48Hating Him
What. The. Hell. The first thing I see when I get reach my locker is the sight of Bernhard practically dry humping my ex-girlfriend. Trying to control my anger, I barked, "Move, Bernhard!" and took a few deep calming breaths.
Ryan Bernhard's gray eyes shot open to meet my raging hazel ones.
He gave Laura, who was panting with lust, a long wet kiss, keeping his eyes locked with mine the whole time. No doubt, to piss me off. Just to clarify, Laura Reynolds had been my girlfriend all of 3 weeks, before I caught her cheating with this arrogant SOB. I felt my irritation rise and I clenched my fists.
"Go to class now. I'll see you later," He pushed her away coolly and leaned shoulder first into the lockers with his hands in his pockets.
Laura snapped out of her daze, looking disappointed. She spared me a glance before she scurried off to class. I shook my head in disgust. What did I ever see in her?
"Good morning, Bates." He grinned at me, with his head cocked to the side and wavy hair falling over his forehead. I heard a few squeals in the background. I rolled my eyes.
This bastard, Ryan Bernhard, is the most popular guy in school being the star of the basketball team and the hottest guy in school. I hate him with a passion but even I have to admit that he at least has his looks going for him. It was just another thing about him that made me want to hit him.
It's not like I'm ugly or anything. I've got messy coffee brown hair that stops just above my ears, a lean toned body reaching a little over 5'10, and 'kissable lips' or so I've been told. But Bernhard was on whole different level. At 6'2, with sandy blonde hair, silver gray eyes that crinkled when he smiled, a chiseled jaw, and a tanned rock hard body, he was every girl's dream. And my worst nightmare.
"Don't talk to me." I forced out through gritted teeth.
I ignored his presence and turned to open my locker. He took a step closer to me. I put in my combination and started to take out my English book. Bernhard was so close now that I could almost feel his breath on my ear. Ignore him. Ignore him. Ignore him…
"WHAT?" I slammed my locker shut and clutched my ear in frustration.
He smiled like he thought he won. "It's only polite to reply to a greeting."
His arrogant drawl made me rethink my stance on violence.
"It's only polite to fuck your sluts out of public sight." I lifted my chin and looked at him defiantly.
"That's kinda harsh, isn't it? Seeing as she was your girl until recently."
The nerve of this guy! I laughed in disbelief. Then I sucker punched him and walked away.
Lunch
Our cafeteria was split into groups, but not necessarily by cliques. Sure we've got the jocks and cheerleaders at one table and the nerds at another but the rest of us just sat wherever we wanted. I was sitting with Mark, Aaron, Leila, Tina and Victor. A lot of the other kids saw us as 'the artistics' but we didn't classify ourselves as such. Sure, we all liked to draw or act, or dance or sing but I mean Victor and Mark were on the swim team and Leila was on the debate team.
"So Jayden, I heard from Amanda that Ryan Bernhard was making out with that hoe-bag Laura and you punched him?" Tina gazed at me expectantly. She was our resident gossip.
"Yeah, pretty much." I smiled at the memory. Tina laughed in delight and popped open a bag of Doritos.
"Nice." Victor high-fived me and went back to stuffing his face with fries.
Mark smirked and gave a fist bump. He took out a huge calzone from his lunch bag and handed half of it to me. Mark and I have been friends since 8th grade, so his dad who was an amazing chef, always made enough lunch for Mark to share with me.
"You still into that slut?" Aaron asked, passing me his vanilla pudding. I love friends who feed me.
"Nah. He was just pissing me off, as always." I shoved a spoonful of creamy goodness into my mouth, savoring the taste.
"But you gotta admit, he is freaking hot," Leila quipped from over her note cards.
"Yeah, what I wouldn't do to that ass!" Tina giggled.
"Mm… And those abs! I just wanna tie him to my bed for a week." Leila licked her lips and took a sip of Sprite.
Victor choked on his fries and the rest of us burst out laughing.
"Bates." Only one person could make me hate my own last name. The laughter died down and I turned to see Bernhard towering over me. "Can we talk?"
"Nothing to talk about." I didn't budge from where I was, planted firmly between Mark and Victor.
A flicker of annoyance passed through face. Good. Usually, he would just look at me smugly while I got fuming mad.
"Just come with me."
"I don't want to."
He was pretty angry now and moved to drag me out of my seat. Mark swatted his arm away casually, "He said no."
Bernhard's face turned the shade of royally pissed. Tina and Leila pretended to pick at their food while Victor and Aaron sat in alert poses. I just sat there stubbornly eating my pudding.
"Fuck off!"
Hearing the insult, Mark stood up to his full height. "Say that again," he mumbled, voice low with menace.
The entire cafeteria was silent now, holding their breaths. Mark and Bernhard were known for hating each other. They even got into a fight last year, which led to them both getting suspended for 3 days. It all started four years ago when Mark was the new kid in class at Orange Grove junior high. Mark made fun of Bernhard's name; Bernhard retaliated by tripping him face first into a pile of mud. They've been like oil and water ever since.
Worried about them getting into another fight, which would get Mark kicked off the swim team and Bernhard off the basketball team, I jumped up.
"I'll be back soon." I appeased Mark by patting him on the shoulder.
I held back a sigh and dragged Bernhard away from Mark. His body was still tense by the time we exited the cafeteria. I'm a guy too, but seriously what's up with all the testosterone?
"I don't like that guy." Bernhard grumbled like a little kid. I ignored him.
"So? What was so important that you had to drag me away from lunch?" I crossed my arms, cranky because I was hungry and that I had to look at his face.
He relaxed and looked down at his feet. "Um, about before. She came onto me." He rubbed the back of his neck, looking kind of sheepish. Sometimes, I think he's bipolar.
"Right. You're the victim here." I scoffed, voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Honestly. I just slept with her once and now she clings to me every day. I wasn't trying to intentionally hurt you."
WHAT THE FUCK? Was he gloating? This was what he wanted to talk about? This isn't even the first time this little shit has done something like this! Fresh man year, he stole my first girlfriend. We dated for 3 months and had only held hands because we were in that pure, innocent, puppy love stage. Then she dumped me out of the blue saying she was in love with, quote "Ryan, because he's so dreamy". I was really heartbroken, but I thought I could be understanding as long as she was happy. Then he dumped her two days later. I had to listen to her cry over him for 2 weeks because we were, quote "still friends". Goddammit! Just recalling the memory pisses me off so much I want to kick something. And it's not like Bernhard is some nice likable guy. If he was a better person, I could have tried to forgive him but he's a cocky, good-looking basketball star who knows it and flaunts it.
I was shaking with anger now. Holding back all the profanities I wanted to shout, I gave him my iciest glare.
"Go to hell." I spat vehemently and went back to the cafeteria without looking back.
Making my way back to my table, I vaguely thought that maybe Bernhard was… trying to apologize to me. No way. I smiled ironically. I must be going retarded from hunger. Like that guy would ever apologize to anyone, much less me.
*Reviews Please!*
I might change the chapter and story name because they just don't sound right to me.
This is my first romance set in high school (that I'm posting on FP). It's set in a suburban high school where almost everyone knows everyone else.