Chapter One
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Sebastian Silva walked into class with blood running from his lip. He thought nothing of it, this was apparent when he used the arm of his leather jacket to wipe it away. Jerry—a girl despite her name—scowled as he took his seat beside her, scooting her desk a couple inches south of his aura. He just snorted, brushing his caramel locks away from his eyes, leaning back in his chair. When she thought she was far enough away, Jerry glanced over at him one more time only to have him flip her off, with both hands. She scoffed before turning away again.
All this before the first bell.
"He's weird." Aria stated casually leaning into my body.
"That's the consensus." I whispered so he couldn't hear me. "Aria, get off of me." I nudged her back into sitting in her own chair rather than oozing onto my lap.
"You're no fun." She said with a pout, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Class is going to start, soon-ish. So take your assigned seat. "
"What are you the teacher? Besides... we're a couple now."
"Since when?" I asked, seriously not knowing what the hell she was talking about.
"Since," Aria glanced down at her watch, "7:45 this morning, eastern standard time." She looked back at me, giving me a firm nod.
"Shut up." I replied. "You closet lesbian." I added playfully.
Her eyes widened and she chucked me on the shoulder. "Don't say that." She hissed. "I've been officially uncloseted for--" She peered down at her watch again, "Thirty-seven hours."
I slowly let what she just said seep into my mind. It happened in slow motion. Me slightly turning to look at her, the proverbial "DING," going off in my head. Then, me sitting at alert and turning completely to face her. Moving so quickly that it felt as if my head nearly snapped off of my neck. Then, finally me being calm as possible, like what she just said was as casual as her burping in my ear. It's Aria. She would do that.
"Pardon?"
"Oh. Did I not tell you?" She chirped looking at the end of her mousy brown hair with hot-pink highlights.
Now it was my turn to pour out of my seat and onto her lap. Out of sheer anticipation, mind you. But, we're in class and so I still have to keep my tone normal and low. Calm down Sam…calm down.
"Uh. No you have not."
She turned back to eye me, a brazen smile, shoulders up, boobs puffed out and invading my personal space. "Well, then you'll be the first I tell. You ready?"
"Shoot."
"I got a thing for girls."
"Ah. Nice."
I was acting casual yes but by this time I was leaning so far out of my seat that I nearly fell at her feet. And did. With a loud thud. Aria giggled as I scrambled back into my chair; I only glanced up momentarily to survey the room. Did anyone see? If anyone did, no one seemed to be looking. Phew. Safe.
I was relieved by the absence of eyes but getting annoyed with Aria; who was still trying her best not to cackle to her heart's content. "You okay sport?"
"As okay as I can be, considering that my best friend of four years just told me she's a freakin' lesbian." I muttered only loud enough for her to hear. I wasn't sure if this was a secret or not but by the way she was acting—I'm pretty sure she didn't care who heard. Luckily for her, I did.
"This makes no sense." I whispered flatly as I dusted a piece of floor-lint off of my shoulder. Didn't they sweep the classroom floors at night? First period has not even started and here I am with dirt on my shirt.
"What doesn't make sense?" She asked innocently.
"How can you be gay and us be a couple at the same time."
"Oh that."
"Yeah, that."
"Well, that's quite easy to answer. It's rather just one simple fact you see."
"Uh huh. Right. And that would be….what."
Aria smiled that smile that was a cross between a flirtatious smirk and a mysterious grin. I hated this smile, but it got her and I out of more speeding tickets than one could ever imagine. But why was she using that smile on me? Was she hitting on me? Attempting to hit on me? See, this makes no sense at all.
"The answer sometime today would be great Aria."
"Wouldn't it though?" She replied matter of factly, that smile deepening, my mood worsening.
"Don't be a bitch. It's too early and I haven't had my red bull yet."
"Okay, okay." She leaned over, giving me the usual shot of her cleavage and as usual it did absolutely nothing for me. "I'll tell you."
I was trying to act cool, but the truth was that I was DYING to hear this. What logical explanation could she have for clarifying her newly found lesbo status while also stating that we were a couple? A couple? Hah. This'll be good.
"Because."
"Uh-huh."
"You're safe."
That's it?
"That's it?"
"Yeah, if I'm your girlfriend then the other guys will back off of me—for once—and I can be comfortable in my new lesbian state of mind."
"That makes no sense what so ever."
"Does to me, that's all that counts."
My manly-hood was a little insulted by her seemingly clean argument. "How come I'm safe? What about Richie—he's safer than me."
Both our eyes traveled to the front of the class to Richard who was counting out his Pokemon cards in plain view. Nothing wrong with that except he's a freaking junior in high school and they're Pokemon cards. In plain view. That are encased in plastic. In plain view. That are kept protected in a brown binder. I say again--in plain view-looking at them all intense and focused. Yeah.
"He's definitely safer than I am." I chuckled before nodding, satisfied with my statement.
Aria, on the other hand squinted at Richie, suddenly preoccupied with the idea. Frankly this whole conversation was a joke to me.
"No, he's not safe. He'd ravage me eventually. Maybe in his parent's basement…with the lights off…while we watch Pokemon Three, the movie…"
"Aria how can you expect me to take you seriously? I mean, it's you. And its—" I peered down at my watch. "—Not even a quarter till nine. Obviously, you're brain is demented before nine." I turned away and stretched my legs out under my desk. "The idea of you liking girls is as ridiculous as the idea of me liking boys."
This is where she's supposed to laugh and agree and tell me that this whole lesbian joke is that. A joke. But she didn't say anything, only turned away ever so slightly and started playing with her hair again. And with a casual shrug she replied,
"Right."
Of course, I was falling out of my seat again. Not really but I was in my head.
"What?!" I was trying to be as calm as possible or at least I was in my head, like with the falling. But sadly, this time, in reality I think I was five octaves away from breaking the glass on every window in the classroom. And I'm pretty sure that merits a few eyes on you.
Aria flinched and let her hair drop from her hands as I slowly began to rise over her desk.
"Okay. Sam calm down. You're drawing attention to yourself and you hate attention. Remember? Attention. You. Bad."
I didn't care that class was starting soon, the second bell hadn't rung so we were safe for--I didn't care at this point, really. I grabbed onto Aria's something—hopefully an arm but it might have been a leg. I was just…so… Gah.
"Um, Sam—"
But I cut her off as I pulled her out the class, into the hall and around the nearest-farthest-ish corner. I stopped, taking hold of her shoulders so that she was standing directly in front of me. Her eyes registered a hint of fear but mostly amusement. Because even if I wanted to hit her, she could so kick my ass. I guess in that aspect, she was kind of lesbianish.
"Now was that a "right," that would be ridiculous right—or a "right," that's what I'm saying you are gay right."
"The second "right.'"
"See, now I know you're demented." I started to walk back to class then. I was done with her and I still needed my red bull. Why didn't I grab one before I left for school this morning? There right there on the third shelf in the kitchen cabinet, to the left of the Fritos. If I had known I was going to deal with this so early in the morning, I would have spiked it with vodka.
"Sam," I could her sandals "clip-clopping," as she trailed behind me. "Sam don't be mad but how can you not be? I mean. You are so gay." That word came out stressed and yet stated so matter-of-factly that I was mad all over again.
I stopped and she ran into me.
"How can you say that?" I was truly devastated by her insinuation. No. Her clear declaration of my supposed "gayness." Didn't she know who my parents were? How much my mother would cry if she ever thought this was true? How many hours of therapy I'd be forced into if this was ever mentioned at one of our family dinners? This wasn't a game to me, my family would have my head on a pike if they ever caught wind of this falsehood. And rumors happened in this school like brushfire in...the brushes.
"I. Uh—Fine." She gave up trying to be nice about it. Now she was just going to be Aria about it. "You want to drag this out here in the hallway Sam?" She asked, a little louder than I would have liked, sweeping a foreful arm over the empty hall. Okay fine. Sure, why not it's empty.
I crossed my arms over my chest. "Yes please. Enlighten me oh knower of my sexual preference."
"Have you ever liked a girl?"
She doesn't waste anytime does she?
"Of course." I think.
"Ever had a girlfriend?"
"Yes." At least one. I'm pretty sure.
"Both lies."
"How the hell would you know?"
"Well last time I checked, both answers were definite no's. And I've known you since then, I watch you pretty closely I would have known if you had a girlfriend or liked a girl or checked out a girl. Sam."
"Okay take a breath Aria. When was the last time you checked?"
"Last year. New Year's Eve. Remember we stole two bottles of Bailey's and went up on the roof of my Aunt's guest house because you barfed in the guest bathroom and wanted to hide so they wouldn't make us clean it?"
What the hell? Oh Aria was just on a roll today. "I don't remember any of what you're talking about." Because it never happened.
"Exactly. That's because by that time you were already shit-faced."
"What do you mean exactly? And besides it was New Year's. Everyone and their mom were shit-faced. What's your point?"
"What are you talking about? You get drunk like every other weekend and a couple of Thursdays a month if I don't watch you."
"Okay now you're totally changing the subject."
"No this has everything to do with the subject."
"Now you're making even less sense."
"That's because you're not listening."
"Then spell it out for me Aria." I said, flinging my arms up in the air. I was nearly ready to walk away again.
"You told me then you liked Michael. That night on the roof when I asked you which girl you liked you clearly said: Michael. And when I asked you if you had ever had a girlfriend—ever—you laughed like I asked you an obviously stupid question."
"Who the hell is Michael?" I may have unintentionally stressed the word hell. One traumatizing moment at time please.
"Michael—from chemistry class last year—remember—the tall surfer guy with the long wavy blonde hair.
Oh yeah…Michael. Heh. Wait. I never liked him!
"I never liked him!"
"Yes. You. Did. After you told me I didn't believe it either but then I watched you and I noticed that you checked him out like all the time over the Bunsen burners and you turned pink whenever he asked you if he could borrow your eraser or get a sheet of scratch paper from your five-star notebook."
"...Why have you been studying me so closely."
"And EVERY time after that—when ever you got drunk you'd say something like oh Michael's cute or Jacob's ass looked so good today."
Oh my god. Now I had to look around every so often to see if anyone was coming. No one was allowed to hear this nonsense. Maybe it wasn't smart to have this conversation on campus. Or near people. Or ever.
"So are you a lesbian or are you just trying to draw the gay out of me."
"No Sam. I wouldn't lie about something so serious but before we get into that—admit it first. You're gay."
"I admit that you've lost your mind and that you pay too much attention to the details of my day. I don't remember any of the stuff you're talking about."
"That's because you were drunk when you said that stuff Sam. Drunk people tend to forget things they say. Duh."
"You're over exaggerating the situation. You're a drama queen. As usual. And if we are in fact a couple—as of right now I'm officially breaking up with you--"
"Okay fine. Have you noticed my boobs today Sam?" Aria quickly interposed before cupping both of her breasts in her hands and practically presenting them to my face. Of course, I blushed then looked away, far far away.
"I noticed that they're spilling out of that thing you call a top, like usual."
"Do they make you hot? Hm? Sam?" She asked, wiggling herself toward me, invading my space, yet again, with her huge torpedos. I never noticed how big her boobs were until right then.
"Aria," I pushed her away, making sure my hands were on her shoulders before I exerted force. "Please, put them away. Someone will see and think—"
"Think what? That a boy is checking out some knockers? And? That's normal Sam. But you know why that bothers you? Hm? Because you don't like people to think that you are something you're not. And you know what you're not? A guy that checks out boobs. And you know you're not a guy that checks out boobs—"
It was then that I started walking away again.
"That was also part of my test." Again, her flip-flops--flip-flopped as she trailed behind me. "I wear revealing clothing every other day to gage your reaction."
"You've got to be kidding me." I replied but kept walking. I was officially done with Aria and her bull. But where could I go where she wouldn't be able to follow?
I turned the corner for the boy's bathroom.
"Every time your reaction is the same. You look at them like they're air in front of your face and turn away without so much as a blink. Sam. Teacher's look at my cleavage for god's sake! Woman teachers even. Mrs. Bradshaw has—wait. ...Maybe Mrs. Bradshaw is one of my people." She stopped to ponder the idea. "She's kind of hot you know. You think she would—"
Of course by then I was long gone and only feet away from the boy's bathroom. I was home free—my hand on the door ready to push when someone did it for me but on the other side. Luckily my hand was out so it only kind of hit me but it still hurt. But who opens a door so hard anyway?
Suddenly I was looking into a pair of turquoise green eyes and I could hardly think after that, let alone move.
There was a long moment of silence as I tried to regain my essence of being and the other person waited for me to get the hell out of their way. But…I was taking too long. So he spoke first and I jumped because I wasn't ready to be human yet.
"You lost kid?"
"No." Okay now move! You useless body of mine!
But, of course it didn't--I didn't--which only lead this person to chuckle and speak again and again, I jumped.
"Then what. You waiting for me to kiss you or something."
The mere idea made my face hotter than I would have liked because that meant I was blushing and somewhere near by Aria was watching. And giggling no doubt. After all, I was only helping her prove her point.
I hadn't moved or even spoken before lips lowered onto mine giving me a short dry kiss, rendering me breathless, dammit. My eyes fluttered closed—by accident—and the kiss was brief, so I didn't get a chance to enjoy it. What the hell am I thinking?!
"There. Move."
I did it finally, sliding out of his way, but my body moved on its own because I wasn't in it anymore. I was floating above it, watching from a distance not believing my own luck.
Suddenly hands landed on my shoulders shaking me back into reality. Like a vacuum, I was sucked back into my body.
"Oh my god." Aria whispered into my ear. "Sebastian Silva just kissed you on the mouth…"
Don't I know it.
"…Did you get any tongue?"
"No."
"Are you disappointed by that fact?"
I didn't say anything because I was thinking about it. I was actually thinking about it?! Holy crap. What's going on with me?
Aria's arms went around my waist as she steered me back on the path towards the classroom. We walked back slowly, her chin resting on my shoulder, me moving like a zombie.
She waited until we were at the door to spin me around and I was so out of it that I didn't realize she had until I heard her voice.
"You didn't say."
"I didn't say what?" I asked, shaking myself back into reality, again.
"If you were disappointed or not."
"That's because…."
"That's because?"
"I."
"You?"
"I."
The third bell sounded, indicating we were officially late for class. I don't even remember the second one. I've never been late for class in my life.
Aria's eyes studied my delayed reaction to what just happened. I dropped my head and sighed for what seemed like an hour before looking to meet her gaze. Why was Aria always right? It was starting to annoy me.
"Sam. Are you ready to admit it now?" She asked, tilting her head to the side, wearing that smile that annoyed the hell out of me. Now, more than usual.
"No." I replied stubbornly before opening the door to class, totally ending the conversation. I will not admit anything to that smile. At least, not before my red bull.
A/N: Ahem.
Whilst sitting in front of my computer this story started oozing out of my head and found its way to my fingers which were conveniently resting on a keyboard.
So, I wrote it but I PROMISE not to lose focus on The Wrong Way. It's coming along rather nicely. But this was fun too. Heh. If no one reviews it I will stop! But if there are any of you who like it, as I do, and review it…I will continue on!!! With both stories, of course. Summer's coming no more homework—I can do it. I promise!!!