Bad Boy

My phone rings, breaking the silence in the room.

My finger swipes right on my screen to switch off my alarm.

The lights are blinding in the darkness.

5.40 Am.

I'm so tired. Why do I have to get up so early, Luby? If you're wondering who Luby is it's my mascot.

I need to have it around, especially since that thing happened.

I'm the most popular girl in school, Bonnie’s best friend, and the girlfriend of the quarterback.

I wear all the right clothes and hang out with all the right people, have unlimited money to spend. And I'm adored by every single person in school.

My phone buzzes and lights up. It is a text from Bonnie.

My best friend and I coordinate our outfits whenever we plan to see each other.

She wants to make sure our outfits won't clash, and that we are always photogenic together. I find this a bit borderline obsessive.

Anyway, I have grown used to the routine of having her tell me what to and what not to wear.

I know better than to pick a colour that clashes with her, so I’ll go with wearing a white shirt and a white skirt. Maybe it's not the best choice, but it's not bad.

My phone buzzes again. This time it's my boyfriend, Dean.

: Morning, sunlight x

I immediately text him back. Soon, a honk outside signals for me to leave the house.

I'm so late.

Dean is waiting for me in his blue convertible.

I get into the car.

“How’s my princess.?”

“Great, how are you?”

“I'm good. You should wear skirts more often.” He kisses me on the cheek and looks down at my legs.

He places a hand on my thigh and grins. His hand slowly slides up my thing, but I playfully smack it away.

“We’ll be late.”

“So. I know you want your first time to be special.”

“Huh? First time?”

“You know. Losing your virginity.”

“Oh!”

We’ve talked about it many times before, but I keep putting it off. It's weird to him that I wasn't raised religiously, or raised to have high morals, yet I choose not to do it yet.

Maybe it's just part of who I am. I don't want to lose it to just anyone, I want to lose it to the one as cheesy as that sounds.

“We have been dating for over three years now, and I just thought now would be a good time to you know. All the guys who've had girlfriends that long have done it.”

I feel uncomfortable whenever he brings it up. Three years is a long time, but with him, it doesn't feel long enough.

A part of me feels like I know him, but the other part still feels wary. I mean, though I consider him one of my best friends, there are still things I'd never tell him.

“We could go over to your place and I could spend the night.”

“Sure.” I forced a smile.

“Really?”

“Like you said, we've been together for a long time.”

“Fuck. You're the best.”

“This ain't the way to school.”

I'm surprised at the fact that Bonnje didn't tell me she doesn't have her car. She usually tells me every single detail about her life.

When we stop at Bonnie's house, she is already outside waiting for us. She is wearing a tight, red top with a skirt.

She gets into the car.

“What took you so long my- Good morning, Rosemary.” she climbs into the passenger seat.

Even after knowing her for four years, I still can't get used to how flawless she always looks.

“I'm breaking out.”

“I can't see anything.” I could slightly see her outbreak of acne.

“Really?”

“Yup. Your cars at the shop?”

“Yh, some dick keyed it last week.”

Dean tried keeping the conversation light for the rest of the ride. Bonnie cooled off a bit by the time we got to school.

We’re well-known at Hill High. In fact, well-known is an understatement.

“Do you have an idea of who it was?”

I swear I saw Dean and Bonnie look at each other. Do they know something I don't know?

“Oh my god! You need to take me shopping! That skirt! Rosemary, you can pull off anything.” Bonnie clears her throat.

“No one looks as good as you in red.”

Though my best friend constantly needs all the attention on her, I don't mind. It gives me more privacy. Plus, her presence makes me more likeable to others.

As much as I like Dean, he seems to save our affection for crowds. As we walk into the school, Dean slings his arm around my shoulder and pulls me closer to his side.

It reminds me of the way he holds a football in between his arms and torso.

“Copycats are wannabes.”

I kept my mouth shut since she was in such a rotten mood. Bonnie marched off to her locker with a few cheerleaders trailing behind her.

Dean walked me to my locker.

“Is she all right?”

“She must be pissed about her car.”

“Who do you think did it?”

He suddenly seems distracted. His eyes focus elsewhere.

Are they hiding something?

Who do I trust more?

“Dean?”

“Huh?”

“What are you staring at?”

I followed his eyes. That’s when I saw him. Midnight black hair, brown eyes, a jawline so sharp it could give me a paper cut.

“He is so hot.”

I pinch myself. I have a boyfriend, Rosemary, you have a boyfriend. But that isn't enough for me to look away.

“Him.”

“Who is he?” I ask in a breathy voice. I can't tear my eyes off him.

“New kid in town.”

My feet wanted to carry me over to get a closer look at him, but the bell rang.

Dean closes my locker door for me and walks me to class. I have calculus first thing in the morning.

My scores exceed those of my clique, so I'm the most popular one in there

Bonnie was pretty pissed when she found out we’d be in separate classes, but I'm kind of relieved I get a breather from her.

In class, the new guy is in my seat.

“Rosemary? Please find a seat.”

As hot as he is he took my seat! I can't believe it. No one and I repeat, no one, has ever taken my seat since middle school.

The desk even has Rosemary engraved into it. The new guy looks up at me again. My heart almost leaps out of my ribcage.

He is far more stunning up close. There are dark bags under his eyes. His cheekbones are prominent, and stand out even more on his slim face.

“Take a seat, Rosemary.”

A girl seated right beside him quickly moves out of her seat to make way for me. Being popular and intimidating has its perks.

“We have a new student in class today. Will you come up for an introduction?”

The hot new guy gets out of his seat and walks calmly to the front of the class. His tight white shirt clings to his muscles, making me want to see underneath.

He spins around once he is in front of the class, and I swear I feel all the girls melt onto the floor. Mr Wood looks like a hamster next to him.

The new guy locks eyes with me. I swear my heartbeat is so loud it's almost deafening me.

“I’m Lee.”

I didn't know it yet but from that moment on, my world would change. What I did know was when I heard his voice, my heart betrayed everything.