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

Chapter 11

The day goes by in a weird mid-week blur, both stretching on forever and seeming to be over like lightning. Before I know it, I've already gotten through an unbearable Chemistry class with Jase and Chrissa (who seem to think it commonplace to spend the entire class period making out in the back row), and I only have one class left: English. A complete drag, I know, but if I can manage to ignore Mrs. Lynch's droning, I can usually escape unscathed.

Even though Jase is in that class. Because it's not like Jase and I actually talk outside of our forced car rides together, and thank god for that. Any more Jase Turner and I honestly might blow something up, I decide as I stare at the back of his head all through attendance.

"Miss Brown?"

I shoot up, embarrassed to have been caught not paying attention. "Yes! Um, that's me. I'm here."

Mrs. Lynch gives an exasperated sigh and I can feel the disappointment in her gaze. "Miss Brown, perhaps you can recall that I just asked everyone to get out their copies of The Scarlet Letter and was wondering why you do not seem to have yours."

Crimson fills my cheeks as the room lights up with small giggles and I feel more eyes on me than I want, ever. "S-sorry. I'll get that," I say softly, reaching down into my bag and ignoring the giggles that still surround me. I notice, when I finally pick my head up, that unlike some of my other classmates, Jase's gaze is still very much straightforward, like he didn't even notice everything that just happened.

Thank gosh for small miracles.

"Since everyone now has their book out," Mrs. Lynch starts, her gaze affixed to me at the word everyone, "we can begin. Miss Brown, would you care to-"

But what I cared to do I will never know, because at that second the old wood door to the room swung open on its hinges, flung open to reveal Ms. Steinem, the principal, in all her floral-patterned-suit glory, and someone behind her. She steps into the classroom, beckoning for a tall, dark-haired guy to step in beside her. He mutters something to her and looks up, scanning the classroom, and I practically jolt out of my seat.

Noah?

Next to me, Nalah James practically starts salivating, her sapphire eyes flickering up and down Noah's body. I almost want to smirk. Nalah seems to think that her flirting techniques actually... well... work. However, the only guys she manages to get are only with her because they're horny, she's pretty, and she has absolutely no standards. Nalah and I have gone to school together for six years, and even in fifth grade I remember her buying lip gloss 'to impress the boys' as she put it and wearing low-cut shirts with her training bras, snapping the straps in the middle of class just to show all of the guys that she was wearing one. Nalah and I have been neighbors for years, but have never been friends, really. I think she's too big of a flirt, and she thinks I'm a prude.

Which may be true.

"Hello, everyone," Mrs. Steinem says, giving us her big, friendly I'm-A-Principal smile reserved solely for five-year-olds and new students. "We have a new student joining us, all the way from..."

"Atlanta," Noah jumps in, giving everyone a warm smile. His eyes flit around the room to me, and I think I see a flicker of surprise in his eyes before he makes his smile even brighter. "I'm Noah, by the way." He says it to the whole class, but something about the conspiratorial sparkle in his eye as he gazes my direction makes me think that he's talking... directly to me.

"Well, feel free to sit down, Noah! I usually assign seats, but Nalah and Sienna's row has two extra seats, and there's one next to Tyler, so you can choose," Mrs. Lynch says. I swear I see her batting her eyelashes at Noah, and I don't blame her. The guy is stunning. He thanks Mrs. Lynch and Ms. Steinem and then, without hesitating, gives me a wink and takes the empty chair next to me. My heart soars. I kid you not. Next to me, Nalah scoffs, giving me a side-eyed glare. I know we were both expecting Noah to sit next to her. Smiling softly, I turn to him, blushing slightly at the fact that he's looking at me too, the corner of his mouth quirked up in a crooked but gorgeous smile. "Hey," I say softly. "I didn't know you were transferring here."