My Rogue School Mate.

Forceful Acceptance.

Ivy's POV.

"Ivy" I heard a lyrical voice whisper my name, but it's so dark that I could not see anything or anyone.

"Ivy" said the voice again, sounding deep and raspy.

The room was dark and the wall began to close in one me, a burning orange light shining under the door as I looked up.

No! Not again.

My door was flung open as a cloud of smoke engulfed the room. I froze, unable to move as I gasped absently at my throat.

"Help" I strained, "Somebody help".

The flames licked my floor, inching closer and closer to me as I saw a shadow hovering near the door. "Help", I stood straining louder.

"It's a dream Ivy. Wake up" said the voice coming from the guy was now standing at my door. The flames licked past him still standing there like he wasn't just standing there.

I shook my head. This couldn't be a dream, everything feet so real. The heat of the air suffocating me, this wasn't a dream. I was really going to burn .

Closing my eyes, I tried to focus on the room, my midnight blue curtains, the dangling stars that hung from my ceiling, my cold and comfortable bed set, the smell of berries.

"Ivy wake up"! He yelled with so much bass in his voice, I jumped as if he was standing next to me.

My eyes shot open as I took a deep breath and sighed. "It was just a dream again" I whispered to myself.

My whole room was smelling like I had just burnt my whole wardrobe and brought the ashes back in.

I quickly stood up to take a shower, Zindy strolling in as usual.

I was very late which was a first for me but in my defense, I was up all night yesterday thinking of what I was to tell Hayden today.

Today happened to be the day to which I would give him my reply. Betty and I had spoken all day two days ago but I was still confused.

The truth was that I needed the money but I would be lying to myself if I said I was doing it solely for the money. There was something else too, something between the lines of curiousity and something else. Something that was just screaming Hayden all around me and frankly speaking I hated it.

I have had crushes on guys before, most especially one sided but this was different, this wasn't a crush I had on him. Yes he had to be the most handsome guy I had ever seen if not the most handsome in the whole of Crudetown but there was something else there.

The familiarity was a given also.

I just hated that I thought of him Everytime.

"Hey Max" I greeted Max in our dining room.

"Hey kiddo" I rolled my eyes at him. I had told him severally how much I hated when he called me kiddo but he didn't listen.

Infact he only ruffled my hair the more and said it out loud. Jerk.

"Off to school?" He asked ignoring the scowl on my face.

"Yeah. Aren't you taking me?" I asked taking an apple off the bowl on our dining table.

"Nah. I don't have class till late afternoon. You love walking anyway" he replied, winking at me.

I threw a pillow at him, his laughter echoing before i made my way out.

"Uncle said to drop by his house later today" he yelled after me.

"Whatever" I yelled back.

I jogged to school greeting our neighbors and walking faster. Because I was late, I failed to tell Zindy goodbye. I planned on getting him some treats for that later.

I made it to school on time thank God and rushed to my class. Betty and Asher were no were to be found, I texted them but they were yet to respond.

I guess everyone was late today.

Our teacher had not yet entered the class which I was thankful for so I made my way to my sit at the window on the third roll.

After several minutes Asher and Betty came jogging in too, breathless and with frowns on their faces.

I smiled up at them.

"Long night?" I asked.

"The worst!" They answered simultaneously making me laugh.

We made little talks while we waited for our teacher and seconds later, she strolled in.

English was amongst my favorite subject so I didn't have a problem listening but Betty did what she knew how to do best and tapped me when Mrs Smith had turned back to the board.

"Hey. Today is the day" she whispered kicking my chair in front of her.

I scrunched my forehead confused on what she was talking about.

She realized my confusion and clarified. "Hayden" just the mention of his name made me still and freeze, blood gushing to my face.

I simply shrugged not knowing what to say.

Betty didn't like that and hit my chair so loudly it made heads turn to us. She glared at them making them get back to what they were doing.

"Common don't give me that! What are you going to tell tall sexy god Ivy" she snapped.

I whisked my head and gave her a pointed look letting her know to drop it. She didn't back down and only glared harder at me.

I huffed before turning away from her just in time before Mrs Smith turned to face the class.

"Okay class. That's it for today" she said. The whole class mumured and groaned in excitement as we all began packing our bags.

"Ivy" Betty called when I was about escaping her.

"What Betty!" I groaned as she caught up with me.

"C'mon don't leave me in the dark" she begged.

"What are you girls talking about?" Asher piped in.

"Nothing" we both answered him. He raised his hands in defense and backed away.

"I don't know what I'm going to say until I see him and ask the questions I have in mind Betty" I told her.

She rolled her eyes at me. "Just take the damn job. You get to see his beautiful face every time, plus the pay is good. Lord knows you need it"

"It's not all about that Betty"

"Then what?" She huffed.

I tapped my pocket in search for my phone but it wasn't there. I slapped my forehead as I remembered placing it on my desk as I was in a hurry to escape Betty.

"Why not go wait in the canteen for me, I forgot my phone in class" I suggested hoping to get away from her. She groaned but agreed, dragging clueless Asher with her.

I sighed before turning back in the direction of our class, happy that I could think clearly now. I loved Betty, she was my bestest of friends but sometimes she could be too much in both ways, good and bad.

I went back to the class and I breathed a heavy sigh of relief to still find my phone on my chair. I picked it up and made my way out of the class, however I didn't see who was before me, before bumping into a hard chest, a musky cologne so appealing covering my nostrils.

I looked up moving to apologise to the person I had just hit who was about walking away, but was surprised to see him.

"Hayden?"

___

"You intrigue me" Hayden had said.

I had felt uncomfortable since bumping into him at the hallway up until now that we were seated in the canteen, so many prying eyes and wondering gazes thrown his way and by extension my way as well.

"What?" I asked.

Surely that could not be the only reason why he would want to paint me right?.

"Just that?" I continued.

He hummed, that low raspy hum that kind of felt very familiar. It always managed to make me fidget in my seat I didn't understand why.

I had also not stopped staring at him, he was in his usual face cap and it made me wonder why he always wore it to school whereas he left his plaited hair while at home.

He was putting on a black jean jacket that looked tight on him because of his muscles, a black shirt beneath and some black skinny Jean that didn't do justice enough to his long firm legs.

Seeing him in the hallways and even sitting with him now made me feel like the coolest girl in school, a tittle I didn't mind much until he came around.

"And you are willing to pay that amount just to paint me?" I asked again. The question must have amused him because he grinned mischievously, the sight almost blinding me because he looked too angelic, different from the smirk that made him look powerful and devilish.

"Do you believe I would?" He asked l*****g his lower lip as he grinned at me.

My eyes followed his movement and I squirmed again in my sit.

What the hell was wrong with me.

"I -- I think so" I whispered, clearing my throat when I heard myself speak.

He simply raised one brow to me, my eyes focusing long and hard on his lopsided brow wondering how he did it. It was always something I had desired to learn.

"Then that's settled princess. You'll get your pay" he picked his bag and stood up to leave.

My eyes widened.

"Wait I didn't even say yes" I blurted out, feeling quite saddened that he was already leaving.

"I've gotten my answer already princess. I'll text you when to come over. And don't worry about finding your way. Someone will be there to pick you" he said and before I could say anything he was already making quick strides out of the canteen, my eyes and the rest of the whole room following him.

It just dawned on me what he had said. "I'll text you" how did he even-- I didn't even think I wanted to know the answer to that question.

I huffed settling deeper into my seat and taking a long sip off my lemonade.

"Oh my f*****g God" I jerked slightly whisking my head until I saw Betty and Asher make their way back to my table.

"f**k! you scared my Betty" I scolded. Asher threw me an apologetic glance since Betty didn't seem to care.

"Was that Hayden the first?" Betty asked, her face reeling literally.

"Hayden the first?" I snorted at the stupid name before shaking my head at her.

"So it's done right? You'll be working with and for him?" She asked completely ignoring my question.

I simply nodded.

"I still don't know what you guys are talking about" Asher said completely lost and clueless.

"Ivy just started the beginning of a very exciting life in high school Ash"