Once Upon a Push

Chapter 3

“I HAVE PEPPER SPRAY!” I yelled, holding it out dangerously close to his face. I almost said 'potato spray.'

“Yeah and its facing the wrong way," he snorted. I looked at the can I was holding, which was pointing towards me- if I would’ve pressed the button I would’ve sprayed myself in the eyes. He started laughing at me.

“I’ll do it,” I said, fixing the can so that it was facing him.

“Yeah, I bet you will," he said, smirking at his joke. He doubted me; he didn’t know me! He didn’t know what I would and wouldn’t do! I almost cracked a grin, almost.

“I will; don’t doubt me," I spoke. He shrugged again. He even leaned closer as if to challenge me! Why am I so defenseless when it comes to him? Any other person would get a major butt kicking right now, but I’m frozen at my feet. Maybe because I don’t know how to deal with guys- never mind hot guys who are threatening to kill you.

“Oh gosh, you should’ve seen your face,” he said as soon as I pressed down on the can of pepper spray. The spray shot out of the can, hitting him in the mouth- but it didn’t matter. He was stunned and it gave me enough time to run. “OW!” he yelled as I dropped the can.

“YOU SHOULD SEE YOUR FACE!” I shouted and ran out of the gym. That was a close call. I heard him choking in the gym, serves him right.

__

Last period came around and I am pretty sure that he went home ‘sick.’ Ha-ha, he’ll never mess with me again. I’ll send him to the hospital! No, I’ll send him to the ICU! Who does he think he is?

I saw the people creating a walkway that they only make for one person and one person only. Oh no, he was coming! Where? Where should I go? Nowhere to go!

I saw him walking through, an amused expression on his face as he saw me slamming my locker and turning around in circles looking for an escape. As he made his way closer and closer, more people moved aside, creating a perfect killing circle for me and him. My pepper spray! I left it in the gym. I noticed people giving us shocked stares. Who would’ve thought the lone wolf would talk to me- the cruel, heartless ghost?

“So… how are you?” I began awkwardly as he smirked at me. I noticed that his mouth was bright red but his eyes weren’t. Maybe I skimmed his eyes? Hope shot through me. Or maybe you were too busy looking at his lips?

“Leave," he said to the people who were standing around us creating an even awkward-er silence. He didn’t even look at them but they knew his words were directed towards them.

I decided to take a chance and slip away. "Don't mind if I do," I said as I made a move to walk past him.

"Not you," he replied. I sighed, wishing his words were directed towards me. I’d gladly take his advice. Or maybe not, maybe my stubbornness would kick in and I’d tell him to leave. That’d give them a show.

“My mouth hurts a bit…” he said, implying something but answering my question from earlier as the people made their ways to their cars. I nodded my head, slowly backing away from him towards the parking lot. His hand shot out, capturing my arm.

“Not so fast, Pepper," he said, smirking.

“T-that’s not my name," I said, slightly affected by his semi tight grip on my arm.

“I know," he replied calmly. Why was he not punching my face into a b****y pulp?

“Do you?” I asked, nervously laughing.

"You don’t have a pocketknife on you, do you?” he asked, glancing at my hand that was subconsciously wandering to my pocket. I shrugged.

“I don’t know,” I said, shrugging. Hopefully, it’ll scare him away. But unfortunately for me, he was persistent.

"I’ll just have to check," he said, smirking as he brought his hand closer to me.

"I don’t have it!” I said, pushing his hand away. "My mom won’t let me buy one.” He laughed as I frowned. Did he find me funny?

“And you wasted your poor pepper spray,” he said, sighing mockingly.

“Yeah, I wasted it on you- you stupid waste of life, waste of oxygen," I spat; he was bullying me! Says the one who just sprayed him in the face with pepper spray. The frustration coursed through me. He looked somewhat surprised at my outburst before he smiled.

“You have terrible aim," he said, smirking as I grimaced.

“You probably want to kill me more than ever now,” I muttered making him laugh in a light way. The sound was almost angelic, weird really.

“I don’t want to kill you,” he insisted. “I’m not a murderer.”

“Then why are you talking to me?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. He shrugged, smirking. "Why do you smirk so much?” He shrugged again, still smirking. "You never smile."

“Neither do you. You always scowl or have a look of ‘what do you want from me?’ on your face. And you ask a lot of questions," he said, tilting his head sideways. Really? I ask a lot of questions? And I smile all the time! I just haven’t smiled near him.

“You never gave me a reason to smile,” I said, shrugging.

“I can think of a few," he said, grinning perversely. I let out a bark of laughter at the comment.

“I can, too," I said, reflecting his facial expression. He chuckled, rolling his eyes.

“You really shouldn’t say stuff like that to a teenage guy, especially in a secluded hallway,” he said, raising his eyebrow. I scowled at him, making him laugh.

“Well, I guess I’ll see you around… Cyrus.” I said, pushing his shoulder slightly as I pushed past him to the parking lot. What was this newfound boldness? Was it the fact that he’d admitted to not wanting to kill me anytime soon?

The chills that ran down my spine as I exited the school into the chilly air were nothing like the ones a minute ago. I smirked at the window of my car, seeing my disheveled hair from all the running I’d done today. I’m not the only one that did some chasing today.