How to Steal a Happy Ending

•seventeen• Lessons in Love: Too cocky for teacher.

"You never look like yourself from the side,
But your profile did not hide,
The fact you knew I was approaching your throne"

- Crying Lightning, Arctic Monkeys

~-~-~ last summer. ~-~-~

"See that guy over there," I nodded my head towards the blond haired guy waiting in line before turning back to look at James. He was sitting next to me, devouring a plate of onion rings. Ever since the football team decided that Shelly's Dairy Shack was the place to hang out, they started selling a lot more than just ice cream and milkshakes. It's was more like a diner now, but I guess neon signs are expensive because they still haven't changed the name.

James paused between breaking the ring into half and dipping it into ketchup. He momentarily glanced in blondie's direction. "Yeah, I see him."

"He's totally checking me out," I declared. James shrugged nonchalantly, clearly unimpressed. I watched as he went back to his food with renewed vigor. He was wearing a black t-shirt, the skinny jeans replaced by a pair of tan Bermudas.

I tried to hide my disappointment by projecting some good old overconfidence. "You know, I bet any guy in here would want to hook up with me." James snorted but I continued. "You better watch out Jimmy 'cause I'm getting better at this seduction thing."

This got his attention and he slowly lifted his gaze to meet mine, his blue eyes in tandem with his smirk. "You think you're better than me?"

I flipped my head to get my side bangs out of the way of our stare down. "Well I'm definitely getting there. A week tops and I'll beat you at your own game."

He threw his head back and laughed before leaning towards me and pinching the cheek closest to him. "Of course you will," he sang as he moved his hand (and therefore my face) from left to right. I swatted his hand away because getting your cheeks pulled is never sexy. James snickered in response. "Tell you what, let's bet on it. Whoever gets the better catch down at Connor's party this week wins."

My angry pout vanished as his proposition drew me closer. "How do we decide that?"

"We don't." He pushed another two rings into his mouth, swallowing before he spoke again. "Nate will. He's neutral."

I snorted, "He's gonna think we're retarded."

James simply shrugged as if it didn't matter to him.( And it probably didn't.)

"Are you in or what?"

"Obviously." The idea of a competition more than just intrigued me. It was like my chance to prove that I didn't need a teacher anymore...that I didn't need James anymore. Independent existence, here I come?
"What does the winner get?"

James pushed the now empty plate away from him and wiped his mouth with a paper napkin. He placed an elbow on the table and leaned on it, letting out a long hmmm. "If I win, I want you to buy me a pair of shoes."

James only had three pairs of shoes; black boots, a pair of high-tops and those worn out flip flops. I don't know if that's an acceptable number for a guy, but if I had to live off of just those I'd die of shoe-norexia. I shuddered at the thought and quickly agreed. "Deal. What about if I win?"

"If you win..." James paused to invade my personal space. His shoulder brushing against mine, leaving a tantalizingly small gap between our lips. His eyes had a kind of dark glaze over them. "You can have me for an entire day."

I physically shrunk back, willing my mind not to go to that R-rated meadow my hormones so badly ached to run through. "T-that's," I forced a huff out of my mouth, "Why would I want that? Like, ew." I grabbed my purse off the table, rushing to get as far away from him as possible. However even as I reached the exit, I could still feel his deadly smolder burning into the gap between my shoulder blades.

"I'd rather have a new pair of shoes," I shot back to him, one hand on the door and the other on my racing heart. I swung the door open and yelled "Make sure they're stilettos." over my shoulder.

The walk to my car was brisk...but only because it was starting to get dark outside.

Only because I'm immune.

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

A/N: Hello wonderful people that decided to read my book =D Seriously, I so so appreciate all your votes and comments. The fact that there's someone out there that's reading all this really makes my day and encourages me to write the next chapter.

Also this is the first time I've written along with going to school so I hope I haven't deteriorated in quality or anything. Also also, does anyone have another idea for the chapter title? Too cocky for teacher sounds a bit...erm like the title of a porno haha -_-

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