The siblings settled down in the den with towel wrapped ice cubes on one hand each while they ate and stared at the TV. Marvin clicked his tongue. "I should come home more often. This was more fun than whatever we were planning to do tonight." Darin scoffed, his eyes fixed on the screen. "So you can beat up Tom?" Lacey glared.Marvin laughed. "Not if he behaves. I haven't gotten into a fight in forever." "Thank you though. For that. Darin as always you read my mind. And Marvin, you managed to do the same." She tousled both their hairs. "Just stop blaming Tom. He's a good guy." "Really?" Marvin looked at her."Yes. He is. Compared that idiot Dennis." Darin finally spoke, still staring at the screen. "Your meeting was just jinxed." "Well then, if Darin says so. I wouldn't call it jinxed though. I got to beat up a guy and for the first time, I got to threaten your boyfriend. Unlike with the last one." "You sure are happy about today aren't you?" She asked
Tate strode onto the house spinning his car key in his hand with his index finger. He closed the front door and went into the living room. The TV was on but no one was in there. He made his way through the first floor: from the kitchen, to the pool out back, to the gym where music was playing, to the screening room where the projector was on and a movie playing. Why wasn't he just going straight upstairs instead of looking around? He was bored, nevertheless, finding the TV on, the projector on and music playing was strange. He could call Tom out, but he didn't feel like yelling. He walked up the stairs and went straight to Tom's room. He slowly opened the door and froze when he spotted him. Tom was sitting on the ground with his back against the bed and his hand clutching a chunk of his hair. He looked up at Tate and went back to staring at nothing. His TV was on, a video game to be precise and music was playing. Tate's eyebrows furrowed. His face was black and blue, there wa
Tuesday was a new day. Her heart was still broken though. Would that change? She had to hope it would. And soon. But till then, she had a plan, a simple plan. To ignore him... rather his presence. It was easy. She'd done it before... and sort of failed, but now she intended not to fail at it. For crying out loud he's Tate's best friend and also popular and it didn't stop her before. His social status was never an issue. As luck would have it. If it was luck at all. Tom wasn't in school that day. While the students waited for their teacher to come in for their next class, the girls all had something to say. She hid her interest when they said he wasn't in school the day before and the theories about them that had risen. Where as, the whole school thought one thing and yet she knew he stayed home cause of the beating he'd got. Either way, it didn't matter. She had a simple plan to stick to. But this time it was killing her. He wasn't at his table with his friends so she couldn't st
There! Her first day of seeing him and she pulled off ignoring him. Even though he had gotten up on the table and announced a party. She could pat herself on the back. Great first day effort Lacey. It was hard not to look his way and yet you managed not to. One week and it still felt like it was just five minutes ago that he had said those words. The good news is she's alive. He came back to school and she felt like her heart was being sliced when she heard he was back, but she's still alive. So there's that. "OMG! I can't believe this is happening. Lacey you've got to be at the parties with us." Fay demanded. "Yes! You have to. There can be no reasonable excuses this time. If you're busy on Friday, you can make it for Tate's on Saturday. And if you're busy Saturday, you can make it for Tom's on Friday." Bethany explained. "She's right. No excuses. In fact, you're going shopping with us after school on Thursday. Do what ever you have to to clear your after school schedule. B
Tom had his party. And it was exactly what he wanted. Something to get his mind off of Lacey. But by morning everything came flooding back with a massive headache. So for another fix, he looked forward to Tate's party. Where he did it all again. Drank, got drunk and had a hell of a night until morning. They were great nights but by the end of the hours he was consumed by his thoughts of her. "Yeah dude I heard." Sawyer laughed over the phone. "Dad was flipping out. You wouldn't answer your phone so he called me." "Wait till you hear everything." Lacey's siblings knew about them so why not Sawyer? Sawyer had no connection with anyone in school... Besides Tate. He just had to know he couldn't tell anyone. He told him everything and Sawyer listened quietly. "She has to be one heck a girl Tom, cause even I blame you." Tom grunted. "So you want her back?" "Like crazy dude. The more I see her the more I want her back and" He sighed. "I don't know dude. It's driving me cra
Guilty and fidgeting, the freshman looked around the library hoping no one was looking his way. Two other boys approached him looking more excited than him. "We're all here. Let's go." One of the boys who came up to him said. He was thinner than the one beside him and the fidgeting boy. "I don't think this is a good idea."The boy beside the thin one scoffed. "And you're just saying this now? Cory snatched a pack from his dad's stash. We're doing this. We're going under the bleachers and we're doing this." They whispered among themselves. "No we're not going to smoke this under the bleachers like every other student does." Cory stated... Cory being the thin boy. "The back of that burning house is perfect. No one goes there." "Because it's a burnt house. A little mishap and it just might go up in flames. I'm not doing this. It's really a bad idea." "Fine. Be a wuss then." The boy beside Cory said."Nothing is going to go wrong Joe. So come on. What happened to
Anita caught Lacey just as she was about to lock her locker. "Oh look it's baby Lacey." She rushed to her with Fay and Bethany closely behind. Both chorused "awww..." Lacey smiled and turned to them. "No one say anything crazy okay? We don't want to upset our little baby." Fay said, patting Lacey's cheek. "I wouldn't dream of it." Bethany placed her hand on her chest. "She does look cute when she cries though." "So cute.""This is old guys. It's been two days." "Yes. Well, we've never seen you cry." Fay said."Yeah. We missed the last one." Lacey turned to Anita. "Last one?""Yeah. When you saw Dennis and Jody." Another reminder. "I didn't cry.""Really?" Bethany almost gasped. "At...""Drop it guys. If she cries I'll hurt you both." Fay warned before Bethany could continue. "Did you say something to hurt baby Lacey's feeling again?" Jody joined them. "Don't listen to them Lacey." She went to Lacey and hugged her. "But if you do cry, then I'm here
Lacey opened up her locker and her eyes instantly fell on the items that had been left there. A neatly folded note and a pink rose. Could it be? Has Tom lost his mind and decided to leave a note and a rose in her locker? She took out the note, looked around the crowded hallway for any sign of the girls before she opened it. 'A Rose for you my lovely. Forgive the past and let us shape the future together. Lovely Lacey, I miss you. Please go out with me tonight and we can talk about everything and clear up everything. I miss you. I'll play you a new piece I did. Dennis.' Seeing the name written below it, she sighed. He was writing poems now? It wasn't even poetry, it was just words. The fact that the word 'lovely' was in there was enough to know it wasn't Tom. Frankly, it was disappointing. At least it wasn't Tom. Imagine if someone saw Tom opening her locker. How the heck did Dennis even get her locker open? And aside from that, did he really think mentioning
How dare he? How dare he look at her after what he did? The sight of Dennis made her angry. Not to mention the fact that he was looking at her from where he sat, three tables away. Even if he looked remorseful. Remembering him groaning in pain when she pressed his ribs was enough to make her smile a little and keep the anger away. Tom slipped his arm round her waist, snapping her out of her thoughts. She looked at him and smiled, remembering that she was with him and his friends. The bell for the next classes to begin was rung and the boys stood up. Tom winked at her before he left with them. They had classes but she didn't, yet. Watching them leave, she was nearly startled when Dennis took a seat across from her. Her hands gripped the side of her chair. "I'm sorry. Lacey I'm so sorry." He rushed his words. Thinking she would leave before he got a chance to talk. "I snapped. I shouldn't have, but I did. I saw you with him the day before and I couldn't take it." Lacey's
"So." Marvin broke the silence that had taken over since Lacey called Darin. He looked at Darin who's eyes were closed. "Are you upset you weren't there to help her?" "No. It's about time she started handling things herself. Even if she only handled part of it." He unlocked his phone and sent a text. "Who is this guy anyway?" It was taking a lot to keep his anger in check. Unlike Darin who was exceptionally calm, though his forehead was creased. "Her ex boyfriend. The one who cheated." "That piece of shit kid?!" There was no hiding it there. Darin nodded, his phone buzzing. He got a reply. When his phone rang, he picked up instantly. Not knowing who was calling. "Count yourself lucky that I wasn't there to rip you apart." The raspy rage full voice made him shiver, eyes widening in terror. Dennis looked around the room like the person on the phone was with him. "Who is this?" "You should have left her a
Hands on her hips, a stern look on her face and her friends beside her, she watched Jody walking down the hall among other students. "Jody right?" She got the girl's attention. A smirk taking over the stern look. "Yeah?" Jody walked up to them."You're the witch's friend aren't you?" "I don't know any witch.""Ugh! Lacey." She rolled her eyes. "Oh! I said friend. But that's not remotely true." "What do you mean by that?" Jody folded her arms. "I am Lacey's friend." "You don't have to play that game with me.""I'm not playing." She scoffed. "Yeah. Sure. But, you did see me and my friends by her locker. I know that for a fact." "What are you talking about?""I'm not buying the fake innocence. She saw you" She pointed at one of the girls beside her. "Look at us getting into Lacey's locker, she saw you walk away." Jody wanted to speak, she cut her off. "The day the witch had that locker room incident." J
He didn't hear from Lacey after school and he didn't call her. Instead, he thought he needed to talk to someone older than him to make sense of everything. After all, she's upset with him and he's upset with her. No sense whatsoever. But when Sawyer rubbed his face, and shook his head, he couldn't help wondering why. He just heard the whole story and that was his reaction. Shaking his head and now a chuckle? He was quickly regretting his choice. "I wonder why I didn't just zone out when you started talking." Tom glared at Sawyer's face on his phone. "You're an idiot Tom. You know that?" "What?" "Maybe I should date her. And you stopped therapy." "What is it?!" His patience wearing thin, he chose to ignore those comments. "What did she tell you?" "The therapist?" "No! Lacey. When she said she didn't want Tate or the school to know about you guys, what was her reason?" His forehead creased. "Opinions. Something about opinions. What ab
After not particularly enjoying the party, since his mind was filled with thoughts of opposites and things in common, he went home. The silence of the house could have been soothing if he wasn't so consumed by what the two girls had said to him. The more he thought about it, he got restless. So he called Lacey. She picked on the first ring. "You are lucky I'm awake." "Damn it! I didn't even think of that." He clicked his tongue and rubbed his forehead. "How was it?" "It was okay. A lot of people asked about you. Kept telling them you were busy." "Wouldn't they expect me to be out with you next time?" "Then I'll tell them something else." He didn't wait for her to reply. "We're different." That wasn't how he wanted to bring it up. "Of course we're different. I'm a girl, you're a boy." "No. I mean, like we have nothing in common." "Ohhhh! Someone put it in your head didn't they? You're a little late to this party."
How hard could it be to pay attention in class? Cory shook his legs impatiently, trying desperately not to call out to his friend and tell him what he had heard. When the bell finally rung and students got to their feet, he wanted to go to him and report the news. But damn it they were still in class and who knows who might hear what. When they were out of class, he went to him. Joe following behind them, as if he knew something was up. Almost every time they talked they had to look over their shoulders, and this time was no different. After all, they started a fire that could have spread further than it had. "They aren't searching for anyone." Cory blurted out. They each looked around, though students were walking all around, in their own worlds. Who would care to listen to their conversation? "What are you talking about?" Their friend asked, Joe listened with crossed arms. "The fire." He whispered the phrase. "They aren't searching for a culprit." Co
"Enjoying the table Lacey?" She planted her hands on her hips. The group fell silent. Lacey cast her eyes down. It's all part of the getting it over with process right? "You had these two fighting." Abby stated. "So in the end I was right. I heard you've been together for a while. She did steal you from me!" The students around heard that. Tom scoffed. "It was after the kiss in front of the class." "So what? You are under her spell!" Everyone definitely heard that. "The little witch!" Of course he was under her spell. He's crazy about her. "Did you hear me say it was after the kiss in front of the class?" Tom got up, jaw clenched, clearly getting angry. "Do I need to repeat it?" "Bu-" "It was after the kiss in front of the class!" He yelled. He too knows how to get everyone's attention. Lacey bent her head to hide her smile. "You know very well why I broke up with you. So this crap has to stop. It is for the sake of your reputation that none of u
He hadn't gotten the chance to talk to Tom yet. He saw the videos and heard it from the guys but he hadn't talked to him yet. Seeing them standing there like he hadn't been asking her out weeks ago made him so angry. So angry at the thought of Tom doing this to him. Ready to hit something, something he had been waiting to do since he found out, he slammed his locker shut and stumped over to the new couple by Lacey locker. Tom saw him and his smile faded away. "Good. You see me. That's a perfect reaction." Tate punched him. Tom bent over, holding his left side below his ribs where the punch had landed. "You took her right from under me!" He went in for another punch but Tom dodged it, still bending. A crowd was forming. Lacey had stepped back. "She's not yours to take!" Tate hit him again. Tom can't fight his best friend. Not when his reason for being angry is right... ish. "You knew. You knew I- and you do this?!" He hit him. Over and over while the stude
Lacey pulled out the band that held her hair up the moment they drove away from the school. Becket glanced at her, worried. "Are you okay?" She was hiding her feelings again. Looking out the window, she answered, "No." She felt numb. The entire school had watched her call for Tom and then seen them together. Why had she shouted? She could have just called his cell phone. Now they aren't a secret anymore. The whole school really should have burnt down. With Lacey gone, all eyes were on him. It didn't help that of course, a few phones were out and obviously there are now many videos and photos of them. The silent crowd was beginning to chatter. Unlike Lacey, he could handle the crowd. He held his head high and walked back to his car. He looked at Shocked David and George standing in front of his car watching him and spoke before they could. "Move." "Dude wh-" "Move. Don't make me ask again." He cut George off. Damn it. He wanted everyone to