okay so i will be gone for a while. christmas time is near and i won't be able to update for a while, so i'm going to be updating a bit more frequently, until sunday. enjoy and let me know what you think!
I immediately slide down into my seat, mortified, although I'd expected him to come. Tate shoots me a sideways glance, smirking. Asshole.
Kit notices my discomfort and leans over to me. "It'll be okay," he whispers.
I nod, looking at anywhere but my dad. He was so embarrassing. I could sense Madison shooting daggers and smirking my way. I wanted to badly give her the finger, but I knew, and she knew, that I couldn't. Not while my dad was here.
My dad, John Lowe, walks to the center of the room. He clears his throat and the room falls silent. "Class, I know this is a terrible time for you. You're Calculus teacher… Mr. Drake has, as you may or may not know, passed away. Murdered actually." He says this all in a grave voice.
"Oh my god's" fill the room, to those who hadn't tuned into the news last night. I hear Violet sniffle. Her eyes tear up like she's going to cry again. It's okay, I tell her and squeeze her hand. She looks at me gratefully, "Wow, you're being so strong at a time like this."
I nod. It was a specialty of mine, being strong. I had to be strong for the both of us— me and dad— ever since my mother had passed away.
"He was stabbed to death, there were no objects stolen from his house, not even money. So this appears to be very… personal." My dad continues amidst the murmurs. "So what I'm actually hear for is to take down statements about your teacher. What kind of man was he?"
Madison Montgomery immediately raises her hand.
"Miss…?"
"Madison Montgomery, sir" Madison says, smiling brightly, her voice oozing with fake kindness and innocence.
"Yes, can you tell us anything about Mr. Drake, Miss Montgomery?"
At this, she immediately starts tearing up, "I… Oh god, it's just… well, he was a very nice kind of guy. He was nice to us, very friendly, umm… he wasn't too strict on us or anything. Kind of lenient actually."
"Actually," I cut in, "We don't know anything about him." I roll my eyes, "We've had him for one day, as you said earlier to my friend Violet." I glare at her, and she gives me a seething look.
Dad shoots me a look. It was a scathing hateful look. I glare back at him, "It was the truth. Only Violet can give you a valid statement."
He continues staring at me, and then utters a low warning, "We'll need to talk later, young lady."
I frown, cross my arms over my chest. But I can't take it. I can't stand my dad coming in here, treating me like I'm nothing, acting like the hot-shot police man that he thinks he is. But in reality he was just a pathetic drunk.
I get up and rush out of class. Screw him!
I hear him calling after me, "AINSLEE! AINSLEE GRACE LOWE!"
But I ignore him, and anyway, I'm already down the hallway. I don't know where I'm going to go, I just need to get out. I walk out of the building and sit outside in the courtyard, just trying to get my thoughts together. Breathe in… breath out, Ainslee…
I hear something rustle in behind me, and I turn to look. There's nothing… it's probably just the wind…
I turn back and…
TRISTAN IS STANDING IN FRONT OF ME!
"Get the hell away from me!" I yell, kicking at his white Nikes. He moves away quickly with a yelp.
"They're white! I just bought them for like… fifty dollars or something!" He looks at me pointedly, but then a lewd smile comes over his face.
"So what are you doing all alone?"
"Nothing!" I snap, "Please just leave me a lone."
"Well, since you asked so nicely… Nope. I don't think I will." He sits down besides me and hooks his arm around my waist. They were very muscular, just like a football player's would be. I look at him in disgust, and try to move away from him, but I can't get myself loose from his strong grip.
"Let go of me you… you baboon!"
He shakes his head at this, sadly.
"Oh Ainslee. You're a very pretty girl. Wouldn't you rather be hanging out with the pretty people— You know, the models. I've got a contract at Ford Models, and oh! there's Next Management, too."
I look at him.
"You disgust me. I'm not shallow, like you." I smirk.
"What are you saying?" He looks angry now.
"I'm saying you deserve to die."
He sniffs, let's out a really disappointed sigh.
"Maybe you're just too young to know how things work in this school. You're either popular or not. And if you're not… well, we'll make you're life a living hell!"
"I don't care. I like Kit and Violet!"
He snorts, "Well, stay away from the Langdon's. They're a bunch of psychopaths."
We hear a noise behind us, and we both turn. It's Tate Langdon!
He looks angry and he's stalking towards us. Tristan immediately releases me from his grip and stands up.
"I'll get you," he sneers, giving me another lewd smile. I shudder and flip him off.
Tristan leaves before Tate can say anything. He stares at me, his expression reads, like what the hell?
"It's nothing, he's such a pig." I sigh, and stand up. "What are you doing here?"
"I was worried," Tate mumbles, shrugging casually. He was wearing black jeans and a black Marilyn Manson shirt, underneath his signature leather jacket.
"Really?" I make my voice really girlish and giggle. Although I was surprised. Tate Langdon? Worried? ABOUT ME?
"Shut up, Lowe. I just know what it's like to have your parents embarrass you like that." He looks away from me, and then scowls at the direction Tristan had gone.
"So… what the hell was that with Duffy? He your boyfriend or something?"
"No!" I snort. I open my mouth and make a gagging motion, which makes him laugh a little.
"Good. Now, uh, you're dad is gone and shit. So we should head back to class. We have Theater next." I nod and follow him back inside.
I don't know why, but I found my heart beating just a little bit faster. I felt a little bit safer when I was next to him.