Wayward (Wayward #1) ✓ [bxb]

Chapter 21 (Greendale)

Early update *gets standing ovation*

SONG - MONSTER - EMINEM FT RIHANNA

"How's LA been?" I asked with a pleasant smile on my face as I walked to the coffee shop. School had ended an hour ago and I wanted to get something before heading home. Chris was home and I needed time to avoid since he'd gotten all up in my business more often lately.

"Sunny and sizzling." She sang out making me laugh. Even after all this time it was hard to think that I could be friends with someone like Astrid. She was elegant and classy, miles away from my lane. But she told me that with time I'd be able to ease into a room oozing the same confidence she did.

So far it had been working.

"I'm thinking of making a detour to somewhere warm and tropical during Christmas break. Do you want to join me?" She asked.

I bit my lip, it was a very tempting offer "It'll be Christmas by then and I don't think my family will want me to go away."

Well my Dad to be honest. I didn't care what Chris and (most times my Mom) thought about whatever I did with my life.

The smell of cinnamon buns and vanilla wafted through my nostrils inviting me to come in further.

"Well let me know if you'll change your mind. Toddles." She greeted in a deliberately preppy voice to make me laugh.

"Bye." I said not even helping my chuckles.

Sam the barista already knew my order since I had the same thing every single day. I asked him to add two cinnamon buns for a little spice then went to sit on a table next to the window to enjoy my treats.

With nothing else to do I decided to kill time by doing my homework. Astrid told me that just because I'd gotten a makeover didn't meant that I had to neglect my schoolwork. Pretty people can only go so far in life, she said, but pretty people who are smart end up taking over the world. Of course I already knew that fact well but it was nice to know that she cared about that aspect of my life too.

"You've been avoiding me." Gerard's voice snapped my attention.

"You don't understand." I said. I hadn't even noticed when he came in and made his way to my table. For the past few weeks I'd done a successful job of dodging him around the town. It was all for a particular purpose but he'd managed to find me earlier than I expected so I now had to improvise.

"Then make me understand." He persuaded further. "Make me understand why you've been avoiding me all this time."

I sighed dramatically "Look. My parents were asking questions about where I was. I got grounded and lost my phone privileges."

The look on Gerard' face softened exactly the way I wanted it to.

"I'm sorry." He said genuinely. "Didn't mean to get you into trouble."

"It's ok." I assured him. "They're strict but I managed to sneak away plenty of times. I'll come see you at our usual place during the week."

"I'm just glad that it wasn't out of your own free will." He looked visibly relieved. The coffee shop was a bit deserted today so only the barista and some woman typing furiously on her laptop remained.

"But what about today?" Gerard asked desperately. "Why can't we see today?"

Today I'd ditched Government class for a quick romp with Emmett in the janitor's closet. He was particularly affectionate and not rough at all when he cradled my waist as he held me up to fuck. It was good; the feeling of having power over someone and knowing that you could bend them under your control at will felt so freaking good.