"How was your date?" James scowled as Ariana and I joined him and Jace at our normal table.
"Amazing," Ari smiled.
"Yeah, Theo and Thai are a real work of art. They're so fun to be around," I finished for Ari.
"What? We're fun to be around," James frowned, "Right?"
"But like Theo's accent was perfect though and he's so sweet," Ari continued in a love struck voice. James got up from the table and walked off clearly pissed.
"That was mean Ari," I told her.
"Well he deserves it. I should text Theo and give him a heads up that a very jealous James is probably on his way over," Ari said while getting her phone out and typing up a message.
"Hopefully he's around Dylan so that James can kick both their asses," Jace sounded hopeful.
"We both know that Dylan would be the one kicking ass," Ari stated confidently.
"I could take him though," Jace boasted.
"Yeah right," I scoffed.
"Excuse me?" Jace sounded offended.
"I'm just saying, every time you've gotten in a fight with Dylan, he ends up on top of you," I defended.
"I don't want you calling his name. Anyone but you, okay?" Jace scowled.
"Whatever," I brushed him off.
"You know that everything I do is for the good of you and that I love you right?" Jace asked me.
"I guess," I shrugged not really caring to prolong the conversation.
"Salut (Hi)!" a voice greeted as the person sat at our table. I looked up into the green eyes of Thai and immediately smiled.
"Hey, how are you?" I asked.
"Bien, merci (Good, thanks)," He answered and ruffled my hair, "How are you ma belle?"
"I'm great," I replied.
"Excuse me? I'm right here!" Jace's strict voice cut through the air making it tense.
"I know that but as you can see my girl Skye and I are talking," Thai stated coolly.
"Your girl Skye?" Jace raised his eyebrow.
"Ma belle, please tell your brother he needs a girlfriend," Thai snapped and then smirked when he realized how ticked off Jace was.
"He knows that already," I sighed. My eyes scanned the cafeteria searching for a familiar pair of dark ones. I found them already focusing on our table, focusing on me and I fought back the urge to wave and smile but then it came easy as I remembered that he used me. That's all I could think about last night. He had a girlfriend when he stole my first kiss. He had a girlfriend when he snuck in my window to give me the gift on my birthday. He confused me. But not anymore. I tore my eyes away from Dylan.
"I don't need a girlfriend!" Jace protested.
"But you do," Thai sounded sure of himself.
"Guys I'm going to head to class a little bit early and see if I can run through some notes before class starts," I got up from the table with my friends and gathered my stuff.
"Au revoir ma belle (Goodbye, beautiful)," Thai waved goodbye to me and kissed my cheek. I offered a heartwarming smile and then kissed both Jace's and Ariana's cheek before leaving the cafeteria and entering the hall.
I found my locker and opened it to reveal the usual note that had stopped coming last week. For some reason, I grew excited as I opened the note from my admirer in anticipation. I unfolded the letter and focused on the words before me. 'I hate seeing you with other guys. You're mine and one day I hope you'll realize it.' I gulped after reading the message. My admirer sounded like a stalker and I was starting to think it would be best to tell my brother about this guy.
***
I rushed out of the school running towards my car. It was late after six and my brother had already left in the direction of our house after practice but I was running a bit late. I quickly looked around the clearing and realized that it was only about five cars left in the school. No one was around and I was scared considering I now had a possessive admirer. I decided I would go to the police before I went to my brother about it tonight. Better safe than sorry.
"What are you doing?" a voice asked as I hurriedly packed my stuff in my car looking around every now and then feeling threatened. I let out a loud scream and jumped back into a rock hard chest. The person covered my scream with their hands and turned me around.
"You!" I pushed Dylan away from me.
"Calm down sunshine," he soothed.
"No! Don't touch me! Don't talk to me! Don't even look at me!" I barked, "You are such a bloody stalker. I hate you, can't you see? Leave.Me.Alone."
The first thing I noticed was the look of hurt on his face as my rejection sunk in. Then I noticed his frozen state and lastly I noticed the slight trembling of the hand he still had on my waist even though I had tried to push him away earlier. He seemed to have regained control of his state and stepped back, swallowing hard before speaking.
"You don't mean that," his voice was barely above a whisper.
"But I do. Every word of it. You're a loser. You disgust me," I forced the words out feeling horrible for saying it.
"You don't hate me," his voice was shaky.
"I wouldn't bet my life on it if I were you," I snapped.
"You can't hate me," he seemed to be in his own world now.
"Just go away!" I yelled and closed the door to the passenger seat of my car. I walked around to the other side trying to escape before he could stop me.
"No! You're just angry. Why are you upset?" he rushed around the car and stopped me from pulling the door.
"Why am I upset? You used me! You tricked me! Our locker make-out session, the diamond earrings, the whole 'you'll never be my enemy' act!" I raised my voice, "You had me fooled and all along you had a girlfriend!"
"I don't-"
"Save the lies, Dylan. I'm over it," I cut him off and tried turning around to get into my car but he moved closer causing me to back up. My back hit the surface of the car and he closed the space between us so that our chests were touching. I sucked in a breath.
"I've noticed. Strutting around with the French idiot, ma belle?" he mocked.
"I've got an ass and you know what to do with it Martin," I snapped.
"Really? I've never noticed it," he smirked darkly.
"Get away from me!" I warned offended and tired with our argument.
"I'm sorry," he apologized, "She wanted to meet up for closure. We're not together. We're done for good, I promise. I wasn't using you."
"It doesn't matter. We're not anything to each other and as you said its best we not upset the balance," I told him feeling slightly relieved.
"That's okay, for now," he agreed and I ignored the butterflies in my tummy from the slight hope of a possible future romantic relationship with him even though I knew it could never happen. It would hurt my brother way too much, "Where were you rushing to?"
And suddenly I knew the one male who I could confide in who wouldn't go crazy like my brother. And I wondered if it was safe to tell him and if he could help and somehow I knew it was and that he probably could.
"I have an admirer. I've had one for two years straight now and well his last note sounded dangerous and slightly stalker-ish," I informed Dylan and took out the note I had placed in my pocket earlier. He laughed lightly after he read it.
"That's not dangerous. The poor kid sounds hurt. It sounds to me like he's going to try and win you over," Dylan simply shrugged.
"I was going to just report it to the police in case anything happens," I confessed, "You really don't think it's dangerous?"
"Don't go to the police over that," he shrugged, seeming really calm, "I don't want you to over react. It's a harmless high school crush. I actually can't wait to see how this plays out."
"Okay, so what do I do?" I asked seriously.
"Give me the note," he told me.
"What?"
"Give me the note. I'll find the culprit for you," he insisted, "I'll be your knight in shining armor."
"Really? You'll make him stop?" I blushed wildly.
"I'll try. I'll solve the case of your secret admirer ma'am," he faked a country accent.
"Why thank you, good sir," I replied in a posh accent and he chuckled, "Just don't hurt him. You've had enough trouble to last you a lifetime and he seems like a good guy."
"I promise. I won't lay a hand on him."
"Thank you," I smiled and he finally backed away a little so I could open my car door.
"Skye?" he called before I got in.
"Yeah Dylan?" I turned around to face him again.
"You know no one could ever hurt you right?" he asked.
"Why do you say that?" I replied curiously.
"Because I've got you, baby girl," he smiled and then turned around leaving me to blush in the dark alone. And realizing that it was true, I felt safe.