Player of Hearts

"Well at least I'm not alone," she mumbled as she glanced back to her hands that were on top of her bag, she was surprised she could speak with the way her mind was racing.

"My names Vic, what's yours?" Victor stated with a smirk on his face as he twisted the seat so he was sitting on it backwards and leaning forward with his hand outstretched to Avalee.

"Avalee," she whispered as she shook his hand, not to tight but not too weak, something her brother had taught her, it’s how to impress someone worth impressing.

"Ah you're the girl from science class, Franks is a dick."

"Yes, he sort of is," Avalee expressed as she shrugged her shoulders. "He wouldn't even let me explain why I threw balled up paper at my friends head."

"Is there a way to explain it without it being you actually threw paper wads at your friends head?" Victor asked with a grin.

"She wanted me to keep her awake, she always falls asleep and since we have the assigned seats, she sits three rows down from me and she said if she started to doze throw things at her, and I did and I got detention for it."

"I would be slightly pissed off," he stated as he leaned back up and looked around the classroom. "Want a ride home?"

"I have my friend waiting for me outside and we're going to walk home, thank you though," she said kindly as she looked up at him, his bright baby blue eyes boring into her vibrant green ones.

"I can take your friend home too."

"I'll ask her, thanks for the offer," she expressed as she laid her head sideways on her bag, watching him nod his head. "You usually don't talk to anyone, and if you do its only a few words, why are you talking to me?"

"I like you," he said with a smile as he leaned forward. "You strike me as unique, not like everyone here, fake, ignorant, fleas, you have potential to be something better than all that."

"And you get that from?"

"Studying you every day for four years in the yard," he said as he pulled out a cigarette pack from his jacket pocket. "I'm not stupid, I've seen you looking."

"Oh," she said as she looked away from him, her cheeks burning from embarrassment. "Was I that obvious?"

"Pretty much."

"Sadly I thought I was doing a good job at hiding it," she sighed heavily as she looked back to him. "Are you supposed to smoke in here?"

"No," he smirked as he blew the smoke out the side of his mouth. "I'm not supposed to do a lot of things in here, but I do them because the worst they can do to me is throw me out."

"Jail, they could throw you in jail."

"Friends would bail me out and I'd be back the next day just to piss these sons of bitches off," he laughed; it was deep and raspy, which would drive anyone crazy from the butterflies in their stomachs.

"Well that's one way to think of it," Avalee said as she bit the inside of her cheek, trying not to forget to not stare at him with her mouth open and drool dripping down her jaw, that wouldn't be a good impression to make.

"I've come up with many more but that just seems like the best way," he chuckled as he leaned down to Avalee. "Have you ever gone out to date with these jokers in this school? The girls here, well most of them are sluts, not that I'm complaining but it gives girls a bad rap."

"I know, that's why I'm anti-social as Tessa says, but she can't really speak because she's just as anti-social as I am," Avalee laughed as she looked down at the ground. "The guys here are jerks, I don't even want to try and date them, I want something different from a jock with a pretty face, its old and it's boring."

"Exactly."

"Yep."

"So, want to ditch this and go riding?" he asked as he stood up, earning a look from Morton. "He won't even say a word; he wants me and the guys gone."

"I don't want to get in any more trouble," Avalee sighed heavily as she sat up straight in her chair, looking up at the tall man. "I'm already in a shit load."

"Come on Lee, be a rebel for five minutes," Victor pleaded with a smile on his face. "I'll take care of you, don't worry about it."

"I'm not sure, I mean we just now started talking and now you want to go riding? It sounds too murder and a rape for me."

"For one, I wouldn't rape anyone, because mainly you can't rape the willing," he turned to me and smirked. "And two I don't believe I would murder you, I've taken a liking to you, turning you into one of us are in the works."

"Are you kidding me? I can't be a…what are you by the way?"

"We don't exactly have a name," he leaned over and shrugged his shoulders. "But we go by the criminals of the school."

"Sounds like a great club to join, where do I sign up?" she said sarcastically as she turned forward. "I don'-

"Listen," Victor said as he kneeled beside Avalee's face. "I know you haven't done so much as one bad thing in your life, and I don't want to turn you into an actual criminal, it’s just one joy ride around New York, where's the harm in that?"

"It's New York, harm is like the capital."

"I'll agree with you on that, but wouldn't you like to go around and see the sights without fearing for your life? Me and the boys could help you, in this school I've seen you bullied, we could help you with that, we could make sure you're safe, we're family and we look out for each other," he said as he grabbed her arm and pulled her up.

"What's the catch?"

"There isn't one, I just told you, I took a liken to you so when we like someone, we protect them and make sure they are safe," he said with a smirk on his face, Avalee blushed ten times worst than before and nodded her head.

She wouldn't have the chance again, what's the harm?

"Alright," she whispered as she looked up into his eyes. "But don't expect me to break any rules, I'm not like that."

"I know you're not," he chuckled as he helped her from her seat and leaned down to her ear. "That's why I didn't suggest we go get a hotel room for the night."

Avalee's eyes went wide at his comment, she couldn't help but chuckled under her breath though as she leaned back. "Yeah that wouldn't happen."

"I said I know," he laughed as he pushed her gently towards the front of the class, Morton looked up and stared at the crowd of people walking past him, he just waved them on before he went back to his paper. "See I told you he doesn't care."

As they walked through the hallways, students who were leaving glanced up in confusion at the loner walking with the criminals. "Do people always stare?"

"Always," Victor explained as he put his arm around her shoulder, sighing contently he opened the entrance door and led Avalee outside to the bright, cloudless day; Avalee looked around the steps and noticed her friend asleep in the corner of the steps.

"Hang on a second," Avalee said as she took off on her toes, quietly as sat down a step higher than Tessa and clapped her hands loudly in her friend's ear.

"Shit!" Tessa screamed as she slid sideways from her position and knocked her head on the metal railing. "Damn it Avalee that hurt like a bitch."

"Looked like it," Victor's deep voice came from behind Avalee as he jogged down the steps with a cigarette balanced on his lips, he sat next to Avalee and set his cigarette pack on the ground, then stuck his hand out to Tessa while blowing the smoke from his lungs to his side. "Vic and you must be Lee's friend Tessa, the one that got her detention."

"Uh," Tessa glanced up at Avalee and nodded slowly. "You go in the detention room depressed and you walk out with a guy, can you get me in trouble next time?"

“I’ll try,” Avalee laughed slightly.

“You better,” She grinned at Ava before she looked back over to Victor. “So why are you hanging out with Ava? I mean, you don’t seem like the type of guy that-“

“Tess! That’s insulting.” Avalee mumbled.

“Sorry, but he doesn’t seem like the guy that would hang out with you,” Tessa looked over to Ava and held her hand out to Victor. “Your opposites!”

“Have you ever heard the expression Opposites attract?” Ava spat back.

“Yes, but-“

“Ladies!” Victor raised his voice slightly. “There’s no need to argue.”

“Sorry…” Avalee and Tessa both mumbled and looked at the ground.

“So, do ya want to go now?” Victor pulled his keys out of his pocket and shook them.

“Go where?” Tessa looked over to Vic, then me.

“For a little riding,” Ava said softly.