When we arrived at school I was so happy to see my friends again. I decided to introduce them to Connor even though he was a little creepy. I hadn't really known much about him except for his name but I would let my friends form their own opinions for themselves.
"Andddd ... everything checks out, here is your parking permit sticker Ms. Wells," the security guard in the parking lot said as she verified my driver's license and student ID.
"Thank you," I said. Reaching out of my window to get the parking permit sticker.
"Have a nice day," the security guard said as she continued to check IDs and hand out parking permits.
"You too," I said as I rolled back up my window and parked my car.
Feeling my phone vibrate in my pocket meant one thing, that my friends spotted my car and were waiting to meet up. So I texted them back and told them to meet me at my car.
"Some of my friends are coming to my car, is it okay if I introduce them to you?" I asked as I reached on the backseat for my book bag. Sometimes people don't like being introduced to strangers, felt like I should ask to be polite.
"I don't mind," Connor said as he got out of the car.
"Walking up with the blonde hair is Candice," I said closing the driver door, "and with the brown curly hair is Megan," I said waiting for the girls to get to my car.
"Where's your book bag?" I said looking at Connor.
"Didn't really feel like bringing it," he said coming around the car and standing beside me.
"What a rebel," I said laughing and noticing that Connor chuckled a little.
"So guess what?" Megan said right before she layered me with the new gossip. This gossip lasted from the parking lot to the school building. The girls had been looking back at Connor occasionally wondering what he was doing with me. So when Megan stopped talking, I decided to finally introduce them.
"This is Connor you guys, his mom is friends with my mom and he's new here," I said.
"I'm Megan," Megan said "I'm Candice," Candice said.
"Nice to meet you ladies," Connor said with a slight smile. Which made Megan and Candice smile and look at me. I knew what that smile meant, it meant they thought he was cute and polite.
"We're gonna head to Drama, I'll text you guys at lunch," I said smiling back.
"Kay," Megan said as she waited for Candice to stop texting before they both headed in the opposite direction of me and Connor.
"I thought that we would go to the counselors office first, to get my schedule," Connor said as we headed towards Drama class.
"It's probably packed in there, I don't want to be late to class", I said as I continued to head towards Drama.
"After Drama we'll come back and get your schedule," I added as I approached the auditorium.
Connor said nothing. He just opened the door to Drama class and waited for me to walk in.
"Good morning Danielle," Ms.Davis said as I walked into Drama, "and?" Ms.Davis paused, waiting for Connor to introduce himself.
"Connor," Connor said confidently as he waited for me to take a seat and soon followed behind me.
"I don't believe I've met you yet, so I'm assuming your a new student," Ms.Davis said.
"Yes," Connor said quickly.
"Well I'm happy to have you and I hope you enjoy our school," Ms.Davis said as she continued to talk to the rest of the class.
"Usually she just talks about the plays we'll do and then we pick partners for the semester," I said quietly to Connor.
"Danny can I talk to you?" I heard from behind me. I already knew it was Joey my ex boyfriend.
"About?" I asked without turning around.
"Just can I talk to you?" Joey said ignoring my question.
I sighed and said yeah because I wanted to hear what he had to say. So I waited for Ms.Davis to get done with the syllabus until I decided I wanted to hear Joey.
"I really need to talk to you," Joey said as he walked to the back of the auditorium.
"About what?" I asked as I remained in my seat next to Connor.
"About everything. I know it was fucked up the way things turned out," Joey answered as he waited for me to get up and follow him.
"Well that was last year," I stated as I chose to just stand up.
"And this is this year, and I still care about you," Joey said.
"Are you sure it's not the drugs talking," I said as I moved closer to Joey.
"Where did that come from?" Joey said looking at me with a confused look as I approached him.
But I just looked down at my heels and folded my arms when I came to a complete stop; a few feet away fom him.
"Why did you get that I was taking drugs from?" Joey asked.
"I don't know...you tell me," I suggested.
"Sometimes Danielle you can be such a smartass," Joey said.
"Yeah?" I asked sarcastically because I knew I had a sassy mouth.
"Yeah and I thought after a year you wouldn't be so angry," Joey replied.
"Im not angry," I corrected him.
"Then what's wrong?" Joey asked.
"I don't know," I said putting my hair behind my ear.
"What is that?" Joey said touching my neck with his index and middle finger.
"What's what?" I asked.
"The bruise on your neck," Joey said.
"Bruise?" I said confused.
"Yeah, what happened?" Joey said.
"I don't know," I said as I shrugged my shoulders. I was getting fed up with these unexplained bruises on me. First my back, now my neck. I haven't noticed any of them when I got dressed. So I took off my jacket and turned around.
"Do you see something on my back?" I asked Joey.
"No," Joey replied, "what's going on with you Danny," Joey asked.
"I don't know," I replied, which was true even if it had already been my answer three times in a row.
........
Was the silence Joey gave me. I don't know if he believed me or if he was confused like I was. But it didn't stop him from becoming more curious.
"At first I thought it was a hickey," Joey said touching my neck once again.
I couldn't remember the last time I let Joey near me. Other than today, I hadn't felt his touch or anything since last year. The way I was feeling now proved that there was some things left unsaid for sure between me and Joey. But what happened needed to be addressed.
So I gently placed my hand on top of Joeys hand and moved it off my neck.
"We really need to talk," I said.
"Yeah, we do," Joey agreed.
"Danielle," I heard Connor say behind Joey.
"Yeah?" I replied.
"Can I ask you something?" Connor said.
"Go ahead," I said moving away from Joey and towards Connor.
"We need to leave," Connor said.
"Leave?" I said, "that's not a question," I added.
And I just watched as Connor paced back and forth. Before he stopped and looked at me.
"Danielle," Connor started to say as he walked toward me, "we need to leave," he said while touching my hand.
"Okay, let me just get my things," I said as I gathered my school supplies and shoved them in my book bag.
"So where are we going?" I asked Connor.
"Back home," he answered grabbing my hand and walking faster. For some reason whatever Connor suggested I would do or I did without question.
"My home or yours?" I asked.
"Ours," he said.
As I began to reach for my keys, Connor stopped me.
"I'll drive," he said opening the passenger door and telling me to get in.
As I got in, I buckled my seatbelt and wondered why I was back in my car. It was still just the beginning of school. I hadn't even gone to all my classes. And seeing Connor get in the driver side made me even more confused.
"What the hell are you doing?" I asked Connor before he could even adjust his seat.
He immediately stopped what he was doing and sat back. He grabbed my hand and asked me to just go to sleep. And I guess he already knew I was sleepy because moments later I was fast asleep with no hesitation.