Chapter Two
I sat on the benches looking out at the football field, where the cheerleaders were starting to do their stretches. Mandy, Angie, Christy, Kaitlyn and Pinky were all down there in their uniforms.
I was wearing my hoodie and skinnies again, donning a Rolling Stones t-shirt. I looked at Kaitlyn, thinking about the kiss last week. She'd ignored me completely and utterly since. No text, no e-mail, no letter, no nothing.
"Well lad, I see you sitting by yourself."
I looked down at the mock English accent and saw the brown haired boy walk up to the stairs and plant himself next to me.
"How you doing Mike?" I asked, glancing in his direction, then back to the cheerleaders.
He shrugged.
"It's Bullworth man. I mean, how do you cope with this place?"
I shrugged.
"You've been here longer then me Mike. I'm not the one to ask."
"Yeah, I'm aware of that. But it never hurts to know."
I considered this for a moment.
"I just think that at least this way I'm not ending up like my dad." I said.
"What actually happened in L.A?" Mike asked.
I kept looking at Kaitlyn.
"Nothing involving a crowbar."
He chuckled.
"Okay, how about why you came back then?"
I didn't answer, just kept looking at Kaitlyn.
He looked at Kaitlyn, then back to me.
"Seriously?" He asked me.
I just sighed.
"No man. That screwed you up. Last time she got hurt you ended up in L.A for four months."
"It wasn't like that." I said.
"Well, that's how she sees it you know?"
I sighed deeply.
"I know Mike."
The cheerleaders finished their chants as the football team came out onto the field, and I saw Jimmy kissing Kaitlyn. I grimaced and dropped my gaze.
The cheerleaders started to walk up the stairs.
"Listen Aiden, I'm saying this as your mate – you need to get over her."
The head cheerleader, a pretty brunette started walking up the stairs carrying the bag.
Mike carried on – whether or not he noticed that I was diverting my attention elsewhere, I do not know.
"I mean, Kaitlyn's not going to hang around for you. You need to get her attention."
I turned back to him.
"You're right."
He smiled.
"Good. So let's just go out tonight. Have a beer – like in Santa Monica yeah?"
"Raincheck." I said in a mock American accent. "I gots the hots."
He looked at me, disappointed.
"Mandy? That's not what I was saying-"
"I've never been that good at listening." I said. I got up and climbed down the stairs, stopping midway and turning back to Mike.
"Hey, how's it going with Pinky? You guys still good?"
He nodded.
"By the way, what's up with you two?"
I cocked my head to the left.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I was talking to her last night and…well, no offence but she seems to really hate you."
I waited a moment. Did he know that about me and Pinky?
"Yeah, what's your point?"
He chuckled.
"No point."
Apparently not.
I furrowed my brows in confusion.
"Well, anyhow, you want to chat about relationships, I've got an ear. And a crate." I took out the CD I meant to give him two days ago. "Here – listen to the lyrics. Get some indie in you." I said, taking out a cigarette and putting it in my mouth. "No offence, but…" I went back into my cod American accent again "the Gothic look is just bumming me out man. It's cramping my style man!" I said handing him Inside In/Inside Out by The Kooks, my favourite band. He smiled, told me to fuck off and so I began to, before I caught sight of the girl in front of him.
"I'm not blind dude." I said, turning around to face Mike. "I can see you're interested in Jade. Don't get me wrong, I can't really criticize relationships, but dating a 'life-sucks-bummer' emo or goth or whatever you call yourselves isn't a bright move."
Mike chuckled.
"Yeah, well, I used to get her attention to piss off Derek like you pissed off Jimmy with Kaitlyn."
I rolled my eyes.
"Yeah well, whoever Derek is, he doesn't sounds like the quarter-back." I kept my hands in my hoodie and gave him a nod goodbye.
I then went down the steps and around to the staircase on my left, where the brunette was struggling with the large gym bag – full of training gear I assumed. I jogged up to her and walked next to her.
"Correct me if I'm mistaken, but aren't cheerleaders meant to be groupies more then roadies?"
She rolled her eyes at me.
"What do you want Aiden?"
"My, aren't we bright-eyed and bushy-tailed?"
"Do you think you're funny?" She asked.
"You mean consciously thinking I'm funny, or just generally?"
I held the door open to the gymnasium as she walked through without thanking me. She just turned to me.
"You're obnoxious."
"And extremely single." I countered.
"You'd have to run that past Ted." She said. "You know, my boyfriend?"
I grinned as she walked off in front of me.
"Do you want to at least get a drink?"
She turned around at me.
"Are you being serious?"
I smiled.
"That depends on your answer."
She shook her head.
"You're coming off like an idiot."
I shrugged.
"Seems like a good price for a drink with you."
She smiled.
"Why can't you be like this more often?"
"What, more flirty?" I asked. "If I was I think the football team would get a bit jealous," I pushed up by shoulders in mock secrecy "we sorta had a thing going on. You can tell between me and Hopkins."
She sighed and thought it over.
"One drink?"
I smiled.
"One drink."
She smiled, then gestured for me to follow her.
