The Bad Boy’s Melody

Chapter Four: I am she who you have called upon.

CALEB'S SEAT was empty as we ate lunch. Austin wasn't here either, but I kind of guessed him sitting with us was a once-off type of deal. Caleb did say he didn't stay in one place too long. Anyway, it wasn't like we were an inviting bunch to him yesterday.

I stared at him and pestered him about the song. Caleb did something, but I didn't really know what exactly he did. Thomas and Lee were bickering trying to ease the tension and win their stupid bet while Freddie was just himself.

"Did anyone else see Glasses Gloria's new specs?"

I stared at Lee, how did he even notice her glasses and why did he even care? I grinned there was only one reason why he would talk to Glasses Gloria. "You got caught without a hall pass, didn't you?"

Lee nodded, "I was going to take a whaz and she caught me literally outside the bathroom. What was she even doing there, I mean it's the guy's bathroom."

"Catching people that are going to whaz, obviously," Thomas states as if it was the obvious answer.

Freddie shook his head at both of them. "If you people say whaz again I will personally beat the s**t out of you."

"s**t? Freddie, whaz means– Hey dude," Thomas grinned, cutting himself off as he looked behind me.

I sighed, just when I thought this day couldn't get any worse. Thomas only called one person 'dude' and that's only because it pissed her off. Dylan Jones. Joyce Jone's daughter. She thought because my dad left my family for hers that she was somewhat better than me and wanted people to know that.

She was just a pain in my a*s, but I couldn't even talk back to her because one bad word and I'll be in the principal's office. She abused the fact her mother was the principal and it wasn't fair. I couldn't risk getting detention, not because of her. Mom needed me at home.

I heard Dylan scoff behind me. The strong smell of perfume hit me. I tried to hold my breath. "What do you want, Dylan?" I asked her, softly. I really wasn't in the mood to deal with her s**t right now.

"Well, I was trying to find Austin so we could fu-"

"I'll pass." The chair at the top of the table was pulled out and Austin Cole sat down as casually as ever. He was acting like he didn't just pass up the opportunity that most guys in the school wanted.

Dylan Jones was like the it girl. She had it all. The looks, the body and the money. Not to mention half the guys in this school just wanted the chance to say they f****d the principal's daughter.

I smiled, he had really good timing and he shut Dylan up. I glanced over my shoulder at her. Her face was as red as her hair and she was clearly panicking trying to find a comeback or even a response. She obviously didn't think hard enough because what came out of her mouth was short and pathetic.

"Whatever." Her voice was loud and higher than usual. She didn't stay any longer, she stomped away out of the cafeteria. I turned back to the guys. That was amazing.

"Holy f**k, that was legendary," Thomas exclaimed, holding his out to Austin to high-five. To my surprise, Austin high-fived him.

Lee shook his head, laughing. "I can't believe she has the audacity to take AP classes when her best insult is 'whatever'."

"AP classes which she is failing horrendously," Freddie added.

I grinned, "She thinks the liver is the largest organ." I wasn't for making fun of anyone, but Dylan had talked s**t about my mom and me multiple times. She's even threatened to have me expelled. Anyway, all we were stating were facts. Not false information or rumours like she usually did.

Today wasn't turning out to be so bad after all. I mean, I would've loved for Caleb and Madison to see Dylan being mortified after Austin turned her down harshly, but they weren't here. I'd reenact it for them and Bailey later on anyway.

Heck, I might even tell mom; she'd probably laugh at the timing and Dylan's comeback. The comeback of the year. Heck, I might even make it my yearbook quote.

"Oh s**t," Lee muttered looking behind me and I was about to turn to see what he was looked at when I heard it. The annoying sound of stilettoes. Joyce Jones was here.

My eyes widened. I couldn't go to detention. I had to go home to mom and I was sure Madison wasn't going to wait around for me after school. I wasn't about to ask her either. It would be unfair to her. I was already taking lifts from her.

I guess I could ask Aunt Helena or Bailey to check in on mom. She probably wouldn't mind and I could walk home. It wouldn't take that long.

"Jessica Evans?"

"Present," Austin muttered, leaning back on his chair, looking behind me at them both.

"I am the real Jessica Evans," Lee piped up.

Thomas stood up his chair falling onto the ground behind him as he did. "They are all wannabe, Jessica Evans. I am she who you have called upon."

I couldn't help myself I started laughing, but they weren't done Freddie stood up as well, pushing Thomas making him fall over his chair. "What the-" Thomas exclaimed, but Freddie cut him off.

He looked Joyce Jone's in the eye, pointing at the three other guys at the table. "Have these people arrested. Identify thieves the lot of them. Next thing you know, that one will be saying she's Jessica Evans."

He pointed at me faking a look of disgust. He even pretended to gag. Maybe them years his mom forced him to do acting classes were paying off. "I can't believe these people."

They started bickering back and forth about who was the real Jessica Evan's while I was trying to breathe. It was really hard when they kept making me laugh. Someone has to be videoing this.

"Enough!"

We all looked to see a very furious Joyce Jones. She glared at us all and I gulped, I was definitely walking home today. She pulled out pink detention notes as the lunch bell rang and handed them to us one by one.

Dylan stood by her side, a smug look on her face. What did she achieve by doing this? It wasn't something to take pride in any way. Using mommy's power to punish people that caught her out. That wasn't winning her points with anyone.

I stared down at the leaflet in my hands. My first detention and it was so worth it. Although now, I had to text bailey and hope she wasn't busy. She didn't say anything last night about having plans today. I knew she hated friends and I'll buy her a chocolate bar on the way home to thank her.

"I can't believe you pushed me," Thomas muttered, rubbing his a*s which he fell on when Freddie pushed him. I smiled at him, he always tried to lighten a heavy situation. It was a quality I always liked about him.

-

Detention sucked. The guys got out of it because Coach pulled a couple of strings and got them out of it and Austin didn't even show up yet. I doubt he was going to either. I sighed, leaning back in my chair. I was stuck in this room for the next hour.

Everyone else in the room was either asleep or doing work. I could do my homework, but that would only drag this on more. It wasn't like Mr Carter was going to let me look up the answers on my phone.

The door of the room opened and Austin stood in the doorway. He glanced at Mr Carter before looking at me with a look that called me one word. An i***t. What was that about? He was the i***t not coming to detention and dragging the punishment on for longer. I was getting it over with.

"Well, are you supposed to be here or not?" Mr Carter asked him, sounding annoyed as he placed his book down on the table. My eyes widened at the title of it. Fifty Shades of Grey. Austin probably interrupted on a sexy scene and that's why he was annoyed. I grimaced, he really shouldn't be reading that in school.

Austin nodded, "I am." His eyes stayed on me as he answered him. He glanced at the window and back to me. I shook my head at him. There was no way I was climbing out the window.

I wasn't that skilled. Heck, I was really freaking clumsy. Not to mention we were on the second floor. I wasn't breaking my legs just to get out being bored for an hour. I'd rather sit and contemplate on my life than do that.

"Look out the window, Melody. Not f*****g jump out it." So, maybe I was an i***t. I did what he said anyway and looked out the window to see a car. The car I saw yesterday outside McDonald's. Was it his?

I looked back at Austin. To say I was confused was an understatement. Did he want me to admire his car? Why was he so late anyway? Mr Carter glanced at us both, "What is going on? Sit down, young man."

Austin rolled his eyes, walking into the room and scraping the chair that was at the desk in front of me off the ground while he turned it to face me.

He sat down, a bored look on his face. "I came here to bust you out of here and you were to damn slow to realize in that I get dragged in. I've been parked outside that window since this thing started, Melody."

"How was I supposed to know all that?" I asked him. Did he think I could read his mind or something? Hell, I didn't even know he existed two days ago.

He pointed to his head. "You could've used less of your brain and more common sense."

I glared at him. Skipping detention wasn't common sense. It was just going to get us in more trouble, but I don't think Austin cared. He didn't give a damn about the consequences. "Well, we're stuck here now so just deal with it."

"Yeah, we're stuck here because of you," he muttered, pulling his phone out of his pocket.

I stared at him in disbelief. What did he think he was doing? If he gets caught we'll be in more trouble and it'll get taken off him. Where was his common sense now? "Put that away," I whispered, harshly. "You'll get us in more trouble."

Austin glanced behind him to where Mr Carter was reading his book. One hand holding the book and I didn't want to know where the other one was. I scrunched my nose up in disgust. He really shouldn't be reading that stuff in school.

"He seems pretty busy to me," Austin shrugged, turning back to his phone.

I sighed, leaning back in my chair. "What are you even doing that can't wait a couple of minutes, anyway?"

"Playing candy crush," he muttered, swiping his finger across the screen. He was going to get us in trouble because he was playing candy crush.

I groaned, looking at the clock. A couple more minutes and we could leave. Hopefully, Mr Carter would let us go early. I heard Madison say that he usually finished detention early because he didn't like staying himself, but I didn't know if he was going to do that today. He was pretty...happy right now.

Before I came into detention, I texted Bailey to ask her if she could check in on mom and she said she would, but she was bringing a friend which I didn't mind. I was just grateful she could do it.

Anyway, mom would be happy to see other faces than family. She saw the guys a couple of times, but not much. Mainly because I didn't want the risk of them seeing her breakdown.

Everyone knew my dad left. It was kind of the talk of the town for a while, as it was a small enough community. Everyone knew everyone and word travelled fast. I looked at the guy in front of me, maybe everyone didn't know everyone.

I heard of his family though. Dad worked for them, he always said that they had a son my age. They were a wealthy family due to their success in the business world.

I just didn't know of Austin. It wasn't liked I paid much attention to the gossip around the place. Mom always tried to make me listen to her, but I just would zone out or have my earphones in.

Austin looked up from his phone and tilted his head at me a smile on his face. "Daydreaming about me?" He teased as he slipped his phone into the pocket of his leather jacket.

I shook my head, "not in a million years."

"Lying doesn't suit you, Melody," he smirked as the bell rang signalling that the hour of pure boredom has now come to an end. Although it wasn't that bad. It got better when Austin came, but I wasn't about to tell him that. His ego was already the size of Jupiter.

I slung my bag over my shoulder and prepared myself to walk home. At least now I'd get to listen to music. I had even enough money to buy myself a chocolate bar as well as one for Bailey and her friend.

I wondered about who it could be. Usually, she said a name, but she didn't today. I shrugged, cracking my knuckles. Hopefully, it didn't start to rain when I was walking home. That would suck.

"Why do you look like you're preparing yourself for the hunger games or something?" Austin asked, more on the curious side than the weirded out.

I kind of forgot he was still here. Everyone else left when the bell rang including Mr Carter. I expected him to do the same. I mean it would make sense for him to be the first out of the room. He didn't want to be here in the first place. Then again, Austin didn't make sense.

"The hunger games?" I repeated, where did he get that from. I wasn't doing anything weird. Everyone prepared themselves when they went on walks, right? I shook my head, no I wasn't letting him make me second guess myself.

Austin nodded as we walked out of the room and down the empty corridor. "Yeah. You know, it's a series about-"

"I know what the hunger games is, dumbass," I told him. I reread the books countless times and had a Katniss Everdeen poster on the wall of my bedroom for months before Mom forced me to take it down.

He shrugged, "You sounded like you didn't. Anyway, you didn't answer my question."

"Seems like you're getting a taste of your own medicine," I told him, a smug smile on my lips.

We walked down the stairs and out the front entrance of the school. I saw his car and expected him to start walking towards it, but he stopped walking. I looked up at him. He was tall, around six foot while I was 5'10" give or take an inch. He raised an eyebrow at me. "You were going to walk home, weren't you?"

I nodded because I was very lost at the moment. What did he expect me to do, fly? Austin clicked the button on his car and I saw it unlock. He shook his head, his eyes still on me. "I didn't sit in detention just for you to walk home, Melody. I'll give you a ride."

There was no way I was turning him down. I didn't want to walk home that badly and it wasn't like he was playing with me. He seemed genuine about it. "Thanks," I smiled, as we walked towards his car.

"You're going to have to tell me your address," he told me as I closed the door behind me. The car was nice, everything was clean and shiny. He must've seen me glancing at the radio. "There are CDs in the glove compartment. I don't have an aux cord."

I grinned, opening the glove compartment as he started the car. Austin had a lot of CD's nearly as much as I had in my room. I smiled; he was like me. He didn't have one set of taste in music. The CD's ranged from country to kpop. There was a lot of choices.

"Melody?"

I hummed, taking the 8 Letters CD out of the glove compartment. "Where do you live?"

Oh right, I kind of forgot he doesn't know. "Beside the Park. The third house on the left," I told him, slipping the CD in so I would get to hear at least one song before I Austin arrived at my house.

"You like Why Don't We?" he asked me, glancing at me before focusing back on the road.

I nodded, "I'm a limelight, but my music taste varies as much as yours does. It's the reason I can't have a twitter account."

"You can't have a twitter account because of your music taste?" Austin asked, a smile on his lips as Eight Letter's began to play.

I nodded, "I'd start too many fights on stan twitter. That place can be scary. Even Thomas gets in fights with people over Ariana Grande and Thomas hates fighting as much as I do."

Austin's phone rang and he cursed underneath his breath before taking a hand off the steering wheel and checking the caller ID. He sighed at the screen before answer it, holding the phone up to his ear. "What's up?"

His hand tightened on the steering wheel and I could see his knuckles becoming white before he relaxed again. Whoever was on the other side of the phone call clearly was affecting him.

Austin hung up, placing the phone back in the cup holder and glancing at me. "My brother's at your house with Bailey."

-

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