Teagan
"God, I'm starving," Hope grumbled as she carried her lunch tray over to an empty table.
I was coming to the end of my second week as the new girl and getting into the swing of things. I now understood that under no circumstances should I ever use the girl's bathroom on the second floor. I still shuddered thinking about who I saw in that cubicle...
Block it out, Teegs…
Repress the image of his hairy ass…
The cafeteria was packed full of students and I followed Hope, taking special care not to drop my tray as I maneuvered between groups of students.
"I could eat a cow." Stopping at the circular table in the center of the cafeteria, Hope pulled out a chair and sat down. "Well, half of one anyway," she said dryly as she removed the plastic covering her beef sandwich.
"How lovely for you," Ash grumbled as she joined us. "I really needed to know that."
From where we were sitting, I could see the same group of girls who'd called me a tranny. This time I could see their leader, and wasn't in the slightest bit surprised to see Ellie Dennis sitting in the center of the gaggle. They were pointing and snickering as animatedly as they had in gym and I had a minute of silence for my sex.
"Is there something going on between you and Noah Messina?" Ash asked before taking a sip from her carton of apple juice. "He's been staring at you since you walked into the cafeteria." She chewed a piece of her sandwich and swallowed before casting a fleeting glance behind her shoulder.
"Nothing besides the mutual hatred we share for each other," I grumbled. My eyes wandered around the cafeteria, reluctantly seeking him out.
My eyes found Noah over by the window and as if he could feel my eyes on him, Noah looked up from where he was texting and winked at me.
"I think he's hot for you," Ash added with a smirk. "He's been watching you like a starving man watches the cooking channel."
I snorted in disgust. "A man starved for cash more like."
Ash and Hope stared blankly at me and I found myself saying, "He wants money. When he broke my windshield fighting I kind of retaliated by tossing some paint on his car."
Hope's eyes widened. "You forgot to mention that part," she breathed. "His Lexus – you're the one who ruined his baby?"
I shrugged innocently before adding, "And then I broke his iPad when I poured a bottle of water over his sister's head." I swallowed a bite of my apple and took a swig of water before adding, "Now he wants compensation for the damage."
"He's an asshole," I growled and then I mouthed the word slowly so Noah knew I meant him, before itching my nose with my middle finger.
Noah's eyes narrowed and he shook his head as if warning me not to push him further.
Of course I pushed him further, and I did it by taking my car keys out of my pocket and rattling them next to my face before raising my middle finger. I couldn't stop myself from antagonizing him – the thrill was addictive.
"He's dangerous," Ash corrected in a no nonsense tone of voice as she leaned forward and swiped a napkin from my tray. "I believe the word you're looking for is dangerous."
"Yeah, well I can be dangerous too," I replied as I continued to watch Noah watch me.
He wasn’t just dangerous…he was treacherous. I tried to ignore the weird tingly sensation that coursed through my body when Noah stared at me, but I just ended up getting more pissed with him because the feelings he evoked inside of me were entirely inexorable. . "If Noah or Ellie think I'm going to roll over and let them bully me, then they need to think again."
His brown eyes were locked on my face, his expression intense, and I swear I could feel my body temperature rising from one single glance.
Leaning forward, Hope reached for my hand, pulling me out of the trance I was in. Squeezing it tightly, her blue eyes burned with sincerity when she said, "He's not the kind of boy you should pick fights with, Teagan, and I mean that in the kindest way. He's friends with my brothers, and he's always been polite to me, but there's just something…" Hope paused and let out a sharp breath. "Noah Messina is all kinds of dark and dangerous, wrapped in the body of a sex god."
"Isn't that always the case," grumbled Ash. Sighing heavily she added, "Hot boys are mean. Nice boys are gay. The good ones are taken…" She trailed off before casting a fleeting glance around the room. "Every time I look around at the male student-body in this school I consider becoming a lesbian."
"Give me strength," Hope muttered as she rolled her eyes in despair. "Look, Teagan, babe, from what I've heard he's the kind of guy who gets off on taking your v-card and then revels in your despair."
"Who said anything about sex," I grumbled as fierce heat coursed through me. "All I'm trying to do is defend myself, and besides," I shrugged. "I'm not attracted to him." Liar-liar pants is on fire…
Ash smiled knowingly at me. "When you're dealing with Noah Messina it's always about sex."
"So be careful," Hope added quietly. "He's broken more hearts than you've had hot dinners."
My eyes locked on Noah's once more, he smirked and a cold tremor of unease crept up my spine.
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