The Badboy's Secret

XX School Again

I hop out of the car, coffee in hand, handbag in the other. I woke up happy today. Really happy. I put together a decent outfit composed of a knitted sweater and my best blue jeans and practically skipped out of the door. I'm going to see Archie today. It's Monday and normally I'd still be whining in my bed that I'd have to go to school but not today. I stroll in through the doors and I can see people can tell something's up. I just flash them by best white smile and walk confidently to the locker hall . Nothing can hurt me today. I walk up to my locker, grab my books and head to homeroom, sitting down in my seat 5 minutes early. My life is good now. I'm going to be good. At school, at being a friend and just as a person. I smile, as homeroom teacher enters along with everyone else who look like half-asleep zombies. I smile at all of them too. As the teacher calls the roll I stare out of the window. I'm going to see Archie in fifth period English and I can't wait. 

***

Turns out I don't have to wait that long to see Archie. I'm sat with Cat, Theo and Donnie in the cafeteria for lunch and I can see him sitting with his friends at the 'popular table'. He's looking awfully good right now with his hair in its normal place and dressed in black jeans ripped at the knees and a cute navy parka. I smile without even noticing as someone at the table says something and he tips his head back in laughter, the small smile lines on his cheeks showing and his perfect teeth revealing themselves. Wait, what am I doing? I snap out of my trance, feeling the colour rise to my cheeks. I can't just stare at him like this. I turn back to my friends and to no surprise they've all frozen mid conversation and are looking at me like I'm an alien. I blush harder and look down at my soup. 

"Soooo..." Cat says, raising her eyebrows. I just pretend to eat my soup. 

"What's even up with you Lex?" asks Theo, a slight grin on his face. "Who were ya looking at?"

"Oh um just no one. Just daydreaming..." I stammer. All three of them raise one eyebrow at me. "Okay okay," I say giving up. "I was looking at Archie."

"And why would that be?" asks Cat. She is the only one that knows about what Archie did to me and I haven't really told her that I've basically forgiven him. 

"I-uh-I," I try to think of a way to begin. All three of them are listening so intently, even Donnie who's normally either just listening to Cat or doing his homework. "I-well-I...We went on a date!" I blurt out. 

"What!" Cat almost spits out her soup. 

"He was well bad to me but now he's nice I promise," I say frantically. "We had a really good time."

"A good time? Lexa, he put you through hell and started that thing with Serena. How can you just go on a date with him after that?" Cat says, sympathy filling her eyes. Donnie and Theo surprisingly don't look confused and they notice that I realise this. 

"We both worked out enough and Catty told us a little," Donnie shrugs and Theo nods. At least I don't have to explain everything again. I sigh.

"I promise we worked out our differences. I think we really like each other. Well, I like him anyway," I say dreamily. I really need to stop going off into trances. 

"Worked out your differences?" questions Cat. "Then why the fuck is he sat over there with his 'buddies' and not here with you."

Cat's telling the truth. He is over there and not here with me. But I can't expect him to just leave behind his friends. I look longingly over at him but before I can turn back around he catches my eye and grins, winking. I turn back in embarrassment and my friends are all looking at me in shock. 

"What?" I ask confusedly. Cat just points up behind me but before I can turn around someone sits right next to me, putting their arm around my shoulder. It doesn't take long for me to recognise a very familiar cologne. Archibald Parker is sitting next to me with my friends in front of the whole school.