Crush on Mr. Bad Boy by Lilly Purdon (7)

Chapter 7 MAKE ME

   “Let me guess,” Jaxon held his chin like he was thinking. “She wants you to come home so she can force every little detail of your day out of you.”

“That too, how’d you guess?” I asked sarcastically.

“Well it’s not really hard since she pretty much controls your life.” He said as he hugged me from behind. I wiggled out of the hug and turned around so that I was facing him. His perfect red hair was falling over his hazel eyes. There was an emotion in his eyes and I couldn’t tell what it was.

“I should go.” I backed away from him.

“Want me to take you home?”

“It’s fine, I’ll walk.”

“I’ll walk with you,” he offered.

I chuckled nervously. Something about him was a little off. “It’s okay, I’ll walk alone.”

He chuckled along too. “No, I want to walk you home.”

He was starting to make me feel uncomfortable. “I want to walk alone.” He frowned at my statement. “I need some time to think.”

“You can’t walk home alone. Matt and his gang are still out and about.”

“I’m sure they’ve given up, I can walk alone.”

“No you can’t. I won’t let them hurt you.”

“That’s very sweet of you but my house is less than a mile away. I’ll manage.”

“But Rose…”

I rolled my eyes and laughed. “I’ll be fine you old-”

“Codfish,” he finished for me.

“So now you’re finishing my sentences now too?”

“That’s what best friends are for,” he grinned. The unknown emotion in his hazel eyes was still there, but I shrugged it off.

~*~

“But Cleo!”

“You want to change, I’m giving you a chance to change!” she said sharply. “You’re going to that dance no matter what.”

“But I don’t do dances!”

“You do now.” She glared down at me.

“There’s no point in going,” I sighed. “I’ll just end up alone like always.”

“You won’t be along, Kasay accompany you to the dance.”

“But knowing her she’ll probably ditch me the moment we get there-”

“You are going and that’s final.” She interrupted me. “Besides, it will help with your pathetic social skills.”

The words cut me like a newly sharpened blade.

“How am I supposed to go when I don’t have a costume?” I asked.

Of course, my stepmother always had a plan. “You’re going shopping this afternoon.”

“But-”

“I could get you a date if you really want one.” She interrupted me again.

“No thanks, I’d rather go alone.”

“Fine, but I do know one thing.” A small cold smirk appeared on her face. “I do know you have your eye on someone.”

I froze up immediately. There was no way she could’ve known-

“I don’t know who it is.” She said. I sighed in relief, but she wasn’t done. “But I’m sure I’ll find out soon enough.” I fiddled with my fingers on my lap. “Whoever it is, he must be going.”

I rolled my eyes at her. I knew Axel never did that kind of stuff. And these were the reasons why:

There was a whole list of reasons, but to list them all out would be a waste of time. But I knew for a fact, that he wasn’t going to show up to the dance.

“You’re going shopping right now.” She stated, waving her hand in dismissal.

“I’m not going out with pink teeth!” I shook my head. “That’d hurt my reputation even more.”

“Darling,” her ice cold eyes met mine. “You don’t have a reputation to maintain.”

Her words stung, but I didn’t show it. “I’m not going to the dance.”

“I think you don’t understand me.” She pressed her lips in a firm line before continuing. “You are going to the dance no matter what.”

“But-”

“I don’t care if you’re sick, you’re on your monthly, or you’re dying. You are going to that dance. You asked for help, and I’m giving it to you.”

“Why do you want me out of the house so bad?” I questioned, making her tense up.

“I don’t.” she replied in a clipped tone. “I’m just helping you.”

I looked at her suspiciously. I was certain she was hiding something, but I decided to drop it. “I’m not going to that dance.” I stood up from my chair and slammed both my fists onto her working desk. “You can’t make me.”

~*~

“I regret challenging that ice queen.” I grumbled to myself.

I was currently at a random store in town trying to find a costume for the dance. Kasay was helping me- but if I were to be factually accurate, she was the one doing all the work while I stood there like a mannequin complaining.

“You know, I could use a little help here.” She said as she went through racks and racks of costumes.

“You’re the one who got me in this shit,” I pointed out. “So you’re doing the work.”

She sighed while shaking her head. “You’re a real pain in the ass sometimes.”

I grinned at her. “I know.”

“This year’s dance will be huge.” She said as she picked out costumes. “I heard even Axel might be going.”

“Axel Storm Spencer?”

“Yeah,” she nodded. “The guy whose initials spell ‘ass’.”

“But he doesn’t do dances…” I trailed off.

“That’s what everyone thought, but the rumors say differently.”

“Rumors are rumors.” I shrugged.

“The rumors also say he’s going dressed in costume.”

“Axel and costumes don’t mix.”

“Unless his costume consists of a leaf.” She snickered, “or nothing at all…”

A picture of Axel with only a leaf covering his private area popped up in my head. Even though the image was worth drooling over, I shook my head to try to get it out of my mind. “There’s still no way he’s going.” I stated.

“You know there is.”

“Get back to work.”

She rolled her eyes and continued searching. After she found about 20 different costumes she thought were fit for me, she rushed me to the fitting room and made me try every single one on.

And the list went on. I gave up once we went through all of the costumes. “I think you looked good in the cocktail one.” She said. “What do you think?”

“I hated them all.” I replied.

“Let me go get you some more costumes-”

“No, I’m not trying on any more,” I stated. “Let’s go home.” I tried to leave, but she blocked the exit.

“Let’s make a deal. You try on one last costume and I’ll leave it there.”

I thought about it. “What if I say no?”

“Then your stepmother will find you a costume-”

At the mention of my stepmother, I agreed to it, “deal.”

She disappeared from the dressing room and came back with an odd looking costume. I couldn’t tell what it was. “Since you’re such a pain in the ass, I decided this would match your personality.”

“What is it?” I got the costume from her.

“Try it on and you’ll see.” She handed me a halo and dark feathered wings that came with the costume. 

I did what she told me and tried it on. The costume fit me like a glove made just for me. It was a black sleeveless dress that came up above my knees. It hung onto what little curves I had and made me look good. I put on the wings and the halo.

I spun around in the mirror to get a full view of it. The dress showed off my back and down to my waist, but unlike other dresses, this one didn’t seem slutty or too revealing. This one seemed elegant. I looked at the price tag and almost choked. The price was beyond high.

“Get your ass out here so I can see how you look!” Kasay banged on the dressing room door. I opened the door slowly and looked down at the costume. Her mouth fell open in shock. “You do have a killer body.”

“How does it look?”

“It looks fucking sexy on you girl!” she yelled. “So how do you feel about it?” she questioned.

“I actually kinda’ like this one.” I admitted.

A Cheshire cat grin appeared on her face. “I knew you would love-”

“But,” I added. Her grin faded immediately. “The price-”

“Do something for yourself for once. Cleo spends your dad’s checks on herself all the time, once for you won’t hurt.”

She was right, but I still had other concerns, “everyone will know it’s me.”

She held up her index finger before she rushed off. A few moments later, she came back with a half face mask in her hand. “This will match both your dress and your heels.” She chirped happily. I smiled along before I realized something.

“Wait- heels?! Who said anything about heels?!”