I Want You Bad Boy

6. Why So Serious?

I walk down the school hallway. I glance around trying to get a glimpse of Garrett. I hadn't seen him all morning, and I was hoping to catch him in the hall or in the cafeteria. He seems to be ignoring me this morning. I know...you're probably thinking "it hasn't even been twenty-four hours yet, why jump to the conclusion he's ignoring you?". But I can't help it. I'm paranoid.

I walk into the cafeteria and spot Paige and her boyfriend cuddling up together, looking at something on his phone. I get my food and then sit down with them.

"Hey, guys." I say as I start to eat my meatloaf. 

"Hey," they reply. Paige looks over at me and gives me a smile but Brett doesn't take his eyes off of Paige. He seems to be under a spell.  

I return the smile and ask, "Paige, have you seen Garrett?" I knew she had a morning class with him.

She frowned and put a finger on her lip, thinking. "No...he wasn't in class today."

I stare at her, eyebrows raised. "He wasn't?" 

She smirks. "Skipping class. Bad boy right there." 

I'm quiet. He surely wouldn't skip class because of what happened last night, would he? Heck, that was a stupid question. Why would he skip class because of me? Just because what happened last night was the first time I ever came close to kissing someone doesn't mean it was his first too. He's probably done even more than kissing. He wouldn't be so dramatic about this almost kiss like I was. I laugh at myself, inside my head of course. He's probably just skipping class, or school, for the day just cause he wanted to.

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I walk into my math classroom. Yesterday I had seen no sign of Garrett. Confirming he was absent from school. I had seen him in the halls before lunch, today, though. But was unable to get his attention. His back was to me the whole time. I take a seat and wait as the rest of the class files into the room. I finally spot Garrett. And when I do, my eyes widened.

Garrett looks as if he had been in a fight. His bottom lip was slightly bruised with a cut on it, and his left eye was badly bruised. He sort of walks with a limp, he must be in pain, but he holds his face tight. His lips are pressed together making a straight line. What happened to him? Did this have anything to do with him not being here yesterday? 

I watch as he walks past me and takes the seat in the very back. I want to know what happened so bad. I wait, without patience, as the class starts and goes on and on. I try to take notes, but my mind keeps wandering to the boy three chairs behind me. Finally, the class ends. I shoot out of my seat and quickly grab my things, trying to catch up with Garrett. 

He's already walking down the hall, towards the school doors. He doesn't have a sport so he was free to go. I run after him, calling his name a couple times to get his attention. He doesn't look over his shoulder. It's getting hard to get to him, there are so many kids in the hallways. I run faster, feeling like a ninja as I squeez and wiggle past the kids in the hallway. I finally reach him and grab at his shoulder.

"Garrett-," I say out of breath. How in the world could he walk so fast?

Garrett turns around, "Oh, hey." There isn't any enthusiasm in his voice.

"Are you...okay?" I ask slowly looking up at his face.

"Yeah," he says as he shrugs his shoulders. "Why wouldn't I be?"

I was quiet. "Well, your face..."

"Is hot. Yes, yes, I know." I give him a smug smile. I guess if he's making jokes like that he is okay. But, what happened to his face?

"Well, what happened to your eye and lip?" I ask him. I thought I'd add the limp, but he seems to be over that now.

Garrett's face tightens for a quick second then puts a smile on his face, "Oh, you know...I got it when I was on Superman duty."

I raise my eyebrows. Superman duty? "Really? Superman duty?" He doesn't say anything. "Seriously, Garrett...what happened?" I look at him in concern. 

He rolls his eyes and looks away for a couple seconds before looking back at me. "Look, I really don't want to talk about it."

My curiosity gets the best of me as I blurt out, "But, Garrett, what-"

"No!" He says sternly. "I don't want to talk about it." 

"Garrett-."

"Don't you have Volleyball practice?"

I had totally forgotten, but I'm already late so what does it matter a few more minutes? "Yeah, but-"

"Better get to practice." and before I could say anything else he walks away. He's obviously hiding something. I'm going to find out.