Oh my god -.- So I published this chapter last week, but it kinda got deleted and I had to rewrite a few parts. If you read this last week, you're all good :') Also I'm hoping I'll post chapter 18 today. So stay tuned!
Luke has pierced his lip. It's the first thing I notice when he slips into the seat next to me, Friday morning. He notices me staring, and raises his brow.
"What?" He asks, and I reach out to touch the ring questionably with my index finger.
"Oh, that." he grins against my hand, making me suddenly feel self-conscious. I slowly lift my hand off his mouth and shove it back in my pocket.
"Michael finally convinced me into getting one. Pretty cool, huh?" He bites his lip, in which now the ring is involved. He bites the metal so carefully; I'd imagine it still hurts.
"Nice look, Luke," a boy beside us says, swiveling around with a look of approval.
"Thanks," Luke beams.
Mr. Lowry walks in with a clear of his throat, marking the beginning of class. "I'll be handing back your paragraphs on home safety," he says. "Oh, and don't forget, part one of the baby assignment is due soon." I look at Luke, suddenly reminded that we still need to hand it in.
Mr. Lowry walks up and down the aisles between the chairs, placing the sheets of paper on each student's desk. For each time a student has gotten a good mark, he gives them a smile. For each bad paragraph, he tightens his lips in a firm line. He slaps a sheet on my desk, and this time I see a faint of a smile. (I hope.) It's an 89%. Not bad. But not good. I look beside me at Luke, whose sheet is still untouched, exactly at the place Mr. Lowry had placed it. He's already begun chatting with a few girls around us (who are probably squealing about the new lip ring). A big red 64% is scrawled on the top of his page. The Luke I know is a perfect A-student and overachiever. But I don't say anything.
For the rest of the period, we get some time to work on our assignment and do a few worksheets. Luke barely talks to me, but still finishes his work at a slow pace. Finally, the bell for the end of the period rings.
"Don't forget, tonight is parent-teacher interview night so bring in your moms and dads!" He yells as the students begin leaving the room.
Luke and I enter the hallway, and his hand automatically slips into mine. This time, it's me that feels uncomfortable. But by the looks of people in the hallway, they don't notice. They respect our relationship, they envy it. Luke walks me to my next class, stops and leans in to kiss my ear. "See you," he says affectionately. I hear a few jealous girls sigh with under their breath. Feeling everyone's eyes on us, Luke leans into my ear as if to 'seduce' me. But his voice suddenly turns emotionless and bland, "By the way, Hailey wants to see us during lunch," he whispers. Then without a goodbye, he walks away.
...
"Steps to destroying the biggest man whore in town, aka Ashton Irwin," Hailey announces during lunch, making the letters super bold on the white board. Luke and I sit in the empty classroom, waiting for her to continue. At least, I am. Luke's on his phone, texting non-stop since the moment we got here. These days, he texts more than Brooke, and that's saying something.
"Luke, off your phone," Hailey orders like a teacher, and Luke ignores her.
"Anyway," Hailey says. She begins to list dot jots in her red marker. "Ashton's strengths, things that he'd be useless without," she announces.
"Number one, the girls. Whoever Ashton is associated with in the sex trade, we need to know. We need to make them hate him, stay away from him."
She flips her hair over her shoulder like a glamour queen, making me smile.
"Number two, his good looks. He'd be nothing without his six-pack and shiny hair."
"Number three, his reputation. We can find countless ways to humiliate him, and lower his status little by little."
"How do we start?" I ask.
"We'll start with step one. The girls."
That's easy. I take the marker from Hailey's hands, and march out of the room without a word. Then I head into every stall in the girl's washroom on the second floor. I write on the inside of each door, in big red block letters: 'Ashton Irwin doesn't care about you.' (Harsh, but true.) Then, in a sudden burst of adrenaline and anger, I scribble on the mirror: 'ASHTON IRWIN IS A FUCKBOY'. People stare as I walk out, stifling a laugh, but I don't care.
Hailey and Luke are waiting for me, back in the classroom. "Step one is in the making," I tell them. "Continue." Hailey raises her eyebrow and Luke frowns, but they don't question it further.
"I have an idea," Hailey enthuses, clapping her hands together. "You guys are going to that huge campfire party tonight, right?"
"Yeah," Luke drawls.
"Sabotage Ashton," she says. "Embarrass him. Downgrade him. Our goal is to make Luke surpass him, to be more loved, more respected, more popular."
I grin and Hailey, surprised that she has actually come up with a plan. She has just given me plan A. I've had nothing to carry on with Ashton's revenge, but now I do. We both share a knowing look and stare at Luke for approval.
"Are you seriously planning to use me as your secret weapon?" Luke asks, raising his eyebrows.
Hailey grins an innocent grin. "Yes."
...
The bell rings. Luke mutters something under his breath and excuses himself, but Hailey sticks to my side as we enter the hallway.
"Guess what," she says.
"What?"
"My last post got over two hundred views," she gushes. "You and Luke are literally the talk of the school. Maybe you can even be voted for Prom King and Queen, they love you guys together!"
Ha. I bet Ashton is seething.
"Oh, and your new outfit is trending, again," she says, pointing at the new tights-and-wedges combo I'm wearing.
"Oh. That's great? I guess." I look her up and down as well; she's wearing the usual Hailey clothes, which is a crop top of some sort paired with a skirt or high-waisted shorts. With her, it's all about showing skin.
She notices me wincing, even though I try hard not o show it. "Come on. I know you think I sleep around, show too much skin and all..." Her tone changes from bubbly to suddenly serious. "...But I was pretty desperate when I slept with Ashton. I was in a bad place, I needed someone, and thought losing my virginity would be no deal. But now...I regret it now. You have to trust me."
I can tell she has a lot more to say, and I want to know more about her 'bad place'. But I don't ask. When she is ready, I just hope she comes to me. We may not be close yet, but we have an ex in common and we've both had our hearts broken.
"I trust you. And I forgive you, kind of. For sleeping with my boyfriend."
Hailey breaks into a stunning smile full of humour, and squeezes me in a hug. "Thank you," she whispers in my ear. "I'll repay you someday."
"You're already doing so much," I squeeze her back, a little awkwardly. "See you tonight."
...
By the time I get home, I want to do nothing but take a nap. For some reason, (even though I've done nothing all day), I am exhausted. So, all ready and dressed up for the party tonight, I crawl up on my bed and dream the strangest dream I've ever had. And it's definitely worse than my last.
It was morning, we were in bed, and Ashton was kissing me. In that dominant, controlling way he liked. My commanding personality conflicted with his, and we often kissed as if we were fighting. "You're beautiful," he whispered in my ear. Then he deepened the kiss , his body pressing down on me and his elbows by each side of my body as if to ensure I wasn't going anywhere. But being the one who hates the bottom, I grab Ashton's waist and roll on top of him. And fall backwards with a scream.
It was Luke. Instead of the curly-haired jock I had pinned below me seconds before, Luke was staring up at me with innocent eyes, biting the shiny ring pierced through his lip.
There was a split second of confusion running through my mind, which rapidly evolved into curiosity. I mean, I had possibly the hottest guy in school pinned under me, shirtless and vulnerable. I couldn't help but wonder, if Luke would kiss any different from the last time, now that he had a lip ring. If I were to make out with him right now, would the ring be bothersome? Or would it be hot?
I decide to find out by myself.
"Whoa, whoa!" A voice says, holding my flailing arms. I can feel that I'm awake now, and that it was a dream. Someone is screaming at the top of their lungs, like they were possessed by the devil. That's when I realize it's coming from me, and I slap my hand over my mouth. My eyes flutter open, my vision becomes clear, and finally I see Luke in front of me.
On my bed.
I'm going to either make my chapters longer, or update twice a week. I'll let you guys know if I decide.