Thanks so much, again, for the feedback. Even the flamers :) I except
everyone's opinion and criticism, whether it be constructive or not. So
keep on reviewing, because they really do help. I'm trying to make this
story anti-cliché and not all full of Mary-Sue's. I want it to be REAL.
And, as one reviewer pointed out, any guy in REAL life with eyes would most
likely get with the "slut" aka Brooke, and that's just how life goes. And
it's true. So somehow, I'm going to work those things into my story, while
still keeping it sweet and romantic, but in character. Lol that sounded
confusing.
Anywhoogles, here's the next chapter and I hope you all enjoy!
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School was never my favorite place to be. Always overlooked by the stereo- type cheerleaders and jocks, the rich kids, and the other pathetic cliques high school possessed, I didn't really fit into a category, besides maybe the smart kids.
Grades were important to me. My family didn't have much money, and afraid of being stuck forever in this small town, I wanted to go to college and make something of my life. So the days that other kids got drunk at parties on Friday nights, I had been working or studying.
I was just getting ready for the day and was almost out the door when I heard my mom call my name. I answered quickly, in a rush.
"What?" I yelled back, my hand on the door knob.
"Remember, after school, you need to paint the garage door!"
I grimaced and fled out the door. How could I forget? I had only obliged my mother's request for the fact of gaining an extra twenty dollars in my pocket.
The fresh, cool air whipped my face as I made my way down my front porch. Lucas was waiting for me by the sidewalk and I grinned as I walked up to him. Since we were little, we always walked to school together. It had become a traditional thing.
"Hey Haley," Luke said, his bag slung over his arm as we began our five minute trek to the place I preferred to call in 'institution.'
"Morning," I grumbled. I was sore from the night before, having slept wrong on my bed, and we had a major test today in History. I was not in the best mood. Plus, having my mother just tell me I had to paint the garage door was just enough to send me screaming in the other direction.
"So, are you working after school today?" Luke asked me, as I munched on a pop-tart I had confiscated from my pantry.
"Nope," I said. "Gotta paint the garage door, remember? You promised you'd help."
"How could I forget?" Luke said, as we made our way into the front of the school. I grinned at him.
"Yeah, it's an extra twenty bucks," I said.
"I'll be there," he said. "I won't forget. I got basketball practice after school, but I should be there by four thirty."
I smiled and hugged him tightly around the neck, inhaling his sweet scent. For a moment, it made my head dizzy and my stomach all butterflies, but I got control of myself and let go of him.
"Thanks, you better not forget," I said happily as we entered the school.
"Yeah, well, you know," Lucas said, smirking.
He walked me to my locker like always, and just as I was getting my books, Peyton walked by, and I saw out of the corner of my eye, Lucas smiled at her. I suddenly felt a pang of anger and jealousy. Why couldn't he see she was no good for him? Sure, Peyton herself wasn't that bad, but couldn't he see it? She only gave him the time of day whenever she felt like it. I figured the cheerleader who really was an artist and 'different' would capture his attention and I fucking hated it. She was tall, blonde, cheerleader, deep. I was boring, boring and boring. Why would he ever love me for anything more than his confider? I loved being his best friend, it was special, but sometimes I couldn't help but want to feel more. Lucas was a great guy, but Peyton had him wrapped around his finger. I began to hate her more every second as Lucas left me and went to talk to her, without even saying good bye. I wanted to scream, wanted to pounce on her. She was stealing my best friend, taking him ever farther away from me, making me feel second best and worthless. Lucas was like any other teenage guy. Peyton was hot, so why not take advantage of the opportunity? He would pick her over me any day, and that broke my heart. I was so sick of Peyton getting all the attention, Peyton being the tortured one, what about me? I knew I was sounding selfish, I knew I may be being a bitch, but I couldn't help but feel ignored.
The day flew by fast, without anything really happening. I didn't talk to Lucas for the rest of the day, upset at how he just ditched me. I wasn't needy, but I couldn't help but feel resentful.
After school, I walked home by myself and set to painting the garage door alone. Four thirty came and then went, with no sign of Lucas. I was growing worried that maybe something had happened to him on his way to my house, but when five thirty passed without any sign of him, I decided to go to the café to see if he was there.
I entered the café to be greeted by the sound of delicate female laughter and the strong smell of coffee. Looking around for the laugh, I saw Lucas and none other than Peyton, sitting at the counter, talking. They seemed to be enjoying themselves, and white-hot anger boiled my blood.
I made my way to the two of them and couldn't believe when Lucas grinned at me and said,
"Hey Hales. I thought you weren't working today."
It was all I could do to keep myself from pouncing on him and slapping the smirk right off of his face.
"I wasn't," I barely whispered. "But I was worried about you when you didn't show up today and thought I would find you here."
I watched with amusement as the color drained from his face, and he hopped up from the seat and walked over to me. Peyton looked on, rather confused.
"Aw Hales," he said, looking sincerely sorry. I didn't care though. Not this time. I had counted on Lucas to help me paint the garage, and I was stuck to do it alone. And the mere sight of him beside Peyton made me want to puke, especially with the weird feelings I had been having lately about him. "I'm so sorry-I-I totally forgot, it slipped my mind. I got distracted- "
I looked over at Peyton and then him. "You sure were," I muttered.
Lucas looked at me, hurt obvious in his eyes. "Please, Haley, I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you."
"Whatever."
"Haley," now Peyton spoke. "It's partly my fault. I had had a rough day, and Lucas offered to take me here. I'm sorry."
The last thing I needed was for her to apologize to me. "I don't care." I said, perhaps a bit too coldly, and turned on my heel and began to walk out of the café.
Lucas came up beside me and took me by the shoulder. "Hales, listen to me, I'm sorry, okay. Really, I am."
I knew he was sorry but that didn't keep me from being mad. But the look in his eyes and his gentle touch made me so powerless. I gave up and sighed. "It's okay."
He smiled and gave me a kiss on the forehead. "That's my Hales."
I forced a smile. "See you later," he said one last time.
I pretended to be unaffected by his deep, sexy voice he did so well, and turned and walked out. I pretended to be okay, to be happy, but inside I was falling apart.
********* *********
Anywhoogles, here's the next chapter and I hope you all enjoy!
********* *********
School was never my favorite place to be. Always overlooked by the stereo- type cheerleaders and jocks, the rich kids, and the other pathetic cliques high school possessed, I didn't really fit into a category, besides maybe the smart kids.
Grades were important to me. My family didn't have much money, and afraid of being stuck forever in this small town, I wanted to go to college and make something of my life. So the days that other kids got drunk at parties on Friday nights, I had been working or studying.
I was just getting ready for the day and was almost out the door when I heard my mom call my name. I answered quickly, in a rush.
"What?" I yelled back, my hand on the door knob.
"Remember, after school, you need to paint the garage door!"
I grimaced and fled out the door. How could I forget? I had only obliged my mother's request for the fact of gaining an extra twenty dollars in my pocket.
The fresh, cool air whipped my face as I made my way down my front porch. Lucas was waiting for me by the sidewalk and I grinned as I walked up to him. Since we were little, we always walked to school together. It had become a traditional thing.
"Hey Haley," Luke said, his bag slung over his arm as we began our five minute trek to the place I preferred to call in 'institution.'
"Morning," I grumbled. I was sore from the night before, having slept wrong on my bed, and we had a major test today in History. I was not in the best mood. Plus, having my mother just tell me I had to paint the garage door was just enough to send me screaming in the other direction.
"So, are you working after school today?" Luke asked me, as I munched on a pop-tart I had confiscated from my pantry.
"Nope," I said. "Gotta paint the garage door, remember? You promised you'd help."
"How could I forget?" Luke said, as we made our way into the front of the school. I grinned at him.
"Yeah, it's an extra twenty bucks," I said.
"I'll be there," he said. "I won't forget. I got basketball practice after school, but I should be there by four thirty."
I smiled and hugged him tightly around the neck, inhaling his sweet scent. For a moment, it made my head dizzy and my stomach all butterflies, but I got control of myself and let go of him.
"Thanks, you better not forget," I said happily as we entered the school.
"Yeah, well, you know," Lucas said, smirking.
He walked me to my locker like always, and just as I was getting my books, Peyton walked by, and I saw out of the corner of my eye, Lucas smiled at her. I suddenly felt a pang of anger and jealousy. Why couldn't he see she was no good for him? Sure, Peyton herself wasn't that bad, but couldn't he see it? She only gave him the time of day whenever she felt like it. I figured the cheerleader who really was an artist and 'different' would capture his attention and I fucking hated it. She was tall, blonde, cheerleader, deep. I was boring, boring and boring. Why would he ever love me for anything more than his confider? I loved being his best friend, it was special, but sometimes I couldn't help but want to feel more. Lucas was a great guy, but Peyton had him wrapped around his finger. I began to hate her more every second as Lucas left me and went to talk to her, without even saying good bye. I wanted to scream, wanted to pounce on her. She was stealing my best friend, taking him ever farther away from me, making me feel second best and worthless. Lucas was like any other teenage guy. Peyton was hot, so why not take advantage of the opportunity? He would pick her over me any day, and that broke my heart. I was so sick of Peyton getting all the attention, Peyton being the tortured one, what about me? I knew I was sounding selfish, I knew I may be being a bitch, but I couldn't help but feel ignored.
The day flew by fast, without anything really happening. I didn't talk to Lucas for the rest of the day, upset at how he just ditched me. I wasn't needy, but I couldn't help but feel resentful.
After school, I walked home by myself and set to painting the garage door alone. Four thirty came and then went, with no sign of Lucas. I was growing worried that maybe something had happened to him on his way to my house, but when five thirty passed without any sign of him, I decided to go to the café to see if he was there.
I entered the café to be greeted by the sound of delicate female laughter and the strong smell of coffee. Looking around for the laugh, I saw Lucas and none other than Peyton, sitting at the counter, talking. They seemed to be enjoying themselves, and white-hot anger boiled my blood.
I made my way to the two of them and couldn't believe when Lucas grinned at me and said,
"Hey Hales. I thought you weren't working today."
It was all I could do to keep myself from pouncing on him and slapping the smirk right off of his face.
"I wasn't," I barely whispered. "But I was worried about you when you didn't show up today and thought I would find you here."
I watched with amusement as the color drained from his face, and he hopped up from the seat and walked over to me. Peyton looked on, rather confused.
"Aw Hales," he said, looking sincerely sorry. I didn't care though. Not this time. I had counted on Lucas to help me paint the garage, and I was stuck to do it alone. And the mere sight of him beside Peyton made me want to puke, especially with the weird feelings I had been having lately about him. "I'm so sorry-I-I totally forgot, it slipped my mind. I got distracted- "
I looked over at Peyton and then him. "You sure were," I muttered.
Lucas looked at me, hurt obvious in his eyes. "Please, Haley, I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you."
"Whatever."
"Haley," now Peyton spoke. "It's partly my fault. I had had a rough day, and Lucas offered to take me here. I'm sorry."
The last thing I needed was for her to apologize to me. "I don't care." I said, perhaps a bit too coldly, and turned on my heel and began to walk out of the café.
Lucas came up beside me and took me by the shoulder. "Hales, listen to me, I'm sorry, okay. Really, I am."
I knew he was sorry but that didn't keep me from being mad. But the look in his eyes and his gentle touch made me so powerless. I gave up and sighed. "It's okay."
He smiled and gave me a kiss on the forehead. "That's my Hales."
I forced a smile. "See you later," he said one last time.
I pretended to be unaffected by his deep, sexy voice he did so well, and turned and walked out. I pretended to be okay, to be happy, but inside I was falling apart.
********* *********