Ten Things I Love (to Hate) About You

“Hailey!” I looked up, glaring at Brent. He shrugged, waving the Pretty brunette over to our table. She walked up and squished between Trent and Brent (twins) and grinned at the whole table. Most was instantly captivated. She had that personality about her- everyone wanted to know her. I just rolled my eyes and dug into my hamburger.

“We’re having a party at my house tonight. Would you like to come over?” she rested her head in her hands, scanning the table. The guys across from her strained to get a look under the leather jacket, since she was notorious for wearing nothing but a cami beneath it. She smirked, straightening up.

“Down boys. And if I can make it you’ll see me there.” She stood and left. I rolled my eyes after her. “ could have told you that she was going to say that. It’s the answer she gives every time.” Brent shot me a look, then stole my fries. I growled, grabbing his soda.

“Oh! Unfair! Here!” he shoved my fries at me, and I laughed before handing his soda back and snatching my fries away from him. Trent watched after Hailey, until she sat down. “She is so amazing.” He finally mused, turning back to the table. The people sitting at the table immediately broke into a tale of her latest adventures, something about breaking into some rich guys house and stealing his Porsche for the night, videoing her ride through the windy roads of Maryland going over 200 around every curve.

“…and the way she handled the stick shift! She was amazing, it had me drooling just watching it. If she ever needed more entertainment…” Trent was on a roll. He idolized Hailey, basically because a few years back she saved his ass when she claimed to have bought all the liquor at a party that the cops crashed. Somehow fabricated the receipts and everything, since Trent had actually bought it.

“So are you coming to the party tonight?” Brent asked, nudging me. I swallowed, then grinned at me. “Sure. But I can’t drink. Mom wants to go to that convention tomorrow and I have to drive her to the airport in the morning.” He frowned, then shrugged. “Your loss man. But I get it.” I shook my head, doubting he got it. I was always making excuses up. I really just didn’t like drinking.

“ so, 8 at our place.” He said, nodding at everyone. I rolled my eyes. This was going to be one hell of a thing to clean up before his parents got home.

“Mr. Grant. Are you here with us today?” I snapped my head up, grinning sheepishly at ms. Gallent. “Yes, sorry. I was trying to figure out why we should have to write this if we have already covered all of the poetic aspects. It’s just kind of a waste of time to me, is all. We already had to write an essay on them all.” She sighed, shaking her head and giving me a small smile.

“Thank you for paying attention. And to answer your question, does anyone know?” after almost a minute of silence, a lazy hand in the back went up. I instantly recognized Hailey. She had her feet propped up on the desk opposite of her. Ms. Gallent loved Hailey to death, so she got away with anything in here.

“Yes, Hailey.” Ms. Gallent said, and Hailey dropped her hand.

“Because you’re having a poetry contest between all the senior and junior classes. The winner gets a grant sponsored by the school for your choice of a laptop, an iPad, or a trip to Morocco, good for 5. it’s a grade because she wants to make sure that everyone is as creative as she believes them to be.” That sent a chuckle throughout the classroom as I laughed once. Ms. Gallent nodded.

“In a nutshell, that’s about it. It’s due by September 5, so you have about three weeks to get it done.” I sighed in relief. I thought it was going to be due on Monday or something. Ms. Gallent went on to talk about something else, but for some reason I found myself looking at Hailey. She raised an eyebrow at me, blowing a large bubble of her bubblegum. I had the urge to race across the room and pop it, and I smirked at the thought. She popped it loudly, making everyone around her jump, and we both laughed. She winked at me, catching me off guard, before sweeping her things up into her arms and standing a split second before the final bell rang.

“Hailey, are you going to the party?”

“Mocan, are you going to the party?” I heard asked simultaneously from most of the class. I sighed. “I am.” I said, grinning at the closest person to me as I strained to hear Hailey’s answer.

“I’ll be around that part of town, so I might stop by, but I have something I have to do today, so I’m not sure.” She admitted to Blake, a Goth that worshiped the ground she walked on. He grinned.

“Great. See you later, then. Maybe you can give me a ride?” rolled my eyes. She owned a motorcycle, so there would be only one reason he would want to ride with her, and it was painfully obvious. She sent him a coy smile as we made it to the door and out into the streaming hallway, so I couldn’t hear her response.

“Mocan!” I whirled around, and Hecklin was behind me, grinning like a fool. “Coach is sick, so they called off practice!” I punched the air. “Hallelujah! I was so not looking foreword to those stupid sprints!” he nodded excitedly.

“ I know the feeling. Those stupid freshmen need to learn how to run!” I chuckled my agreement, opening my locker.

“Did you hear that Hailey was actually angry today?” a sweetly sick voice asked beside me. I groaned. Kelic, or kell, my ex girlfriend, was constantly stalking me down after classes.

“No I didn’t, but I’m sure you’re going to tell me.” I said mildly. She giggled, making me cringe, before saying “She came to school day, on that horrible machine she calls a ride, and when she got off of it- without a helmet!- she was furious. Blake went to talk to her and she started shouting at him, almost had him in tears. And then, just like that, she snapped out of it and apologized, repeatedly, promising to make it up to him later. Apparently they played hookie second hour and went down to that roger guys house and took the Porsche out again, got back around 5th hour. Isn’t that crazy?” I sighed, pulling my bag onto my shoulder. “Not really, no. have a good night, Kelic.” She huffed at me, not used to being dismissed. Although I must admit that her information was always accurate, she was a bit of a gossip. Ok. Not a bit. She was the queen bee when it came to gossip.

“Are you going to the party tonight?”

“I might be there.” I said vaguely, then weaved into the crowd of people before she could say anything else.