My weekend with Cole was a blast, having lounged around the house, doing absolutely nothing. We stayed up late into the night talking, watching movies, and playing games; as if the past six months hadn't happened. As if neither one of us had been away from the other for so long.

It was exactly like old times, but unfortunately for us, the weekend had to come to an end.

Cole left my house this morning with a forlorn look on his face, since he knew exactly what was coming the moment he set foot in his house. His father was definitely not going to be happy to see him, and with good reason too.

One, for his disappearing act and the other, for stealing his most prized possession.

I could guarantee that the lecture Cole was about to get would be epic, but sadly I had to miss it, because I had the unfortunate bad luck of needing to attend hell on earth.

The sound of the bell ringing broke through my thoughts as I walked into the building. I made a beeline for my homeroom, as the hallway started to fill up. Poking my head into the class, just as my teacher was about to stand to leave.

"Hi," I greeted with a smirk, extricating myself from the situation at the sight of the scowl that crossed her face.

With my name marked down, I headed towards my locker as Grace popped up next to me, along the way. An irritated expression on her face.

"What's up Buttercup?" I asked as we stopped in front of my locker. Opening it, I started digging around for the books that I needed, while I waited for Grace's answer.

"Why didn't you answer your phone?" she hissed.

Raising a brow at her, I pulled out my phone to check my messages and calls. Finding nothing from Grace throughout the weekend, or this morning. I turned to look at her with a frown.

"Uh- cause I didn't get any calls or messages?" I asked.

"I called and texted," she huffed.

"I'm pretty sure if you did, I would have answered." I said.

"I called and texted Leah," Grace said in a hard tone, as she pulled out her phone.

"Uh huh, I'm pretty sure we don't have telepathy, because you didn't," I retorted, rolling my eyes.

"I did!" she snapped, nimbly flicking her thumb across the screen, before shoving her phone in my face. And true to her words, she had called and texted me.

"Okay, but I didn't get anything."

"Seriously?" she asked, disbelievingly.

"Yeah, check," I said showing her my phone.

Grace glanced down at the screen of my phone for a second then rolled her eyes and waved her hand at it dismissively, before saying;

"Interesting, but not the problem."

"Uh huh and what is?" I asked with a frown, curious to know the real reason she was here screaming at me.

Grace took a second to glance around us, checking to see that no one was listening in on our conversation. Turning to me with a serious expression on her face, she pulled me closer.

"Sean asked me about you," she whisper-yelled.

"Huh?" I asked, blinking rapidly at her words.

"Sean asked me about you," she hissed into my ear, her grip on my arm tightening ever so slightly.

Pulling my arm free from my clearly insane best friend, I turned to look at her with a raised brow, "Really, that's odd."

Not.

Grace looked taken aback by my nonchalance towards the situation, her eyes widening in panic. "Is that all you're going to say?"

"Well, what else is there to say?" I asked.

"Leah?"

"Yes?"

"Sean Evans asked about you," she repeated as if I hadn't heard her the first time.

"Yeah, odd," I said again.

"Sean Evans, Leah! Sean freaking Evans," she stressed, glancing around us once again.

"Yeah and?" I asked in irritation.

It was far too early on a Monday morning to be worrying about such bullshit, plus I had Calculus with that damned woman who wouldn't hesitate to give me detention if I was late.

Grace pulled me closer to her side again and whispered, "Sean Evans. Golden Boy, Soccer Captain, Milena Clark's best friend, does any of this ring a bell?" The urgency with which Grace said this, almost palpable.

"Yes it rings a bell, so what are you getting at here?" I asked through clenched teeth, trying to keep a hold on my irritation.

"He asked about you!" she stressed out again.

"You said that already," I hissed in anger, pulling my arm from her grip again as her nails started digging into my skin through my leather jacket and t-shirt. "So what did he want from you?"

If Sean had gone so far as to ask Grace about me, it could only mean that he hadn't forgotten about what he had seen. The sight of my scars, clearly leaving a mark on his mind as they left a mark on my body.

But even so, no good could come of the Golden Boy asking questions about me.

"Grace, what did he want from you?" I asked again, snapping my fingers in her face.

Grace stood there and scrutinized my expression with narrowed eyes, before answering, "He wanted to know if I knew anything about you getting hurt."

Scoffing at her words, I rolled my eyes, "Of course, he did."

"What do you mean?" she asked, "Why would he ask that?"

With a smirk at Grace, I shook my head, "He saw me in Vicky's office last Monday."

"Vicky?"

Sighing heavily at my mistake I corrected myself, "Ms Daniels, the nurse."

Grace nodded her head in understanding for a second, before she stopped and frowned at me, "Why were you at the nurse's office?"

"For a hangover Grace."

I was tired of the conversation and was definitely going to be late for class if I didn't get moving now. With a raised brow at Grace and with no further interrogation coming from her, I turned on my heel and began walking away.

"Oh Leah?" she called a second later.

"What?" I snapped, stopping in my tracks to glance back at her.

"We're still on for lunch right?" she asked with a smile.

"Sure," I answered tiredly, "Can I go now?"

"Sure, sorry," she smiled, before turning and heading in the direction of her class.

Releasing a heavy sigh, I walked to my Calculus class. Walking in just as the bell sounded for it to begin. My relief though, was short lived as I came to find that the seat next to mine which was usually empty was now occupied.

By who, you may ask?

Well, by the Golden Boy, Sean Evans, himself.

I froze at the sight of him, before planting a scowl on my face and taking my seat. Not sparing Sean a glance, I faced the front of the class and forced myself to pay attention to what Ms. Madden taught.

For so help me God, if I didn't, I might just commit murder.

* * *    * * *

I had three other classes before lunch, and by the time it finally decided to roll around, I was ready to murder.

In each class I shared with Sean, which just so happened to be almost every damn one, he had found some way to end up sitting next to me, either by asking someone to move or just by arriving early.

Cameron figured out his friend's gameplan and decided to join in on this charade, by sitting in front of me. Choosing then to irritate me mercilessly by flirting with the girl next to him. A girl who had the most irritating laugh on earth.

I finally found my reprieve from their nonsense when I had entered my Advanced History class. The one class that neither Sean nor Cameron took, which is where I found myself now.

I sat and stared at the clock above the white board, waiting for the bell to ring so I could escape the bowels of hell for at least an hour. Slowly starting to pack up my books, I kept a close eye on the clock.

"Come on," I whispered, watching as it ticked slowly, wishing for it to move faster.

Mr. Jameson stood in front, talking animatedly about some war or another. I couldn't be sure, as I hadn't paid attention to anything he said the entire period.

He had handed out notes on the topic, so I wasn't really worried about taking my own, since what he had given us would be far more useful. Instead, I chose to ignore the talking monotone man while I doodled in my book.

I watched as the clock struck twelve, the bell ringing a second later. "Finally," I breathed, as I stood to my feet and walked out of the class, just as everyone else rushed to pack up.

Stopping at my locker, I started emptying out its contents, while I waited for Grace to show up so that we could go to lunch together as promised.

"Well- well- well, if it isn't the Bad Girl with the attitude," a voice came from behind me.

"And, if it isn't the walking STD himself," I shot back with as much venom in my voice as I could muster. Closing my locker, I turned around, with a blank expression to face Cameron Stone.

"Aren't you sweet?" he said with an eye roll.

"What do you want?" I asked, already bored of the conversation.

"Well, since you asked, a kiss would be nice and..."

"Stone," I said in warning, narrowing my eyes.

"What? You asked what I wanted," he stated, his signature smirk playing on his lips.

"Why are you here, then?" I asked in irritation.

"Well, the doctor said I'm lacking in vitamin you," Cameron said smoothly, stepping closer to me.

Our bodies were now inches away from each other as I stood with my back against my locker. Over Cameron's shoulder and around us I could see that we had drawn some attention to ourselves as people stared.

Whispers slowly started to rise up as we continued to stand in close proximity.

"Very funny," I said, rolling my eyes, "But seriously, what do you want?"

"I was wondering if you had an extra heart," he said in a low voice, "Mine was just stolen."

I stiffened slightly at his words, his breath fanning over my face as I stared up at him. We were inches apart, this allowed me to take in the planes of his face even more. Noticing how high his cheek bones really were, which made him a great specimen for modelling. His jawline was rugged with slight stubble, giving him that 5 o'clock shadow that many girls swoon.

Cameron's wavy brown hair laid on his forehead in a carefree way, while his emerald gaze bore into mine. His green gaze that held many hues of green, which swirled together, making it hard to look away.

Finally finding the strength to tear my gaze from his, I allowed my eyes to travel down his straight nose and finally to his lips. Lips that were so plump and naturally pink, they looked kissable.

Kissable? What? Snap out of it, Leah!

Shaking my head slightly, I narrowed my eyes at Cameron, finding him staring down at me with a satisfied smirk on his face and with one brow raised. He had caught me staring down at his lips.

Fuck!

"Sorry, no hearts here," I said in a low voice, "Remember, I'm heartless."

"I'm no organ donor, but I'd be happy to give you my heart," Cameron commented, not missing a beat.

"Oh, I'm sure you would. Sadly though, I don't want the blackened thing," I replied.

Cameron raised a brow at my words before inching closer, that smirk still playing on his lips. "You must be a master thief, then," he whispered in my ear, his breath tickling it.

"Why do you say that?" I asked, copying his tone of voice. Yet to my own ears it sounded way more breathless than his.

"Because you stole my heart from across the hallway," he said, inching even closer.

Our bodies were now barely a hair's breadth away from each other, touching now and then when we moved, ever so slightly. I could feel his breath on my neck, from how close he stood, while I stared straight at his neck and jawline.

Cameron was taller than me, by just short of a head, as I took him up to his jaw.

"I'm no thief, Stone," I said in almost a whisper, placing my hand on his chest, over his heart. Pushing him back ever so slightly, so that I could stare up into his eyes.

He sucked in a breath as his body stiffened, his eyes slightly widening as they gazed down into mine.

"I'd beg to differ," he said, flicking his tongue over his lips.

Ignoring his advances, I continued to draw circles on his chest, making sure that he kept his attention on my face and the hand on his chest. His heart beating fast under my fingertips.

"I'm serious, I'm no thief," I said again, watching as a frown took over his features. "But when the opportunity arises," I said in a lower voice, leaning closer to him as I tilted my head up slightly, our lips close, yet not touching.

Cameron's eyes widened even more as I got even closer, the gossip around us picking up. The soft sound of cameras going off in the background meeting my ears.

Ignoring the commotion, I stared deep into his emerald eyes, a small smile making its way onto my lips.

"I take it," I said breathlessly, my breath fanning across his lips in a caress.

Cameron reared at my words, and was about to take control of the situation but before he could, I moved. Pushing him back, I took a few steps away from him as the other students around us watched in interest. Moving out of the way when they saw me coming.

Stopping, I turned to face Cameron, finding him staring after me in a trance like state, his eyes glazed over.

Standing there for a second longer, I sighed as I held up his black wallet that I just snatched. At the sight of the thing, I watched him suck in a breath, before patting himself down.

"You're paying for lunch, right?" I asked with a smirk, as I picked through the cash in his wallet.

Shock evident on his face as he stared at me, still slowly patting himself down as if the sight of his wallet in my hand wasn't proof enough.

"H- H- How?" he asked, walking towards me.

"Don't worry your little mind about that, Stone," I scoffed, as I carried on down the hallway towards the exit of the school, with him beside me, "Let's just catch up with Grace and whoever else she invited to this damn lunch thing."

* * *     * * *

"Oh, thank God," I mumbled under my breath as I started packing up my things, the bell for the end of school having rung not a second ago.

My last class had been Chemistry and unfortunately for me, it also included all the people I despised, excluding Grace. These people also happened to be the people I had been subjected to spend lunch with, all thanks to Grace.

And to make matters worse, they had all decided to sit around me in class.

"So, I was thinking about next week," Grace said, her voice breaking me out of my thoughts.

"Uh- what about it?" I asked, confused.

"Well, it's the kick-off game for the soccer team," she said, while packing her things as well.

"And?" I asked, closing my bag and slinging it over my shoulder.

"And I was thinking we could go to the game and then the after party," Grace said with a smile up at me, slinging her own bag onto her shoulder.

I glanced over at her quizzically as we headed out and into the packed hallway, turning to head towards our lockers.

"So?"

"What?"

"What do you think?" Grace asked, rolling her eyes.

"I think it's a no for me," I answered, glancing at some girl who popped up next to Grace and greeted her.

Noticing me a second later, she turned and headed straight into the throng. Disappearing within the sea of students as we all headed in different directions to either go home, or to our extra-curricular activities.

"Why not?" Grace whined. "It will be fun."

"Really?" I asked with a raised brow.

"Please," she pleaded.

"No," I deadpanned.

"Okay, what if we make a sleepover out of it?" she tried to compromise.

"Why would that change my answer?" I asked.

"Oh, please Leah," Grace begged. "Pretty please."

I glanced down at Grace with a bored expression, "How will it be fun? Watching boys run up and down on a field after a ball is not the definition of fun for me," I said snarkily.

"Pretty please, with a cherry on top?" Grace continued to plead.

Sending her a withering glance, I ignored her as I made my way towards my locker. Stopping in my tracks as I turned the corner. My eyes locked on a couple as they stood pressed against the lockers, their mouths connected with their bodies pressed to each other.

They moved their bodies against each other, their hands roaming as if they couldn't get enough. Many people who walked passed, either snuck a peek at the couple in action or completely ignored them.

I, on the other hand, couldn't ignore them as they were grinding up against my locker. At the sight of this, I curled my hands into fists, as I took in the view.

The guy's features unmistakable, even from the side.

The fucking audacity.

"Hold that thought Grace," I said, cutting her off from whatever rant she was on, before I turned and walked towards the pair.

The couple came into perfect view as I got closer to my locker. Not at all surprised to find Cameron and some girl pressed up against it. Both of them far too busy with each other to notice me.

"Get off my locker, Stone," I hissed.

Upon hearing my voice, it seemed as if they finally noticed my presence as the girl stiffened. Cameron however, popped open an eye to look at me for a second, before closing it once more.

"Ignore her," he mumbled against the girl's lips.

At his command, the girl relaxed once more into his hold, as they continued to play tonsil hockey.

I watched as he pulled her against him, a light moan leaving her at the action. Their movements against each other, becoming more frantic as she moved her hands up into his hair and kissed him back with more fever.

Seriously?

Looking back at Grace for help, I found her watching me closely, with her phone pointed at the commotion. Grace sent me a sheepish smile and a small wave, as she stood there, recording us. Making it clear to me that I wasn't going to be getting any help.

Rolling my eyes at the antics of my overly predictable best friend, I turned my attention back to the sleaze ball and his pick of the day.

"Get off my fucking locker, Stone!" I snapped.

Slamming my palm against the locker next to the girl's head. The lockers rattled violently and the sound echoed down the hallway. The girl flinched at the sound, but Cameron just pulled her closer, stopping her from breaking their kiss.

I glared at the couple for a few more seconds as the whispers started around me. My little display of anger, against the lockers, having drawn attention to the situation.

"Cameron has definitely done it now." someone in the crowd spoke up.

Their voices were the start of many others as they turned to their friends and started gossiping. Mentions of both mine and Cameron's names popping up everywhere, the hallway chirping with gossip.

"Get your sorry asses off my locker, now!" I seethed, slamming my hand against the locker once more. The sudden sound made the whole crowd jump but I didn't care.

Cameron lazily broke the kiss with the girl, before turning to face me, a lazy smirk on his lips.

Satisfaction shone in his emerald green eyes as he extricated himself from her grip and stood up straight. The girl let out a sigh of happiness at having gotten a taste of Cameron, as she leaned against my locker.

Looking her over, I narrowed my eyes in irritation before looking back at the smirking fool. This charade was clearly his way of getting back at me for earlier, his way of getting a rise out of me, and I knew it.

And yet, it was fucking working.

Why was it working?

"Don't be such a party pooper, Mercer," Cameron drawled, "There's enough of me to go around."

"I wouldn't dare go near you with a ten-foot pole," I snapped.

"Killing the mood says otherwise," he retorted.

Ignoring Cameron's jab, I glanced over at the girl, to find her glaring back at me. Ignoring her stare, I took in her appearance – she had medium length, dark brown hair, light brown eyes, a heart shaped face and a button nose. She was shorter than me with the slim, yet defined body build of a cheerleader.

Dressed in a mini skirt and tank top with deathly high heels, the outfit left nothing to the imagination. So it wasn't a surprise that she ended up with Cameron's tongue down her throat.

"Is this your choice of supposed payback?" I scoffed.

"As if I would need to do such a thing," he retorted.

"Then why do it against my locker, when there are so many dark corners to do the nasty?" I asked with a raised brow, the challenge clear in my voice.

The smirk on Cameron's face dropped to a frown at my question, "Don't act like you don't want any of this, I mean you missed your chance before and yet you're back for more," he said.

"As if I wanted any of that in the first place," I scoffed, rolling my eyes.

"Oh, acting like you're too good for anyone, all of a sudden," the girl scoffed. A chorus of oohs came from everyone as I watched a satisfied smile spread upon her lips.

"I wouldn't speak if I were you," I answered, barely sparing her a glance.

"And why not?" she hissed, "If what happened at lunch wasn't answer enough. We all know you secretly want Cameron and that you're just a tease," she finished, flicking her hair over her shoulder and lifting her nose in the air.

Another chorus came from the crowd, while I stared at the girl in mild shock. For it was on a rare occasion that anyone would dare speak to me, and usually with fear in their voice. And yet, here she was brave enough to insult me.

I glared at her for a second, a sweet smile on my face, before stepping closer. My sudden movement caused her to jump a little, as I couldn't help the Cheshire cat-like smile that took over my lips.

"He hasn't even gotten you into his bed yet and you're already an idiot," I said in a low threatening voice.

"Just because I know how to appreciate a good man doesn't make me an idiot," she retorted. "But maybe it's because you don't know how to give him what he wants, that you're so catty!" she snapped back, loud enough for all to hear.

The crowd went nuts, letting out yells and comments while she cocked her head at me in challenge. I had meant to go toe to toe with Cameron, but here I was going head to head with his choice of bimbo for the day.

"Why would I want someone who is just going to discard me like trash the moment he's done with me," I asked with a raised brow. "I mean, that's what you're going to become right?" Pausing for a moment I asked, "Or are you trash already?"

A gasp escaped the girl and the crowd. Her eyes shone with hurt, and yet, the bitter taste of truth still didn't stop her as she spoke up once again, "Well, clearly you want him too, you were all over him at lunch. So who's the trash now?"

I stiffened at her comeback for a second, before I let her words cover me like a second skin. It wasn't the first time I had been called that and it wasn't going to be the last. I had been subjected to those kinds of judgements long before I had even set foot in high school.

Her words fuelled my anger. Stepping closer to her, I grabbed her arm and pulled her close. Our chests almost touched; as I stared into her eyes, her monstrous heels bringing her up to just below my height.

Moving my head to the side of hers, my lips close to her ear I whispered in warning, "Don't push me Jenna, I know more than you think."

Jenna reared back like a snake at the mention of her name, her eyes weary yet filled with anger, "Oh sure, you do!" she spat.

Raising my brow at her willingness to fight me, I shook my head and pulled her close again. "You've been with most of the football team and even a few older men that were old enough to be your grandfather. So one, don't call me a tease and two, definitely don't call me trash when you're something worse," I hissed back in a low voice.

I watched as her eyes widened ever so slightly, her secrets loosed into the world, "Then again, it isn't any of my business how easy or desperate you are for attention, now is it?" I asked in a low voice, watching her closely.

Happy that I had gotten my point across, I stepped away from her. Her face ashen from my revelation, as I could destroy her with that tiny thread of information. And yet, here I stood, doing nothing with it.

Everyone watched in silence as her face drained of colour and emotions flashed within her eyes. Cameron glanced down at Jenna with concern as she had been quiet for far too long, before his head snapped to me.

"What the hell did you do?" he snapped.

"Nothing," I answered with a shrug.

"Bullshit," he shouted, "What the fuck did you say to her?"

With a scoff, I rolled my eyes, "Like you care, you were just using her."

"What did you say?" he hissed.

The sound of Cameron's voice must have knocked Jenna back into the present, because not a moment later was she back in front of me. The dull look in her brown eyes gone; replaced with something far more vicious. Hatred.

"How dare you?" she hissed.

I blinked rapidly at the sight of Jenna's hand barely a few centimetres away from my face. Shocked at the fact that I had missed the signs that she was about to slap me. Looking over at the hand that stopped her, I followed it up to find the person.

Blinking in disbelief, when I found that it was Cameron.

Cameron dropped Jenna's hand with a glare, before turning to me. But the moment he did, her other hand sprang up to slap me. This time though, I was ready and caught her wrist just as her palm lined up with my cheek.

Everyone was shocked when she tried to slap me the first time, gasps erupted around us again at her second attempt. Cameras clicked around us like this was some kind of photo shoot, while Cameron stood wide eyed.

"Now once, I understand, but it's pretty stupid to try slapping me twice. Now isn't it Jenna?" I asked in a hard voice.

Gasps erupted again at the fact that I had used her name or that I even knew it. The girl in front of me was none other than Jenna Black, the very same girl who had gossiped about me on my first day back. Someone who was a part of the cheerleading team and who hated me just as much as Milena did. A girl who would use anyone and anything as a stepping stone to reach the ranks of Milena.

A girl whose little secret I had stumbled upon, while on my way to one of my many gigs. Having seen her exiting a restaurant with an old geezer, a few towns over. Something she did in order to keep up the charade of a fancy lifestyle when in fact, it was the exact opposite.

"I warned you didn't I?" I hissed in a low voice.

Jenna quivered in my grip, as she yanked on her arm to try and pull it free. My grip though, never loosening as I held on tight, her eyes wide with fear.

"I warned you, Jenna."

"Leah, please," she begged, still trying to escape.

With a slow smirk, I yanked her forward once again to be just a hair's breadth away from me. Tears had pooled in her eyes when I caught her hand, as they now rolled down her face in streams.

"I won't ruin you just yet, Jen," I said in a whisper, "But take this as a warning. Try something like this again, and I won't bat an eye as I watch you become the newest pariah."

Pulling away from her, I pushed Jenna into Cameron's arms, before I turned around and opened my locker. Whispers picked up around me as I stood there, their voices bouncing around the hallway. Each story different from the last, each one more outrageous than the next, but all with the same outcome.

That I had been the insane one in all this.

Shaking my head, I packed my books away into my locker as Grace came closer. "What just happened?" she asked, excitement and curiosity shining in her hazel eyes.

"I put Cameron's fling in her place," I answered with a shrug, as I chucked my chunky history textbook back into my locker.

"Yeah I saw that," she said rolling her eyes, "but what the hell was that?"

Turning to Grace I frowned at her, "I just answered that?" I said confused.

"No, I meant, with Jenna?' Grace asked.

Glancing over at her, I noticed her staring back at me inquisitively. She knew something was up and wanted me to spill, but I shrugged instead as I wasn't about to expose Jenna's secrets, just yet.

I told her I wouldn't destroy her, that I would give her a chance and I wasn't about to go back on my word.

"Come on Leah, I know there's something else," Grace pushed.

"It's nothing that will interest you." I shrugged.

"You know something, you hit a nerve back there, Leah," Grace persisted.

"Well, sometimes calling people crude names, works," I replied with a shrug, slamming my locker door shut, I turned to face her head on so that I could stop her from questioning me.

Only to find that Grace wasn't the only person standing near me.

Can't I catch a fucking break with this guy?

"What the fuck now?" I grumbled, as I turned to face Cameron, who had moved to the other side of me.

At the sight of him, a suggestive smile made its way onto Grace's lips, as she nudged me towards him. Wiggling her eyebrows, before walking off to Alexander who stood further down the hallway.

"You owe me," Cameron said in a low voice.

"Oh, do I?"

"Yes you do," he said.

"And why is that?"

"You chased away my friend," he pouted.

"Sure, that's what she was," I retorted, rolling my eyes.

"Either way, you owe me. I saved your ass back there," he said with a smirk.

Shaking my head I retorted once more, "As if."

"You didn't see that first slap coming," Cameron said in a low whisper, "And for that, you owe me."

Standing there, I stared into his eyes to see if he was kidding, only to find that he was being serious. At this realization, I burst into laughter.

"Oh sure," I said.

"I'm serious," he said in a serious tone.

"And how do you expect me to repay you?" I asked as I sobered up.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe go on a date with little ole' me," he said with a smirk.

"In your dreams, Stone."

"Come on, one small date. Just you and me," he said, wiggling his eyebrows as Grace had, "You never know what might spark, Mercer."

"The only spark will be me setting you alight," I said in a hard tone.

"But you owe me, Mercer."

"No, I don't. And even if I did, I definitely wouldn't go on a date with the likes of you," I scoffed.

Cameron glanced down at me with a smirk before stepping slightly closer. I stiffened at the sudden movement, watching as his smirk widened and a mischievous glint shone in his eyes.

"Sooner or later, you will agree, Mercer," he said in a low voice.

Watching him carefully, I stepped closer to him, matching his challenge before answering, "I doubt it."

Cameron raised a brow, before asking, "Is that a challenge?"

"Maybe," I replied.

"Ooh, I like a challenge," he said.

"If you say so," I called, before stepping away from him and turning to walk away.

Turning around, I looked over my shoulder at Cameron, and winked at him before turning back and walking down the hallway towards the school's doors. Motioning to Grace that I was leaving as I was already late for work, this having taken up more time than I thought it would.

Opening the doors to leave, I heard Cameron shout after me, "Challenge accepted, Mercer!"

* * *     * * *

And that's a wrap for chapter 9.

What did you think of it? Was Cameron swoon worthy? Did Leah bite off a little more than she can chew? And, what did you think of Jenna Black trying to take on Leah?

Tell me your thoughts and questions in the comments.

And please vote.

- Orlaith