Chapter 2

"Well, well, well. Who do we have here? If it isn't Maria DeLOSER!" Courtney said in her whiny little voice.

"I rolled my eyes and turned to face her. "Oh! It's Whoretney Banks! Long time no see!" I smiled at her.

Her jaw dropped and there was snickering behind me. I looked to see 2 boys; one was wearing a varsity jacket, no doubt a football player. He didn't hide his laughter and he winked at me.

The other boy was...different. He was wearing a black T-shirt and a grin. His eyes were intense, so intense I turned back around in my seat. "I'm a whore, huh?" she squealed.

"Well, if the shoe fits," I started and the boys laughed again.

"She's got you there, Courtney," said the jock.

"Well, who asked you, Kyle?" she scoffed and turned, staying quiet.

I felt someone tap my shoulder and turned to see the jock, or Kyle as she said. "Yes?"

He stuck out his hand. "Kyle Valenti."

I looked at it and then back to his face, contemplating if I should shake his hand. I took it and smiled. "Maria Deluca."

He smiled back. I looked at the intense gazer expectantly and he didn't move, just stared. I looked back at Kyle. "Who's your friend?"

"This is-"

"Back off, bitch! He is off limits," Courtney came into the conversation.

Then it hit me. "Ohhhh! So this is the one that you want, but he's not biting, right? Hell, smartest guy I've heard of in a long time."

"Shut up!"

"What? I can't think that someone's smart because they don't want any diseases! I don't even wanna think about what has crawled up in you!"

"Alright class! Quiet down! I want you all to read silently until I say!" Mr. McKnight yelled from the front and everyone stopped what they were doing and started reading.

This lasted for a half hour before he told us to talk again before the bell rang.

"So, Mikey G," I heard Courtney next to me.

"Courtney," he mumbled.

"With Deloser aside and out of the convo, why haven't you gotten back to me about friday? You know I'll make it worth your while, what's one date?" I covered my mouth, but the laughter still erupted before I could stop it. "What in the hell are YOU laughing about?"

I turned to her, still laughing. "You are such a whore! You can't even ask a guy out without letting him know he's gonna get some! Please!"

"So? I'm open with my sexual side, guys like that!"

"Yes, you're right. You're VERY OPEN with your sexual side," I agreed and she smiled. "OPEN with all the guys at our school!" I stood up and whispered in her ear, but loud enough for the boys behind us to hear. "If you closed your legs every once in a while, everyone would stop thinking of you as a slut!" The bell rang and I walked out, their laughter following after me.

"Maria, wait!"

I turned toward the voice and saw Billy. "Hey, Billy," I looked around for someone to save me. I went out with him once because I was too nice to let him down. Let's just say I'm never going to be the same and leave it at that...

"So, about this saturday-"

"Listen, Billy, I have plans this saturday. I'm sorry, but I have to go to class right now," I said and hurried off.

"Maybe next saturday then!" he shouted and I turned to wave him off, but I ran into, what seemed to me, a brick wall and fell on my ass.

"I'm sorry about that," the boy said.

"No, no it was my fault," I replied, helping him pick up his books. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he smiled and stuck out his hand. "I'm Alex Whitman."

"Maria Deluca," I replied shaking his hand. The bell rang and I smiled at him, "Well, it was nice meeting you, Alex. Maybe we'll see each other again in the hallways or something."

"Yeah, but hopefully it won't be the same way!" he joked and we parted ways, laughing.

Lunch came around and I had yet to have a class with either Isabel or Tess. Second hour I had with Max, third with an east girl named Liz who was my lab partner, and fourth hour I was with Alex. Now that I think about it, Micheal Guerin was in all my classes, too...

I was carrying my lunch to my usual table. Max, Izzy, and Tess were already there, flagging me down. I smiled and sat next to Isabel. "Hey, guys!"

"Hey Ria!" they all replied then Iz continued, "I can't believe we haven't had a class together! Tess and I have 2nd and 3rd together, but no Ria means no fun!"

I watched her take a bit of her salad before replying. "I know. It's so sad! At least we have 5th and 6th together. Are you on another diet, Iz?" I set down my fatty hamburger and scolded my already skinny best friend.

"I need to look good for homecoming!" she argued.

"Izzy, homecoming isn't for another two months!" Tess yelled.

"Besides that, you don't need to be on a diet! Look at you! You are too skinny as it is! I say, fuck diets. If people need to focus on your appearance to like you, then they aren't worth your time." I screamed and pushed my plate of fries over to her. "Eat them."

"You know you want to, Iz," Max teased and she glared.

She grabbed one and I shook my head. "Take them all. I don't want them." She took them and I added, dramatically, "Besides, I'm going on a diet." She threw one at me and we all laughed.

"Hey, Maria!" I saw Alex walking over to our table, Liz, Kyle, and Micheal following after him. "Mind if we sit with you guys?"

"Hey Alex! Not at all," I replied. "This is Max, Isabel and Tess."

He waved and introduced me to his friends. "This is Liz, Micheal, and Kyle."

"We've met," Micheal said, his eyes staring right into my soul.

I couldn't speak, only nodded. They all sat down, Liz by Tess, Alex by Max, Kyle next to Izzy and Micheal next to me.

"So, word around school is Courtney wants to kill you, Ria," Tess said.

"On the first day? All right Ria!" Is smiled.

I sighed, looking around and finding Courtney glaring at me from her own table. "So, what's new? She's always on my ass," I grabbed a fry and shoved it in my mouth.

I could of been hearing things, or it was wishful thinking, but I swear I heard Micheal murmer, "such a cute ass, too," right next to me!

Well, yeah! Yeah, I choked on the fry! WOULDN'T YOU! I wasn't expecting that to come out of his mouth!

Is was patting my back as I coughed. "Are you alright, Maria?"

I took a long drink of my water and glared at the laughing boy beside me, "fine. Just peachy."

Everyone looked between us before shrugging. The conversating was kept light, but I couldn't help not listening. I mean, the guy kept brushing his leg on mine and shivers went down my spine!

I wanted to get up and drag him into the eraser room and do the naughty things my mother warned me abut... This guy was going to drive me insane...