~Chapter Two~
There was no such thing as stubbornness where I came from. When my dad asked me to do something, I did it with no questions asked. When my step mother asked me to do something, even if it grated on my nerves, I did it with little to screaming questions. And when I was expected to do something, I didn’t fail.
There was one person who didn’t care.
Elliot Dupree!
I’d tried catching him after class to talk about the assignment and had gotten the worst disappointment of my life. Angel my foot, he was so damn arrogant.
“Elliot, wait,” I’d called, earning a few speculative glances. The boy with seriously beautiful hair and gorgeous eyes walked on, laughing with his friends.
I’d groaned, because I’d had to now run after him if we had to talk. I’d done just that, but not the running. With quickened, large steps, I’d caught up to him. “Elliot,” I’d called.
His whole frame had tensed and he’d turned around almost daringly. He’d searched the crowd as if he couldn’t see the annoyed to be short girl right in front of him. I’d huffed. “Down here, Elliot,” I grumbled.
He’d questioningly glanced down and his eyes had mockingly widened, and then the smirk had come on. Damn it was hot! “Hey there, shortie,” he mocked, blue eyes direct and full of mirth. “I’m sorry, but this is the high school, the middle grade is right down there.”
His friends had blown out laughing, and I’d been just about ready to punch him. See, right there. He’s a complete jerk. “Wow, what a comic,” I said. He winked and I blushed, much to their amusement. “Listen-”
He whistled, glancing at his friends. I’d known immediately that what would follow next would be misery. “As much as I like my girls, I have a specification,” he said, and then his eyes had turned almost disapprovingly. “Unfortunately you aren’t in that category.”
Mouth hanging open, my fist clenched at the sore disappointment in his voice. “Excuse me!” I was baffled by his audacity, and that was shocking and sorely disappointing. I thought blonde hot shots were sweet and charming.
He sighed, almost miserable. “But here’s the thing,” he said. “I’ll give you my number so that you don’t feel bad for getting blanked.”
I shook my head, waving the assignment sheet at him. “I don’t want your number,” I amended uselessly. “We have-”
He faked remorse. “Chemistry?” he said. “I know sweetie, that’s why I’m giving you my number.”
And he pulled out a pen from his pocket, snatching the paper from me and scribbling some numbers. “Hey, that’s my paper,” I cried pathetically.
He shrugged, smirking as he and his pals started walking away. “You have to work on being selfish first,” he said. “Either way, I’ll see you, shortie.”
And he was gone. But I kept on shouting after him, still baffled at the events that had taken place. “I’m not after you,” I shouted, still he walked on. “It’s not like that,” by then they were almost down the hallway. “Hey, Elliot, are you stoned or what? I’m not interested.”
That part was baffling enough that he glanced back, but then a conceited smirk formed on his lips. It was both gorgeous and chilling. Fake, I realised. “That’s why they call me Stoner.” And then he was gone.
Mouth hanging open, it only took me seconds to realise the paper contained six numbers, and then the cursing was rolling out. “Conceited, arrogant jerk that’s more selfish than a lion,” I grumbled, hoping no one would hear me.
“I know, right?” I jumped, startled to find I wasn't alone. I turned around to find one of the friends Elaine had introduced me to.
“Sharma, right?” I asked, a little lost on the names that bubbly girl crushed into my head.
She smiled reassuringly, “Yeah, you must be Chrystal then?” we shook on it, and I nodded.
“Yes, that’s me,” I sighed, eyeing the corner the Stoner had disappeared through.
She must have seen the disappointment I hadn’t masked yet, and she was helpful enough to advice me. “Try during lunch break,” she said, and I’d glanced to her invitingly. “He usually sits with his pals closer to the windows. He’ll be easier to approach then.”
I smiled thankfully.
It was during the period before lunch that I had an idea. Walking past the guy in hallways proved hopeless. He was so deep with his friends they were in their own world.
The idea came after Elaine gave me a proper school background of Elliot Dupree. Slandering of school property: check. Smokes all kinds of things, he’s open to all. He loved parties and is officially known as Stoner in my fantasies because, apparently, no matter what he drinks and how deep he smokes, the boy is strong. And then there was the baffling part where he went to military school for four years before he joined the school as a freshman, and still he had a high grade overall.
My idea was simple, but as I walked towards the cafeteria doors which were flooding with masses of bodies cramming to get inside, I realised I was nervous. That was a first.
I could stand before a podium and debate my ass off about my beliefs, and I could stand up to a bully for my friends, but I was nervous about facing Elliot? He’d charmed me, I knew. Being a way too honest person, I knew exactly what was happening. I was having a crush.
That got me angry enough to storm into the cafeteria, practically elbowing my way in.
I passed by my friends’ table first, dropping my bag in it, “Hey,” Mathew, a brown haired artist from the school, who was Elaine’s boyfriend, greeted, alerting to everyone else my appearance.
Elaine jumped right in. “Ooh, Chrystal, you have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for you,” she said, grinning cheekily.
Meredith, who was a sort of Goth with serious spunk, spoke without lifting her eyes from her cell phone screen. “She wants to bombard your eardrums since you’re the only one who listens,” she mumbled.
Elaine pouted while Mathew laughed, which caused Elaine to blush. I nodded, my gaze narrowed on the boy who was currently laughing like the jerk he was, but I did have to admit, his Adman’s apple looked tempting bobbing like that.
“Uh-huh, that’s great. Got to go,” I said distractedly, starting towards his table.
Even Meredith looked up then. “But I didn’t say anything,” Elaine complained. “Chrystal, where are you going?”
“To take care of business,” I grumbled.
As I approached the table, I noticed a few glances stop to watch me curiously. Of course earlier had been a spectacle. When I got to the table, I slammed the paper right in front of him; proud to see all of them jump to attention.
“Hello again, Elliot,” I smiled sweetly, though from the quirked blonde brow, I knew he knew it was icy. “I’ve heard about you, so don’t you dare start with that ‘type’ nonsense. First of all, I’m not interested,” even I wanted to scoff at that, but he believed me, that’s what matters. “Secondly, this is six numbers. Either that stuff you smoke really got to your head or you really are daft. And thirdly, we have an assignment to work on, so it’s either you’re in it or you’re not, which is really get to work.”
His friends groaned in amusement, while something akin to a real smile filtered onto his face. The cafeteria was silent with everyone definitely watching us.
Elliot sat up straighter first, almost attentively, and I nearly was on the verge of doing a victory dance. But then, that smile turned cocky, he reached into his blazer, pulled out a pen, and suddenly he was writing something on the paper again.
I felt strangely annoyed when I glanced down to find it was a number, with the appropriate number of digits this time.
I shook my head in dismay. “That’s it, you’re daft all along,” I groaned, to which his friends laughed. My eyes met blue eyes full of mirth; mirth I didn’t expect from someone everyone thought was totally addicted to drugs.
Elliot’s smirk widened. “Your house or mine?” he said.
I groaned in annoyance. “What part of ‘I’m not interested’ didn’t you get?”
He leaned back in his chair, eyes holding mine, and that was where I noticed the agility of a trained predator. “Guys, is it me or does she keep on saying ‘I’m interested’?”
I sighed as the boys snickered and laughed. I stood up straighter, not knowing how I was going to persist with this. “I’m not interested.”
“There it is again,” he nodded certainly, even pumping his ear to get out some fake sand.
“Damn you, I’m not interested,” I complained, but those guys were in their own worlds, and I was getting angrier as they persisted on it. Suddenly, I became very aware of the smug boy seated before me. He wanted to annoy me.
I sighed, inhaling deeply, and letting it out, before smiling deeply. He arched a brow as he interestingly watched me. Suddenly, the eyes watching us were getting to me. I didn’t like public displays, ever.
“Okay, fine,” I said. “I give.” And with that I started walking away. I knew I seemed pathetic, giving up like that, but I couldn’t stop it.
“See you around, Shortie,” he called after me, and I could hear the amusement in his voice.
I clenched my hands into fists, hoping the only way out of this was actually easier.