The Bad Boy (34 page)

I cocked my head
to the side in confusion. “If you were so happy, then why did you
stop smiling?” I demanded wiping at my face roughly, aggravated
that I just broke down for no reason. I probably looked like a mess
at that moment.

He sighed running
a hand through his hair. “I don’t know, you caught me off guard
Emilie. Of all places and times to admit something like that you
have to do it here!” He laughs at the end, making me laugh along
because it was a bit ridiculous.

We were at a
mental care center, where my ex-boyfriend who had abused me was
staying and I admitted to my current boyfriend that I loved him. I
think I would have been shocked too.

I looked at him
with a cheesy smile. “So what does that mean?”

He cocked his
head to the side and raised an eyebrow. “That you caught me off
guard.” He said slowly like I was a two year old.

I slapped him on
the arm sending him a dirty look. “Really? You just gave me a heart
attack and you’re still being a jerk?”

He laughed and
pulled me into a tight hug, kissing the top of my head. I looked up
at him with a goofy smile. “I love you too, Emilie.”

“
I
love you too, Jared.”

I stood on my
tippy toes and kissed him. I felt my heart flutter with happiness
after hearing his words. When I said it to Jared, it felt
completely different then when I had said it to Conner. This time I
actually meant it. Actually
felt
it.

Jared was special
to me and even if we didn’t make it all the way in life, at least I
had gotten the chance to love him at one point. And that’s all that
mattered right? To love and let go.

He pulled back
from the kiss and pecked me one more time. “I think we need to get
home now. My mom is probably freaking out.” He laughed opening the
passenger door for me.

I gasped. “Shit!
My parents are going to be there. Our mother’s together is horrible
Jared!” I cried in pain as I buckled myself in.

“
Don’t
worry.” Jared laughed closing my door and going over to the
driver’s side. He slid in the car and turned it on. “You still
haven’t called your parents.” He winked at me and handed me my
phone.

I let out a sigh
and grabbed the phone, dialing in my mom’s number. “At least with
both of us there we can stop some of their madness from coming
out.” I replied and then heard my mom say ‘hello’ into the phone
and started talking to her.

Another two weeks
flew by and everything was going extremely well.

Austin was
finally allowed to walk by himself but still had to be very
careful. The boys that had hurt him were sentence to hours of
community service and other consequences. I hadn’t gone to visit
Conner since that day with Jared but I had talk to his mom on the
phone and according to her everything was going well. His dad had
been convicted of child abuse and sent to Jail.

Jared and I were
well too. After admitting our love for each other, things were
going more smoothly for us. We rarely fought and if we did it only
lasted for less than an hour. I could honestly say, I was in love
with Jared McKingsley and not have any doubt about it.

As for Hailey and
Matt, they were going strong too. I was a little scared that if one
of us broke up, how awkward everything would turn out but always
demolished the thoughts because I didn’t want to have negative
thoughts.

There was only
one thing that I still hadn’t confronted and it was bothering
me.

I stood in the
empty hallway and watched as she threw her books in her locker.
Anna had been on my mind for a while. After going to see Conner, I
felt like I needed closure with Anna too. It felt wrong to just
push her away and not even find out if she was okay.

She obviously had
to of had feelings for Jared if she told him that lie about me to
get him to hate me. I knew I shouldn’t but I felt guilty. Even if I
didn’t know it, I took him away from her and I know how it feels to
be rejected. It sucks.

“
Hey.”
I said slowly, scared that she might just punch me in the face
without a word.

She looked up at
me from her locker and you could see the shock clear in her eyes.
“What are you doing here? Talking to me? I thought you said to
leave you alone.” Her voice wasn’t cold or full of hate. Just
monotone, really.

I smiled a
little. “Yeah well I never said I couldn’t come to you, did I?” I
joked hoping to lighten the mood but she didn’t fall for
it.

“
Yeah,
whatever Emilie. I don’t have time for this.” She closed her locker
and slung the strap of her bag over her shoulder.

“
Wait!” I called lightly grabbing onto her arm. “I need to talk
to you. Please?” My voice sounded desperate and I sort of was. I
didn’t want to leave with us having tension.  I couldn’t go on
knowing that I never got to understand exactly what Anna had
against me.

She sighed and
rolled her eyes. “What?”

“
Why
do you hate me so much?” I asked bluntly.

She didn’t look
shocked by my question but annoyed instead. She threw her bag to
the floor and crossed her arms over her chest. “You want to know?
Know the truth?”

I nodded. “Yeah,
I would.”

She walked closer
to me and stopped when our faces were two inches apart. “I hate you
because you’re Emilie Grey. You get everything and everyone you
want. Sometimes that you don’t want! But you still get it because
your miss amazing and everyone loves you! You never do anything
wrong, you are a little angel and perfect.”

I took a step
back from her as her voice started rising.

“
I
hate you because you took everything from me! And all you had to do
was be around. You never made a move to do it but you still got
it.” Her eyes turned into slits. “You had Conner who I had liked
and then when I knew that wasn’t going to happen, I realized how I
really felt for Jared. But no. You just had to have him too, didn’t
you?”

Her tone turned
deathly. “I never liked being your ‘friend’. Never once did I ever
consider you one either. I just hung around hoping that one day, I
could hurt you like you hurt me numerous times.” She gave me a
sickly sweet smile. “And what do you know? I got it when Conner
went all crazy on you and finally gave you what you
deserved.”

She moved closer
to me and said slowly with steel in her eyes. “I will always hate
you Emilie Grey.” She bent down, snatched her bag off the ground
and walked off down the hallway.

All I could do
was stand there and watch her.

Did she really
just say all of that
?

I wanted the
honest truth and I got it but I wasn’t expecting her to say that.
Did I really take Conner and Jared from her without even knowing
it? What really shocked me was the fact that she only hung out with
me to watch me fall in the end. And she was happy when Conner
succeeded in doing that.

Could that have
been why she slept around so much? The fact that every guy she
liked, ended up with me? It would make a lot of sense. She probably
felt if she switched guys, that she would never get hurt by one
again.

The worst part
out of it all, I felt guilty because in some way it was my fault
that she turned into that girl. Even though I never knew I had
caused it nor did it on purpose, the guilt was still
there.

I wanted to
vomit
.

How could someone
be so hateful towards another person to wish bad onto them? I
wanted to clean the slate with Anna, to make amends but after
hearing what she had said, I don’t think that will ever
happen.

I
will always hate you Emilie Grey.

Shaking my head
at the negative thoughts, I turned around and started walking
towards the front of the school. The bell for last period hadn’t
rung yet but I skipped English because I was trying to find Anna
and talk to her instead.

I sent a quick
text to Jared telling him to meet me out in front of the school
when last period was over. 

There was a
chilly breeze when I opened the front doors but my body quickly
adjusted to it and I took a seat on the wall that lined the
stairs.

I must have zoned
out because I jumped when I felt someone put their hands over my
eyes and whisper in my ear. “I missed you last period.”

A smiled lifted
my lips and I pulled Jared’s hands off my eyes turning around to
face him. “I’m here now though.” I pulled him in for a kiss and he
responded by wrapping his arms around my waist.

“
Mmm,
I liked that.” He mumbled kissing down my neck, nibbling a little
making me giggle.

“
Jared
stop were at school!” I pushed him off of me laughing.

He kissed the tip
of my nose. “No one is around.” He started kissing my neck again
when all of a sudden his head jerked and the top of it hit my chin
roughly. “What the fuck?”

“
Stop
eating my best friend.” Hailey scolded then grinned at me. “Baby! I
missed you!” She pushed Jared out of the way and pulled me into a
tight hug.

“
Hey
Hails.” I laughed hugging her back. “I missed you too.”

“
I—“

She was cut off
by Jared who pulled her away from me and then sat down next to me
and wrapped me up in his arms. “Hands off my girlfriend
loser.”

Hailey narrowed
her eyes. “Bitch you did not just—“

“
Hail,
stop.” Matt demanded grabbing onto her hand.

“
But
he—!”

Matt kissed her
quickly on the lips and when he pulled away she was smiling goofily
at him. I rolled my eyes at her behavior. Why I had such a weird
friend, was beyond me.

“
Better?” He asked smirking at her.

“
No, I
need more!” She pulled his face down and that’s when I looked away
because I didn’t need to see my best friends tongue down her
boyfriend’s throat. Even the thought grossed me out.

“
So
why weren’t you in last period, huh?” Jared questioned sending me a
curious look.

“
I
would tell you but I don’t want you to get mad at me.” I explained
fidgeting with my hands.

I didn’t think
Jared would be happy to hear that I talked to Anna. He hated her
and everything that had to do with her. After knowing that she lied
to him, manipulated with his feelings, and pretty much used him to
hurt me, I could say Jared never wanted to see nor talk to her
again.

He cocked his
head to the side. “What did you do? It couldn’t have been that
bad.”

“
But
it is.” I replied looking down at the ground away from his
gaze.

“
Just
tell me, Emilie. I promise I won’t be mad.”

“
Hey!
Watch where you’re going!” Hailey yelled. Jared and I looked over
at her and Matt to see Anna standing there sending Hailey a death
glare.

“
You’re the one who wasn’t paying attention. Instead of having
your tongue down Matt’s throat why don’t you move?” Anna
snapped.

“
You
stupid little bitch—“ Hailey went to walk closer to her but I
jumped down from the wall and quickly held her back.

“
Hails, don’t.” I begged and then turned to Anna. “Please just
leave. She’s sorry.” I didn’t need a fight to start with them and I
hoped that me stopping Hailey from punching Anna would make Anna
realize I wasn’t as bad as she thought I was.

She stared at me
for a bit before turning on her heel and stomping down the stairs.
The four of us watched as she got into a car with three guys and
drive off down the road.

“
I
wouldn’t be surprised if she has a foursome with those guys.”
Hailey sneered still glaring at where the car had vanished off down
the road.

I turned to her
and gave her a pleading look. “Just drop it please? We stay out of
her way and she will stay out of ours.”

Hailey looked at
me curiously for a second before rolling her eyes. “Yeah, whatever.
Come one Matt let’s start heading over to Jared’s house.” She
grabbed onto Matt’s hand and started pulling him towards where all
the student’s parked their cars. “See you guys in a few!” She
called over her shoulder.

I turned to
Jared. “We’re going to your house?”

He nodded. “Yeah
but I still want to know why you missed last period.” He crossed
his arms over his chest and looked at me with those grey eyes that
I couldn’t help but to love and get lost in.

“
I
talked to Anna.” I blurted out and then sighed when I saw his
eyebrows rise a little. “I’m sorry, okay? I just wanted to know
exactly what I did to her! The curiosity was killing me
Jared!”

He looked away
from me, his forehead crinkled. He seemed deep in thought and I
started to panic. I didn’t want to fight with him or have him mad
at me. It wasn’t like I asked her to be my friend, I just wanted to
make amends. But even that didn’t happen.

“
Don’t
be mad.” I whispered moving closer to him and grabbing onto his
hands, interlocking our fingers. “I just wanted to end our
‘hatred’. I promise I will not be getting involved with her ever
again.” I promised squeezing his hands.