Living With The Bad Boy [COMPLETE][VERSION ONE]

Chapter 9

I have a lot to think about on my 20 minute walk to school, and plenty of time to think about it. I still can't believe that the Jase I joked around with last night is the same Jase that just kicked me out of his car on the way to school is the same Jase that I was daydreaming about going to prom with. Ugh. I want to hit myself for being such an idiot. I let myself, for a minute, forget that he was a complete asshole and get starstruck by his charms. I won't make the same mistake twice.

When I get to school, I'm already 7 minutes late. Perfect. And, to just make this whole shitshow worse, I left my backpack with my cell phone, lunch, and all of my homework in Jase's car. For a split second, I consider walking up to him and asking him to unlock it, in front of all his asshole friends. I can see the shock on their faces, and it fills me with a kind of grim satisfaction. But the dream fades as quickly as it entered my head. I don't want to have to explain why I was in Jase's car in the first place. If anyone found out my mother was working as his maid... I'd never hear the end of it.

As much as I hate to admit it, Jase kicking me out of his car protects me as much as him.

Maybe I wouldn't be so mad if he'd done it to protect both of us, not just his stupid reputation.

In the ten minutes between homeroom and first period, I go to my locker to put away my sweatshirt. Maybe my backpack will appear there magically, I think with a sigh. I wish.

I open my locker, and then freeze, shocked. My bag.... is in my locker. What? And there's a bubblegum pink sticky note stuck to it. I take the note and read:

"Red,

You might have noticed, you left your bag in here this morning. I decided to bring it for you. You're welcome.

I'm done with practice at 4:30. Call me when you want me to drive you home.

(540)-883-6744

-Jase (Obviously)"

I shake my head in annoyance, but I cant help but smile as I read the note again. And again and again and again. Finally, I put it in my bag, zipping it in one of the pockets I never open. I'll throw it away later.

This shouldn't work, I think as I navigate my way through the sea of teenagers to my next class. This shouldn't be all it takes for me to forgive him. He didn't even apologize!

Clearly, this Jase thing is becoming way more complicated than it ever should've been. I need to stay away.

As I walk into chemistry class, sitting down in my usual seat in the middle row, where no one will notice me and I won't be distracted, I realize that ignoring Jase might be harder than I thought. He's just walked in, his dark waves messier than usual as a girl runs her hands through them.

Not any girl.

Chrissa Fucking Thompson. I've never interacted with her myself, but I've heard through the grapevine how awful she is. She and Jase have been dating on and off since freshman year, and she's probably the most serious girlfriend Jase has had. I remember last winter, when everyone thought the two of them were broken up for real. Jase started dating this other girl, Linden. Apparently Chrissa had gotten so jealous that she'd started a rumor that Linden had chlamydia from sleeping with all the guys in our grade and basically driven her out of the school. I haven't seen poor Linden since.

I thought Chrissa and Jase were broken up now, though it's apparent that I was wrong, seeing the way they start making out. It was only two weeks ago that Jase was embroiled in another high school scandal. He apparently slept with a girl who went to Stoneriver Prep at a party, a party he went to with Chrissa.