"Hey girly, where you headed?" His words slur together and it takes me a moment to decipher. I glance around for an exit, or a weapon. Seeing none, I glance to the door behind him praying for Mr. Hero to walk through it but I can hear the all familiar chant of "fight, fight, fight" and I know I am on my own.
The guy takes another step forward and I step back,into a car. Crap. I've cornered myself. He takes another step, and now I can smell his nasty cigarette breath.
"Come on, baby. Let's have some fun." He grabs my neck leaning into me and I bring my knee up into his groin as hard as I can. His reaction wasn't near as staggering as I had hoped.
"Fucking bitch!" He yelled, and then pain exploded on the side of my head. I fell to the ground throwing my arms over my head. He brought back his leg, preparing to kick and I realized he is wearing shorts. A brilliant (or seemed to be at the time) idea struck me. When his foot struck my stomach, I welcomed it with open arms.Literally. As soon as it connected I grabbed on and sunk my teeth into his calf.
This time I got more of the reaction I was looking for. He started shouting in a Spanish dialect that I didn't recognize, but I knew a few of the words and none of them were nice. A few of his buddies heard the screams and came to see what was up. I decided to run. I headed toward the house, hoping to lead them away from Aria passed out by her car. I was about to jump up the steps and through the door when someone came crashing out of it, knocking me over.
Ryder ended up on my leg as he cussed out Joshua standing in the doorway. My hero had arrived. I didn't even care that he just bowled me over with another human.
Concern covered his face when he saw me, blood covering my mouth. "Oh man, are you alright? I'm so sorry." He ran to me taking my face in his hands inspecting me closely. Too close dude, my heart can't take this.
"Uh, I'm fine. It's not my blood."
He looks confused for a moment then sees the three jersey clad gang members behind me, one of them missing a rather large chunk of his right calf and laughs. He helps me stand and then faces the guys behind me.
"I think the lady has given you her answer,gentleman. Why don't you just go inside and enjoy the rest of the party."
They whisper to each other for a moment then begin slapping each other on the chest. "She ain't worth it anyway."
Monday, yay. I walk to my locker and pull it open then lay my head on the shelf. I bet I could probably just sleep here. Think anyone would notice? The first bell rings. I force myself to grab the books I need for class, and the one that I will actually be reading, "Shadow Demon Chronicles", book two.
My heart stops as I am startled by a figure standing beside me when I close my locker. He must have had his nose right upon the door to be that close.
"Holy mother of pearl! Don't do that!" I punch Joshua lightly in the chest. Wow, he has a hard body... and now I'm blushing.
He smirks. I bite my lip to keep from gasping and his eyes gaze down at my mouth. Yeah, that's going to make me less red.
"I was thinking we could work on the project today after school at my place if your parents don't mind."
"Why would they mind? They're already planning our wedding." Wait, what? Why did I just blurt that out? I mean, they kind of are but did I have to say it out loud? Mother trucking mouth speaking before I'm ready!
He laughs it off while I try to keep myself from crawling into my locker to die. Oh, I know! Topic change!
"Here's your jacket back. Thanks for letting me borrow it." I shrug out of the cozy black leather. It smells like him. I kind of wish I could keep it. No! I will not obsess over him like everyone else. I will not act like a hormone crazed teenager.Except I am a hormone crazed teenager and he makes it really hard not to obsess over him. He's too perfect. I eye him suspiciously. He's got to be hiding some deep dark secret like he's secretly a serial killer or something. A Russian spy?
"Do you speak Russian?" I ask, again my mouth runs before I can stop it.
"Why do you ask? Need a study partner?"
"Wait, do you speak it?"
He smiles. That smile.He really is a Russian spy!
"See you in class."He says, walking down the hall. I take another moment to compose myself then head to my first class.
Ah, lunch, my favorite subject! Stromboli today, meh. Monday strikes again. Maybe they'll have some left over chili. No? Well, at least the cookies are good.
I take my usual seat,close to the door. No one likes sitting by the door which is why it's perfect for me. I take out my book to read but then Aria sits down across from me.
"You're not sitting with Jess and Luciana?" I ask. Aria knows I like to read while I eat so she usually sits with her other friends during lunch. I sat with them a few times but they kept trying to talk to me.
"Luci is sick and Jess went off campus with Carlos."
"You know I'm still going to read and ignore you right?"
"I know." She smiles but I don't think she was actually listening because she keeps talking. "Oh! There's Joshua! We should ask him to sit with us!"
"He has his own people to sit with," I say, "and I'm reading."
"Joshua! Over here!"She stretches her hand into the air, waving at him. I contemplate running off to the library. Lunch isn't that great today anyway. I hope he just flashes his usual smile and goes to sit with his friends like he always does, but soon I am surrounded by people. He just brought them with him. Why? Why this sudden change in routine? I don't like it. This is weird. And people-y. Much too people-y for my taste. I start to get up, but Aria reaches over and snatches my book from my hands.
Aria, you traitor! I give her my best glare but she is too busy smiling at Joshua to notice.
"Mind if we join you?" Joshua looks at me, being all polite again.
"Might as well, not like I have anything to read at the moment." I glare at Aria again. She still doesn't look at me. It's because she knows how angry I am. She's going to pay for this later.
Joshua sits down next to me, along with Juanita, Mateo, Sam and Tucker. Is it too late to leave? I can always find another book to read in the library...
"Yo, I am so ready for break this year. Calculus is kicking my butt. I need a break!"Sam says, shoving an entire Stromboli into his mouth. "You gunna eat that?" he asks, pointing to my plate as pieces of Stromboli fly from his mouth.
"Dude, have some manners." Joshua admonishes.
"Sorry, man." He says, mouth still full. "If you ain't gunna eat that, can I have it?"
Joshua shakes his head and sighs at his friend. "Dude."
"Please?" He adds.
I raise an eyebrow at him, but hand it over. Even if I did like it, I've lost my appetite. Well, except for the cookie. Can't kill my appetite for peanut butter no-bake cookies.
"Hey, you doin' that thing again this year?" Mateo ask, looking at Joshua. "The spaghetti thing?"
"Of course. How else are we going to afford the summer trip?"
"I think we should do Enchiladas this year. Ma said she'd let us use La Cocina if we do it after church sunday."
I look to my book, sitting captive by the traitor's tray. When she's distracted, I'm going to grab it and run.
"You two should join us!" Juanita says. I jerk my head up. Us? Me and Aria?
I'm about to politely decline when out of Aria's cheerful mouth I hear, "We'd love to! My mamma has the best Spanish rice recipe! When's the party?"
"It's a fundraiser.We usually do it the first week of break. People are usually more generous during the Christmas season." Juanita says.
"Sound fun!" Aria replies, and they continue working out details as I stare longingly at my book.
Joshua slowly reaches for it, then pulls it back toward me. I grab onto it gratefully and turn to mouth a thank you. The smile pulls at his lips, and he winks at me. What the hell are you trying to do to me, man! I think he enjoys torturing me. That has to be it. Sadistic bastard.
After school, I walkout to my car to see someone waiting for me. What's with all the gorgeous guys smiling at me lately. I think someone is trying to kill me.
I stop several feet away, because this is not a guy I recognize, not even a face in the crowd kind of recognize. He's well dressed in a dark button up shirt, suit jacket and black slacks. A nicely coordinated tie hangs loosely from his neck. His black hair is styled in that unruly way that looks effortless but you know he actually spent quite a bit of time on.He smiles at me. Why is a strange amazingly sexy guy leaning on my car, smiling at me?
Hello readers!
I decided to go ahead and update. Why? because I'm as impatient as you are. haha. I was going to try to get a few chapters ahead and update weekly but I'm probably just going to update as I finish chapters. I don't think you'll mind.
So, what do you guys think about this new heartthrob? Think he'll give Joshua a run for his money or will Maggie see through his suave style?
Speaking of Joshua, do you think he really likes Maggie, or is he just a relentless flirt? Who will steal her heart? Let me know your predictions in the comments!
Please don't forget to click on that little star at the top right so I know you liked it. I get paid in encouragement, after all.