Bad Boy's Curse

6. Behind The Bad Boy

~Ethen's POV ~

"How did you get the whole 'bad boy' title?" Lexi said once it got quiet putting air quotes around 'bad boy'.

Ugh, not this story again. I blew air out of my cheeks, "well, uh, I don't know how to explain it" I looked at my tray of food that I had barley touched.

"What do you mean?" She sounded so kind, and gentle. How was I supposed to explain it all to her.

'It was freshman year, –worst year of my life– I asked out this girl I really liked. She had long curly brown hair. And beautiful brown eyes. And she was nice and she kinda had a wild side that I really liked. Oh, and she smelled really good.

But later I had to find out the hard way that she had another boyfriend. But when I asked her out she said yes, so I assumed she was single. Then one day I got the courage to hold her hand and her waist, this guy –way older and bigger than I was– ripped me away from her. And he started yelling insults at me like "What are you doing with my girlfriend?!" I finally got the gist that she was cheating on him. "I didn't know she had a boyfriend!" I shot back. But apparently that wasn't the answer he wanted. So he started to hit me and throw punches towards my head. I was able to block most of them, but I got a big punch in the face. After that I was furious.

I started throwing punches and kicks back. A crowd of people started gathering to see the fight and cheered on who ever had the best hits. After a little bit I caught on to his pattern. So I started using that to my advantage; I grabbed his hand that was being thrown towards my face, and punched him with all that I had. Then I kneed him in the groin. That made him drop to the ground on his knees and clutching his groin. He soon fell on the ground on his side groaning. I figured I won. But I thought too fast.

He some how recovered quickly and he wrapped arm around my neck. Choking me from behind. I felt useless, but I remembered a trick that my uncle taught me. I bit his arm. And I quickly turned on my heal and shot my hand straight at his neck. Wile he was weak; I spun on one foot and swift kicked him in the face and he landed on the floor; passed out.

Ever since then, I've been titled the bad boy.'

"I'll tell you some other time." I glanced at her worried face. It was kinda cute. It made me feel like I was cared for.

"Okay."

"Why did you put air quoted around 'bad boy'?" I had to ask.

"I don't like labels. It just seems rude. Like they don't care who you are, they just judge you on what others call you. And don't give a second thought about who you really are." She looked at me and Jesse. Oh. I get it now. When I called her 'new girl' it upset her. And that's what made her slap Jesse.

"That makes sense." I nodded in reasoning.

"Not to be rude, but why are you sitting here? And not with all your other friends?" She gestured over to the table we had come from.

"Oh their not our friends. They were just guys asking if there was going to be a party at my house. And there isn't." Jesse answering staring at Malory. You could yell that he liked her. He even admitted it to me.

"Oh. So. . . mind introducing me to all of you? I'll start. Hi, I'm Lexi Jacobs. I'm new here from North Carolina and my dad just died." She waved then smiled. Wow she's one tough cookie.

"Hey, I'm Jesse. And I don't feel like saying my last name. But in single and I like baseball." Jesse said wiggling his eyebrows at Malory.

"Sup, I'm Timothy. But you can call me Tim, or Timmy. And I like money" Tim's eyes lit up.

"Austin. I'm also single. And I live in a mansion, and have a mazarati." He looked at Lexi.

"You do not!" Jesse yelled.

"Hey! She don't know that!" He pointed towards Lexi and there was a slight pink on her cheeks. She looked hot when she blushed. 'Stop! Its only gonna leave you with a broken heart again! Remember the curse. Never finding true love. Living alone and loveless. You were doing a good job until she showed up!' A voice said in my head. Its always taunting me; telling me the same thing each time. It wasn't really as bad, 'til Lexi showed up.

"Hello. I'm Ethen Wolfe and I like pop music. Like today's hits." Lexi made a sour face. I'm assuming she doesn't like pop.

"I hate pop. I like country." She explained folding her hands on top of each other and straightening her back. Which made her look sophisticated.

"Ditto" Malory slightly rose her hand. Lexi smiled at her.

Jesse kept staring at Malory. Like he was in a trance. I kicked his shin under the table to not make it obvious that was staring. Hey! What are friends for? He grunted and shot me a death glare.

The bell rang, echoing through the lunch room. "Well see y'all later" I said. I like sitting at this table. Better than my table I'll tell you that.

Everyone waved bye and headed to their lockers. I got my stuff for History class and was interrupted by a hand landing on my shoulder. It was Austin. He was smirking. Ugh, that always means he has a plan. And his plans always go wrong somehow. And his plans always involve girls.

"No" I stated already knowing what he was gonna say.

"You don't even know what I was gonna say"

"You were going to say you had a plan, and that it involves girls. And I have a sneaking suspicion that it includes either Lexi or Malory. Or both." He blinked rapidly.

"One way to steal my thunder. You nincompoop!" He laughed at his last comment. I couldn't help but join him. "What I was gonna say was that we should play a prank on Tim." He gave a devilish smile.

"Sure you were." I know his tricks. And I'm not falling for it again. "I need to get to class buttmunch" I pushed his shoulder lightly out of the way so I could get to my class.

***

Bleep!

I checked my phone to see a text from Lexi:
Hey

I looked at the teacher to see if I could sneak my phone out and start typing. The teacher was doing something at his desk with his back turned towards me. So I started typing:
Hey. Can tell your feeling poetic.

She wrote back:
You never answered me

What? She never asked me anything.
What?

"Mr. Wolfe! What on earth are you doing?!" The teacher slammed a book on top of my desk so hard I think I heard a crack. I jumped back in my seat hitting my back off of the back rest. "No texting in class!" I quickly put my phone in my pocket.

"As I was saying . . . I will pick your partners. But your partner will be from the other class. Tomorrow when you come in, there will be a paper on your desk reading the name of your partner." Ugh great. I barley know anyone from the other class.

***
Tomorrow
***

Once I came in the chemistry room, I hurried to my desk to see who was my partner was. The paper was upside down. When I flipped it over and it read: Lexi Jacobs.