When the Bad Boy Isn't Bad

Chapter 18: 100%

My eyes were caught on his, and I couldn't move.

My breath caught in my throat.

And I felt myself moving closer to him, unconsciously, tipping my chin up.

Our faces were centimeters apart. I could feel his breath on my lips.

And then he stepped away.

"You're really tired, you should go inside," he mumbled, shaking his head.

I blinked up at him, frozen.

He grabbed my shoulders and turned me towards my door roughly.

"It's called walking. You put one foot in front of the other and then move your other foot forward. It's not that hard. Now go," he shoved me lightly forwards, and I almost fell, still in shock of what had almost happened.

His hand caught my arm and he stood me up, muttering under his breath. "Goddamn it."

He walked me up to my door, scowling and cursing quietly, pushing me so I would walk but keeping me upright.

"Key?" He asked. I just stared at him, too delirious to speak or even process what he was saying to me.

"Fuck it," he groaned, and knocked loudly on my door. My mom answered, and she looked from Fletcher to me, raising her eyebrows.

"Here, you take her," Fletcher said, pushing me into my moms arms. "I, um, have to go." He left the porch quickly, jogging down the sidewalk.

"Who was that?" My mom asked, narrowing her eyes after him as she shut the door.

"Nobody," I said at last. "Now can I go to bed? I'm not feeling too great." It was true.

"Sure, honey, but he didn't do anything to you, did he?" She asked worriedly.

"No!" I yelped. "No, Mom, it's not like that. I'm fine. He just drove me home."

I left before she could ask anymore.

Despite my exhaustion, I couldn't get any sleep that night, going over what had happened and what would happen.

"Mom, do you know where my bag is?" I yelled in the morning as I was attempting to get ready for school.

"You didn't have it last night," she called back. "Maybe you left it in a friends car?"

I had left it at school when I ditched.

"Right, it's in Callie's car, thanks," I lied, going downstairs.

CJ was outside, and I hopped into her car, leaning back and closing my eyes.

"Where were you?" She screeched at me. "I tried texting and calling you when you weren't in drama, but you wouldn't answer, and not even that Fletcher dude was there, so-" she cut off and looked wide eyed at me. "Wait, wait, were you with him?"

"I-" I started. "No. Can we drive?"

She looked closer at me. "Jennifer, you look like shit."

"Thanks," I muttered, although I knew it was true.

"You look tired as hell," she muttered, pulling out her makeup bag. "Let me."

I closed my eyes as she rubbed various creams on my face and brushed my eyelashes with mascara, knowing I could trust her to do a good job.

"Alright, that's as good as it's gonna get," she said a minute later. I glanced in the mirror. I actually looked awake. "What, did you not sleep at all last night?"