A Deal with the Bad boy

The Offer

“What?!’’ I shrieked, snapping out of the trance-like state he had put me in, I couldn’t believe what he was asking me. Be his fake girlfriend? After what happened with Valerie, I wasn’t about to cross that line. Valerie would literally kill me if she found out, I mumbled a quick “No t-thank you” and stormed off.

As I rushed down the hallway, I heard a familiar voice calling out to me. “Alara, wait up!” it was Zoey, from my literature class. We sat opposite each other and often talked a little, but I never thought we were close enough for her to chase after me

I slowed down, feeling a little awkward. “H-hey Zoey” I stuttered trying to hide my confusion. She caught up to me with a kind smile on her face, “Hey, glad to see you’re back” she said, her eyes crinkling at the corner.

“Thank you” I whispered as my eyes dropped to the floor, an awful habit of mine. “I visited you in the hospital, your mom’s very nice” She beamed, my eyes widened in shock, mum never told about anybody coming to visit me.

“You did? T-thank you’’ I muttered, my hands fidgeting with each other. “You don’t have to be nervous, Alara’’she gently nudged my arm.

“By the way, Literature starts in 10mins. I know to like to come to class a bit earlier than usual, so come one, I’ll walk you to class” She offered, I felt a flutter in my chest surprised that someone actually paid attention to me.

I nodded as we walked to class, I felt so weird, I’ve never walked with anyone except from Sophia before.

“How was your weekend?” She asked

“Not really bad……I mean I spent it in the hospital so….yeah, I also read some books so it wasn’t entirely bad” I whispered, she smiled at me warmly.

We arrived in class and we settled in our seats, my anxiety was all over the place. This was a new experience, I’ve never spoken this long to someone other than Sophia before. I tried to distract myself by maybe reading a book for the next 6 minutes, I took out a new book Miss Johnson got me “Whispers in the wind” by Emily J. Miller.

“You still read a lot Alara, do you still write?” she asked.

I was surprised, no one except Miss Johnson and Sophia have read my writing not even my mother knows, my face burned with embarrassment “Y-yes…I-I still write……How…..How’d you know about my writing?’’

Zoey smiled brightly, “I remember that poem you wrote in fourth grade, about your dad. It was really beautiful and painful, Alara and whenever we had stories in class, your face would light up in a way that…..well, it was hard to miss”

I felt my face burn even hotter, I wrote that poem during the time my dad left. I was struggling to cope with the pain and the feeling of abandonment, I remember sitting in my room, crying as the words in my heart poured out onto the page. I released all the emotions I couldn’t verbalize. Ever since that day I’d found my love for writing and reading it was way to express myself, and find relief.

My fourth grade teacher Miss Maddie made me read it to the class that day I was mortified. The whole class had their eyes on me it was terrifying, that was the birthday of my anxiety.

“Y-you were in fourth grade with me?” I spoke softly in disbelief.

“Yeah, I was! I was the weird girl with glasses, who wore only pink drawing and drew cartoons at the back during class’’ She said chuckling.

I couldn’t believe it Zoey was “Pink panther” no way!

I let out a soft chuckle, “Sorry……..I didn’t recognise you…I wasn’t really a-“

“A social person” she cut me off, I smile weakly as the bells ring, the doors open and our teacher Mrs Portia and a few students rush in “Morning Girls” she greets and we start class shortly after.

**********

“I think she’s my friend” I spoke softly, we spoke at length today. Sophia and I just talked and I’ve been with her all my life, we didn’t make it official like the whole “Will you be my friend thing”

“You really spoke to someone today? I’m so proud of you Alara” Miss Johnson beamed proudly in her seat, ‘’Tell me more about Zoey’’ she asked like a child.

I told her about our encounter and our conversations, nonetheless I was proud of myself. This was a step, I’d finally overcome everything get friends and be probably popular. She was really happy for me, I loved Mrs Johnson so much.

It was lunch time again, this time I decided to have lunch in the Library. I wanted to avoid Sophia and Jake so badly, I can’t have another encounter with them again.

I settled into my favourite spot in the library, surrounded by the musty scent of old books and the eerie silence that I loved. But my peace was short-lived, as I took a bite of my turkey sandwich. I felt a sudden presence behind me, “I’ve been looking for you” My heart skipped a beat as Jakes voice sounded behind me.

My hands trembled and my mind raced with worst-case scenarios, what if Valerie sees Jake talking to me? She’ll murder me!

“W-what do you want?” He sat next to me and stared deep into my eyes, oh no those eyes.

“I want an answer to my question’’ He demanded, my mind flashed back to the incident with Valerie. I’ve never been so scared or humiliated all my life, I couldn’t go through that again.

“It’s a no” I whispered digging right back into my sandwich, he fell silent and just stared at me. I felt so uncomfortable and I couldn’t take it anymore.

“You’re crazy” I muttered in disbelief as I gathered my things and stood up. Jake gripped my arm. ”Listen Alara, I know what happened with Valerie. And I know you’re crazy scared of her. But I’m offering you a way out. You want to be popular and have lots of friends right? I can make that happen. When you fake date me you’ll get all the attention and friends you desire”

Attention was the last thing I wanted, but friends...that was a different story. But at what cost?

“You’re crazy” I repeated, trying to pull my arm free. “Let me go Jake”

His grip got firmer, “This would benefit you and me”

“How? What exactly do you want Jake? What’s in it for you?” I screamed, I was angry at this point.

His jaws clenched “I want to get back at Valerie” his voice was laced with venom. “She cheated on me, she thinks she can just f**k with me and get away with it. No one f***s with Jake Woods”

I stared at Jake in disbelief, my eyes widened in horror. “You want to use me to get back at Valerie? Are you kidding me? That’s even more reason this is a terrible idea, No way, no way I’m going to do this. She’ll destroy me, you heard about what she did to me and yet you picked me of all people to be part of your “revenge plan” I can’t ever go through that again”

“Alara i-‘

“No” I cut him off, “I’m very sure there are lots of girls who would die to be your fake girlfriend and even plaything. But not me, please leave me alone Jake, I don’t want any trouble” I turned and ran out of the library, leaving him and his crazy schemes behind.