The Bad Boy and Me

Chapter 5: A Special Name

"I assure you, that's not going to be a problem," I said, unconcerned. My stomach fluttered as if it didn't believe me.

"Good. Because I'm serious," Chuck gave a monotonic reply. But his eyes opposed his tone, twinkling brightly.

"Good. Because I am too."

"Good."

He got up to leave. When he reached the door, he looked over his shoulder and winked subtly at me. I felt my insides churn.

Vanessa came to my desk.

"Want to go to lunch? We have so much to talk about!" Her eyes were wide with excitement.

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We stood in line at the cafeteria. I scanned the menu: burger, chicken nuggets, mashed potatoes, salad, omelette and a pint of milk. I took a portion of everything.

As Vanessa and I tried to find a table, I caught sight of Chuck. He sat at the longest table, and perched on his lap was none other than Simone Oakley. I guess that was his place at the cafeteria now, with the queen bees and their boy-toys.

He didn't see me as I passed. But Simone did shoot a menacing, victorious sideways smile at me. I felt intimidated but didn't show it. Vanessa didn't notice.

"Hey, Katie! Kate, I mean," Elliot waved at me from ahead. "Come over here!"

"Hey, Elliot," We approached his table and sat in front of him. The other jocks around him looked at me in confusion. Then they shrugged and smiled it off.

"It's so funny that you guys have the same name," Vanessa chirped, laughing. She won over the entire table with that.

All of a sudden, I felt like I was being watched. I looked around, and sure enough, Chuck was alert now and casting a deathly glare at our table. What the hell was his problem?

I decided to pay him no heed. Lunch was fun that day. Elliot and his friends were very welcoming and funny. Of course, I couldn't escape the poisonous stares that certain people (ahem-ahem) darted here.

I got up to get another serving of this disgusting salad.

I was about to scoop it, when I felt a strong, hunky presence closing up behind me.

"Came for extras?" loomed Chuck's voice.

I turned around so fast, my tray flung into the air, along with all of its contents. Which at the time was only one item: the omelette.

Chuck moved his arms in smooth strokes, swiftly catching the tray horizontally and then perfectly landing the one item on it, Spiderman-style.

"Careful there, missy."

"Wow," I took the tray from him, trying to regain my composure. "Thanks, Chuck."

"No problemo...omelette," he winked.

My heart danced. We were on a nickname-basis already? I didn't mind. It made me feel...special.

"So, I'll see you after school?" he asked. "For the project or whatever."

"Yes. Do you want to meet in the library?"

"Wherever you want," he grinned dreamily.

"Great. I'll see you then, Chuck."

"I'll be waiting for you, omelette."

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