Chapter Seven

"How about Government?"

Across from me Dougie groaned, "That's so boring."

It was Monday morning, and we were both in the deserted library attempting to begin work on our project. First thing on the agenda… agree on a topic.

"As if," I argued, "we could talk the class strugglers of the Roman Republic and how society was a mixture of democracy and oligarchy."

"Like I said… boring," Dougie replied.

I slumped back in my seat and crossed my arms across my chest, "fine Mr Picky, what topic do you think we should choose?"

"Something interesting like military."

"Military isn't interesting."

"What are you talking about?" Dougie questioned as if I were crazy, "Guns and explosions… what's more interesting than that?"

"They didn't have guns back then, and they didn't have the resources for explosions either."

"Whatever. Spears and swords, same thing."

"How about culture?" I questioned, flicking through my text for ideas.

Dougie shook his head, "boring."

"Architecture?"

Dougie opened his mouth to reply.

"C'mon Dougie," I urged him holding up my text for him to see, "look at that gorgeous structure, that is not boring."

Dougie groaned, "Fine whatever."

I grinned and clapped my hands, "fantastic because I started taking notes over the weekend."

"Wow," Dougie murmured dryly, "what an interesting life you lead," he mused sarcastically.

"Shut up, come over here and look at these."

Dougie sighed and got to his feet, rounding the table towards me. It wasn't until he was peering over my shoulder that I realised I had made a horrible mistake.

Dougie moved behind me, and rested his left hand on the table, his right flipping through my notes. His actions caused his chest to brush against my back, and his scent surrounded me like a cloud. I hadn't been this close to him since the party, and I found myself unconsciously leaning closer. I turned my head slightly to watch him as he bit his lip thoughtfully as he scanned through my notes.

Almost as though he sensed my gaze, he stopped reading and his eyes met mine, "see something you like Sophie?" Dougie asked lazily.

I shrugged lightly, "I'm just looking at my notes."

"I didn't realise they were transcribed on my face and neck," Dougie replied slowly eyes trailing over my face.

Smart arse.

"However," he continued reaching forward and pulling my notes towards him, "I do believe they are right here." He smirked at me before stepping away, "and they look good. So lets get started."

This boy was going to be the death of me.

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"Alright class, I want you to get into your project groups for review."

I glanced across the room to where Dougie was sitting. We stared at each other, neither of us moving. "I'm not coming to you," he finally called.

"I'm not coming to you either," I called back.

Dougie rolled his eyes and packed up his stuff, before getting to his feet and crossing the room towards me. "Lazy," he muttered as he plopped down beside me." So what's review?" he asked curiously.

I glanced at him, "Its where Mrs Peters goes around to each group and makes sure they're on track… lucky we chose a topic this morning."

Dougie wrinkled his nose, "we could have made something up?"

"About military guns and explosions?" I questioned, "I'm sure that would have gone down well. Your full of bullshit Dougie."

"Bullshit?" he repeated in mock surprise, "I don't know the meaning of the word."

I crossed my arms across my chest, "you don't know the meaning of most words."

He glared at me.

"Alright Sophie and Dougie," Mrs Peters began as she approached our desk, "how are you two doing?"

"We're doing great, how nice of you to ask" Dougie replied sweetly with a fake grin on his face.

I rolled my eyes, "can I change partners?"

Mrs Peters smiled at me, "No. But what topic have you chosen?"

"We chose architecture," I answered flipping through my notes and showing her some diagrams and research we had found that morning, "we haven't done a lot, we got off to a slow start."

Beside me, Dougie slumped into his seat and stared out the window not paying the least amount of attention.

"Well you both look to be on the right track," Mrs Peters concluded, "what presentation method were you thinking of?"

I was just opening my mouth to reply when suddenly there was a knock on the door. Every head in the room flew to the entrance of the room to see our Principal standing there.

He smiled at us all, "good afternoon. I'm sorry to interrupt Mrs Peters, but I'm looking for a…" he checked the piece of paper in his hand, "Mr Dougie Poynter."

All eyes in the room flew to Dougie.

He didn't seem to notice as he was still staring out the window. I followed his gaze to find he was staring at a navy blue car parked out the front of the school. I nudged him to get his attention.

His eyes flew to mine, "what?"

I pointed at the principal.

"Dougie?" our principal questioned.

Dougie nodded.

"Come with me."

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"What's he done now?" Jess asked me later on that afternoon as we were walking home from school.

I shrugged, "I have no idea. He never came back to class, so I never found out."

Jess winced, "that can't be good."

"I can't remember our principal ever coming to a class before," I murmured thoughtfully, "it's got to be serious. Plus he seemed really preoccupied with a car parked out the front of the school," I told her as I shifted my backpack to the opposite shoulder, "I have no idea what that was all about."

"He's an enigma that one."

I rolled my eyes, "tell me about it. One minute he's being the biggest jackass in the world and the next he's flirting with me and being all sweet and charming."

"Charming?" Jess questioned with a grin, "I didn't know charming guys existed anymore."

"Apparently the trait is only found in guys with split personalities," I replied dryly.

Jess laughed and linked her arm through mine, "the fucked up ones are always the most interesting."

I rolled my eyes, "whatever."

"Its true," Jess insisted, "here we are walking home from school, and instead of discussing clothes and school work we're talking about the resident bad boy," Jess grinned, "much more interesting as far as I'm concerned."

"Michael is a resident bad boy," I reminded her, "we never talk about him."

"Yeah but that's because he's not hot," Jess replied as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. "I couldn't give a damn about what Michael does. Dougie, however, has this cute 'come and save me' face that's just begging for a hug. I mean c'mon Soph admit it, your just dying to find out what's going on with him aren't you?"

"Oh I'm desperate to know," I replied honestly. "Nothing is more annoying than not knowing something."

"I totally agree," Jess replied slowly, "so maybe you should find out."

I stopped walking and looked at her curiously, "how can I do that? I have no clue when he's going to be back at school. He could be expelled for all I know."

Jess grinned wickedly at me, "Soph, its not like you don't know where he lives."

I stared at her incredulously, "I'm not going to his house!"

"Why not?"

"Because…" I paused and wracked my brains to come up with a good reason. I came up blank.

Jess raised an eyebrow.

I rolled my eyes, "fine. But only because I'm a naturally curious person."

"Of course," Jess nodded, "this has nothing to do with the fact you desperately want to finish what was started at the party."

"Shut up Jess."

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Half an hour later I found myself standing awkwardly on the front door step to Dougie's house, desperately attempting to work up the courage to knock on the door.

I bit at my fingernails and eyed the doorbell. I was just raising my hand to press the button when suddenly loud voices inside made me freeze in place.

"It took you a month to realise I was gone!"

"That not true at all! I've been busy Doug."

"Busy drinking."

It was one of those moments, where my mind was screaming at me to walk away, that I didn't belong here, and wasn't allowed to hear these things. But my feet wouldn't obey my command.

"I don't know why you even bothered. I want you to leave."

"You don't mean that. Where's you brother?"

"That's none of your business."

"He's been a bad influence on you."

"He's a better influence then you ever were."

Curiosity got the best of me. I stepped off the doorstep and tip toed across the front lawn to the closest window. I felt like someone out of an action film as I creped up to the windowpane, stepped carefully through the bed of weeds and peered through the glass.

Inside Dougie stood in his living room glaring at the woman across from him. She was middle aged, and dressed in business attire. She looked like something out of a movie the way her hair was perfectly styled, and her clothes in mint condition. I stepped closer to the glass. She must be his mother.

"When are you coming home?" she asked him.

I watched as Dougie sighed in annoyance. Then without any warning his eyes flew to the window I was peering through.

His eyes widened ever so slightly when he noticed me, and his mouth dropped open as he stared at me in shock.

It took me a grand total of 3.8 seconds to come to my senses. "Shit!" I cursed. Then I did what any other sane human being would do. I got the hell out of there!

"Shit, shit, shit," I whispered anxiously as I hurried out of the yard and down the driveway. I rubbed my head and hurried off down the street, not exactly sure where I was going, but knowing I had to get the hell away.

I was just turning the corner into Beltana Crescent and letting out a deep breath with the realisation that I had made it safely away without Dougie throttling me, when suddenly a shout sounded behind me.

"Hey!"

I froze in my tracks. Fuck. I turned slowly around to see Dougie storming towards me.

Oh fuck.

"Are you insane?" he yelled when he reached me, "were you spying on me?"

"No!" I protested immediately.

"No?" Dougie repeated loudly, "so you make a habit of looking through peoples windows often?"

I crossed my arms across my chest defensively, "I'm sorry, but I was curious."

Dougie ran his hand through his hair in annoyance, "God Sophie, why can't you just mind your own business!"

"I don't know," I yelled, "maybe its because I don't know a bloody thing about you."

"Who cares?" Dougie shouted.

"I care!" I exclaimed, reaching out and shoving him in annoyance, "maybe if you weren't so mysterious all the time…"

Dougie huffed and rolled his eyes, "are you crazy?"

"To come here and see you?" I questioned loudly, "Yeah I must be."

"So are you happy now?" Dougie questioned eyes flashing, "Did you get what you came for?"

I scowled at him, "no. I didn't."

"Then why are you here?" Dougie demanded.

"Because I was worried about you alright," I yelled.

Dougie stared at me.

"Are you happy now?" I yelled suddenly annoyed and gesturing wildly. "I was worried. Bloody hell, our principal came to class looking for you, and you didn't come back. What was I supposed to think? You could have been expelled, or someone in your family could have been sick." I was on a roll, "you're a bloody walking contradiction, and I never know when your telling the truth or not so mmppfffttt…."

I didn't get to finish my rant, because at that stage Dougie had closed the distance between us, grabbed my face, and pressed his lips to mine.

I was gob smacked. I stood there in complete and utter shock as his lips caressed mine. A kiss was the last thing I was expecting. I was thinking he might yell at me or kill me, or something equally as horrible. But this… was unexpected. I was so shell shocked that I couldn't even work up the initiative to respond. So I just stood there, arms by my side, lips immobile until he pulled away.

"No ones ever been worried about me before," Dougie murmured his lips hovering over mine.

I stared at him. "Are you insane?" I finally asked mirroring his question moments before.

"To kiss you?" he questioned with a raised eyebrow. He smirked, "I must be."

"We have a really messed up relationship," I mused.

"Who cares," Dougie replied wrapping an arm around me, pulling me close, and pressing his lips back to mine.

This time there was no gob smacked lips or immobile bodies. So in the middle of the road I just gave in to temptation, wrapped my arms around him and kissed him back.

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To be continued...

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