The Boy Next Door

Chapter 4

"I'll see you tomorrow in class. "Mrs. Connway announced as we exited history class around 9 in the morning. It took every ounce of my willpower not to march down to the principal's office and demand a new schedule. One that didn't involve history at 8am every day.

Carting my new history textbook back to my locker, I marveled at its newness. "How was class"? Maddison asked when I reached my locker besides each other.

It made my heart warm up that Maddison was willing to be my friend even after all that had transpired between I and Twin.

"I had Mrs Connway." I thought that was all the explanation I needed.

Maddsion burst out laughing. "That bitchy old witch! I bet you had fun?"

Some students actually think she is a real witch. Maddison whispered as she closed her locker with her new book inside.

"Really"

A new voice that I'd never heard before chipped in into the conversation. "Totally". When I was a first-year student, I heard her reciting a spell during lunchtime when she thought she was alone in the teacher's lounge.

"You're kidding!" Maddison kept talking as if the beautiful creature in front of them she knew and conversed with them often.

Dead serious!!!!! It was all in Latin.

That's strange.

I'm Christina Banks. The Chief Editor, Garfield High gossip review column. Your welcome to share any interesting topic with me, plus you can also sit with me at lunch.

I didn't even know the school had a gossip booth or whatever. But she wasn't surprised, so far I'd come to discover that everything is possible in this town.

"WOW, thank you!!!" I appreciate that. And it's so nice to meet you."

"Of course" Christina flipped her hair over her shoulders.. I have to get to class, but I will see you later. Maddison, yellow is such a pretty color on you. See you around!".

"Thanks, Christina. "Maddison politely said as Christina floated down the hall towards her next class.

For lunch, I sat at the table with Maddison and her friends when they finally got to meet me. They pretended that they hadn't witnessed the whole interlude with Todrick. I got to know that Ashely is a runway model, and Sarah is a more calm, collective type of vibe person. Maddison was the person that kept the crew alive. I didn't know much, but anyone could see how devoted they were to each other.

"So are you signing up for any sports at school? Ashely spoke, breaking into my thoughts. She had curly black her and one piercing in her left nose."

Well, I am thinking about it . Back at home, I played volleyball.

"That's pretty cool. I don't play, but my sisters do. It's like a compulsory thing over here. I don't get why it's compulsory to participate in a sport if you don't want to."

That's cool, I admitted. Did she say anything about a new student who wanted to join the team?

Well she did. Ashely shrugged and avoided eye contact.

Did it sound bad.... that I might join the team.

Ashely gave me a funny look. You think they mean? Don't stress it. They're just pretty good. They won the state championship last year. They just don't want anyone to slow them down. And note, they try not to get you off the team. You're pretty much allowed to do whatever you want as long as you're not causing trouble.

Seriously?

Yeah.

I digested this piece of information slowly. I had argued with mom about playing sports. Everything was just so overwhelming, but if what Ashely said was true, then I didn't have as many problems as I thought.

When the girls started talking about their holidays and the secret hook-ups they had, I just minded my business. I laughed when appropriate and spoke when spoken to. I was just thankful to have somewhere to sit.

Thinking of Twin, the dude himself sat at the table where we were facing each other. On more than one occasion, I looked up to find him staring at me in the way no one else would notice. He laughed easily with his friends and acted like he wasn't looking at me. I really didn't like how it affected me. When I realized he wanted to play eye games all lunch long, I couldn't help but drag my eyes up hoping he would stop looking at me. It was like.....like he liked me or, which was impossible because we barely even knew each other.

I listened to the girls talk, I noticed Sarah was fairly quiet but chipped in with a little joke occasionally that had the whole table laughing. For the first few hours, I noticed that Maddsion had pretty light brown eyes. She spotted a cute mole on her upper lip and everything about her screamed sophistication.

Taking into consideration my observations, I looked up and caught Twin's gaze long enough for him to wink and turn away to laugh at something his friends said. Furrowing my brows, I snapped my banana in half to give myself something to look at rather than his annoying face.

Lost in thoughts, I didn't notice the cafeteria go dead quiet until I felt a cold gush down my head to my clothes.

The girls gasped, a look of horror on their faces. Turning to the face who caused such a mishap, I was greeted with two dirty slaps across my face and a serious laughing tongue lasting. "You're stinking conniving attention seeker. You dare to come here and think you can own this place like it's your daddy's property.

If I had claws I'd sink them into those beautiful eyes of hers and pull out her hair from her head. Who are you, and what have you done? I was trying so hard to fight the tears.

Rounding our table with her little minions she said, stay as far away as you can from Todrick, I am warning you. Ask around, everyone knows me.

Grabbing what was left of my lunch, I ran out of the cafeteria in shame and humiliation, unable to look anyone in the face. Especially not Twin.