Chapter Four

"You have your own bathroom."

"But I like to harass you," Finn replies with a grin, tooth paste running down his chin.

"Of course you do," I sigh, running the straightener over my hair one last time.

I have decided to wear it down today. Subconsciously, I know it's because Miles used to always say he loved my dark hair. He often ran his fingers through it when we were lying in bed. He would say that I was beautiful...

"I don't think that piece of hair is going to get any straighter," he tells me, his voice muffled as he continues to brush his teeth.

Scowling at him, I switch off the straightener. I walk into my room, shrugging my jacket over my shoulder and then flicking my hair out so that it doesn't get stuck underneath and end up a fuzzball before I leave the house. I spray some perfume on my wrists and neck, before swinging my bag onto my shoulder.

"Okay, I'm ready now."

"Finally," Finn groans, even though he only got up twenty minutes ago. It amazes me how he can roll out of bed, shower, and then be magically ready. I take three times longer, because of my hair, makeup and then I get distracted scrolling through I*******m...

I follow him down the hallway. Mum has already left, she always goes in early to prepare the classroom. She's super dedicated to her job, often staying up late hours of the night decorating things for their activities and whatnot. She's a real kid person - when she lost the baby, which was one of the last connections we had to dad - I honestly think a part of her died. She had always said she wanted a big family but after they had the two of us, they tried and tried for another kid, but were unsuccessful. That's why when mum finally did fall pregnant, it was a pretty big deal, only to lose the baby right after we lost dad. It was really hard on her.

But she bounced back. We all did. It took time, but we did it. I can't help but think Miles' return, may affect us all, though.

Both Finn and I had our own cars, but he insists on driving his every day, because it's much "cooler", even though we have the exact same car. We both had 2013 Mitsubishi Lancer's. Mine is electric blue, his a striking black. I must admit, he has put some good mods on it. His windows are darker, his car is lower, his car is louder, his speakers are better, his seats are... Okay, fine, his car is slightly, a bit cooler.

As I plop into the passenger seat, I pull a bra out from underneath my butt and send Finn a frown. He grins, a devilish smirk lighting up his face.

"Oops?"

"Ew," I scoff, scrunching up my nose. "How did she just forget to put her bra on? What a moron."

"She's your best friend."

"Fuck off," I reply, shoving his arm.

He lets out a laugh. "Nah, I think Tiana left it there on purpose, to have another excuse to talk to me."

"That's desperate."

"That's girls for you."

"Not all girls," I argue.

"Most," he shrugs. "She's nice. I might hang out with her and take her to dinner one night."

I glance at him in surprise.

"I'm joking. She'll never get a piece of this again."

"You're a dick," I roll my eyes. "I don't like that you treat girls like that."

"So you've said. Look, I am really nice to them when I'm with them. They all know I'm a casual guy. I don't do the dating thing. If they're okay with it, then what's the harm?"

"They got too attached to you," I reply bluntly.

"I am pretty irresistible," he sighs.

Shaking my head, I stare out the window. Finn turns the radio up and soon, we are singing out the top of our lungs to Shaggy's classic song, "It wasn't me". Even when we get to school and have parked, we continue singing dramatically, me holding an empty water bottle up to my lips as a microphone, Finn angrily playing air drums.

We burst out laughing once the song ends, fist-bumping each other on an awesome duo, before exiting the car. The laughter dies on my lips when I see a motorbike pull up, a few spaces from where Finn parked.

The guy removes his helmet and I feel my insides squirm uncomfortably as I see his stupid, handsome face.

Miles casually grabs his bag, shrugging it onto his shoulder, before striding into school. He's wearing his leather jacket again and damn he looks hot. I mentally punch myself in the face at the thought, but I can't help it. My hormones go into overdrive whenever he is in my vicinity.

"Well, there goes my good day," I hear Finn deadpan.

"Me too." I agree with a sour expression. "Remember the plan?"

"Ignore him?"

"That's the one."

"I'll try. Adios, amigo," he says with a wave, trotting the opposite way I am heading.

As I walk into school, I can't help repeat the words Miles said to me on the phone.

He said he was sorry... that he missed me...

"Good morning," a voice greets me before a firm arm wraps around my body.

A smile stretches across my face as I turn to Bentley. "Hey."

"How's it going?" he asks with a cheery smile.

"Good and yourself?" I ask him, reaching for his coffee and taking a sip.

"Always good." He reaches out, tucking a loose tendril of my hair behind my ear. "Haven't seen you much in the last couple of days. You doing okay with Miles being back?"

The history between me, Miles, and Finn are well known around the school. Everyone knows what went down and ever since Satan returned, all eyes have been on us, waiting for our next move.

"As good as I can be, under the circumstances," I tell him truthfully. "Thanks for asking."

He leans forward and brushes his lips softly to mine. He very rarely showed me public affection at school. We had been more the make out in the dark at a party, type of thing. We always spoke at school, but we haven't acted this couple-y yet. It's a nice feeling.

Miles never acted like this, because we didn't want Finn to know. Also, he was probably embarrassed or something. He was the hot player of the school. He couldn't be seen "tied down".

I look around, hoping to see Samara's flaming red hair as we walk to class, but I didn't. I usually sit with her, but she is either running late (which happens a lot) or she's ditching.

I go over to my usual table and am surprised to find that Bentley follows me. I quirk an eyebrow as he sits down, opening his book.

"Since when do you sit with me?" I tease.

"Since your ex-boyfriend is back in town and I don't like the competition," he states. My heart swells at the word boyfriend, annoyingly. "And besides, I think we can start doing this a bit more. Finn hasn't killed me yet, so I take that as his blessing."

"He has other things on his mind at the moment, thankfully," I agree.

"What are you doing tonight?"

"I have to work until 8, but nothing after. How come?"

"Dinner?"

"Dinner sounds perfect," I smile.

Heavy footsteps can be heard and I glance up, to see Miles heading our way. I watch as he walks to the desk in front of us and sits down, turning the chair sideways so he can lean against the wall. He looks at me and nods.

"Isobel. Bentley."

"Hey man," Bentley greets him and they fist-bump.

I stare at Bentley. Didn't he just say that he didn't like that Miles was back?

Miles turns his blue eyes to mine, his lips tilting into a smirk. I don't respond.

Ignore him, ignore him, ignore him.

"So, are you two like a thing now?" he rudely asks.

I am gripping my pen extremely hard. Bentley gives him an easy smile, but I can tell he is tense, due to the vein sticking out of his neck.

"Yeah, man."

"Cute," he replies, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

He sounded so emotional on the phone last night and now he's acting so indifferent. I curse myself for thinking he might have changed.

I glare down at my paper, writing the date and the chapter title. I try to focus all my attention on the topic for today. I feel Bentley's hand go to my knee. He gives me a sharp, reassuring squeeze.

Miles' eyes flicker down, noticing the exchange. His nostrils flare, before he abruptly faces the front, slamming his notepad onto the desk and angrily rummaging through his pencil case.

"Miles? Are you alright there?" Mrs. Adams asks him, peering at him over her oval-shaped glasses.

"Fine," he snaps icily, causing everyone to flicker their eyes between the two of us.

I internally groan. He's acting like a jealous boyfriend. We haven't even seen each other in a year and a half.

He doesn't bother me for the rest of the lesson.

As I'm walking to my locker sometime later, I see that Miles is standing there. As soon as he sees me, he pushes off the metal and begins to walk towards me.

Suddenly, a strong hand curls around my bicep and I am tugged backward.

"Finn!" I exclaim as he pulls me. "I need to swap textbooks!"

"Stay here," he instructs. "What do you need?"

"English."

He nods and storms over to my locker. I feel incredibly embarrassed that Finn won't let me go to my own locker, because Miles is there. Miles stares at Finn in amusement as he swaps my books and then stomps over to me.

"Let's go."

I shake my head at him as he pulls me after him again.

"I wasn't going to talk to him. I am doing the ignore thing pretty well."

"For now, but you loved him, Is. It's only a matter of time before he gets to you again."

"Thanks for having faith in me," I mutter.

"I just know you. You're kind and forgiving. Two things that I'm not."

"Yeah you are," I say to him, giving him a side-long glance. "To people, you care about, you are."

"Lucky he isn't someone I care about, then," he says through gritted teeth.

He literally walks me to my classroom.

"Thanks for the tour guide," I roll my eyes. "I think I can handle myself now."

"One can only hope," my brother dramatically replies. "I'll see you at lunch."

I nod at him and make my way inside, relieved to see my flamed-haired best friend, sitting at our table.

"Thank God you are here," I say to her, throwing my books onto the desk.

"I get that a lot," she grins. "So, what drama did I miss?"

With the brief time, we have before the teacher began the lesson, I hurriedly tell her about the conversation last night I had with Miles and his strange behaviour in the classroom, including Finn's embarrassing act of chauffeuring me from my locker, to class.

"Is Miles obsessed with you, or something?" she asks with raised eyebrows. "The boy I remember from eighteen months ago did not obsess about anyone."

"I know..." I trail off. "Maybe he thinks if he can get to me, he can get to Finn?"

"Or he really did like you and regrets what he did?"

"No, he is definitely evil and is plotting something," I nod. "He is Miles Carter, you know."

"This is true," she agrees, just as class begins.

I throw a glance across the room, to see Miles' eyes already on me. I gulp uneasily, quickly turning my attention to the board.

Miles is really hard to ignore.