18Anastasia and Julia walked across the parking lot towards their high school talking lightly about the night before. While they were watching movies Anastasia had received a drunken call from a past flame followed by a drunken cameo at her door. Anastasia had fallen for Jonathan Wakeman's charm the year before and when everything was said and done he ended up with the short stick. Jonathan was what you would call Mr. High School: popular jock, amazing grades, wealthy, and had a reserved spot at any college of his choice. Anastasia and he dated until the beginning of Anastasia's junior year. At the end of the year he would graduate and she would be free of his pleas that were only ever said behind closed doors. Mr. High School would never be love struck over some junior he dated. He was never mean about it though, he always said hi in the hallways, but it didn't stop him from calling her when he thought about her. This was all of the time.
"Baby please you're the only one. No one else is going to love me!" Julia mocked theatrically earning a giggle form Anastasia.
As they laughed off the joke they walked in front of a snarling muscle car. They both gasped and slammed their hands down on the hood of the black vehicle. The driver stopped and flung his hand outside of the window in protest. Anastasia and Julia exchanged a look as Anastasia moved to the driver's window while Julia held her position on the hood. Anastasia leaned through the window and made eye contact with the blue eyed offender. A cigarette hung limply out of his mouth lazily spewing smoke. He smirked as he took her in like a piece of meat. She ignored his predatory glances and reached in to grab his cigarette. He kept eye contact as she placed her mouth around it, carefully not sucking in, and then flung it on the ground next to her foot where she ground it into the ground with the ball of her foot.
"You must be new." She informed, "So, I will give you the benefit of the doubt, but A.) we don't smoke here, on campus I mean and B.) we don't run over the students, again that rule is reserved for the campus. So, be free anywhere else as long as you don't jeopardize my girl Julia here," she motioned to Julia who stepped away from the car with a sugary sweet fake smile then to herself," or my safety. Got it?"
He smirked and nodded. "Well I guess I do."
"Good." She reached into the car again. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." He eyed her petite hand carefully before reaching up and taking it in a firm grasp.
"Pleasure's all mine, Ms.?"
"Anastasia, Anastasia Reese Morrison. But most everyone calls me Stas."
"Well Anastasia, if you don't mind I'd love to park before the bell rings."
"Of course." She began to pull her hand away, but he brought it to his lips with a confident grin and kissed it softly.
After their hands separated he put the car in drive and sped away pulling a cigarette out of his shirt pocket as he went. Anastasia stared after him with slight annoyance as Julia came to stand next to her while they watched the pipes spit smoke as he raced away. Lightly, Julia bumped her shoulder and commented.
"Do not go there."
"Do not go where?" Anastasia questioned.
"I know that face, it is the same face you had last year after you smashed into Jonathan and he helped you pick up your books."
"I do not like him."
"Not yet." She sung as she dodged Anastasia's fist and walked up the steps of their school.
"Shut up Jules." She commanded following her.
Anastasia sat in class trying to understand what her teacher was saying even though she'd tuned out a long while ago. On top of that the boy from that morning was sitting behind her and for the love of God he would not keep still. She had to physically restrain herself from turning around and decking him in the face. When she was sufficiently furious he began to poke her shoulder with a pencil. When she ignored him he began a low chant of her name. With the low hum of 'Anastasia' and the tapping of the pencil that kept rhythm she turned around lightning fast and snatched his pencil. He looked satisfied.
"What do you want?" She hissed lowly.
"Go out with me."
"No." She dead panned.
"Why?"
"I don't even know you."
"Hence the date."
"No." she repeated before turning around.
As the class came to a close kids began packing up and Anastasia followed suit. She stood up and put his pencil on his desk without a word.
"Okay now class we have a new addition to the school. Please stand up sir."
The boy stood up.
"We have Darren Lightwood. Now since he is new would anyone like to show Darren around?"
"Well, Mr. Norton, if it is all right I would like for Anastasia to be my escort." She hated his word choice.
"That is a fine idea Mr. Lightwood," he smiled encouraging at Anastasia.
She rolled her eyes and stormed out of the class not caring if Darren was following or not, unfortunately he was.
Anastasia reached Julia and her's spot with a grimace to rival all grimaces.
"Where you been Stas? Keep your face like that and it'll get stuck that way."
"Ugh."
"What's up there's only like five minutes left of break."
"I had to show that new kid from this morning around."
Jules' face lit up and she whipped out her swooning expression.
"Not even like that Jules, he is so annoying and immature. He asked me out in class and-"
"OMG Stas you have to go out with him."
She looked at Jules like she was insane, "Do you even know his name Jules?"
"No, but I am guessing you do. It's probably something sexy or mysterious. Oh what is it?"
"Yes because the name Darren is a panty dropper." Stas joked.
"What is his last name?" She looked like she was thinking hard.
"Lightwood."
"You're right Darren Lightwood is a panty dropper." She said with resolve.
"Eww! No Jules! I was kidding."
"I'm just saying… why won't you go out with him?" Jules whined.
"Why do you care so much?"
The bell rang as Anastasia finished her question.
"Because, Stas, you know I live my love life vicariously through yours." Jules said shamelessly as they began walking to their next class.
Anastasia laughed at Julia while they walked through the doorway to their next class. Anastasia stopped short flinging her arm out next to her effectively ceasing Julia's forward motion also. Jules laughed as she eyed Darren sitting in the back of the room at the table her and Stas usually share. Julia wiggled past Anastasia's arm and approached the table. Darren looked up with interest as Stas followed after Julia.
"Here to corner me again girls?" He teased. "Am I in your seat or something?"
"As a matter of fact you are a-" Stas started.
"But since you are new I am going to let you have that seat and move so my little Stas doesn't have to."
She turned to a seething Stas and winked as she sauntered to another table where she promptly began flirting with the table's male inhabitant. Stas turned back to Darren and frowned as he rubbed the chair next to him and patted it tossing his eyebrows up and down at her. She rolled her eyes and slid into the seat next to him.
"So Stas, fancy seeing you here."
She rolled her eyes and answered, "Why didn't you tell me you had this class?"
"I would've if you hadn't run off so fast after that scanty tour. I found my way here though thanks to your school's amazingly accurate map." He informed. "So, how's about that date?"
"No."
"Okay class," the teacher began. She introduced Darren then went on to speak about the lab they were going to complete during the class.
They completed the lab without conversation unless it had to do with their work. They finished early and sat in a comfortable silence until Jules finished and sauntered over to tell Stas about the date she had with her lab partner that weekend. Finally the teacher announced that they were in the last few minutes of class, so the students needed to wrap everything up. The people who were already done began packing up their bags and talking to their friends. Again, Darren attracted Stas' attention.
"Hey Stas, since you seem to be the kind of girl that you have to take charge with, this Friday you and me are going out." He tried.
She scoffed, "We sooooo are-"
"Going to have sooo much fun!" Jules interjected earning a deep glare from Stas.
Darren smirked, "Well look at that I was right." He gloated as the bell rang. He leaned down to Stas, "see you Friday." He whispered and kissed her cheek before quickly exiting the room.
Stas turned to Jules her eyes blazing an inhumanely green and her jaw set rigidly. Her reddish hair seemed to be alive and irritated. Her little hands balled into even smaller fists. Her mouth opened and closed as if to say something but it seemed the anger coursing through her veins wouldn't let her. She shook her head violently, picked up her bag, and stormed out of the room. Anastasia was mad.
"I-" she started, her anger getting the best of her, "I cannot believe that you just did that Julia!"
"Holy shit you're mad. You haven't called me Julia in years."
"Did you stop to think for one second that maybe I don't want a relationship, that maybe just maybe I would like to be single?"
"Calm down Stas it is a date and I know you, the only reason that you are fighting this so hard is because you are attracted to him."
"Then why not let me do it my way!" She cried attracting attention from a few of the passing students. She noticed and took a deep breath to calm her nerves. Finally, when the red bled from her face and her serene mask was back on she turned to Julia as they stopped in front of Anastasia's classroom, causing a kid to swerve around them and growl angrily. She ignored him and she said to Jules, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have blown up like that. It is just that I was in a relationship not too long ago, and yes Jonathan was good to me, but I just don't want to do that again. Hell! If I did I wouldn't need the new kid to do it. I'm sure Jonnyboy would be delighted to have his spot back."
Jules sighed, "Well how about I drop you off on your date and then if you need me to I'll be your scapegoat."
"Why thanks Mom." Stas giggled before entering into the classroom.
...
Anastasia made her way into her last period thankful that the day was almost over she just had to go to work and then she could go home and attack her mattress. She sat down thankfully in her assigned; that was the only class where her teacher made a seating chart. On the contrary to her classmates, she loved her seat. She was in the back corner with an open seat behind her and the kid who sat in front was always absent, also the rows were pretty spaced out so in essence she had the corner all to herself. The absolute best part of it was that the teacher's desk, where she spent most of her time, was blocked by a sea of student heads effectively giving her all the privacy she needed.
As the bell rang the teacher gathered herself and walked to the front of the room. Stas contented herself with letting her eyes slip shut. She heard the door open as someone arrived late. The teacher stopped mid-sentence with:
"Ah, Mr. Lightwood is it?" Stas' eyes flew open, it was definitely Darren, "How nice of you to join us. I will excuse your tardiness with the consideration that this is your first day. Your seat will be in the back corner behind Anastasia. Anastasia please raise your hand. Thank you. Please make your way to your seat."
He did as the teacher asked with a small smirk on his lips. Stas sunk in her seat while her face turned scarlet. He bent down as he placed himself in the chair and whispered:
"Nice to see you again, Anastasia." His pronunciation of her name sent shiver up her spine. He knew he had her.
The rest of the period was filled with tense muscles as the lights went out so they could watch a movie that was not relevant to the subject, but no one would object so Anastasia was left feeling cornered by Darren's predatory aura.
As soon as the bell rang she bolted from her seat and out of the class before most of the students had even woken up. Darren was left behind with a mix of satisfaction, because he'd gotten to her so much in just the one day, and sadness, since she'd left so quickly he didn't have a chance to say anything else to her.
When she finally arrived to Jules' car she slid into the seat next to her best friend.
"You okay?" Jules asked.
"Oh, I am just fine!" Stas bursted.
"I'm not following the sarcasm. What happened?"
"Darren happened and he is in yet another one of my classes."
Jules giggled at her friend's pedestrian problems, "Well, either you are really smart or he is really stupid."
"What?" Stas turned to her friend while they pulled out of the parking lot.
"Okay, I was talking to this girl last period and she said that the new kid, Darren, is a Senior. So, either you are in the smart classes or he is in the dumb ones. But if I had to bet it would be the first of the two. I still don't understand how you have never managed to receive below and B and yet I never see you do homework, you hate school, and your attendance record is absolutely atrocious. "
"Why thank you Jules, I will go ahead and take that as a compliment."
"That you should."
Once again Jules had managed to calm down Stas as they made their way to their job.
...
Stas smiled broadly at the elderly lady she was ringing up at the cash register. One would think that is would be awkward for both parties if one of them is buying diapers, but neither of them cared, for they both had become used to each other.
"Thank you deary, see you soon." Waved the woman as she exited the store.
"Have a wonderful day Mrs. McCoullogh!" Stas called after her.
She turned back to her register placing everything neatly in their homes, and then turned her gaze on Jules who was sitting on a stool behind the counter filing her nails.
"You have got to be kidding me Jules."
"What?" She looked up with interest.
"You are going to make this store look bad."
"Oh come on Stas," she said waving the board dramatically, "this is a mini-mart. It isn't like we are getting any new customers. The people who come here will continue to come here regardless of me."
"Well regardless," Stas mocked, "get your lazy ass up and man the counter."
Jules rolled her eyes and stood tapping the board on her seat before tucking it in her store vest pocket.
"Yes mother."
They heard the familiar jingle of the door open as someone entered. Stas looked up to greet the person but stopped short as she took in the boy with brown hair looking down at his phone.
"Shit, why is he here." Stas hissed in her friend's ear despite the butterflies tickling her stomach.
"Who-Oh." Jules looked up curiously and received her answer then chuckled at her friend's discomfort.
He made his way to the register and put away his phone, his eyes instantly connecting with Anastasia's, then smirked.
"Nice to see you again Darren. I'm just going to go stock the back room." Jules said as she struggled away from Stas' groping hands giggling as she exited to the back.
Darren's eyes went back to Stas and he raised his eyebrows at her seductively. She frowned and looked down at her hands.
"What can I do for you?"
"I don't think you want me to answer that question, however I will just say that I need the Marlboro Lights."
"Um, no. I'm not sure where you come from but I this store does not sell to underage people."
He laughed, "Here," he handed her his I.D. She eyed it and surely it say that he was eighteen.
"How do I know this isn't fake?"
"Because my fake one says I am 23." He offered nonchalantly.
Stas didn't argue his logic as she grabbed the cancer sticks and handed the box to him.
"Those are bad for you."
He looked up at her and laughed while handing her the money. His face lit up with amusement and his eyes crinkled with delight. He was beautiful.
"So I've heard." He put the box in his pocket then retrieved an emptier box and pulled out a long stick.
"You can't smoke that in here."
"Thanks Dollface. See you tomorrow." He arched his eyebrow as he lit his cigarette. "Bye Jules!"
"Bye Darren!" She poked her head out from the back and waved.
Slightly shaking his head he winked at Stas and exited the store leaving her a little light headed. Julia joined her friend again and slung her arm over Stas' shoulder.
"Shit!" Stas griped.
Tell me what ya think?
I'd really appreciate it!