The Bad Boy Craves Me✔

41. Backfired.

I found solace in returning to school, despite the tumultuous events of the past few weeks. It was an unexpected realization that the familiarity of school, even with its challenges, offered a sense of normalcy amidst the chaos.

However, Kristen seemed determined to disrupt my desire for normalcy. He and the guys had made it their mission to never leave my side. The conflicting emotions stirred within me, as his overbearing actions both annoyed me and deepened my affection for him.

Now, it was Kristen who picked me and Antonio up for school, ensuring our safe transportation back home. He even took it upon himself to dictate what I should eat for lunch, and unbelievably, he dared to choose my attire for school.

I let out a sigh, torn between finding his gestures endearing and feeling frustrated by his constant need to control every aspect of my life.

Attempting to distance myself from Kristen, I spotted Regina conversing with her friends.

"Regina."

She spun around, her glare piercing. "What is it, nerd?"

Summoning my courage, I took a deep breath and expressed my gratitude. "I heard about what you did for me, and... I just wanted to say thank you," I whispered.

To my surprise, Regina's response surpassed my expectations. "Yeah, whatever. Just so you know, I didn't do it for you. The only reason was because she tried blackmailing me, and that could have tarnished my reputation, especially with my parents." With a flick of her now pink hair, she walked away with her posse.

A genuine smile played on my lips. It seemed that things were finally looking up.

As the lunch bell resounded, I found myself sandwiched between Kristen and Steff. Kristen, true to form, had taken it upon himself to decide what I should eat.

"Anna porcupine," Steff blurted out, oblivious to the derogatory term he had just used for my girlfriend.

Kristen's fork pointed dangerously at Steff as he defended me. "You do realize you just called my girlfriend a rodent, right?"

Steff awkwardly turned away, unsuccessfully stifling a laugh. "You'll have to tell me what I did, Anna."

Frustration coursed through me, a result of their collective decision to keep me in the dark regarding the situation with Maria. While I understood their intention to protect me, I longed to be treated as an equal, to prove that I could handle any challenge that came my way.

As Steff grasped my hand, I glanced at Kristen, noticing the disapproving glare fixated on our intertwined fingers. Hastily, I pulled away.

"How about the time you convinced Maria to get me drunk at that party after the football game?" I confronted him, lowering my gaze, awaiting his explanation.

"Did this mutt Kristen tell you?!"

"Call my name like that again, and you'll regret it," Kristen warned with a sharp edge in his voice.

I intensified my glare, determined to uncover the truth. "No, but if it hadn't been for Maria's revelation, none of you would have ever told me." My gaze shifted among them, seeking their reactions.

"No," they all responded bluntly, their shoulders shrugging in indifference. Kristen, however, chose to ignore my statement.

An elbow found its way into his side, demanding his attention. "What? I confronted him and even punched him to force him to confess, and I only learned about it two weeks ago."

"Two weeks?!"

"Kristen, can I talk to you... alone?" Steff requested.

"Fine."