The Bad Boy's Attraction

Ditched

"So you really aren't mad at all?" Natalie looks at her dad questioningly. The man seems too calm for her liking. She expected a rather more aggressive response from him after hearing that his daughter had her first kiss stolen. Not the man she is seeing carrying on with making breakfast like it was a normal day in their house.

"Of course I'm mad. The boy is lucky I wasn't there." Mr. Brown huffs but Natalie can't help thinking he doesn't mean it.

"But I'm especially glad that you didn't get this gig because of your kissing skills."

"Dad!" Natalie's eyes go wide after his statement and she is sure she is blushing too. It took everything in her to narrate her ordeal to her father after he insisted on hearing her side of the story. Apparently he trusted her more than her school. What she didn't expect was him mentioning her kissing skills.

"You are being weird." She says as she shoots him a soft glare.

"What! I'm just being honest here." Her father replies.

"That would definitely piss me off by the way." His stone face let's her know that this time he is definitely serious. 

"My precious baby is not for sale." He turns back to the stove but not before making sure to show how proud he is of her. She can also see the relief in his eyes even though she knows that he won't say it. If he had his way she is sure he would have preferred it being the other way round with him having to be the one to work. But either way she is just happy to get a break.

The opportunity to work at the Bachmann group is going to be their saving grace. She not only knows it but she can feel it too. It's still surreal that she got one of the coveted spots in almost everyones' dream company. 

"What about you?" Her dad's voice makes her look up from her plate. 

"What about me?" She looks at him confused.

"Aren't you mad at all?" He pulls a chair and sits in front of her. The concern in his eyes is enough for her to know he is worried.

"Mad at what exactly?" She asks as she puts a spoonful of cereal in her mouth.

"Well you know, it's your first kiss after all." Her father says sheepishly.

"I'll live." She looks back down on her plate. 

She can feel the gloomy atmosphere enveloping them and she doesn't want to shed anymore tears. The truth is, she is mad but mostly sad about the whole thing. She was really looking forward to that magical moment in her life. But as it stands, that will never happen and she really knows not to waste her energies on things she can't change. She learnt that a long time ago with her mother's absence.

After a moment she looks up at her father and is about to say something but she decides against it. Maybe it's time she just sits, enjoy her breakfast and celebrate the good that has happened to her. 

She instead reaches for her phone and decides to check on her email. Which is kind of weird for someone her age. When one expects her to be checking her social media accounts, she chooses to catch up on her none existent professional life. 

She smiles when she finds one particular email. True to Mr. Bachmann's word, an official email came through from his company and she scans it at length. As expected it's one of those straight to the point kind of emails that only state what the sender deems important. There is a contract attached and she downloads it and saves it for later.

"You wouldn't happen to like this boy now would you?" Her father's voice makes her look up and she is met with his grinning face.

"I'm sorry what was that?" She was focussed on her mail and totally missed his question.

"This Bachmann boy, you wouldn't happen to like him?"

She first chuckles at how he says Bachmann like it got his taste buds tasting something odd.

"No." 

"Why, you mean he is not even cute?" Her dad's frown makes her giggle. 

"Being cute is no excuse to go round kissing people." 

"Uh huh...so he is cute"

"Hey, who's side are you on anyway?" She looks at him with arms folded. Something tells her he is fishing for information.

"Of course your side. But you can't blame a dad for trying to find out if his daughter fancies anyone. You never tell me anything." He stands back with a pout and Natalie just rolls her eyes.

"And I'm still not telling you a thing." She says before getting up.

"Please ask Ava to come up, I'll be in my room."

"Please give me something, anything.." her father shouts after her but she just laughs. He can be such a drama queen at times but she doesn't mind at all. It's times like these that light up her life. 

Back in her room, she decides to get ready for school as quickly as she can and before Ava gets there. Today she is not as pumped up as she was for the first day. Truth be told, she is worried about what today holds for her. 

She sighs before putting on her shoes. 

"I guess I'll find out won't I?" She smiles at the person she sees in the mirror. 

"So how was your ride?" Ava peeks by her door before stepping into her bedroom. She is grinning from ear to ear and Natalie instantly knows that yesterday was no accident.

"You mean my bus ride. It was okay." She answers grudgingly. 

"Bus ride?" Ava looks at her confused. 

"Of course it would have been perfect if it was not for the jerk that decided to escort me home."

"Wait, he took the bus ride and walked you home?" Ava's eyes suddenly shine in excitement and Natalie just rolls her eyes. 

"Of course she would be excited by something like that." Natalie mumbles as she disappears into her bathroom. 

"You are going to tell me all about it right?" Ava says from the door, the excitement in her voice seems to have doubled.

"No." Natalie announces flatly.

"But why not?" Ava huffs.

"Because there is nothing to tell." Natalie says before walking out of the bathroom. She picks up her bag and walks out of her bedroom. 

"And you better have a damn good reason as to why you thought I would want to ride with that maniac." She gives Ava her most threatening look and her friend just looks back at her unfazed. 

"He is Brendan, isn't that more than enough reason?" Ava replies with a wide grin making Natalie roll her eyes. If she didn't know better she would think Ava fits perfectly with the clueless bunch of Blackwood high. 

They walk out of the house and Natalie stops in her tracks when her eyes find a familiar spots car parked right behind Ava.

Someone is outside and casually leaning on it. And when they turn to her she quickly looks away to avoid their gaze.

"What is he doing here?" Natalie growls at Ava and this time her best friend flinches.

"Who are you talking abo…" Ava's words die down in her throat the moments she sees who Natalie means.

"I swear I have nothing to do with this." Ava says quickly as Natalie just glares at her. 

"I swear!"

One look at Ava, and Natalie can tell that whatever she said is true. Besides Natalie knew this was bound to happen and she hates that she was right.

She takes a deep breath as she tries to calm herself down before deciding to keep walking.

"I won't let you get the better of me today too." She mumbles as she walks towards Ava's car. 

"Good morning!"

Brendan chirps but Natalie just walks by without even sparing him a glance. She goes round to the passenger's seat and gets in Ava's car without a word. And once she is comfortably seated she buckles up and waits for her friend.

"Good morning Ava!"

Natalie can't help but take a look in the rear view mirror when she hears a second voice. In trying to avoid her nemesis, she didn't even see that there was someone else in Brendan's car.

"Oh, hi Nate." Ava replies shyly.

Natalie's mouth drops when her eyes find Ava.

"Is she blushing?" Natalie frowns at her friend who is as red as a tomato and she wonders if she has missed something.

"Did I miss something?" Natalie gives Ava a pointed look the moment she enters the car.

"It's kind of a long story." Ava replies while she bites her teeth nervously. 

"Make it short. And since when are you nervous?" Natalie looks at her amused.

"Well…" Ava fumbles a little before turning towards her.

"It's uh…"

"Hey Ava, you wanna take my baby for a spin?"

Natalie looks over Ava's shoulder and finds Brendan by her window dangling his car keys in her face. 

"Are you being serious?" Ava squeals before undoing her seat belt and jumping out of her car. The story she should have been narrating long forgotten.

"Absolutely." Brendan chirps before winking at Natalie who quickly looks away when his action has her heart skipping a beat.

"I'm sorry." Ava mouths to Natalie before disappearing in a flash. And before Natalie knows what is happening Brendan jumps in and locks the car doors. 

"Ava!" Her realisation comes too late. Just seconds later the black sports car zooms past them, leaving a very shocked Natalie.

"Did she just ditch me?" Natalie watches in disbelief as the car speeds away. 

Ava loves cars and Natalie knows there is no way she was going to pass on that offer. God knows how many times she wished to get a ride in Brendan's sleek car. And to be given a chance to drive it must be a dream come true for her.

For Natalie however, the sting of not having her own car has never been more painful than now. She wishes she had her own so that she doesn't have to suffer such inconveniences. 

She is very well aware though that it's a particular person's fault and not Ava's entirely.

"I promise I can be just as fun." Brendan whispers right into her ear and she is more than startled. 

"I'm not having any fun with you!" She snaps. She still can't get around the fact that her best friend just ditched her again and that she is now locked in a car with the last person she wants to see.

"Are you sure? Coz I can really be fun" he winks at her and she looks away quickly. 

"Treacherous hormones." She scoots closer to her door and even that doesn't put enough distance between her and him.

"You do realise that we are going to be spending quite a lot of time together now right?" Brendan says as a matter of fact.

"That's not how I see it." She sneers, hating the fact that he is right. If only she could get out of this arrangement. But her dreams are too important to be thrown away for a mere tantrum. Which is what her reaction to Brendan is at the moment. 

"Oh?" His eyes dart between her and the road. 

"I'll be working, not all of us were born with a silver spoon in our mouths. And you… well you will be serving your very well deserved punishment." She's probably spewing her frustrations but at this moment she doesn't care. Serves him right for ruining her day so early in the morning. She huffs before half turning to her side of the window and tries to get her mind to concentrate on what is on the outside. 

She hears him let out a chuckle and a smile tugs on her lips for a moment. She can't deny that his calm demeanour amazes her. He may be annoying and definitely a jerk, but how he remains in control mostly is still a mystery to her. From their little interaction she has tried to get under his skin with her words but it seems he remains unfazed each time. 

"Or maybe his skin is just too thick"

Her mind retorts, making her laugh to herself. Her little moment of laughter makes her feel a little better. Maybe that is all she needs to get through her day.