The Bad Boy's Black Eye

Chapter 10

I stood at my locker on Monday. Caleb's bike was back to black, and talk of its pink color was practically over.

I grabbed my pencil case and closed my locker, finding Nick on the other side. I looked behind me to see Dylan. They'd cornered me.

"What did you do to Adam?" I didn't understand Nick's question. "He's acting weird. It's like he has a crush on you, but not the in the way he normally has crushes."

"Could you please clarify?" I moved to walk away, but Dylan pushed my shoulder so I was back against my locker.

"He doesn't just want to get in your pants." Dylan continued to hold his hand on my shoulder. "And in all honesty it's freaking us out."

"Who do you mean by us?" Dylan let me off my locker. I walked away and they walked with me.

"By us, I mean me and Nick." I wasn't surprised by the answer. It makes sense that Caleb wouldn't be hearing about his best friend's feelings for me.

"And why should I care?"

"Because it won't end well." Nick sounded really concerned. "For him or you."

"So he's capable of wanting a committed relationship. Why is that a problem?" Both of the boys stood in front of me, stopping me from going any further.

"You don't get it. If you don't like him back, then he'll go off partying and get too drunk to escape then he'll get kicked off the football team. Making him hungover and sad. If you do like him back, he'll date you for about a week, get tired of the whole relationship thing, then go off with some jock girl and sleep with her behind your back. Then the guilt will eat him up and he'll break up with you then be so sad that he goes partying and gets drunk enough that he'll sleep with more girls." I held a hand up to stop Dylan's ranting.

"Is there any way I can be involved in this that doesn't end with him getting drunk?" The boys shared a look, then looked back at me.

"Sleep with him," they said in unison. I scoffed before shoving past them and continuing on my way to class. Nick rushed to catch up, Dylan getting there seconds later.

"Please? I don't want to see him get hurt." I whipped around to Nick.

"And what about me? I'll be hurt. Did you ever think of that?" They were silent. "This conversation is over."
----
I sat in my room, listening to music through a crappy speaker pillow. My listening was interrupted by a knocking on my window. I opened it, too emotionally tired to care.

"If I say something, can you promise not to be your usual sassy self?" I nodded at Caleb's question. He didn't realize that I already wasn't my usual sassy self.

"I'm sorry I stole your teddy bear." Several comebacks came into my head, but I didn't care. I didn't say anything. "I guess I only did it because I wanted to get back at you for giving me a black eye."

I continued to lean out my window. I stared blankly at the driveway, not caring enough to respond.

"Hey Cupcake, are you okay?" I snapped back into reality, and was barely capable to look him in the eye.

"I forgive you." I went to close my window, but Caleb reached out and stopped me.

"What's up with you?" I rubbed my eyes before leaning against my window frame.

"You wouldn't want to hear about it." I reached to close my window, but Caleb grabbed my hand.

"Tell me." I shook my head. "Yes. Come over here and tell me."

He helped me over into his bedroom. I plopped onto his bed, forcing him into the desk chair.

"I promise that you don't want to hear about this. It's a stupid problem." Caleb scooted forward so that he was next to the bed.

"No problem is too stupid. Unless your problem is opening an unlocked door because you haven't looked at the pull sign while you've been pushing." I didn't laugh.

"It's Adam. He has a crush on me." Caleb furrowed his eyebrows.

"I think you're wrong. Adam doesn't get crushes." I remember the conversation from school.

"I heard. But apparently he has one on me. And now I either let him get kicked off the football team or get him to sleep with a bunch of girls." Caleb looked more confused than before, but his face then dropped to one of realization.

"You were talking to Nick and Dylan, weren't you?" I nodded. "And now you're personally conflicted over the two extreme but possible realities they've presented you with." I nodded again. "I say, follow your heart."

"Are you serious?" Caleb laughed.

"Yes. But if your heart says no, know that he won't stop pursuing you. So be prepared to be stubborn." I sat up.

"And if my heart says yes?" Caleb shrugged.

"Can't be sure." I smiled at his attempted consolation. I was still torn over what to do, but at least I knew I had someone to talk to.

I pushed off the bed and walked back over to the window.

"Thanks Pretty Boy. I needed that."
----
I spent the first half of the school day wondering what I would say to Adam at lunch. The time came and I was pretty sure I knew what I was going to say to him. I'd made my choice, that was certain, but it would be harder to tell him what it was.

I sat next to him and immediately felt nervous. I leaned over and said the first part of my two-part plan.

"Can we talk in private?" He nodded and pulled me out of the cafeteria. We walked into an empty hall way before stopping.

"Why are we in private?" I took a deep breath, preparing for part two. I breathed out and knew it was time.

"Privacy, obviously." I reached forward and grabbed the collar of his shirt. I pulled his head to my level and placed my lips on his.

His hands fell to my waist, pulling me closer to him. I let my arms rest over his shoulders, running my fingers through his hair. After a few seconds I pulled away, a smile on my face.

"Will you go out with me?"