(Derek's P.O.V)

"I could show you to your next class, you know...."

I winked at her, leaning in. "Or....you could just show me something much better."

Veronica chuckled, her voice sultry and her breasts in my view with how low the neckline of the top she had changed into was. Her hand snaked around my neck, bring our faces closer.

"I certainly could."

Just when she was about to kiss me, I turned my head so her lips met my cheek and then pulled away with a grin.

Always leave 'em wanting.

I gave Veronica a dimpled smile as I grabbed a coke and started sipping on it. "Not now, babe."

She rolled her eyes, though still surely confident that we would be finishing what she wanted to start.

But right now I wasn't really in that mood.

She was the one who had approached me this morning as well.

Veronica Welsh, daughter of the Mayor of Ladenhill, was hot as hell. She huffed and then smirked at me, her red hair loose as she stood up. "Later, babe."

With that she sashayed away to her little posse of cheerleaders and I watched her swaying hips.

Hmm....Kitkat has a better ass.

I shook my head and then narrowed my eyes, instantly finding her in the crowded cafeteria.

It was lunch and after the James incident - don't worry you'll know - in third period, Lila had all but abandoned me with Warren and Michael. Just like she'd said earlier that I better stick to Warren which brought Michael into the picture automatically.

Who by the way were really cool company but of course no one is a match for Kitkat.

My eyes narrowed further and my lips turned down as I stared at the mahogany haired beauty seated a good distance from us with James, chuckling and talking.

A hand slapped my back and I groaned.

Warren laughed, "Stop sulking, Derek. Won't do you any good."

I sipped my coke as a response.

And yes, I'm still sulking.

"Look, no offence because she's been wanting to do that for a long time but Laden High rarely gets new students." Michael stated in an attempt to comfort me but his blue eyes were lit up in laughter as well.

"And, uhm, no one would be as good as you." Warren made a patronising face and I gave him a 'really?' look.

"James is a fucking five foot nerdy blonde! Not some bulky hunk." I mumbled sourly, "I got played, man. I was tricked. "

"You were." Warren and Michael affirmed and I glared at them.

"But Nora's cute." Michael glanced at Kitkat's table.

I rose a brow and leaned towards Warren. "Something between them?"

The cringe he had made me do a double take. "What?"

He sighed, "Its more than obvious to everyone on this planet that Nora has a crush on him but I still don't get if Michael's playing hard to get or what when it comes to her. Its like he just loses all his senses in the literal sense."

I blinked and then smothered a laugh.

Warren shot me a grin, "I know. Happens. Now get over yourself or Lila will never let you hear the end of it."

I nodded. "Got it. But I still don't like how she played me."

So basically Nora James was Lila Smith's best friend since Freshmen year and I'd been made to believe that she was her boyfriend or something. It'd kept me on edge the whole time till I'd seen the tiny thing barrel herself into Kitkat's arms.

No, I'm not dumb I can see what's the truth now.....

Warren smirked, "She could only play the James card on you if you were interested in her."

I rolled my eyes and pushed his face away. "No daydreaming allowed, man."

He made a face that told me just how much he believed me. I rolled my eyes heavenwards. 

The bell rang and I glanced at Warren who slurped on his soda before standing up. "Come on, Derek. Let's get to the next class."

"Right, I don't share Physics on Mondays with Kitkat. Lead the way."

"See you, Michael."

War and I bid him goodbye and headed to Physics.

As we walked, I asked him something I'd been wondering about.

"So, how do you know Lila and Nora?"

He raised a brow then shrugged, looking away. "School."

There was more to it - obviously - but I figured I could work on earning the trust first.

After we got settled in the classroom and were mid-way of the boring lesson, the door was opened and a beautiful face peeked in.

"I'm so sorry, Mr Lennon!"

She apologized and the teacher sighed, shaking his head. He motioned with his hand for her to take a seat and she released a breath of relief, blonde curls bouncing over her shoulders.

I watched as the slim blonde with red-painted lips walked in and took a seat in the row parallel to mine, a couple seats in the front.

Warren leaned in close and whispered, "Rebecca Atkinson. Best friends with Veronica. Vice cheer captain."

I rose an impressed brow.

Huh.

The class resumed but I found my eyes travelling towards Rebecca more than a couple of times.

Once she was fishing something out of her bag on the side and her eyes accidentally found mine but then she blushed and gave me a small wave, almost shyly.

And after that, almost as if she knew, she actually turned around to look at me.

I only flashed her charming grins in return and this exchange kept up until the class ended.

I felt a little like a twelve year old who blushes every time he makes eye-contact with a girl he likes. 

Warren caught me as we were filtering out and I watched as Rebecca made an impressive show of a catwalk while walking away.

I'm not entirely sure whether she did it deliberately but even if she did, it's not like anyone was complaining.

Warren eyed her too as he slung an arm over my shoulder and chuckled. "She sure knows her walk."

I put my hand in my jeans pocket and snickered in response, "That she does."

•♤•

"That was a good game, man!" Warren thumped me on the back and I winked at him as I tipped up the bottle of water and drank.

"Thanks." I wiped the back of my hand against my mouth and he nodded as the other members of the soccer team congratulated me on making the team as well and then headed out promptly.

"I'm almost 90% sure that Coach will assign you as a Striker."

I fake glared at him, "Not Centre Forward?"

We both had a good laugh at that.

I was perfectly fine with not being Captain or Centre Forward on the team. Warren had been here longer and earned the position. I could tell because the try out game we had in the end had us against each other and he was phenomenal.

I wasn't passionate about the sport like he was.

Besides....

This was all I needed for an extra popularity boost.

"You wanna hang out with me and Michael?" Warren questioned as he closed his locker and hiked his bag on his shoulder, brown hair still wet after the brief showers we took.

I did the same as him, mulling over his offer.

While I was glad he was 'taking me under his wing', I wasn't really in the mood. What I wanted was some talking with my best friend and maybe annoying the girl next door.

The thought made my lips twitch and I smothered a chuckle.

But then I remembered how Lila had played me and I barely stopped myself from visibly sulking again.

Following the Soccer Captain out into the parking lot, we came into the stretch of the warm sunshine again and I took out my leather jacket from my bag, pulling it back on. The April air was still chilly.

Leather, a bike, smoke and women. Voila you got bad-boy vibes!

Gotta keep the rep.

"I think I'll pass today. But thanks, Knight. Glad you're showing me the ropes." I flashed him a teasing smirk and he rolled his eyes.

"Alright, alright, no problem." Warren messed up his hair, tilting his head as he looked at me. "See you tomorrow then. Don't piss Lila off too much!"

I exhaled, ire weaving in. "No promises."

He gave me a two-finger salute with his back turned and I laughed before heading towards my own bike.

I had no doubts that Kitkat had already left and so I was for once in the mood to get back home and act like the pervert she already had me pegged as.

I hummed a random tune as I put the key in my bike and swung a leg over to straddle it properly. I was about to put on the helmet so I could head out when someone cleared their throat.

Feminine voice, hm.

So of course, I stopped and glanced behind me to see the short haired blonde from this morning approaching me.

Ah, this will be good.

I kept the helmet in front of me and then smirked at Rebecca who now stood in front of me

Her hazel eyes rested on me and she gave me a sweet smile to which I responded in words.

"Rebecca Atkinson."

The girl rose a brow before her lips up-tilted at my greeting. "Derek Greyson."

I grinned at her, "I see you've heard of me."

She chuckled, her eyes trailing over my languid posture as I leaned forward on my bike, arms on the helmet resting on the steering of the beast, hiding the high-tech glow in the dark speedometer and other things.

"So I have."

My eyes snagged onto a familiar redhead behind her in the distance who was leaving but she shot us a suspicious look and I inwardly chuckled.

"Veronica just shot us a look."

I threw that in to test the waters and Rebecca sighed in response. I watched her with a smirk.

The beauty waved her hand dismissively. "She has nothing to fear."

I arched a brow in question.

I won't lie and say I didn't have a preconceived notion about how Rebecca would be considering she was Veronica's best friend and I'd gathered that she slept around just fine.

But despite our meeting, she wasn't throwing herself at me nor was she acting like a confident bitch.

I liked that.

Rebecca smiled prettily and extended a hand. "I just wanted to introduce myself and I hope we can be friends."

I took her hand and rubbed my thumb over her knuckles, watching in delight at how she blushed.

"Just friends?" I hummed.

She huffed, retracting her hand and I smirked at her, continuing. "I mean, come on. We both know we're going to end up in bed sometime soon."

She looked heavenwards and smirked before locking eyes with me, "We'll know if that happens."

She stepped back and out of my way and I ran a hand through my blue-black hair, watching her through hooded lids in amusement.

"When that happens. Because, sweet Rebecca, it will."

She bit her red painted lip and then winked. "I'd like to see you try."

She turned away and I watched before rolling my shoulders and starting the ignition again.

So she wants to play a losing game.

And for me, games are always fun to play.

•♤•

Lila's curtains were open and there was obviously no one home.

I watched into her room from my window again, wondering where exactly she could've gone in a town so small without a vehicle that too.

I'd hoped for some entertainment and some prying into her seemingly average life but she'd one-upped me by not showing back at home.

Being neighbours has perks.

But I'm also really bored without Kitkat to entertain me.

I took a cigarette almost distractedly, lighting it up with my on hands lighter. I know I should've gotten rid of this particular lighter but....

No matter what happened, throwing away the last ties by the means of this lighter didn't mean I could erase everything. Or anything. I might think of this as a reminder but it wasn't necessarily a bad one.

I inhaled, the smoke filling my senses and I exhaled from my mouth silently watching as evening converted into nightfall.

When my phone pinged and brought me out of the well of my mind I was venturing into, I was almost thankful.

Until I saw who the message was from.

Clenching my jaw and puffing on the cigarette with more vigour, I blocked the number and then gritted my teeth.

That chapter of my life is finished.

And now I needed a distraction to cool down.

I briefly contemplated calling Lance, my best friend but then thought better of it and decided to check out the local gym I'd seen while on the way to school.

Gotta let out steam that way if Kitkat won't be my remedy at the moment.

•♤•

A/N

What are your thoughts on Warren and Derek's budding friendship? And how do you think things will fare between Rebecca and Derek? What about the mysterious message and Derek's spoilt mood?

Thank you for reading! Do vote and comment to let me know what you thought of this chapter :) Next update coming in seven days!

Feel free to recommend and check out my other books if you want to. Hope you enjoyed!
Till next time then!

[Fully edited.]

~Skyler