CHAPTER 3

"I'll be your mess, you be mine

That was the deal that we had signed"

-Gayle Forman

"You're an insufferable and disgusting person, Evans, stay away from me." I shrieked, pushing him away. He'd brought glitter slime today and rubbed it all over my face, getting some in my hair. I looked up and saw him smirking, Zoey was standing beside me with her mouth hanging wide open.

"Payback, Dev, payback. Let's just say I don't enjoy you spreading lies and rumours about me having..." He faltered. Then cleared his throat, "you know what I'm talking about."

I narrowed my eyes, "No, I have no clue what you're talking about. What exactly is it that you have Evans?" I mocked him in a sweet voice.

Evans' best friend walked in with his messy blonde hair and noticed the both of us fighting. "What's going on here? Alex?" He looked at me top to bottom and bit his lip.

Zoey started smacking my arm making it so obvious, real sly Zoey, so much for acting casual.

I would've swooned if I wasn't red from embarrassment, ugh, I can't believe Evans did this. Now my crush is noticing me for the first time while I'm looking like Edward freaking Cullen. "Nothing Eric, I was just giving Dev a little sparkle, she's just so dull." He gestured to me.

"Alright, let's go Evans, we'll be late for practice," he pushed Evans towards the gym, "I'll be right there, go." He urged when Evans raised an eyebrow at him.

Evans started walking away painfully slowly and Eric Sanders turned back to face me. "You alright?" I nodded. "Sorry about Alex, he's a little immature when it comes to you. 'Sup Zoey?"

"Hey." Zoey squeaked out. She sneaked a glance up at me.

I chuckled, "I'm pretty sure he's just immature."

"You guys have known each other since middle school right, how come you hate each other so much?" He opened his bag taking out a few tissues and handed them to me.

"Uh, thanks. And um, it's sort of a long story. We just didn't hit it off well I guess." I started wiping the glitter slime off my face.

"Hey uh, I was wondering, d'you want to hang out Thursday after school? I know this cool bowling place, what do you say?" He asked easily, he looked me in the eye smiling, like he knew I'd say yes.

He was right, "Sure, of course, I'd love to." I beamed, trying to hide my obvious excitement.

Eric grabbed my hand and fished a pen out his pocket and wrote down some digits. "Sorry I don't have paper on me and I'm running late but call me later this evening for the details. See ya!" And with that he turned around and walked away in all his glory.

Damn, he's hot.

♡♡♡

"Hey, could I borrow some paper please?" Whispered Zoey while poking my arm. I rolled my eyes and popped open my binder and passed her a few sheets. Zoey believed in 'living freely, no baggage', literally. She was just lazy.

She wrote nothing important on the papers throughout class, she just doodled Sam all over the page with hearts. Sam, Zoey's boyfriend for 7 months and 23 days, he asked her to be his girlfriend on Valentines, and since then she counts every moment with him and I've never seen a more love infected teenage pairing anywhere.

As the lesson ended, she stretched and looked over to me, "You took notes? Of what, the lady didn't even say anything important, Scar. Anyways, Sam and I are walking to Timmy's for Iced Capps, want to join?" As much as I hated being the third wheel, it'd be better than being alone.

"Sure." Besides, Sam always treated me nicely. Over the summer, he's gotten to know me better since Zoey would drag him on our mall trips and picnics, which was annoying but worth it, he also declared he doesn't believe the rumours about me and couldn't care less about what people say of us hanging out. Rumours like I'm a whore and cheater, or the ones that I tried to commit suicide, or the ones where I'm a psycho murderer who killed her family ... whoever said teenagers didn't have imagination are wrong.

We walked out with our bags over our shoulders and spotted Sam banging his locker. We walked towards him and I looked at him inquisitively. "God Damn it." He sighed. "This locker is such a pain, Zoe, remind me to get a new number from the office."

"Sure thing, babe. I'll remind you like the 5 last times I did when we passed by the office." She smacked him playfully.

"I get intimidated, I know Ms. Smith has a massive crush on me. She's scary." He shuddered.

"Well, you are just delicious, it's not her fault." She winked. I faked a gagging sound, receiving a glare from Zoey.

"Let's go you gross couple, I want my donuts." I whined. And Sam chuckled as he gave up on his locker and started walking. I always wonder how Sam and Zoey got together considering they're polar opposites. Zoey was always attracted to confident and buff guys, like guys who played sports and are considered jocks, while she's confident, stylish, sexy and everyone's type of girl. But everyone was in for a hell of a surprise when she announced she was dating Sam Burke, the school treasurer, and total geek. He tutored Zoey for sometime and while she'd always thought he was cute, she also thought he wasn't her type. But love works in mysterious ways. I know, cliche.

We reached the closest Timmy's and walked in rubbing our cold hands together, that were frozen from the September chill. We ordered our drinks and my jelly donut and we went to sit at our table. I sat quietly drinking my warm french vanilla while Zoey and Sam slurped on their Iced capps, not long before they both end up with a sore throat.

Sam and Zoey decided to head back to school early due to Sam's student council meeting, after I convinced them I was fine, they left. I put my earphones in and sat in the warm coffee shop for a long time, closing my eyes. I opened my eyes after a while and checked my phone to see two messages from Zoey. 'Where are you?' and 'Are you okay, get to class fast.'

I glanced at the time and realized it's already 12.45, crap! I got up gathering my things and half ran to school. I paused catching my breath once I reached school grounds then walked inside. I checked the time again and it was already one PM. Ugh, I already missed half of the class, I decided to just ditch. I texted Zoey letting her know, and decided to take a risk and wander the halls after putting my bag away.

After ten minutes of wandering, I reached the math hall and noticed two boys fiddling with a locker. As I got closer to them, I realized it was a nervous looking round faced boy standing there as if he were on lookout. The round faced boy smacked the brown haired guy who was faced towards the locker, and he slammed the locker shut and whipped around catching my eye. Evans.

He looked awfully suspicious. "Ahh, Dev, long time no see. What're you doing out of class Nerdy?" The first time he speaks to me in a year and he manages to piss me off already.

"I could ask you the same, Evans. What are you two up to?" I glanced at the round faced boy who looked up at Evans.

"Nothing miss, my cousin and I were just getting some books?" His answer came out like a question.

"Cousin, huh? Never seen you before. So where are the books you needed?" I pointed to his empty hands.

Evans smirked and nudged his cousin, "Go to class, I've got this Max." His cousin nodded and walked away quickly.

"Are you patrolling the halls, Dev? Wait, are you ditching?" He gasped dramatically. "What a rebel, never pegged you for a bad girl."

"Oh shut up, Evans. I know you're up to something but you know what, I don't care. Continue your childish antics. I'm leaving." I was about to walk away when I noticed something red dripping out of the locker behind him.

"Hey! You two, what're you doing out of class?" A deep voice boomed from down the hall. I looked up to see it was Mr. Panagakos, the principle. Why, out of all days, was the principle doing his rounds today?! He walked towards us and looked at Evans, then the locker.

He looked at Evans and I, and then waited for our answer.

I decided to say the truth but just as I opened my mouth, Evans interrupted me.

"Umm, sir, I was getting something from my locker for her." What? Such a liar, he was dragging me in to this. I glared at him.

The principle seemed to notice the liquid and made a confused face. "Open this locker for me Evans."

"Sir, I would advise against -" He started frantically.

"Now." Mr. Panagakos commanded. Evans scooted towards the locker and stood to the side, he dialled around the lock and it didn't open.

"Heh, sir, I think there's some problem with it." He said.

"Tell me the combination Evans, or you'll get detention again. Not too good for your soccer team is that?"

"34-12-94, sir." Evans mumbled. And the principle put the numbers in. I watched anxiously knowing Evans would get us into deep shit. Mr. Panagakos slowly opened the door and suddenly-

BANG!!!

I opened my eyes not realizing I'd shut them. I saw colours. Everywhere. There was paint splashed everywhere over the principle's bald head, his face and his suit. I looked down at myself and saw purple, orange, blue, red and more splashed on me too. Paintbomb. He put a paint bomb in there.

I looked over to Evans, who'd backed up just in time to only have a few drops of paint on his face. He just shrugged at me. And when I looked back the principle, he was red. And not because of the paint. His veins were popping out of the side of his forehead and with a clenched jaw he pointed to us, "You two in my office. Now." With that, he stalked off.

♡♡♡

Mr. Panagakos gave us an earful and he couldn't believe I was associated with this 'violent crime'. He banged his fist on his desk for dramatic effect, making his three snow globes shake. Evans sniggered beside me, and I threw him an irritated look. He thought this was funny, the nerve.

"Sir, I wasn't part of this, I needed to use the washroom and saw Evans and confronted him, I promise." I said desperately.

"I can't believe you're throwing me under the bus, what happened to loyalty? To our friendship? You and I were in this together!" He exclaimed feigning disbelief, shaking his head solemnly. "I'm sorry Scarlett, but I have to do this." He looked directly in my eye with a longing look, that gave me chills. "Check her attendance record sir, you'll see that she ditched last period."

I suddenly snapped out of my trance and gaped at him. Traitor!

Mr. Panagakos busied himself in checking my timetable and attendance while I sat there fuming in my seat. Evans had an amused look on his face.

Mr. Panagakos returned, and looked at us. "Attendance records confirm you skipped class Ms. Devereaux and now you shall receive punishment along with Mr. Evans here."

"But-"

"I will not however put this on record, seeing it is your first time in trouble unlike Mr. Evans here, but this is your first warning." Evans smiled smugly. "Both of you shall attend detention class with Ms. Harten after school, she will assign you to work and clean the locker that has been destructed. Mr. Evans, you're on suspension from your soccer practise."

"Sir, that's not fair!" He yelled.

"It is Mr. Evans, destruction of school property is not your first issue, you've been caught misbehaving many times before."

"Sir-" He started.

"Dismissed." Said the principal, his tone final. Evans glared at me angrily and huffed out of the office. As if I were at fault! I hurried out after him. But he was gone.

♡♡♡

  (SAM GIF UP TOP)