The Bad Boys Saw Me Naked

(19)

"So I see the food hasn't gotten any better?" Bianca screws up her nose, as she abandons her chicken surprise. I think the surprise is that it probably isn't chicken. I happily chew my ham sandwich, handing her the other half.

"Yet you still get it every time." I laugh.

"Who's this?" Hayden asks, sliding into the seat next to Bianca, followed by the rest of the boys.

"This is Bianca." I tell them. "The girl I told you about, she's back."

"Hi." She smiles.

"Sup." Jake says, eying off her chicken surprise. "You gonna eat that?"

"Go ahead." She answers, pushing it towards him, and he tucks in. 

"So where did you go?" Alex asks. "I've seen you around school sometimes. Aren't you the God freak?" I slap him on the arm, hard.

"Are you serious?" I ask him.

"It's ok." Bianca grins. "And yeah, I guess I am. My Dad freaked out on me cause I got a detention, so he took me on a tour of American college's, and to lecture me on not taking drugs."

"He must be fun at parties." Hayden snickers.

"Totally." She laughs. The bell rings, and she sighs. "Damn. Time to go."

"You have chemistry right?" Jake asks. She nods, and he grins. "I'll you walk you there." He smiles. They leave together, and I chuckle.

"What?" Alex asks, as we head to calculus.

"They're totally gonna get together." I laugh. He considers it, then nods.

"I can see that happening."

<><><><>

What did he mean by that?

'I'll be seeing you.' God, I don't want to be 'seeing him'.

I sigh, and look around the room, at everybody taking the test. I can't even focus. I can't believe it. I studied all week for this. I shouldn't have a problem. I look across the room, to see Alex, head down, thinking hard.

I love the way he chews his pencil when he's thinking.

Or the way he pushes his hair out of his face when he sleeps.

Or how he slightly bit my lip when he kissed me, his tongue, rolling-

I jump, as the bell rings, thankfully zapping me out of my thoughts. Did I really just spend the whole math test daydreaming about Alex?

"Everyone come give me your test papers, time's up." I look at my teacher and panic, I haven't even finished half of the paper! I hurriedly try to solve the next equation, but it's too late.

"Harper, pencil down." I look up to see Mr. Downs staring at me expectedly. "I need your paper." I slump, defeated. He takes it, and I'm left alone to drown in the embarrassment. I just failed a test because I was daydreaming about ALEX.

"Harper you ready?" I jump once AGAIN, as Alex leans against the wall next to me. "I need to go grocery shopping for Cole before we go home." I stare at him, stupidly, still not processing what just happened.

"What?" I stutter dumbly.

"Grocery shopping?" He inquires. "For food?"

"Um." I continue. "Yeah. Cool, ok." I gather my things, still fuzzy.

"Where's Bianca?" I ask, realising she's not around.

"She ran out right after, something about Friday night game night?" He questions.

"Oh." I realise, as we stop at my locker. "Yeah, her family have a compulsory family night once a month. Miss it you're disowned."

"Wow." He considers it. "Her family's nuts."

"And yours isn't?" I tease.

"I think yours can also be thrown into that category." He shoots back. I think about it.

"Yeah, fair enough." I shrug. I lock up my locker, and we leave, getting into his car.

"What do we need?" I ask. 

"General stuff." He shrugs. "Cole spent all day arguing with Asher's school so they wouldn't suspend him. I swear, that kid is going to blow it up one day."

"How does Cole keep him in school?" I ask.

"He can be..." He pauses. "Persuasive." I decide not to question it, as I don't want my vision of Cole to be tainted. We pull up to the store, and we make our way in. I pretty much just follow Alex around, as he mindlessly throws stuff into our cart.

"How much nutrition is in this?" He asks, reading off the back of a fruit loops box.

"None." I snort, taking it off his hands, and putting it back. "How about cornflakes?" I turn around, and bump into somebodies chest.

"Sorry, I-" I freeze, as I look up, to see the man who stands in front of me.

"Hi sweetheart."

<><><><>

I stare at him and back away, so I'm next to Alex.

"Who's this?" Alex asks.

"I'm Quentin." Quentin smirks. "Harper's father's friend." Alex grips my hand, realising who he is. 

"Leave." He growls. Quentin ignores him.

"I'm glad I ran into you Harper." He says. "Your father is very angry with you."

"I don't care." I say firmly. "I don't want to talk to you. We're leaving." I turn to walk with Alex, but Quentin grabs my arm and holds me in place.

"Who gave you a backbone?" He chuckles darkly. "I don't appreciate it."

"Let her go now." Alex snaps. Quentin finally pays attention to him, and narrows his eyes.

"You don't tell me what to do." He growls. "I have known Harper since she was born."

"I don't really care." Alex says, ripping my arm out of his grip.

"I would be careful how you speak to me." Quentin smiles. "Drew and I will teach you a lesson." He draws his eyes to me. "And you."

"Drew, Harper's father?" Alex smirks. "Yeah, we already had that fight. He ended up on the floor."

"Next time that will end differently." Quentin says, picking up his cart. "Harper, this is a warning. Come home. Your mother would greatly appreciate it... considering the circumstances." He walks away, heading for the checkouts. 

"It was nice running into you." He says, before disappearing from sight. I can practically feel my blood boil, wanting to run and hit him over the head, but Alex keeps a firm but gentle grip on my arm.

"I hate him." I say shortly, breathing heavily. 

"I can see why." Alex murmurs. "Come on. Lets get out of here."