Deal // Calum Hood

Begining of the end.

Calum.
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Something was gnawing away at me the whole of maths. Big, vicious teeth, chewing and chewing, highlighting my boredom. I couldn't concentrate, but I didn't need to. Maths was a breeze.
Of course, I kept that hidden however. It didn't quite match my 'bad-boy' rep which I had worked stupidly hard to maintain.
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My eyes wandered the quiet room as our teachers voice faded more and more into a background drone. Nobody seemed to be concentrating. All except one, of course. Goody-two-shoes, Annabelle, couldn't zone out if she tried. School was her life, you didn't have to know her to see that.
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I rolled my eyes without hesitation.
She pissed me off to no end, and I am certain the feeling is mutual. She straightened up as though she knew she was being watched. Her manners were immaculate, I'll give her that. Totally impeccable to everyone but me.
How flattering.
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I watched closer towards her paper, a smirk instantly tugging at my lips.
No. Freaking. Way.
She was getting answer after answer wrong. The Annabelle Clark. A buzz of excitement melted away my previous boredom. I was smarter than the snobby A-star student? This is brilliant.
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Something inside of me clicked as I had already figured a way to manipulate my new intel, into something I could use.
Something I desperately needed which only she had.
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*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*
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I bit down on my lip with extreme force to prevent any yells falling out of my mouth once the broom behind me collapsed to the ground with a dusty clatter. Peeking out of the janitors closet for the millionth time, I began to wonder whether or not this was as pointless as it had begun to seem.
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Beginning to get doubts from my genius idea, I went to give up and open the door, only to be greeted by none other than Annabelle Clark.
"Aha." I murmured, clasping her wrist in my palm and forcing her into the dull lit room alongside me.
"Just the brat I wanted to see."
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Her startled expression making this worth while. She almost seemed scared of me. I liked that.
"Calum." She regarded me, shaking off her panic and yanking her wrist from my hold. The way she said my name would make you believe she had a bitter taste lodged deep in her throat.
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I nodded towards her in return, prepared to explain it all before she opened her stupid mouth and babbled away like a fool.
"Slight question, what on earth do you think you're doing?" She exclaimed angrily.
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It took everything I had not to gag. Who the hell spoke like that? To me of all people. I shuddered instead, taking a deep breath to calm myself.
"I need something from you." I admitted, coldly.
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"No." She snapped, spinning around to leave.
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"Wait!"
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She waited.
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"I'll give you something in return." I offered, truthfully. She had no idea how desperate I was. God knows I wouldn't so much as breathe near her if there were any other way.
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She scoffed. "Oh yeah?
And what could you possibly do for me?"
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Smirking cockily, I pulled a slightly crinkled past paper from my bag and shoved it at her. Her chestnut eyes scanned the paper, dumbfounded.
"You?" She looked up meekly. "You are a maths whizz?"
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The defeat ridden in her features let me know I had won her over.
I nodded, cringing internally.
"Yeah, okay. Keep it to yourself though. I mean it."
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I really did mean it.
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She nodded, but was still not understanding. I sighed, deep and loud. Milking my frustration.
"So I want this football scholarship, and to get it, I've been offered a fancy meal at this posh restaurant. They won't let me have it unless I sort my personality out." I rolled my eyes heavily, quoting what I had been told.
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The snooty grin that followed on her face made me want to eat my insides. I was suddenly massively regretted telling her a damn thing.
"Let me get this straight, you want me to teach you manners?"
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I clapped sarcastically.
"And they told me you were a genius."
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"And you will tutor me in return?" She pressed. I nodded. Why was she making this so difficult?
"If you don't teach me properly, I am not doing it." Annabelle said accusingly.
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I sighed with relief, this scholarship meant absolutely everything to me.
"Meet me by car park, five O'clock on the dot." I instructed, praying she wasn't so irritating outside of school. Could I really be around her for such long periods of time? I shook off any negative thoughts as I reminded myself of the scholarship. I needed this.
I needed this bad.