02

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to forget what just happened, the way Romeo Sparks saved me and how I acted like a typical dummy. I did the only thing left for me to do. I ran outside to look for Joey.

The minute I got outside, I spotted Joey among the crowd, dancing heartily with Jake. It seemed like everything went well. I gripped her and pulled her outside, not minding the stares we were receiving from some people.

Things moved very fast, Saturday gone, Sunday gone, and here was Monday. For the first time in my life, I was thinking of skipping school to avoid seeing Romeo.

Oh Romeo!

Even the thought of his name made my heart race. What would I tell him? Should I thank him? Many thoughts ran through my mind as I got dressed. He probably would not recognize me. I didn't think I had any class with him, all I had to do was avoid getting in his way.

It was in English class that I finally realized my prayer didn't get answered anyway. You know that feeling you get when someone is boring holes into your back with their stares, and you have no idea who they are. Well, that was exactly how I was feeling right now. I only thought of someone.

Romeo Sparks!

I was too scared to turn around to confirm my suspicion. What if he was really here?

"C'mon, he can't be here, you've never seen him attend this class," my inner mind chimed in.

I lifted my shoulder in a half shrug, getting the thought out of my mind. I continued staring at Mr. Banks as he went on talking, without picking out anything from what he was babbling. A girl sneezed, causing the whole class to look in her direction. I quickly whipped my head around to confirm my theory. When I finally saw those eyes that were piercing through my back, I wasn't surprised who they belonged to.

Romeo Sparks.

His bright emerald eyes pierced into mine as if he could see through me. His gaze held a mixture of frustration, confusion, and anger. I couldn't decipher what it really was.

I freaked out and turned to the front instantly. What was he doing here? I had never seen him in class. It later dawned on me that he had been skipping class. I tried not to think that he was here today because of me.

When I tried to stare back to see if Romeo was still looking at me, I was met with Mr. Banks' old ugly eyes instead. He looked keenly between Romeo and me, demanding for an explanation, but neither of us talked.

"Quit staring at each other, you horny teenagers, and focus on class, otherwise you'll both get detention," Mr. Banks' waggy voice vibrated through the class.

Heat flushed in my cheeks as students turned to look between Romeo and me, surprised by what just happened. Why would the hottest guy in school spare a nerd like me a glance? Did I just call Romeo the hottest guy?

I rolled my eyes. "He isn't really that hot," I muttered under my breath, lying to myself.

I tried my best to shut him out of my mind and pretend like he's not in the same classroom as I was. I could not afford to break my perfect record of zero detentions. But, with him sitting two seats away from mine, it was hard to ignore the little jargons he was saying mostly about me.

"Black sucks on you!" He said slowly, but I heard him.

I was putting on a black oversized t-shirt and boyfriend jeans. I stared back and shot him a death glare.

"Keep your eyes off me, cunt!" He spat.

"I don't want any mischief today, and since you two can't handle yourselves, you can kindly walk yourselves to detention." Mr. Bank's voice resounded in my head.

"I was - " I tried to explain.

"No!" He interrupted me.

"Mr. Banks, he - " I tried again.

"I said no!"

A line appeared between my brows. "I can - "

"Now, get out both of you or one more word I'll extend your detention," he raised his voice, already infuriated.

"Yelling is not for old pricks like you, Mr. Banks," Romeo had to open his mouth just to add more problems, and the whole class erupted in laughter.

"Lunchtime and after-school detention tomorrow also, both of you," Mr. Banks rambled, clearly embarrassed by what that jerk said.

"But sir, I - " I tried to explain that I was not part of this, Romeo caused this alone and should get punished alone.

"Lunchtime and after-school detention for the whole week, both of you," Mr. Banks interrupted me once again.

He was clearly having a bad day, and I was the one he decided to take it out on. I realized soon, he would only worsen it the more I talked. Nonchalantly, Romeo picked up his book and started heading for the door. I let out a couple of groans before walking behind him. The detention room was empty apart from the teacher who took our names down. As soon as we were done with that, I took the farthest seat I could find away from Romeo. I actually plan on ignoring him for the rest of the detention.

I took out my phone to tell Joey about my detention and tell her to eat lunch alone, but as she replied, my phone was seized. I couldn't even get to read her response. I groaned, trying really hard not to cry. This would be the first time I would ever be in detention. Is this what it felt like to get into trouble? Romeo sat down peacefully, obviously he has gotten used to it.

"I'm going out for lunch, you better not talk other than sit there," the teacher in charge of detention said.

As soon as she walked out, the silence became more awkward, and the room suddenly became uncomfortable. Sitting down here with the school badass was what I wouldn't give a thought. This was all his fault; if he hadn't opened that damned mouth of his to talk trash about me, probably none of this would not have happened.

"This is all your fault!" I couldn't help but tell him. Everything was all his damn fault.

He didn't respond.

"Can you hear me at all?" I demanded, getting pissed off.

Still no word from him.

"Hey!" I yelled again. "I'm talking to you!" I exclaimed angrily.

With this, he looked up. "I heard you the first time, I just don't give a damn," he stated, staring intensely into my eyes. He continued. "If you will excuse me, I am trying to observe the detention rules."

He glanced at me for the last time, then went back to picking his nails.

What the heck? I know he was a rude jerk, but not to this extent. He was trying to observe a rule when he actually broke one and got both of us in trouble. I was too tired to argue with him any further, so I just went back to my seat.

The rest of the day was just as bad. By the time we came back after school for another one-hour detention, I did my best to stay away from Romeo because that's the only thing I could do.

The week went by peacefully. Well, at least not peaceful enough, I had to spend my lunchtime and after school in a damned deserted room with Romeo Sparks. Not to think of the awkward silence we both had been sharing since the start of the detention.

"Jerk!" I muttered, staring at him.

"I heard that!" He hissed, not raising his head from his locker.

I scoffed. He even had the audacity to talk back after all that he had put us through. "Well, it was for you to hear," I retorted angrily.

"Bimbo," he mumbled, raising his head to look at me. "Little wonder you got ogled by the wrong guy."

My eyes narrowed. What is he trying to pull here? Almost immediately, images of last Friday flushed in. The drunk guy in the bathroom and how Romeo saved me. Somehow I wanted to thank him, but he did not deserve any, he was a jerk who does nothing other than bring trouble to people's lives.

When I finally got out of the detention room, the usually crowded hallways were now deserted, and so was the parking lot. Joey, who has always been my ride, had gone home since I was in detention this week. I began to find my way towards the exit of the school, dreading my walk home.

Shortly, a black car pulled up beside me, then the glass was wined down. When the driver came into view, I wasn't surprised who it was. Romeo Sparks.

I fizzled, then started walking.

"What are you doing?" He demanded, raising his voice so I could hear him.

"What does it seem like I'm doing?" I retorted without reducing my walking pace. Why was he even speaking to me?

Romeo started driving at the same place I was walking. "Get in the car!" He commanded.

"No!" I replied immediately. He had no power over me and couldn't tell me what to do.

"Stop being stubborn and get in the car while I am still nice," he scoffed.

Was he serious? I'd bet nothing good had ever come out of those mouths.

"I said no!" I simply stated.

"Suit yourself." He yelled back before driving past me.

What was that? I had barely walked out of the school premises when I saw his car parked a few feet away from me. When I looked up, I saw him leaning against his car. What the heck did he want from me? Was he blind to see that I was trying to avoid trouble? I ignored him like he wasn't standing there and walked past him.

"Just get in the car already and stop being stubborn." He called after me.

"No! I'm not going with you." I insisted. I didn't even know why I was talking to him. I didn't hear his reply, so he gave up already. What a jerk he was! Why was I suddenly complaining about him giving up?

"Just get into the damn car!" He yelled, behind me. Before I knew it, I was scooped into a pair of strong hands in a bridal style then carried towards the car.

"Let me down!" I cried out, stomping my feet in the air and struggling to wriggle out of his hands.

He tightened his grip on me, with a silly smirk plastered on his face. He opened the passenger door, then dropped me on the seat. He brought his face closer to mine, and I was uncomfortable with the sudden closeness between us.

"Don't think of this as a favor, dummy. I - " He paused, gazing at me to check my reaction. "I don't like getting a ' no ', and I only wanted to help you because it's bad for you to walk here, and now you're walking back." He concluded, then winked at me before rising up to shut the door.

What was that all about? How did he know I walked to school? Joey only takes me back home every day.

"I don't like getting a no." "Whatever," I let out a loud hiss.