Greatest Curse (Book 2)

Even the Odds

(Jaxon)

By the third period the next day, I noticed that Bennett had skipped school again. I was beginning to get concerned now, and I wondered if maybe he had been suspended for the week, in trouble, grieving, or just being lazy.

My next class was English, and third period had just ended. On my way to my next class, there was a bit of a spring in my step because I get to see Asher. I walked into English and glanced around the room, but I didn't see him. Since this was the only class we had together, I hadn't seen him this morning before classes began, due to my laziness, I woke up late and got to school half an hour into the first period.

Part of me hoped that Asher would hurry the fuck up and get here before Mandy did. Sitting in my seat, I ignored everyone around me, spinning the pencil on the desk. As I got lost in my own world of spinning the pencil first on the desk, and then around my finger, I silently prayed that he would get here already.

Unfortunately, fate didn't have it so. My eyes glued to the pencil, a fierce tic started in my jaw when a feminine hand reached into my frame of sight and pulled the pencil from my grasp.

"Morning, handsome."

Stealing all emotion from my face, I glanced up to see Mandy smiling down at me. Her hair was curled today and left to fall around her shoulders. She wore a fitted top designed to look like a referee t-shirt, and ripped, tight-fitted black jeans, and heeled boots. Okay, so maybe today she didn't look as skanky as other days.

And had I been straight, and she had a nice personality, I might consider dating her. Unfortunately for her, even though I am bisexual, I would never go for her, even though I have been with a few girls who had a horrendous attitude. They weren't clingy, making the break-ups all the easier. Mandy however, if I ever went for her, she would be one of those possessive, psychotic bitches who thought they owned you just because you fucked.

I swear, it's so bad; all I have to do is smile at her and she thinks I'm in love with her. It happened once, in the beginning of sophomore year before we moved to Jasper Falls, and before the attack happened. Then, Bentley and I were together, out and proud, public affection and the whole package. We were happy, and known as the cutest couple in our school, because the students there, weren't homophobic. The real homophobes came from within Black Rock.

Then, because Bentley had kindly wished for me to tolerate his parents and sister for his sake, I happily did it even if it caused me actual physical pain. Anything to keep Bentley happy. She had approached me while Chester, Bennett and I were hanging out during lunch one day, and all I did was smile in greeting because I didn't trust my voice to either not say something rude, or sound rude.

The next day and the following week, rumours swept through the school about how Mandy and I were together. About how I was in love with her and had been cheating on Bentley the whole time. People at school were mad at me, Bentley was developing doubts about my feelings toward him, Bennett was threatening to end my life with his bare hands. Suffice it to say, when my parents and Hunter found out, they blew a fuse.

My mother was calling for Mandy's head on a silver platter; her parents' execution dates, while my father had to single-handedly hold back my mother from carrying out her threats, and he had to practically lock Hunter in the house so that he didn't kill Mandy. He settled the fire by demanding that the principal suspend Mandy for lying and creating a ruckus.

Snapping back to reality, my eyes watched her every move as she gave me a smile and plopped down into the seat next to me. For fuck's sake, Asher, where the fuck are you?

Mandy placed the pencil down back on my desk, but she scooted closer to me and gently took hold of my hands, a sincere expression on her face. Okay, what? I'm actually terrified right now, because I have no idea what the hell she might be coming with.