The Deal With The Bad Boy

Chapter Thirteen

Jay finally cornered me at lunchtime and his face told me that I was in for an interrogation.

Shuffling my feet along the line, I grabbed a warm bacon baguette and a carton of juice, handing my free meal card silently and heading over to our table, my best friend hot on my heels.

Sitting down I ripped open the packaging, a small smile creeping across my face as the smell of warm bacon invaded my senses.

Next to me, Jay ripped a bit out of his own bacon baguette with his teeth, chewing it manically before swallowing and turning to me.

‘OK I had to eat because I’m almost dead from starvation’ he declared, ‘but now you are going to tell me what is going on’ he ordered.

Shaking my head, I nibbled on my own baguette, ‘I don’t want to talk about it Jay’ I muttered, keeping my gaze down. Wade’s angry face was swimming in front of me, gnawing at my insides, he was so furious at my words, but also . . hurt? No he couldn’t be, he’s the bad boy, why would he care what I thought about him?

Jay was watching me, I could feel him frowning at the side of my head, leaning closer his voice was soft, ‘tell me baby girl, I’m your best friend, you tell me everything.’

I raised my face from my lap, moving myself in my chair until I was facing the concerned boy next to me, ‘I think I upset someone with something I said and I don’t know what to do about it’ I finally mumbled.

Jay stared at me for a moment before replying, ‘so apologise’ before taking another bite of his roll.

I sighed, ‘I don’t know if that would work, they were really mad Jay, what if he doesn’t forgive me?’

Jay shrugged, ‘then he doesn’t, but at least you will feel better knowing that you did everything you could to try and correct what you said and you won’t feel so bad about yourself.’

I took a bite of my food, nodding at his words, that was true, I wasn’t a nasty person, I didn’t say nasty things to people and I needed to apologise to Wade. He might not accept it, hell he might even cuss me out some more but at least I would feel less like a piece of crap.

I could feel someone staring at me, swivelling my head my eyes found Wade who was stabbing angrily at his food, his eyes glaring studiously at his plate.

Swallowing, I watched him for a few minutes, hoping he would look up at me so I could try and silently ask him to talk to me.

Suddenly standing up, Wade’s chair went flying as he grabbed his tray and stormed over to the bin, throwing his food away and storming out of the cafeteria.

The room went silent as everyone stared at the space that the bad boy had just vacated before slowly returning to their conversations.

Standing up I grabbed my rubbish and hurried over to the bin, throwing it away but keeping the half eaten baguette in its wrapper as I rushed out of the cafeteria and searched frantically for the receding back of the bad boy of Ridgemont.

Wade was nowhere to be seen, so setting off at a sprint I ran down the corridor peering into rooms as I passed until I reached the doors to outside. Pushing them open, I ran toward the bike racks which was where the smokers usually hung out, but there was no sign of him. Dejected I walked back toward the school building wondering if maybe he was sat in his car when I heard a voice muttering to itself above me.

Looking up I realised I was next to the bleachers, back tracking I looked up the stands to see a lone figure puffing steadily on a cigarette as he mumbled under his breath, seeming to be having a one sided argument.

Walking up the steps I cleared my throat to announce my presence, faltering slightly when the gaze of Wade Simmons met my own, holding it for a fraction of a second before dismissing me again.

‘What do you want’ he mumbled angrily.

Taking a deep breath, I moved closer, standing beside him as he continued to stare at the field, taking long drags in between rolling the white death stick between his fingers.

Fidgeting with the bag strap over my shoulder, I summoned my failing courage, ‘I’m sorry’ I finally blurted out.

Wade laughed humourlessly, ‘what for? Believing I’m some pampered spoilt prince? News flash princess, I couldn’t give a f**k what you think’ he snapped back.

Ignoring the anger radiating off of him, I continued, ‘I don’t think you are a spoilt prince, I . . . I am well aware that I am much poorer than everyone here, I’m pretty much invisible to the entire school and you made me feel defensive about my scholarship. I work really hard to keep my place here because I can’t afford to lose it by slacking off.’ I stared at Wade for a few moments before sighing and turning to walk down the steps, accepting that he wasn’t going to forgive me.

‘My sperm donor may be rich but he’s a lousy dad’ suddenly came Wade’s voice behind me, halting my steps.

I turned back to him, moving in front of him to sit down, as he angled his legs to let me past, his eyes still on the empty football pitch. Dropping my bag between us on the ground, I watch as he blows out a lungful of smoke. Glancing at me he grimaces before stubbing his cigarette out and waving his hand to waft the smoke away from me. ‘Sorry, I know you hate it’ he muttered as I gave him a small smile.

‘I really am sorry Wade; I was embarrassed, and you hit a nerve’ I replied sadly.

Wade finally turned to face me, his eyebrow raised, ‘why were you embarrassed, it’s no shame having a scholarship, it’s pretty damn amazing actually. You think three quarters of the assholes here would be in this school if their parents hadn’t paved their way with a fist full of Benjamins?’

I giggled, I couldn’t help it, Wade Simmons just didn’t sugar coat anything, he was exactly what he put out to others, no frills, no fancies, just honesty.

‘I . . . I have a crush on Archer’ I admitted, my cheeks turning beet red, ‘you called me out on it and I didn’t know what to do.’

Wade looked over at me, ‘you were embarrassed because just like every other girl in this pit of a school, you imagine getting down and dirty with the star football player?’ he asked.

‘Ew! I do NOT imagine that’ I replied pushing my fist against his rock hard bicep, ‘I just think he’s nice and sweet and he’s really strong . . ‘ I trailed off uncertainly.

‘And you wonder about how many inches he’s got in those tight trousers’ Wade added with a grin.

‘God you are insufferable’ I groaned, hiding my face in my hands as he laughed at me.

‘The guy is a douche; you know that right?’ Wade asked as I raised my head to stare at him incredulously.

‘He is not! He is athletic, kind to others, always friendly, he volunteers once a month at the animal shelter’ I defended immediately.

Wade held his hands up in surrender, ‘OK, OK, so Jones is the poster boy of American Teen Girl magazine, I get it’ he replied

I flipped my hair over my shoulder as I laughed with him, ‘you are just jealous Wade Simmons’ I replied loftily.

‘Of what?’ he demanded, suddenly staring at me hard.

Swallowing, I stuttered, ‘because the girls like him so much.’

Wade snorted, ‘please, they like what they see, not what’s underneath’, he grumbled.

Now I’m confused, ‘what does that mean?’ I ask

Wade glanced upward before replying, ‘you’ve seen the girls in this school, they like the look of the package not what’s wrapped up inside’ he said cryptically.

‘Not all girls are like that’ I reasoned uncertainly as Wade barked out a laugh.

‘Yes, you are, you fancy the pants of Jones, but other than his resume, do you even know him?’ he countered.

‘I . .uh . . ‘ I started

‘See, you don’t, is he a dog person? What’s his favourite colour? Does he love or hate scary movies? Butter or salt on his popcorn? None of you girls know any of this, and you don’t want too, you just want the candy on your arm to say you’ve had it’ he added bitterly.

I straightened up, ‘but I want to know that, but how can I find out when he doesn’t even know I exist? It’s not like I can go up and say “Hey Archer, I’m Cassie, I like collecting pretty pebbles on the beach, I always wanted a dog but my mum works double shifts so we can’t have one and I will literally do anything for a bar of chocolate.” Yeah, I don’t think that will work somehow’ I groaned in defeat.

Wade studied me, his mouth slightly open, ‘you want Jones to notice you’ he said slowly.

I turn my head slowly, giving him my best DUH face, ‘yes of course I want him to notice me’ I wailed, ‘I want him to think I’m awesome and cute and not have his eyes slide over me like I’m nothing every time he sees my best friend in the hall.’

The bad boy is staring at me in shock, ‘what?’ I demand as I glare back at him.

‘You got it bad’ he replied, ‘I thought it was just a crush, but you have got it real bad for the douche.’

I slump back against the chair, folding my arms over my chest as I close my eyes, why am I even telling him this! ‘I need to go; lessons will be starting again soon’ I mumble before absentmindedly thrusting the rest of my baguette into his hand.

‘What’s this?’ Wade asks as he stares down at my food.

‘You threw your lunch away’ I sighed, ‘it’s not good to skip meals, you might faint or something, you can just rip off where my teeth marks in the bread are, I’d have got you a new one, but I only get one free lunch a day’ I added with an embarrassed shrug.

Wade flicked his gaze from me to the baguette and back again, the silence stretching between us awkwardly. ‘Look you don’t have to eat it, I’m sorry, I just assumed you would be hungry, you can afford to buy your own food, it was stupid’ I rambled, reaching out to take it back.

The bad boy, lifted the now cold baguette and took a big bite, chewing it up and swallowing as I stared at him, ‘not bad, even cold’ he said with a small smile.

Grinning despite myself, I gave him a small wave and set off down the bleachers, looking back as I reached the bottom to see him devouring the last of my lunch, his body language slightly more relaxed than when I reached him twenty minutes earlier.

The rest of the school day passed uneventfully and I hurried to my locker at the end to change out my textbooks for my homework before heading home. Stepping out into the sunshine I smiled, tipping my face up slightly before making my way down the steps and heading toward the school boundary.

Jay had a chess club meeting after school so this was one of the few days that I had to walk home. I don’t mind, I like the peace and quiet as not many people live on my side of town.

‘Reynolds!’ I hear behind me, stopping I spin around to see Wade waving me over, jogging back toward him, I frown.

‘We weren’t scheduled to study today were we?’ I asked worriedly, had I forgotten.

Wade shook his head, ‘no, but I have a proposition for you, jump in, I’ll take you to mine.’

Giving him a suspicious look, I hesitate to open the passenger door whilst he rolls his eyes at me, ‘I told Rosa you were coming’ he added, ‘she bought chocolate chips especially for some new cookies.’

Squealing like a five year old, I pull open his door and jump in, dropping my bag on my lap as I pull the seatbelt on, turning to him as he settles himself into the drivers seat, I tap my fingers impatiently, ‘come on! If we hurry, they might still be warm’ I push excitedly.

Chuckling, Wade throws the car into drive, and we head back to his house, me scrambling out before the car is stopped completely in my eagerness to see Rosa.

Running into the house, I don’t even stop to call her, heading straight to the kitchen and pushing the door open just as the Spanish woman is lifting the cooling cookies from the rack and onto a plate.

Looking up, her face breaks into a broad grin, ‘Cassie! You are early, did my bambino drive to fast?’ she asked, frowning at the bad boy who was leaning against the door frame, a look of amusement on his face.

‘No Rosa, he was actually really careful’ I replied, my eyes glued to the plate as she chuckled and lifted it up, presenting it too me.

Reaching out, I take one, biting into it as my eyes close in ecstasy, ‘so good Rosa’ I groan, ‘can I kidnap you and take you to college with me next year?’

Rosa laughed as she shook her head, ‘I will send you cookie parcels little one, Rosa will be with you even if she is not there’ she replied.

‘Come on cookie girl’ Wade called out, grabbing my attention, ‘we have something to discuss.

Pouting, I shuffle after the bad boy’s retreating figure, a smile soon finding my lips as I felt a small hand pushing a small plate loaded with cookies into my hands.

‘Thank you Rosa’ I whispered as she gave me a wink and shooed me out of the room, I could still hear her chuckling halfway up the stairs.

Entering Wade’s room, I find him already on the bed, leaning back against the head board as he spots my plate.

Sighing in defeat, I walk around the bed and perch on the edge, holding out the plate as he takes one with a smirk.

‘So? What do we need to discuss? Are you struggling with the new equations?’ I ask between mouthfuls.

Wade shakes his head, swallowing the cookie before looking up at me, ‘I wanted to talk to you about Jones’ he said with a shrug, ’I have an idea.’

Crinkling my brow, I look over at him, ‘what about him, other than you think he’s a douche.’

Wade laughed, the first proper laugh I have ever heard him make, surprising me, ‘yeah OK, I think the guy is a d**k’ he agreed. ‘But you don’t, so I have a proposition for you.’

Waiting silently, I wonder what the heck he is going to say.

Taking a deep breath, Wade adds, ‘what if I pretend to be your boyfriend?’