Perfectly Imperfect | ✓

Twelve

"Babe." His voice woke me up, the light shone brightly through the blinds of my room. "How did we end up here?" I sat up checking under the blanket. Thank god I was wearing clothes, even though I don't remember changing... "Relax, I brought you inside and changed you so we could sleep." He smirked.

"Oh. Well thanks Mr. Muscle." I groggily smiled swinging my legs over the bed.

"Are these your pants or mine?" I stared down at the baggy gym shorts swallowing my thighs. "Mine. Need a ride to school?" He packed his bag for work.

"It's fine I can take Smokey." I threw my hair up in a messy bun to get ready. "Now why would I let my gorgeous sweetheart ride in something like that when you can ride in style." He peered out the window sneering back at me. "Hey, just because the Jeep gets more love doesn't mean you gotta get all jealous." I smirked putting on some sweats and a hoodie.

"Babe..." he called from my room as I made some tea. "Hmm." I responded to his lavender voice echoing through the halls. "You forgot your shoes, and your keys, and your phone, and my good morning kiss." He dropped my things on the counter. I groaned in annoyance sipping my tea. "Why are you so chirpy this morning?"

"Because... my Dad goes back to New York, and after last night you're going to thank me  when you get to school." He winked. I furrowed my eyebrows in suspicion, after a few minutes of his persistence I gave in the his offer on the ride to school. I arrived fifteen minutes early and sauntered over my to circle of friends. As I passed by a few old teammates from the softball and baseball teams Parker yelled out dramatically. "Look who's alive!" He smiled brightly. "Are you high?" I commented rolling my eyes, "Unfortunately Yes, and thanks for helping with that project last night." He walked away as his cyan-haired girlfriends approached. My jaw dropped as my heart sank. "Oh my god I'm so sorry, I fell asleep it was a long night." I stumbled for words rembering the final project due today.  "It's fine you can thank your boyfriend for helping us all out." Liana grumbled turning away. Rosealine and I stood there in uncomfortable silence.

"Are you going to storm off like some teen drama too." I softly asked meeting her sleep-deprived eyes. "Nope. You're stuck with me you know that. So how was last night?" She hinted making me cringe. "It was okay, I had a breakdown in the pool, I didn't think it'd happen but Lucas took good care of me." I held my arms over my torso hugging myself. "Oh my god is that a hickey?!" She exclaimed shooting her glare towards my neck. I jumped fumbling to check in the reflection of my phone. Rose bursted our laughing,  "Calm down hun, you're fine. I thought you said he 'took good care of you', not 'we made out all night'." She hysterically mumbled.

"I mean I woke up in his clothes, so I don't know for sure." I whispered. "You what?!" She coughed.

"I mean, I trust it was after I fell asleep because we were in the lounge chairs, but I woke up in my bed with his pants and a sports bra on." I muttered kicked the gravel in the cracks of the sidewalk. "Girl what the hell?! Were you drinking or something are you sure nothing happened?" She held my arm with worry dripping from her soft voice. "No, we were both sober. I trust him, I don't think anything happened." I sighed. She opened her mouth to speak but was cut off my the piercing ring of the bell. "Lunch by the auditorium?" I asked over the screeching and busy halls, she nodded slipping into class.

Minutes felt like hours as the clock ticked in our last class of the day. "I give up." I groaned standing up. Tobias eyed me as I stormed out of the classroom. We had a substitute teacher, was I really supposed to stay. I entered the parking lot to find Rosealine's skinny figure leaned over a familiar black mustang. "What the hell?" I muttered freezing in my tracks. I decided on avoiding the confrontation, they looked pretty shady with her all to motionless frown of disapproval growling back at him. The bell finally rung as I very slowly stalked my way over to the car. I was inches away when Reilly's neon yellow Kawasaki zip past me, sending my hair flying upwards. "There's my little lion." Lucas smiled widening up the window and opening my door. I sent him a small smile, and he looked at me in confusion. "What's wrong?" He held my hand. I whipped around to stare into his light electrifying eyes. "You saw Rosealine lecturing me." He leaned back in his seat. "Do you believe her?" He asked truthfully.

"How am I supposed to believe her if I don't know what she was saying?" I whispered.

"Do you think I violated you last night?" He asked with glazed eyes. I trusted him, I know it was questionable but I did trust him.  I shook my head, "I did see something's is rather have you show me with consent, but geez are you hard to wake up." He looked down at my chest and peered back up to meet my eyes. I closed my eyes feeling a slight burn in my cheeks and ears. He jerked the car into reverse and cruiser down to the station.

"Wait here for a moment." He held his hand on my lower back causing me to freeze. "Good evening. Mr. And Mrs.Carrigton?" He sweetly gestured for them to take a seat. My heart skipped a beat as Tristen's mother met my lost gaze, her eyes were red and her cheeks tear-stained. I decided to leave my things in the break room, hoping nothing would be stolen...I mean it is a police station. "Hunter!" I called out seeing the familiar gray hoodie fade down the hallway. "Go away, I've got better things to do." He spat turning around. His eyes were sunken in and his face wore a recognisable expression of gloom. "Fine..." I backed down as he stormed off towards his dads office.

"You okay?" Lucas popped into the break room half an hour later. I stared off into space while my homework spread across the small coffee table. "Yeah. Thanks for doing my homework last night.." I smiled up at him. "Anytime, I enjoyed the throwback to the realm of Enzymes." He grinned pouring another cup of coffee. "Are his parents okay?" I asked quietly. He placed his cup down and rested his palms on the counter behind him. "Yeah, they had a few questions on the leads. Are you okay?" He asked leaving his cup and walking over to me. I nodded softly and returned his embrace. "How about I drop you off at Rosealine's so you can get some girl time?" He suggested holding my hands. "You're such a dad." I giggled at his constant offers. "Shut up." He rolled his eyes grabbing his cup.

[~Rosealine~]

I haven't spent some quality time with Ali since I got back. She's been with Lucas 24/7 and after last night I don't think he's the kind of guy she believes he is. They both swear nothing happened but I can't help but notice the weary look of confusion in her eyes. "Hey you okay?" Niko snapped me out of my daze, " Oh yeah, sorry." I mumbled returning to the history study guides in front of me. "So. Imperialism? Is that where we left off?" I asked flipping through my notebook. "Yeah. But how about you get some rest, you look awful." He dropped his things in his bag, my OCD caused me to cringe painfully at the mess and disorganized piles. "No I'm fine." I stated firmly hoping I'd believe it.

"Rosealine." He stood up, the bright LED lights above us shone upon his dark hair highlighting his rough features. "I promise,just please." I stood up to look him in the eyes. "Don't leave." I asked shamefully. "Of course not. Just tell me what's wrong." He leaned against the counter. "It's nothing, I promise you. I just haven't had much time with Allison." I sighed leaning into his hug. "Yeah she kind of scares me though...." he whispered. "Really. You, future emperor of Los Lobos. The mighty gang leader, Niko. You're afraid of Alli?" I giggled. He nodded quickly kissing my forehead. "Good. She'd kill you with her bare hands in less than one minute." I smiled knowing the crazy things my best friend and I were capable of. "Would she kill me for this." He picked me up swiftly spinning us around so I plopped down on the counter. Now I was able to stare into his light brown eyes, with his dark sleek hair framing his face. He kissed me softly holding me tightly. This is the one thing I hide from her, hopefully the only thing I'll ever hide. At least for now, if she found out about Niko and I she'd flip out. With me knowing the infamous bad boys of her past, dating a future gang leader would not be something she'd approve of.

Little did I know everything would come into view as my doorknobs turned, the keyhole clicking echoed through the house as I pulled away from his face in shock.

I really did it this time.