Chapter 2

"I told you he was a jerk," Casey told Eve when they were standing at Eve's locker before they headed to lunch.

"Yeah, you did tell me that. I find him more annoying than jerky, though," Eve said.

"Well, he does have that tendency," Casey said. "You know, I'm a bit surprised at him."

"Why?" Eve asked, putting her books in her locker, then shutting it.

"Because, knowing Derek, he'd flirt with a girl like you, rather than make fun of you," Casey said, as the two headed to lunch.

"What do you mean by 'a girl like me'?" Eve asked.

Emily quickly joined the other two, as she had done many times before during that day, and answered for Casey, since she had caught part of their conversation. "Well, Derek is the type of guy that would like a girl that looks like you. I mean, you're really pretty, you know. I heard a couple guys talking about you and how hot they think you are in World History today. And, you've only been here a day, mind you," she said.

"I'm sure I just made an impact and made myself quickly known by being the only girl unafraid to stand up to the great Derek Venturi," Eve said. "Maybe people marvel at the fact that I took a chance and did something no other girl, besides Casey, since they're related, would do."

"That's a possibility, I suppose. But still," Emily said. "He's gone after girls like you tons of times, and each time he's gotten the girl."

"Well, he's not getting this girl. I'm not going to fall for that charm of his," Eve said.

"I guess it's too late for Em, though," Casey said.

Emily scoffed, and punched Casey in the arm.

"Hey! I was just kidding!" Casey said. The three girls then began giggling. They all knew what Emily had done was funny.

They soon reached the lunch room. This was Eve's first day here, so she had no idea whether the school food was good or not. So, she had been safe to just bring some money so she could buy some food out of the vending machines.

She went and bought a bag of chips and a coke, and waited for Casey and Emily to get their food before they all went in search of a table.

Eve eventually managed to spot a table, and she and the other two darted for it.

Of course, who was to sit there before them but Derek and his buddies, one of them being Sam.

"Oh, great, just what I need, another face-to-face with Derek "The Ass" Venturi," Eve muttered, rolling her eyes.

"What was that?" Derek asked, looking to Eve, smirking at her as he had done before, in their first encounter. Eve had figured that was a trademark move of his.

"It's nothing of importance to you," Eve said, starting to turn around.

"What? Are you afraid you're going to hurt my feelings? Or are you just too scared to admit for bad things you've said or done?" Derek asked. Eve pictured his smirk still held on his face.

Eve rolled her eyes, and turned around. "I'm not afraid of anything about you, Derek Venturi. And why the hell would I care if I hurt your feelings?" she stated.

"Because you know how much you are secretly in love with me. Like every other girl at this school," Derek said, causing Casey to whisper an "Ew, you sicko!" He sighed, and said, "Well, everyone but Casey."

"Oh please. Why would any girl fall for you? You're arrogant, an ass, and on top of all things, you're ugly as hell," Eve said, narrowing her eyes.

"Aw, look at that. She's narrowing her eyes at me. You're really hot when you're mad at me, you know," Derek said, still holding that infamous smirk.

"If I'm so hot, then why don't you get your ass off of that seat over there and show me just how hot you think I am?" Eve said, letting her narrowed eyes return to normal.

She sat her tray down on the table, and held out her arms. "Come on. If you think I'm so hot, and if you think you're so fantastic, and if you think that you can get any girl you want, then I'd like to see you try," she said.

Emily walked over to Eve and whispered, "What the heck do you think you're doing? You're going to make a fool out of yourself, I just know it!"

Eve rolled her eyes, and said, "Emily, trust me, it won't be me that will be making a fool out of themselves. Just wait and see."

Emily sighed, and went back to Casey's side. There was just no convincing Eve that what she was doing was a little too daring to be normal.

Derek smirked, and started to stand up, but Sam pulled his arm. "Dude, what are you doing? You're going to make yourself look totally stupid!" he whispered.

Derek merely shook his head, and said, "Trust me, she'll be the one looking stupid." He then stood, and walked around the table to the other side, and stood to the side of Eve.

Eve turned to face him, her eyes now narrowed again. "Why do you think you're so amazing, huh? What's so good about you?"

"Well, that'd be a question you'd have to ask one of the many girls I've dated, considering I'm sure they have a better, more, shall I say, descriptive and creative way of describing what's so good about me than I do," Derek said with another smirk.

"Ugh, you're such a disgusting freak," Eve said, stepping forward slightly, getting more in his face.

"At least I'm a disgusting freak that gets more dating action than any other guy in the school," Derek said, stepping in a little closer as well, getting in her face.

"That just makes you an idiot, dating all those girls. You'll never have a true stable relationship with anyone," Eve said, stepping in a little closer, getting in his face even more. She was now staring directly into his eyes. They were a gorgeous brown color. That made Eve suddenly want to melt. But she didn't let it show. She just couldn't.

"Who says that'll get you anywhere in life?" Derek asked, stepping in closer. Their foreheads where now touching.

"Everybody, you idiot," Eve said, stepping closer. Their noses now touched. Eve felt her breathing start to get lighter. He was starting to take her breath away…

No. I'm not going to fall for Derek Venturi. No way am I falling for Derek Venturi. It's just not going to happen. Never, she thought, not letting him see that her breathing was getting light.

"You think you're so smart. If you were really so intelligent, then you would've known how to win this fight a long time ago," Derek said, stepping in closer. Their lips were almost together.

"Nothing can be won with you, what with you always whining and bragging and everything," Eve said, moving her face in closer. Her lips brushed his lightly.

"That's my strategy, and it always works," Derek said. Their eyes were connected. Eve tried to look away, but their gaze was intense. Derek and Eve moved closer, as if they were about to kiss…

The lunch bell rang as loud as it could, interrupting the almost-kiss. They stepped away from each other, and just stared at each other for a minute. It was almost a perfect moment…Until Derek just had to make a remark. "I suppose we'll have to finish this fun event later, eh?" He smirked, and winked at her, before turning to his friends, following them out of the cafeteria.

Eve narrowed her eyes, but said nothing to him. Not just because she was mad, but because she still couldn't breathe properly.

Casey and Emily approached her. "What the hell was that about?" Emily asked.

Eve rolled her eyes, and said, "That was to psych him out, Em. And I think it did. Don't worry, it's not like he and I are getting together. I wouldn't want to get together with that freak in a million years. You can have him all you want."

Emily nodded, and sighed. Casey sighed as well.

The three of them threw their food away, and headed out of the lunchroom, heading for their lockers, then to their next classes.