The Bad Boy's Black Eye

Chapter 7

Summer was coming to an end. School started at the end of a long weekend. I already mailed my essay to my old school, and was preparing for my first day at my new one.

I sat at my desk, headphones blaring, as I traced my class route on a copy of the school map. After the tenth trace, I heard a faint tapping noise.

I pulled off my headphones to hear a loud banging from my window. I rushed over and pulled the curtain aside to see Caleb on the other side of the glass. He sighed with relief as I unlocked and opened the window.

"Bells, I've been knocking for five minutes!" I put my hands up in surrender and chuckled in frustration.

"I didn't realize you were so determined to get my attention." He replied with a sarcastic laugh. "What do you want?"

"I just wanted to know if you wanted to come over. The guys are here and we're playing truth or dare. So, do you?" I looked over my shoulder at my bedroom door. I looked back at him and nodded. He took a step back and I crawled out my window and in his.

I turned back around and closed my window as much as I could. I followed Caleb out of his nautical blue room down two flights of stairs to the basement. The boys sat in folding chairs in the empty room. Caleb brought another chair into the space and set it next to the empty one.

I sat, completing the small circle, and noticed a pile of money in the center.

"You put money in the middle and get it back if you don't lose," Zach told me. I nodded and reached into my pockets, looking for money.

"I don't have anything." The guys shrugged and told me it didn't matter, I didn't have to. Dylan clapped and everyone silenced.

"Let's get this game started!" He pulled a die out of his pocket. "Highest number goes first. And I suppose everyone knows the rules?" He looked at me, and I nodded in response.

Adam rolled the highest number. He dared Nick to take off one piece of clothing for each turn. Nick took a shoe off and chose me.

"Truth or dare?" I chuckled as he took his other shoe off.

"I'm not stupid. Truth." Nick rubbed his chin in thought while Caleb made an announcement.

"Now three more people can choose dare until someone has to choose truth." I furrowed my eyebrows but looked back to Nick.

"What is your darkest secret?" My expression dropped. Everyone chided Nick for the lame question while I thought about the answer. I massaged my wrists and shifted my glance nervously.

"Come on, tell us!" They slowly caught on to my fear. Silence fell over the room and the boys could barely contain they're own fear and anticipation.

"A few years ago," I started. "I had a boyfriend. I had lied about my age to him, but that was the only lie I'd told. He would beat me. He would beat me, but I still loved him." I felt a tear roll down my cheek. "One day he found out how old I really was and tried to kill me. I wouldn't be alive right now if it weren't for my brother and his friends."

They stared slack-jawed. I guess they've never heard of a girl being stupid enough to get herself into that situation.

"So, who's next?" The boys shook out of their haze and helped me continue the game.

We played for hours, until it was just me and Caleb left. We split the pile's money equally before going our separate ways. I climbed back into my room through the window and went to sleep.
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I stood in front of the school with my bag on one arm and a map in the other. I entered the building and made my way to my locker. It popped open and I hung my bag on the hook in the back.

Several people stared as I gathered what I needed for my first class, which is math. Just as I was about to close my locker I looked to the left and saw Caleb coming down the hall. He saw me immediately.

"Bells!" He jogged over to my locker, leather jacket and all. "Bells, how's your first day going? Want me to walk you to your class?"

"Isn't it a little hot out to be wearing a leather jacket?" Caleb laughed and slung an arm over my shoulder. I shrugged it off and began walking away.

I turned back to see the cheerleader from a few weeks ago latching onto his arm. With a roll of my eyes I turned back to the hallway and made my way to my first class.
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Lunch came fast enough and I arrived in the cafeteria. People from every table stared as I walked through the main aisle. The silence was broken by a yell that felt like heaven.

"Annie-Bells! Come sit with us!" I rushed over to Adam and quickly sat next to him. Only after I got comfortable did I notice who else was sitting at the table: jocks, only  jocks, only boy jocks. I leaned over and whispered into Adam's ear.

"Are you sure they're okay with me sitting here?" Adam smiled and nodded. He leaned back and cupped his hand over my ear.

"You're beautiful, they can't object." I giggled and turned back to the table.

Noise began to refill the cafeteria as people stopped caring about where I sat. The boys across from me began to discuss something called a "trick play". I tuned out and ate my lunch in silence.

A few minutes after I stopped eating the boys across from me stood and left the table. Adam stood and gestured for me to follow.

"What class do you have next?" I pulled my schedule out of my back pocket.

"Study period." Adam smiled widely.

"Want to come watch practice?" I shrugged and nodded. "Cool, hop on."

I furrowed my eyebrows before realizing he wanted to give me a piggyback ride. I placed my hands on his shoulders and hopped onto his back. We chatted as he carried me through the semi-crowded hallway to the football field. People stared, but I'd stopped minding.