Chapter 4: I Hate Everything About You-Three Days Grace

Rikki moved so often, she was hardly ever worried about her first day at a new school. Today was no exception. Yes, she was entering the middle of high school in the middle of the year. Some friendships probably existed for a lifetime while others were formed this year. Nevertheless, Rikki was going to have a difficult time breaking into a friend group. It didn't matter though, by the time she did, she would probably be moving to her next location anyway.

She did hate the first walk from the school office to her locker. She carried all of her class books to her locker at once. She reckoned she could have left a few behind and returned to go get them but why extend the day any more? She had two in her backpack that was clearly at the end of it's life and the rest she carried on her own.

Rikki had just rounded a corner when she felt a strap on her backpack snap and heard it rip open. She turned around to see her books, portable CD player and her small collection of CDs on the ground and her backpack nearly ripped to shreds. Just perfect.

She bent down to pick up her books when she saw someone's shoe collide with a book and watched a boy trip over it. Thankfully, no one seemed to notice when her backpack fell apart but everyone around her burst into laughter when the boy tripped. Everyone expect for that boy that is.

"You think you're funny, do you?" The boy said to her.

"No, it's rather inconvenient my backpack broke." Rikki replied. She might have apologized and made sure he was okay but now that he seemed to have an attitude, she was glad she didn't.

"I've never seen you before." He said. "You must be new. Just know people around here don't mess with me without paying."

"Oh, no. I'm so scared." Rikki said, sarcastically.

Thankfully that was the end of the conversation with that boy. Who the hell did he think he was? Rikki shook her head as she took a seat in the school's courtyard for her free period. She had dropped all of her books off at her locker and retrieved her portable CD player, headphones and her CDs. She found people generally didn't talk to her when she had her headphones on. She had just started listening to Three Days Grace's self titled album. She figured she would pick up where she left off.

She looked up once she had selected her song to see the boy who had tripped over her book walking oh so arrogantly with his friends. She watched him approach a girl by her locker who looked like she wanted nothing to do with him.

All the feelings that I get

But I still don't miss you yet

Rikki sighed as she shut off her CD player and removed her headphones. She'd have to resume the song later and she would have to do her best to avoid this boy for her time in Gold Coast.

Rikki was the one who convinced Emma to throw her annual sleepover, despite their new mermaid identities. Emma had called her mum to ask her to send out invitations shortly after Zane Bennett, the boy who had tripped over Rikki's books her first day of school, had served them all prune juice. Rikki didn't expect for the invite to be instantaneous. As they left the cafe, she briefly picked up on Zane and his girlfriend, Miriam, talking about how they didn't get an invite. Rikki knew this wouldn't end well.

The pair arrived uninvited with extra food. Emma's Mum was thrilled, the three girls, not so much. Especially not when all of their friends seemed to act like they had never seen a boy before and flocked Zane.

He was eventually thrown out of the party by Rikki herself. She wouldn't lie, she enjoyed throwing him out but he stayed on her mind for the rest of the evening. Maybe it was just because Emma had said to keep an eye out for him in case he tried to sneak back in. That wouldn't explain why he was still on her mind as she finally went to sleep at 3 AM. Zane was probably asleep too.

Rikki eventually gave up and grabbed her CD player. She curled back up in her sleeping bag and listened to the first song that came on.

Every time we lie awake

After every hit we take

All the feelings that I get

But I still don't miss you yet

She was wiping a table at the JuiceNet when the annoying bad boy and his blonde bimbo girlfriend walked in and took a seat at a booth. Rikki would do anything to not be the one to take their order. There was no way they wouldn't try to sabotage her. Emma had other ideas for her friend though.

Rikki wrote down their orders, a strawberry smoothie for the bimbo and a banana shake for the boy. She made each and brought them over to the table. This was going too well, what were they going to do next? Hopefully not throw the drinks at Rikki. Miriam flipped out claiming she was allergic to strawberries.

"Maybe it was momentary amnesia?" Rikki questioned. She was surprised when Zane laughed at her response. Miriam didn't seem to think it was that funny.

Rikki took the strawberry drink back and went to make what Miriam actually wanted. Or at least Rikki hoped this was what she wanted. Rikki wouldn't be running back and forth from their table all day. While she was making the new smoothie for Miriam, the song at the JuiceNet switched and Rikki found herself subconsciously looking right at Zane.

Only when I stop to think about it

I hate everything about you

Zane was a total idiot. Why would he follow her out to the balcony without holding the door? Why wouldn't he at least place his father's briefcase or some other item in the hotel room between the door and the wall to hold it open. Now, she was stuck out here with him.

Rikki thought this would be the longest day of her life but she found Zane was at worst, tolerable. Under that bad boy exterior was a person who just wanted to please those around him and a boy who was afraid of heights. They still needed to get off the balcony. They were high up but between the busy hotel and the popular, young restaurant across the street, Rikki was surprised no one had seemed to notice them yet. As the day continued, she found she didn't mind that they were still stuck. What the hell was happening?

Zane had gone back to the door to see if his dad had made it back from the seminar yet. Rikki took a seat against the glass barrier at the edge of the balcony when the restaurant changed songs.

I hate everything about you

Why do I love you?

Zane was walking back to her as it appeared his venture to the door was unsuccessful. He took a seat beside Rikki.

"Why are you smiling?" He asked with a smile on his face as well.

She hadn't realized she had been smiling. "I feel like this song is fitting, that's all."

Zane let out a laugh too. "Yeah, I reckon it is."

They bonded like surely no one ever had before on that balcony. She told him things she had trouble confiding in even her friends. He did the same and they both just listened to the other, offering advice when needed. When Rikki saw Zane in the lobby she couldn't think of any two people that were more different from each other. Now, she found they had more in common than she thought.

Thunder clapped as the song ended. Rikki bolted for the small covering to keep her mermaid identity a secret. Zane followed her and ducked under just as soon as the rain started pouring.

"Do you want this?" He offered her his jacket. She gratefully accepted and gave it back to him in the elevator where they had their first real kiss. She stole the jacket back and now looked at it, laying crumpled on her bed. It smelled like him and reminded her of the innocence the start of their relationship had.

She didn't dare tell him how often she listened to this song and thought of him on that balcony. She knew as soon as he said he made her a playlist though, this song would be on there.