luca hurries over to me and helps me up. I say, "Tell me it's just bleeding a lot and it's not that bad."
              He laughs and says, "That's actually exactly what happened. It's shallow. I'm sorry my brothers foolishness got you hurt."
               I laugh a little in reply, "Reece came at him. I stupidly jumped in the middle. Which is pretty out of character for me." He smiles at that.
               Why did I do that? I am not stupid, and I know never to jump in between two fist fighting men. So what came over me?
                "Well I'll see you in class, we actually have pretty much the same schedule."
                 I scrunch up my eyebrows, "How do you know my schedule?" I saw something flicker in his eyes and he says, "The office actually is having you be my guide, they picked you because of our schedules."
                 I reply, "Oh okay yeah, well class is right through that door." I point and he nods before saying a quick thanks and going in.
                  He just lied right to my face, that's not how they pick guides. The student president always does the guides. So why and how does he know my schedule? Oh my god I'm letting the paranoia get to me I need to relax.
      ———
           So Luca wasn't lying when he said he had every class with me. Coincidentally every teacher sat him right next to me, even at the cost of telling another student to "move." But what was even weirder was that now Tamen has every class with me as well and they both sit side by side to me. How he didn't get suspended for the fight is something I will never understand. But Reece got out of it too.
           So now I'm awkwardly sitting at lunch with Emma and some of her friends as they all talk about how hot Tamen and Luca are.
            "Oh my god the things I would let them do to me." Kacy says dreamily.
            Lena the one girl I can not stand says, "They seem to have taken a liking to you though Kaden, hmm, wonder why."
            I just ignore her and Emma says, "You have to tell me how you got them to literally follow you everywhere. They are in every one of your classes and sit next to you in all of them! Like share I'm your bestfriend you take Tamen I get Luca."
            Laughing at her statement I say, "Nothing, I literally didn't do anything. I mean I went to the slop hole with Tamen that once but nothing happened. I only met them yesterday."
            Lena opens her big ass mouth and says, "Apparently she did a lot yesterday night when you disappeared into the woods with them."
            I glare at her and reply, "I did not sleep with them. So just shut your fucking mouth."
            She laughs and says, "Now you're definitely lying, that's the only way you could ever get a guy to pay attention to you, just ask Reece."
            Standing up aggressively I was about to rip her face off but right before I could Luca and Tamen we're behind her. Tamen taps her shoulder and she turns around. She immediately tries to smile and bat her eyelashes.
            Luca says, "Kaden is naturally beautiful, she doesn't have to sleep with anyone to get them to want her. Apologize, now."
              Like hell she ever would.
             "Don't lie to save her feelings now babe."
            That's when Tamen gets in her face and says, "He said apologize, now."
             We were all in shock, I couldn't even find words.
             "I'm sorry Kaden, I shouldn't have said something so stupid. I know you wouldn't actually do that."
             My eyes widen like saucers. Luca smirks and then looks her in the eyes and says, "Now tell her why you are so mean to her."
              Lena turns to me and says, "I had a crush on Reece and he chose you over me. You make me feel insecure, putting you down lifts me up."
              What the hell is happening.
              Lena's face immediately is struck with disbelief at her own words and she gets up and runs out of the lunch room. Emma's jaw was practically on the floor.
               Tamen then smiles and says, "I'm Tamen, this is my brother Luca. Mind if we sit?"
                Everyone was still in shock but a few of the girls slide down on the bench. Luca shakes his head, "No darling, we want to sit next to Kaden."
                Emma stands up and so does Maya who was on the other side of me.
            That's when I say, "You can't just tell them to move!" Tamen laughs at that and says, "I asked, you'll know when I tell someone to do something love." They sit down beside me and I felt small in between them.
             What is their deal, it's one thing to think a girl is cute and Perdue her. But they are just invading all of my personal space.
               Emma trying to clear the air says, "So where did you guys transfer from?"
            "We travel around a lot we don't usually stay in one place long enough for it to have any significance. But we plan to stay here for a long time." Luca says with a smirk as he looks at me.
           That's it I can't take it, Tamen is so cute and I really like him but they are making me uncomfortable. I stand up quickly and say, "Look, I'm happy to make new friends and everything but you guys are smothering me."
           With that I walk out of the lunch room and go to the one place they won't be able to go. The girls bathroom.
           I'm overwhelmed, I mean my feelings for Tamen are growing really quickly. But the hovering and the stepping in when I can handle myself shit is already getting on my nerves.
           I sit in the back bathroom stall on the toilet and sigh heavily.
           But for some reason I got a bad feeling. Someone walks into the bathroom, but they were walking awkwardly slow. I peak my head under to see black leather shoes. What the hell this is the girls bathroom.
          My gut told me to stay silent. I slowly pull my feet onto the toilet and sit motionlessly.
          I heard a stall door being thrown open and my heart starts beating rapidly. Then another stall, and another stall. I was the last one I feel like I'm in a horror movie. But instead of opening the last stall the guy says, "Hello Kaden."
           I gulp harshly and don't say a word as he turns around and leaves.