Still no better title...
PART ONE
Never before had I actually thought this day would come, two weeks after I spotted Rachel running through the woods behind my house, but then... there... it happened.
"Your chair's on my bad."
Rachel Andlewood actually spoke to me, though I'd never admit it to anyone, I've wanted her to talk to me for a long time.
"Oh, sorry."
First, I stumbled. I looked at her expecting to see her chuckling at me or something, but her face was a stern as if she were lecturing me. Then I quickly unhooked her messenger bag out from under my chair and handed it to her, her hands icy cool to my touch. She turned sharply on her heel, leaving the library in a hurry.
I rubbed my, now nearly frozen, hand against my leg while I felt Greg stare bore holes in the side of my head, clearly shocked that Rachel actually spoke. He took a firm hold of my shoulder and shook it,
"No fuggin' way!" He exclaimed.
"No fuggin' way, what?" My voice flat and collected, though my mind was currently doing somersaults and my stomach racing like... wait, my mind was currently racing while my stomach was doing somersaults. That small conversation with the mysterious Rachel put my thought process into hyper-drive.
Greg rolled his eyes, "You know what." The librarian hissed at him so he leaned closer to me, "that's the first word Rachel Andlewood has said to anyone besides a teacher or anything since she got here."
"Oh really? I didn't notice."
Sometimes, I hated acting like this. But it's what the school and everyone expected from me. I was Cole Xavier Mitchell, the hot soccer star with a 4.0 GPA. My part in High School is to say something witty, not care about anything, and get good grades without trying. Though I work my ass off to get the perfect grades I do.
Greg continued his little banter, as he usually did when he was excited, "I mean, she's drop dead gorgeous, no doubt in my mind. But she's the kind of girl I imagine ripping out my eyes with toothpicks."
"Greg, that's disgusting." I gave him a sarcastic side glance, but that didn't stop him.
"I'm serious though!" He said loud enough so the two girls whispering at the next table could hear, and they started giggling. The librarian hissed at us again to keep quiet, "If she were a bit more... lively... I wouldn't mind dating her! I can deal with a little pain, if you catch my drift."
Not so subtly, he winked at me. Greg was known throughout campus for being a huge pervert. He's the kind of guy who wants to get bit, scratched, and whipped when he's having sex, which most girls aren't willing to grant him.
"Did I hear you say something about dating someone?"
We both looked up to see Valerie McLoven, Greg's current girlfriend. If anyone ever needed a quick fix, be it drugs or a quick fuck, Valerie was your girl. (But Greg is convinced that he changed her, that now she's the perfect little girl who wouldn't do any of that bad stuff.) From her curly red hair to her dark green eye-shadow, she pretty much SCREAMED burn-out whore.
Seeing Valerie, Greg's face turned that dark shade pink it always did when he saw her. It was pretty nauseating.
"Oh, hey, babe. I didn't see you there."
He pulled her into his lap and started kissing her neck. She giggled in response. Gag me.
"Excuse me, only two people per table." The librarian, no, Miss Littleton, said pretty loudly from the check-out counter in her nasally little voice.
"It's okay Miss Littleton, I was just leaving." I said calmly as I got up to leave.
Before I could even grab my bag, Greg tugged on my sweater, "Sorry man. I'll text you about Austin's party on Saturday, if you're still up for it."
I nodded, "Sounds good."
With my bag over my shoulder, I started towards the door, smirking at some Freshman girls who couldn't help but stare. They giggled that annoying giggle I got every time I smiled, but I kept on smiling until I was out the door. I wasn't in the mood to go home just yet, so I decided to go down to the cafeteria to get something quick to eat when I spied someone coming towards me. Surprisingly, it was Rachel. And her eyes were fixed on me.
"Hey, Cole."
I nodded at her, even though I suddenly felt my knees buckle in something similar to fear... or anticipation, I didn't know. "What can I do you for?"
When she was finally right in front of me, she handed me the book I was currently reading in my AP English class, Grapes of Wrath. I checked the inside cover, my name was neatly written in the upper corner, 'When did she get this?'
"Thanks, I owe you one." My lips curved up into that smile I gave when I wanted to see a girl melt, but she stood strong.
But to my utter surprise, she smiled back, shaking her head.
"A condescending ass doesn't owe me anything. Just, do me the honor of leaving me alone, I know you just think I'm some circus side show anyway."
With that, she left me shocked... completely in awe... Rachel Andlewood could see right through me.
