One year later.
The loud shrill of the school bell shook me out of my thoughts. I looked to my right to see my lab partner already walking out the door.
Was I day dreaming all of science class? No, this can't be. It was probably just a very particularly boring class.
Way to go! You're such a nerd. my subconscious adds.
No I'm not, I slept in class so hah.
Yet you had to convince yourself why.
Oh shut up.
Gathering up my stuff, I left class in a hurry and joined the sea of people heading to the cafeteria.
"Tay! Study group after school, wanna go?" my best friend, Ashlynn asked me at the lunch table.
"When do I not." I replied before chomping on the apple, the last thing left on my lunch tray.
What was that nerd?
Shh.
Our study group always had the usual people, Ashlynn, myself and the two guys, Ray and Justin.
"Oh and by the way, Brad Symons is gonna be there." she said excitedly.
My heart dropped to my stomach as my eyes widened in horror.
"WHAT?" I exclaimed trying to maintain my cool.
What cool? lmao.
She just shrugged it off. Of course, she had no idea about any history between us, no one did. I could never bring myself to tell anyone about it. The words never escaped my lips, yet it constantly poisoned my tongue.
"...since there's so few people and all so yeah." I caught Ashlynn's last words of her sentence.
"Wait what?"
She sighed exasperatedly, "Tay, you're here but your brain's overslept and still home."
"It's nothing." I shrugged, a small smile etched upon my lips at her comment.
She narrowed her eyes suspiciously but thankfully let it slide.
"Okay then, I guess see you at the library?" she smiled sympathetically.
I nodded.
"WAIT LYNN!" I cried at her direction realising I hadn't heard the reason of why Brad was going to be there but she was too far to be of earshot, earning myself a few glares for my obnoxious loudness.
Sighing, my feet hastily walked out of the lunchroom dreading the study group meet. On my way to my next class -history, cue the groan- thoughts flooded into my head. Why would Brad be coming to the study group? Does he know I'm always there?
Of course he knows I'm always there. But why would be come? Is he hoping I wouldn't be there?
AM I HOPING HE WOULDN'T BE THERE? Why am I overthinking this. It's just Brad.
Yeah the Brad who was your best friend, a total hottie and basically ditched you in the worst way possible, like taking out trash. my subconscious adds.
History, the only class of the day I share with Brad. I was seated at the front -just nerd things- and he sits all the way at the back with his gang, Colin, Hayes and Dylan. Along with him, they are the four bad boys of the school.
All the girls wanted to be with them and all the guys wanted to be them. Great.
When I entered the class, I was later than usual. I guess my day dreaming has affected me a lot today. Note that usual was 10 minutes early on the dot. So, later than usual was still fine.
The moment I turned to sit, Brad walked in and his bright hazel eyes immediately caught mine. He stepped back. Slightly. But I noticed. I tended to noticed small occurrences even if I didn't want to. A flinch, someone being taken aback, a blink of disbelief, the slight epiphany of light in someone's eyes when they found a way to indulge into a lie.
Being a noticer is quite the curse, yet a blessing. Because seeing the small glint in someone's eyes when they looked at someone they loved was beautiful as well. It's a sincerity that was undeniable.
And, as quickly as our eyes caught the eye contact was lost.
Just like your friendship.
Lol shut up.
Hayes came in and spontaneously chest bumped him in the middle of class. I rolled my eyes and looked back at my notes straightening my blue off shoulder sweater and my askew glasses.
flashback
"Need help?" he smirked.
"I got this."
"It's hard."
"I've been in tight situations before, I know how this goes."
...
"Okay what's number 4?" I gave in.
Brad chuckled before passing over his Math worksheet. He plucked the pencil from my grip and went into teacher mode and explained every detail and aspect of the word problem, pointing out every possible outcome. His voice started draining out from my ears when I realised how close he was leaning.
Warmth was radiating from him which felt like heaven since goosebumps were already forming on my skin from the cold.
"Stop checking me out Tay-belle." He said teasingly interrupting my thoughts.
"I'm not checking you out!" I exclaimed swatting him in the arm, momentarily shocked at the biceps beneath his sleeve.
"Yeah you were." He said wiggling his eyebrows.
"Please, you wouldn't be worth checking out." I rolled my eyes.
He feigned hurt and gasped dramatically. "No." he sighed.
"Yup." I said popping the P, snatching back my pencil.
"But you are." he smirked.
My eyes widened as I looked at him in disbelief.
He burst out laughing. "You should see the look on your face." He managed to say between breaths.
"Oh shut it!" I shook my head, denying the small smile on my lips.
end
"Seat change people!" Mr.Baldwin boomed.
He was one of the strictest teachers around...and one of the scariest. No, no, no. I hate seat changes. I was happy where I was, under the AC, in the middle and directly in front of the blackboard. Perfect.
The people around me were..okay I guess. Since none of my friends are in this class, I guess all I really wanted was to not be around any of the bad boys.They disrupted people in class all the time and they stick gum under nerds' tables so no. Not looking forward to go through that.
"OK! So," Mr.Baldwin slammed his hand right one my table silencing anybody else who still had the nerve to chatter in his class.
"Taylor, you'll stay here." I let out a small sigh of relief. Thank goodness.
"Stacy!" he said slamming his hand on the table behind me.
I saw the scowl plastered on her face when she looked at who was in front of her.
Me.
She squinted in disgust as she stared me down as if I was a piece of stray veggie on her lunch tray. The rest of the row behind me was a blur. Then he slammed his hand on the table on my left. His palm was already reddening from all the slamming. Was pointing too mainstream?
"Colin." OH. ok.
He sat down-more like slumped down- before throwing his right armed over the chair and flicked my shoulder with his index finger.
Rude much?
"What?" I asked skeptically.
"Let's see." he pretended to be deep in thought as he chewed his gum obnoxiously. "Mind if I be your photocopying machine?" he flashed a grin.
Is he for real?
"Come on let's make this work here." he said now threateningly after a long pause.
"What if I say no?" I asked raising my brows.
"Then-"
"Let's see, who's left." Mr.Baldwin's loud voice cut him off.
Thankfully.
He sneered before leaning back in his chair. I turned around along with the class to see Hayes standing with...Brad. It was then when I noticed there were only two seats left, the seat all the way at the back of the class and one in front....next to mine.
"Hm, Brad in front, Hayes at the back."
Am I supposed to be angry? Obviously! Then why is my mind doing a happy dance? My insides were burning but I couldn't understand if it was rage or excitement. And that was the sickest part.
"Ugh what the fuck" Brad muttered under his breath to Hayes which earned him a giggle from the class.
And the happy dance is now doing a death sacrificial dance. What the f was that supposed to mean? Oh, so its insanely horrible to even sit next to me now. Okay then. I am absolutely disgusted with this thing next to me. Okay maybe not.
A part of me hated Brad more than anything. But another part wished to go back to the old times. But then again, sometimes you miss the memories, not the person.
-
athazagarophobia (n.) the fear of forgetting, being forgotten or ignored, or being replaced
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Hi guys! I'm incredibly new so thank you so much for reading! I'm not sure if I should continue this story or not. I've got lots and lots of ideas for how this story is going to go so give it a chance?
This book was once known as "Best Friends with the Bad Boy".
So please comment or vote!
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CreXenT