77Chapter One
"Time limit?"
"End of the year, at graduation."
"Deal."
I waited silently until their footsteps disappeared before plopping my ass down on the floor and leaning my head back against the wall, still breathing through my mouth so I didn't puke from the stench of the blue trash bin I was hiding behind
Why was I hiding behind a disgusting blue trash bin that was conveniently large enough to hide someone of my size and also smelt as bad as your grandmother's fifty-year-old, stolen, unwashed jockstrap you ask? Well, that would take us back in time to the days before mankind first—I'm kidding. It wasn't that long ago.
~Around 20 minutes into the past~
It was the seniors' lunch hour and I was just trying to find myself a secluded spot to be alone. The cafeteria was much too crowded and noisy for my taste and being the antisocial loser that I am, I didn't want to attract attention or, God forbid, socialize. So, to avoid being labeled as "the loner kid that sits alone at the table next to the trash bins", I've been spending my last three lunches (this would be my fourth) wandering around the school, searching for a place I could call my spot.
I already had enough attention being the new senior kid and all, I didn't want anymore. I was going to be as boring and inconspicuous as possible until graduation in June. I was going to be a lake when the wind is dead, a raw piece of spaghetti, a heartbeat monitor hooked up to a corpse, an oscilloscope set up in an anechoic chamber; wave-less, boring, uneventful.
By next week, I'll have been forgotten just the way I want to be. In fact, I was already fading into the background despite only being four days new to a place that rarely had new students.
Anyway, I may have gotten myself lost. Again. I have a really bad sense of direction, alright? Don't judge.
So I was just wandering until I stumbled upon this nice and quiet area that didn't seem to be used much. No idea where I was, but I liked the spot.
It was basically a mini courtyard of sorts with a nice tall tree in the center of dying grass. It obviously wasn't tended to very often or even well. The sad excuse for greenery was tucked into a corner that was a seemingly perfect square, while surrounding it was the edge of the school building. There were no doors or windows and the only other object was a blue trash bin with various stains. I guess it was just a corridor or hallway of sorts that bordered the courtyard.
Anyhow, I liked it. I could easily imagine myself sitting at the foot of the tree, leaning against my bag so I didn't screw up my back, laptop on my legs and headphones over my ears. It was the best place I had found after a four day search. I just hope I'd be able to find it again since I got lost looking for it in the first place.
Just as I was about to make my imagination a reality, I heard voices. So, being the completely normal person that I am, I panicked.
I froze, and when the voices were getting louder, I ran to the closet hiding place; behind the horrid blue trash bin with my back against the wall, bag between my knees. I only later realized that going behind the tree would have been an infinitely better option. It was wider and no doubt smelled a lot better.
It was too late to move though as three people came into the previously deserted area. I recognized them to be the three top dogs of the school. Well, that was my conclusion from three and a half days of listening to school gossip and noticing everyone's reaction to them.
From what I've gathered, they were three rather different boys, but apparently best friends since the beginning of time or whatever.
First up was Derek Thompson, the brown haired, dark blue eyed, rich jock. He was apparently the number one guy the man-lovers in school wanted to screw and since he was openly bi, neither gender had to hold back. He played basketball, soccer, football, and even hockey. And all of it varsity since his freshman year. He was basically playing sports all year round and his body definitely showed it. Defined muscles, probably a six- or eight-pack, sturdy frame, intimidating height, and a healthy tan. Pretty much the whole shebang. And he always wore a jersey of some sort from some team or sport I don't know anything about that flaunted his practically mouthwatering figure with every movement.
Next, we have the dark blond with vibrant green eyes, Colton Grey, who would pound your face in if you called him anything other than Colt. He was the rebel or delinquent. The bad boy, I guess. He does the whole ditching class, sleeping in class, not doing any school work, disregarding teachers, emo-punk-goth hybrid wardrobe, and all that jazz. The boy even has a tongue piercing though I have yet to see it. Apparently, it makes making-out with him all the hotter, according to his admirers who were both male and female, although I've heard he doesn't label himself as a bisexual.
And the final of the trio, Raymond Masters, a cute ginger with coffee colored eyes. I'm not sure what to categorize him as other than the kind of boy parents would happily hand their daughter over to. He was smart, one of the top ranking students in the school, not to mention, student council vice-president, radio club president, and a thespian. He, like Colton, has a piercing but his was a simple gold ring in his right ear. Unlike his two friends, Raymond only went with those of the male variety which left many of his female admirers greatly disappointed.
Derek was usually the center of things, Mr. Popular, to go with his jock status. Colton and Raymond didn't enjoy the spotlight too much, but were still considerably high up on the status quo of high school. Generally, if one of them were mentioned, the other two weren't that far behind.
Colton and Raymond were laughing about something or another while Derek looked like he was about to commit murder, and I could only wish that they'd hurry up and leave. I mean, what were they doing here anyway? Shouldn't they have been at the cafeteria with girls and gay boys falling all over them?
"What kind of best friends are you guys?" Derek grumbled.
They just had to stop right by my horrid trash bin to talk, didn't they? I could see them more or less clearly, but they couldn't see me, or at least I hoped not. So far I was undetected so that was great. I'd just need to think of some believable excuse if I did happen to be discovered. Fantastic.
Colton snickered and threw his arm around Derek's shoulders, his tight, strategically ripped, dark grey skull shirt rising in the movement to show a tempting sliver of his stomach, "Ones who will not bang your siblings."
Derek shrugged him off and scowled, "Not funny. It's been two months and I still can't stand her or her mom."
"Well you did avoid them the entire summer," Raymond pointed out. "You spent all your time with me and/or Colt, and you made sure you didn't see them at all during the wedding."
"Whatever. But now she's going to be coming to our school," Derek groaned. Whoever they were talking about, he clearly did not like her one bit.
"Speaking of new kids…" Colton trailed, getting the other two boys' attention. "Apparently there's some new dude in our grade."
"Really?" Derek sounded interested.
That…does not sound good for me. Don't be interested! Don't be interested! Don't be interested! Maybe if I think it hard enough, it'll work?
Raymond snorted, "He's in our English class, you idiots. And our bio class, Derek."
"Seriously?" Derek and Colton exclaimed in surprise.
I held back a laugh. It seems that I was being as inconspicuous as I had hoped and then some. Truth be told, I shared a few classes with them. Along with what Raymond had said, I had Colton for math, Derek for gym, Raymond for chem, and I think Raymond and I also shared our free period.
Raymond sighed, "Yes. You two were too busy not paying attention as usual so you missed him coming in and introducing himself. He's been here since the first day of school."
"So what's he like?" Colton asked, not bothering to deny the fact that he did indeed not pay attention in class. I remember seeing him flat on his desk, face down and asleep when I walked into my math class for the first time the day before yesterday. Hopefully he won't notice me in class since we have math next.
Raymond shrugged, "He's pretty quiet and seems like the typical loner kid. He's pretty much already blended into the shadows and there aren't that many rumors about him even though he's new and dresses oddly."
I frowned down at my clothes. I did not dress oddly. What's wrong with black jeans and a simple, full sleeved, grey shirt?
"Oddly as in?" Colt questioned. Yes, I actually want to know too.
"As in he seems to be completely colorless, even his skin, or what little he shows anyway, is really pale. I wouldn't be surprised if even his eyes lacked color and were some sort of flat grey."
He was kind of right I guess. My wardrobe only consisted of blacks, greys, and the occasional white. I just don't like colored clothing all that much and my greyscale choices help me melt into the background. But so what if I wear dull clothes and usually cover up? That doesn't automatically classify me as an odd dresser.
And for the record, my eyes are not a flat grey, they're actually annoyingly colorful. They start off with a rim of blue that goes into light green that blends into a dark green and then into some kind of amber-brown in a starburst-like effect. Oh and don't forget the gold flecks here and there. Another annoying thing about them is that they apparently change color depending on what I wear or how the light hits my face or some nonsense. Basically, my eyes fill my color quota.
Raymond wasn't quite done with describing me yet though, "He's got pretty long black hair that covers his face so no one really knows what he looks like, average height, a bit on the chubby side, but that's all I know about him."
And hopefully that is all. But I will admit his description wasn't all that bad. At least he didn't use my mother's favorite term for my body weight; fat. If I could get a dollar for every time she told me to get some exercise or eat healthy when she was conscious…
"Name?" Derek asked.
"Oh right. Asher something," Raymond tapped his index finger against his lips as he tried to remember my last name. "Funny, I can't remember. I'm pretty sure it started with an 'N' or something though."
I had to hold back a snigger. My last name's Knightly, though I guess I understand how he thinks it begins with an 'N'.
Colton whistled lowly, "The boy must be pretty good at being low-key if you barely remember him."
And that's exactly how I want to remain, thank you very much. So, please stop discussing me.
"He gay?" Colton asked, and if I were drinking something, I would have performed a YouTube worthy spit-take.
Raymond shrugged again, "I don't know. He doesn't really have much of a presence and my gaydar isn't exactly the best."
Derek smirked and I automatically knew I would not like where his thoughts were leading him.
"Hey, I've got an idea."
Nope. I would not like this at all.
Colton raised an eyebrow, "Yeah?"
"Let's make our last year in this hellhole interesting. With a bet."
How clichéd could he possibly get? If he says it's a bet to get someone to fall in love with them, I will jump out from my putrid hiding place and whack him over the head with my bag.
Okay, I won't actually do that because for one, I'd be discovered and questioned and certainly no longer invisible, and secondly, my laptop is in my bag and I don't want it to break. I need my laptop.
"If you're going to go completely clichéd on us and say we have to get someone to fall in love with us, I am going to hurt you," Raymond deadpanned.
Yeah! Go, Raymond! Hurt him for me because I doubt I could do much harm anyway.
Derek scoffed, "That's lame and not to mention a dick move. My idea is a lot nicer and it'll help out the new kid. First one to get him to kiss you for a legit make-out session wins. And he has to be the one to initiate the making-out."
Really? What is he, in middle school?
Raymond sighed and hit Derek over the back of his head. He clearly didn't hold back all that much since the thud was quite loud and Derek yelped in pain, crouching to the floor and holding the back of his abused head. I even cringed slightly.
"I did say I'd hit you if you suggested something ridiculously clichéd," Raymond defended.
"Still!" Derek whined. "And you said you'd hit me if the bet was to get someone to fall in love with one of us. I said make-out session, not fall in love."
Raymond didn't seem to care and Colton was simply laughing away at the show his two friends were providing.
"And how is getting him to play tonsil hockey with us going to supposedly help this new kid?" Colton questioned, traces of his amusement still evident in his tone.
"To make-out with one of us, he'll have to come out of his shell which is good for him," Derek explained. "And if the kid gets past you, Ray, he's got to be interesting."
But I like my cozy shell! It has a laptop, food, Dr. Pepper and Red Bull, internet, music, and nothing that can hurt me. And I'm not interesting, nope, sir, not at all. I am the equivalent to watching white paint drying on a white wall. (See, I'm so lame, I rhymed.)
Oh please don't let them agree to this stupid bet.
Besides, they don't know if I'm gay or straight. I could be straight and then this whole thing would be useless! Thank you, Raymond, for having a bad gaydar! Now just please assume that I'm as straight as a steel ruler.
"What if he's straight?" Raymond questioned, once again reading my mind.
Colton grinned, "That'll be even more fun, getting the straight guy to initiate a make-out session. And to count, it has to last at least five minutes and he has to remember it."
What.
"You're going with it?" Raymond questioned.
Right out of my mouth, Raymond. I might love you. You are the only sane one of your friends. Oh please convince them to forget this stupid bet and just forget that I exist. Please.
Colton nodded, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans, "It sounds like something that'll make this year tolerable, or you know, kind of fun."
Raymond sighed, "Oh, what the hell, sure, I'm in."
No! Why, Raymond, why? You were my only hope!
"I kind of hope he is gay, or at least bi," Colton remarked. "This school is lacking in male man-lovers. Makes it annoying when I feel like having a guy but there're only girls."
"I guess time will tell with that. But what're the stakes?" Raymond asked, ignoring the second half of Colton's comment.
Derek scratched his head, "I didn't think that far. But hey, we'll figure something out later."
Raymond rolled his eyes, "Of course you didn't think that far."
"Time limit?" Colton inquired, he was grinning broadly and I could only feel my spirits sinking with every passing moment. My life was going to turn into hell because of these three.
"End of the year, at graduation," Derek answered, grinning.
"Deal," Colton and Raymond nodded in agreement.
~ Back to the present ~
I crawled out from behind the trash bin and slumped down on the floor, knees drawn up and my head ducked down, pressing into my bag.
"Why?" I groaned. "Is one, incident-free year too much to ask for?"
Three and a half days. Not even a week, and my plan has already been shot to deepest depths of hell.
I checked my phone and sighed. I had twenty minutes to figure out how I'm going to avoid those three and keep unnoticed until graduation. Fantastic.
At least tomorrow's Friday, right? Gotta look for the silver lining or I might just go insane.
A/N: Heyyo! So already starting up a new story. How do you like it so far? Next chapter will be uploaded after I post the next chapter of INA! which will hopefully be soon if I can defeat writer's block. But yeah. So until the next upload and let's let this story begin.
Laters!