I'll Never Be the Same

“You think you’re so clever, don’t you?”

Of course Darren was waiting for me at my locker.

“What ever are you talking about?” I questioned innocently, opening my locker and exchanging books between my bag and my locker.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about,” he said, leaning in close to me and speaking quietly. “I hope you know you’re just making this harder on yourself. Your actions on Friday only made me want you even more.”

“You may think that your wanting me more is going to get to me somehow,” I started, “but I really think you have it wrong. If anything, I think you’ll just feel disappointed when I act like I want you, and then turn around and leave you cold.”

“You’re such a tease,” he said, smirking at me. “I like that.”

“Just go away, Darren.”

Miraculously he actually listened to me, backing away.

“See you in English,” he said before turning around and walking away.

This whole thing was starting to feel ridiculous to me.

---

“I don’t suppose you forgot I told you that you could have this week off,” Darren said when he sat down next to me in English.

“Nope,” I said. “I definitely did not.”

“Whatever are you going to do without me?” he questioned, placing his hand on his shoulder. I shoved his hand away and he smirked at me.

“I’m going to enjoy some peace and quiet,” I said.

“Doesn’t sound very fun.”

“Anything that doesn’t involve you is fun.”

“You’re so hurtful!”

I rolled my eyes, glad to see that Mrs. Shepard was ready to start class. I enjoyed when class started simply because that meant it was time for Darren to leave me alone.

As it got closer to the end of the week, I was sad to know that I’d be yet again under the control of Darren. I had really enjoyed my Darren free afternoons. The only time I really had to put up with him was the few minutes before English started where he’d try and convince me to hang out with him that night.

Normally, as soon as class ended I was out the door before Darren could say another word, but this time he caught up with me.

“We should hang out tonight,” he said.

“No.”

“We could go see a movie.”

“No.”

“Hailey, why don’t you just admit that you miss me and want to spend time with me?”

I stopped walking and turned to look at him angrily.

“Why can’t you just leave me alone? Why can’t you just get the hint that I don’t like you?” I asked. “Why don’t you ask one of the many girls in this school who actually want you around them to spend time with you and go see a movie?”

He stared at me for a moment.

“Because I don’t like them,” he finally answered.

“Well, how would you feel if they kept pestering you about going out with them?” I asked. “Because that’s exactly what you’re doing.”

“I’d give in, of course,” he said. “I have needs you know.”

“And you wonder why I don’t like you,” I mumbled, turning around and walking out of the school. I was glad when I realized that Darren wasn’t following me.

---

Monday came quicker than I would have liked and it was almost 4. But I was ready for Darren. I had changed my clothes as soon as I got home. I hadn’t forgotten about my plan to torture Darren in my own way. It was almost October, but I was glad that it was really warm out. I put on a pair of shorts I didn’t wear much mainly because they were really short. I changed into a tank top that was low cut before pulling my hair up into a high ponytail. I put on some make up and used a little bit of perfume. I looked at the finished results and smirked in the mirror.

I heard the familiar honking of Darren’s car and headed outside. When I got into his car, Darren was staring at me, mouth slightly agape.

“Careful,” I said. “I don’t want you to get drool everywhere.”

I watched as he shook his head slowly.

“Since when do you dress up for me?” he asked, smirking.

“Oh this isn’t for you,” I said. “I dressed up for me because it makes me so happy to know that while you can look, you won’t ever be able to touch. Now, where are you dragging me to tonight?”

“My bedroom so that I can ravish you,” he said.

“Only in your dreams,” I muttered. I sat silently for the rest of the car ride until we pulled up into another driveway of a house which I assumed was Darren’s. “I’m not going in your bedroom.”

“Relax,” he said. “My parents are home.”

He got out of the car and I followed slowly, looking down at the outfit I had decided to put on. And now I had to see his parents like this. I wondered if they had met any of the other girls that Darren had dated. If they had, they were probably going to think I was like them, except I wasn’t. I wasn’t dating Darren and this wasn’t how I normally dressed.

I followed Darren into his house, entering through a door that led to the kitchen. Of course his mom was right there, and there was no avoiding this.

“Hi mom,” he said.

“Hi Darren,” she said, looking up and smiling at him. I saw her eyes flicker in my direction, saw the way she tried to look me up and down without being too noticeable. “Who’s this?”

“I’m Hailey,” I said, stepping forward and smiling. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Same,” Darren’s mom answered. She looked at Darren, wanting a little more explanation.

“Hailey’s helping me with some homework,” he said. She nodded her head.

“Is Hailey staying for dinner?” she asked. Darren looked at me, and then at his mom.

“If you don’t mind,” he said.

“That’s fine,” she said. “Have fun with your homework.”

Darren started to leave the kitchen and I follow.

“Oh, Darren,” his mom called. We both stopped, glancing back. “Leave the door of your bedroom open.”

“Sorry about her,” Darren said quietly when we entered his room.

“It’s my fault,” I said. “I shouldn’t have dressed like this. Of course, maybe if you would tell me where you’re dragging me, this wouldn’t happen.”

“My mom may not approve of you and your clothes,” Darren started. “But I sure enjoy it.”

I rolled my eyes, deciding that my plan wasn’t working as well as I had hoped.

“So what are we really doing?” I asked.

“Homework,” he said.

“But I didn’t bring mine.”

“We could always cuddle.”

“No.”

“Well, then you can watch me do my homework,” he said. “If you want I can take my clothes off to make it more exciting for you.”

“Please don’t,” I said. I looked around his room. “You play the guitar?”

He looked at the guitar I was pointing at leaning against the wall next to his bed.

“Yeah,” he said. “It’s a good way to impress the girls.”

“Of course,” I said. He smirked at me and sat down at the desk that was in his room. I walked over to his bookshelf as he pulled out some homework. “You read Harry Potter?”

“Yeah,” he answered. “Anyone who doesn’t is a complete idiot.”

“Well I guess we actually do have something in common,” I said, pulling the first book off of the shelf. I hadn’t read it in a while and I didn’t have anything else to do. I definitely did not want to sit here and watch Darren do his homework. I glanced at his bed, and decided that that would be a place I would never sit on, let alone touch. I settled for a spot on the floor, leaning my back against the wall.

I opened the book and decided that today with Darren wasn’t so bad.