Changing The Rules

The next morning, I got ready as slow as I could, trying to prolong the amount of time before I had to face Nick and school in general again. Instead of getting a lift, I decided to walk to school, headphones in tact which took about 20 minutes longer than if I had gone by car. I was well aware that I was already late, but considering I was a straight A student could easily get out of trouble. This theory was proved when I walked into class only to receive a smile from my tutor.

“Good morning Charlene.” He said happily as he continued speaking to the class about graffiti in the corridors again. I smiled in response before taking my seat by the window by a small group of select friends.

Our tutor continued jabbering on and on about other rules being broken but no one was really paying attention. Nicks posse were speaking loudly about all of their latest hook-ups causing most of my friends to roll their eyes in disgust and continue with our random conversation which had no real relevance.

“So how was Zoe yesterday Nick? Heard you left her begging for more” One of Nicks obnoxious friends said before the rest of them started howling and high fiving. I glanced over to see Nick returning my soft gaze, both of us holding the contact for slightly longer than necessary before one of Nicks friends followed his gaze and looked at me. I quickly averted my attention back to the girls but at the same time awaiting his response.

“Urr…well she…well you know how it is.” He stuttered out as his friends started laughing because they were all more than aware of what sex was like. Man whores. I didn’t quite know how to take Nicks response. He seemed nervous but at the same time his reply was quite cocky and arrogant. Seriously, he was doing my head in.

“Class, I just have to excuse myself for 10 minutes so just…well you know, just.” There were a few raised eyebrows as our tutor quickly hurried out. Not one second after the door had been closed had one of Nick’s friends Aaron stood on the table and was clearing his throat to get everyone’s attention.

“Attention all, attention all” He said in a fake British accent whilst grinning in my direction partly taking the piss out of me.

“A party is going down tonight at my house and well the bigger the better” He paused as he pointed at some of the total nerds up front “Well except you lot, it would be much better if you didn’t show your faces…or glasses” He said which earned loads of laughter from his side. Even some of my friends found it funny, but I kept my face straight, ignoring his pathetic and spineless comment. Those ‘nerds’ up front were going to millionaires in years to come whereas Aaron will just continue with his sexual world domination.

Aaron jumped off the table, revealing some of his six pack as he did so. I must have been the only one who didn’t hold in their breath or try not to gasp. Rather I rolled my eyes and turned my attention away from them. Once my friends had finally recaptured their breaths, they all exchanged grins with each other.

“Oh my gosh this party is going to be amazing!” Becky squealed as all of my friends nodded their heads like idiots.

“Why?” I asked confused. Becky looked disgusted that I would even ask such as question and others just couldn’t see why I wasn’t as excited.

“What do you mean why”

“I mean we don’t even know these people and what we do know is all negative so why would we ever want to hang out with them?”

Sara was the only one who really understood where I was coming from. Obviously she didn’t agree with me but she was able to put a sentence together considering my others friends were all still gobsmacked.

“Ok, we accept that those people are not really the smartest people around but you have got to admit that they are hot. And besides, no one throws a party like they do. You have to come considering this will be your first party, and what a party it will be.”

“But I don’t want to go.” I answered simply as Sara ran her fingers through her hair as she began to become frustrated.

“Please Charly. You are the only one I know wont be standing there in awe the entire time. Please?”

“I’ll think about it. How about you swing around my house about 8 and if I'm not already waiting outside then it means I'm not going. How does that sound?”

They all nodded their heads, those smiles ever present thinking I had caved. I hadn’t but I just needed them to get off my back. I sat that way for a while day dreaming about the UK and working out what the time there would be. My friends continued to talk excitedly about what they were going to wear until Aaron interrupted them.

“So I take it you lovely ladies are coming?” He asked, well more like stated because he knew they were like putty in his hands.

“Well we are.” Sara said whilst pointing to everyone but me. “Charly probably isn’t”.

“Why?” Nicks voice suddenly filled my ears. He spoke before Sara had even finished her sentence. Why the hell does he need to know every little thing in my life?

“Do I need a reason” I heard a couple people cursing about how ungrateful I was. Everyone was waiting for Nick to deliver a smart ass comment but instead his mouth made a small ‘O’ shape and he sinked back into his seat.

“That was kind of rude Charlene” Becky asked as she continued to eye up Aaron again.

“No not really, not everyone is going to want to go and they must know that”. They all looked at me as if I had three heads. They didn’t have to say anything for me to realise that everyone does always want to go. Like I said, these people knew nothing outside of this town.

“I’ll apologise to him later”.

………………….

“I’m sorry if I came across as being rude earlier.”

“Don’t worry about it, no one really cares if you do or don’t come.” He said without looking up from the table he was cleaning. We were now working on the science labs which stunk, considering there were dissections last lesson.

I jerked my head back, not expecting him to be so blunt or cold but shook my head refusing to let him get to me. 10 minutes of silence passed before Nick spoke up again.

“Just wondering, why aren’t you coming? Not that I care or anything, it’s just that most if not all people want to go.”

“It just doesn’t appeal to me” Nick stopped in his tracks and turned his head to look at me with a look of ‘Are you joking me?’ written all over his face.

“I just don’t understand why everyone wants to go watch everyone puking, fighting or hooking up. It just isn’t my scene…at all.”

“Who says that isn’t fun?” Nick asked as he lent against the table, looking deep in thought. I mirrored his action and raised my eyebrow at him. For some reason as I did so, his eyes quickly flashed to my lips before meeting my eyes again.

“How about I show you that parties here can be fun?”

“Well that depends, your definition and my definition of fun are probably completely different.” He nodded his head slightly before turning completely to face me and gripping my shoulders with his hands.

“Fine Scrooge let me prove to you that this party tonight will be fun for both of us.”

“But-”

“That wasn’t a question Char. I’ll pick you up at like half eight or something.”

“Or something…” I trailed off wanting him to give me an official time. There was no way that I was going to be sitting around all night waiting for him to show his face.

“Half eight. Just half eight.” He smirked at me as I shook my head in approval.

“We can probably leave now, we’re pretty much finished her anyway.” I said as I took my cleaning products under my arm and held my hand out, offering to take his.

He handed me his stuff throwing me a smile. I put everything away and heard a loud boom of thunder from outside. I jumped in surprise causing me to drop the stuff everywhere.

“Nick!” I yelled hoping he would come and help me but realised that the lazy sod was probably just messing around in the lab, writing stuff on the walls.

“Thanks a lot Nick. My hands now stink from cleaning up all that disinfectant cr-” I stopped dead in my tracks noticing I was alone in the lab. His stuff had all gone and he had left me alone in this stinky science lab to close up.

…………….

I grumbled to myself as I walked the empty corridors having just spent 5 minutes ensuring the entire science block was locked up. I fished around in my bag for my umbrella which just so happened to be broken on one side but it was going to have to do as I legged it to Nicks car.

I turned the corner to the student parking lot, running as the rain poured down on me and this stupid piece of crap I call my umbrella barely protecting me. The parking lot was completely empty. That son of a bitch had just left me. Didn’t even say goodbye or offer to help me clean up, hell he didn’t even say thank you when I put his stuff away. Nick had just left me stranded at school, in the rain, with no lift home.

This reminded me of the reason I didn’t like him. He was a total and utter jerk.