Chapter 2

I parked outside our school.

"You must admit he is cute." She grinned at me. For the past ten minutes it took us to come to school, Jasmine blabbered about guys in the school. She then accused me of liking her boyfriend which I quickly denied, but here she was talking about how cute he is.

"I guess," I sighed not caring if she'll use that for her benefit later.

"Okay. Later junior," she said coming out of the car with a sly smile. Yep, this conversation is going to haunt me.

"Later old woman," I watched her expression change set hard immediately.

She then came out of the car to be tackled by her popular friends and the rest of the school population that absolutely adore her.

I walked up the dreaded stairs of our school. I looked back at my cousin giving me a deadly glare and being the sweet one, gave her a flashing white smile. And let us not forget the flicker of my middle finger. Her glare turned into a scowl. Ain't I the best cousin ever? Yes I am. I turned around and my face met the impact of a wall. I grumbled some curses as I stepped back and was about to walk around when a hand grabbed my waist.

"Hey Lovely," I finally faced the hard wall...?

"Oh, hey Nathan." I answered my best friend. "I didn't even realize it was you. When did you become so hard?"

"Well, I don't know," he gave me a shy smile as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"You look so cute when you're shy," I teased and walked inside with him. I did not worry about how weird me saying he is hard sounded. He is my best friend. He would only think of honorable things.

Nathan and I walked inside talking about his football victory last week and him being the best quarterback as well.

"Yes I am." He stated.

"Jack's ass looks better than yours." I showed him my tongue as we entered the classroom for our first class.

"I understand, because you don't find my ass attractive I am not the best quarterback on my team...?" Humor sparkled in his dark blue oceans.

"Exactly."

The class was already a quarter full with the bustle and air of busy teenage bodies talking and doing whatever on technological devices. We passed all the hustle and bustle to the back of the class where our seats were situated. Right near the air conditioning unit.

"Ready for summer?" He asked as the bell rang.

"I was born for having fun under the sun." I rest back in my the seat already imagining it in my mind.

"Miss Thunderstorm, stop the chattering around there." Great, the first thing he says as he enters our class. I rolled my eyes as the hyenas in the class started to have asthma attacks and pretending to be pigs. Nathan looked at me with admiration and amusement. Once again, my eyeballs rolled to the heavens. I then zoned out of this too annoying world.

After our Physics and Math class, my brain was well dehydrated for lunch. The bell rang and the sea of teenagers immediately flowed out the doors. Nathan and I were the last of them.

"Hey you guys," Keala said with a smile. Keala is a friend of Nathan and I when she first came here and tried out for the school's soccer team which I am the captain of as well. She also tried to flirt with Nathan, but they ended up being friends. My luck.

"Hi Keala." Nathan and I said in unison in a bored tone.

"Why are you guys almost all the time coming out the classroom last?" Keala asked looking happy as ever oblivious to our bored tones.

"Hey, I ain't going to fight those things through the door. The only competition I'm doing is soccer and keeping my grades at their usual A's." I replied hoping to sound normal than sleepy.

"We didn't ask you to wait." Nathan grumbled, somewhat miserably. Someone was hungry.

"Whatever. Guess what?" Keala jumped excitedly as we entered the lunch room and ordered our meals.

"Oh please tell us what you have been dying to say." I sarcastically said in a dramatically British tone.

"Nice." Nathan smiled at me.

"Your friend, Nathan, Jack asked me out." She frightened the food server as she smiled widely at her.

"May God help your souls." I heard the woman say under her breath as she gave me my food next. Old people.

"She got the fine ass guy." I gave her a hug.

"Can you stop Lovely?" Mathan gave me a glare.

"Jealous." I whispered as I skipped to my group table with Keala following. Jackass Jack gave her a wink as we pass his and Nathan's table. Keala almost fainted right on deck. I shook my head. A little entertainment is always welcome. I shake my head as a way to disguise the laugh I was trying hard to contain.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The teacher talked, but all I heard was blah, blah, blah.

"May I borrow your book for the notes?" I asked Nathan.

"Sure thing," he gave me his books.

"Mr. Honors I would appreciate it if you did not speak during my class." The middle aged female substitute teacher said looking over the small round glasses on her straight nose.

"I wish the same for you." Nathan yawned. I shook my head.

"Stop the talking Nathan." The teacher said seriously.

"Say please." Nathan said sweetly as if he was talking to a five year old.

"Nathan." I warned putting my hand on his arm on my desk.

"Miss Thunderstorm," she sharply turned to me. Yeah, great. My luck.

I raised my hand as a gesture of doing nothing wrong.

"Nathan, I will advise you to watch your mouth." Mrs. Wyndham said sternly.

"I tried when I was younger, but it didn't work out." Nathan replied. I watched the teacher's face turn from pink to red. Great, leave Nathan to get us into trouble.

The next response took me by surprise that I had to reinterpret to understand.

"Fine Mr. Honors, just keep your voice low." The teacher sighed.

"Will do," Nathan nodded.

"Lucky." I muttered.

The History teacher said my name threatening me by her tone. Bad luck really loves me.

"As you all know, you guys will be seniors next term," Now our teacher was talking something I was interested in.

"After exams," she just had to ruin it. "You will be off for summer holidays and I want you all to be on your best behavior."

The bell then chose that exact time to ring. The entire class ran through the door like cheetahs.

"Good luck with your soon to come exams," the teacher's voice faded as she finished and sat down in her chair. As usual, Nathan and I were the last to leave.

"Miss Thunderstorm," Mrs. Wyndham stopped me in my tracks.

"I wish to speak to you before you go." She said looking at me like I was some new born star.

"Yes Mrs..." I answered waving away Nathan. He gave me his usual kiss on the tip of my nose before leaving.

"I have to say your grades are promising, but I can't take that for granted. I have seen too many brilliant students failing in academics. I see too much potential in you to be wasted. Do you understand?" She said speaking with authority and experience. It was very hard to pin point the same woman who didn't give a disrespectful boy not even a detention for his outrageous behavior just a few minutes ago. She looks as someone who stands for discipline. Too bad looks are deceiving. Or maybe it's good.

"Yes." I nodded.

"And I warn you of the company you keep," no doubt she was talking about Nathan. "Be careful. Don't be afraid to tell me or ask me questions. Clear?"

"Crystal." I said feeling the stabbing need to laugh.

"I believe you will do well in your exams, so good luck is no use to you. You may go." She seemed as if she took a heavy weight off her shoulders.

"Okay." I hastily got up.

Walking down the corridor, I wanted to laugh, but didn't want to look like a mad man(or rather mad woman) around the few warm body teenagers. Lucky thing I didn't have soccer today after school for I would have to do fifty laps around the field as punishment for being late. The work wasn't the problem, but the embarrassment. I walked outside to see my cousin alone(a first) leaning on the car.

"Ready for dinner tonight?" She smiled mischievously at me.

"Good evening to you too." I replied getting in the car and starting it.

Ahhh! This dreaded dinner with the Black Diamonds Pack. Nothing ever goes my way. I really wouldn't mind having soccer practice instead.