Running Away With The Bad Boy

The Text

Charli POV

The party was awful. I mostly stood with my back to the wall, clutching my water because I don't drink alcohol. Larie was acting like a total slut, and I saw a couple of guys grab her butt. 

I really wanted to go back to school, or at least go home. One of the guys across the room kept giving me a sleazy look, and I was uncomfortable. 

I didn't want to admit it, but part of the reason I wanted to go home was because I wanted privacy to see if Maddox had texted me...I still remembered our dance at prom and got flustered. What have I gotten myself into, I thought...

But, secretly, all I could think about was the dark, sexy look in his eyes when he had clutched my small body to his bigger one...no one had ever made me feel sexy like Maddox did that night, and now, giving me his number... 

I knew he was dangerous. I knew that he was bad for me, so why, why couldn't my heart understand that?

later

"I can't believe we did that," I said. 

"What?" said Larie, tossing herself backwards onto my bed. I cringed at how short her skirt was. 

"Sneak out of school," I replied. "I didn't even have fun at the party." 

"Well, that's your fault," said Larie. "The guys were a good time." 

"But they were so sleazy," I said, wincing at the memory of the one guy who tried to touch my skirt as I walked past. "I was surprised you let them treat you like that..."

"Wow, Charli," said Larie, sitting up. "You don't have to be such a prude. I guess I won't invite you next time, if that's how you're gonna be."

"I don't want to go next time," I said. "My parents are probably going to find out that I skipped class, and they're going to kill me." I felt like I was going to cry. I didn't want to disappoint my parents, and my good grades were all I had.

"Well since you're such a good girl, you're probably gonna tell your parents and blame me, aren't you? And then my parents will find out and I'll get in trouble, and have my phone taken away, and my whole social life will be ruined," said Larie, folding her arms. "I guess i deserve it because i trusted you."

I felt a twinge of guilt. "No," I said. "I'm not gonna tell, I'm just upset with myself for sneaking out." 

"Oh yeah, well if we hadn't snuck out you wouldn't have seen that hot guy, soooooo."

Oh, Maddox. Oh, yeah. 

"Yeah um I met him before once and I-I just associate him with that happy memory haha..." I blushed. "Speaking of, um, he texted me, but I'm afraid to open it."

"Why?" demanded Larie. "Open it!!!"

"But my mom told me never to read a text from a boy without showing it to her first," I said nervously. 

Larie threw her hands up in frustration. "Dude your mom will FLIP, just read it!! She'll probably start homeschooling you or something. That will be like, social suicide."

I hesitated. "Well yeah, and plus, I like school." (I knew I was a total nerd) 

"BUT," I continued. "You should probably just text him for me, and tell him that it would never work out between us." 

"What?!" cried Larie. "Why not? Dude, Charli, don't you even want to know what the text says? I would never NOT open a text from a hot guy."

I shrugged, biting my lip and looking down. I just wasn't sure about this whole Maddox deal...I didn't know if I had the courage to go out with somebody like him. I was just shy little Charli, book nerd and social wallflower, and he was the King. He had tattoos and he rode a motorcycle. 

"Well, whatever," said Larie. "He's not THAT hot, anyway."

"What, no," I said without thinking. "He's really hot. He has such dreamy eyes."

"Well, you're never gonna see his eyes again if you never text him back bitch," said Larie. 

"Well..... I could always turn off read receipts and then answer it."

"Yeah," encouraged Larie. 

"Anyway," I said decisively, "I'm not gonna ANSWER it."

"Yeah," repeated Larie, rolling her eyes, "WHATEVER."