Trouble in Paradise?

“Um, why the hell are you sitting here?”

He didn’t say anything, just kept staring straight ahead. I scoffed and turned my attention to the teacher.

“Sorry,” he mumbled.

I raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“I said, sorry,” he repeated.

I snorted. “You don’t mean that.”

“I do.”

I didn’t say anything else to him that lesson. I was too confused to say anything. Was his apology sincere? Did he mean it? I had no idea.

I was sitting in my room, doing homework.

My brain was on the verge of exploding. Seriously, who needs to know all this shit?

I decided to take a walk. It was a Friday night, and I had nothing to do. I grabbed my phone, keys and coat and I walked out of the door, shutting it behind me.

I started walking down the street, plugging in my earphones to listen to music.

I had been walking for about an hour when it started to get dark. I took my earphones out to probably focus on my surroundings.

I realised that I had no idea where the fuck I was.

Shit.

I couldn’t see any stores around me, just houses. I turned back around, heading back in the direction that I had been walking in. Maybe that would help jog my memory and I could remember how to get back.

I suddenly felt a hand grip my shoulder. I spun around, ready to kick them in the balls.

I sighed in relief when I saw who it was and then I scowled. “What the hell? You idiots!”

Blake and Jordan stood there, wearing jeans and hoodies. They looked like really hot, but I wasn’t going to admit that out loud.

“Well? What do you want?” I asked them when they didn’t say anything.

“We want to apologise,” they said at the same time.

I narrowed my eyes at them. “Why? Do you actually have a conscience now?”

“Look, what we did was wrong. We know that now and we didn’t mean to hurt you,” Jordan said. “We’re sorry.”

When I looked into his eyes, I was expecting to see boredom.

When I did look into his eyes, however, I saw nothing but sincerity and shame. He was ashamed of what he did.

My face softened a bit. Blake wore the same expression of sadness.

“You actually feel bad for what you did?” I asked in disbelief.

They nodded, staring at their feet.

When I saw the sincerity in their eyes again, I sighed.

“Fine, I forgive you. But not Xavier and Ethan, they’re still jerks in my mind,” I said.

They immediately looked up, smiling. I then saw a mixture of relief and happiness in their eyes. Were they really beating themselves up for what happened?

They then surprised me by engulfing me in a group hug. I froze up, still a little shocked. I awkwardly patted their backs.

“We don’t hurt girls. I don’t even know why…” Blake started but I cut him off.

“It’s alright, no need to bring it up again,” I told him. He nodded, still smiling.

“I guess Kaitlyn was right when she said that you were the nicer ones,” I muttered to myself.

“What?” Jordan asked.

“Uh, I was just wondering if you guys could kindly tell me where the hell I am?” I covered up.

“Blake brought his car. We’ll drop you off,” Jordan replied.

“Oh no, you really don’t ha-”

“We insist. Come on,” Blake said, grabbing my wrist and dragging me with them. I shrugged and followed, at least I was getting a free lift.

“Do you even know my name?” I asked, quirking an eyebrow and smirking at them.

“Yeah, you’re Stephanie, the new girl,” Blake replied.

I rolled my eyes. “You only know that from the rumors. In that case, the name is Stef.”

They snorted but didn’t say anything.

“Why didn’t Xavier and Ethan come to apologise?” I asked, curious. We got into the car and I got in the back. Blake started the car up.

Blake was driving so Jordan answered. “They don’t.. they’re a lot more.. how can I put it..”

“They don’t apologise. Ever. Plus, they usually don’t care about girls. Or anyone as a matter of fact. Don’t take it personally, they’re just…” Blake finished for Jordan.

“Assholes?”

They chuckled. “You could put it like that. They’re closed off, Xavier more than anyone.”

I nodded and the car ride was pretty much silent. The radio was playing very softly in the background. I had given Blake my address when we started driving.

Around ten minutes later, we pulled up at my house.

“Well… thanks for the ride. Bye!” They said goodbye and I went inside, still pretty confused as to why they apologised and, if what they said was true, why they actually felt bad.

I sighed and walked upstairs, deciding to abandon these thoughts. They apologised, now just move on. It’s not like you’re friends with them or something.

I sighed and collapsed on my bed, regretting it immediately when I got a small stab of pain in my chest. I groaned.

I grabbed out my Biology notes and homework. I had nothing better to do, and I certainly wasn’t going to go to some high school party like most teens would. No way.

I fell asleep a couple hours later. I had worked so late that I had, literally, fallen asleep with my head in my books.

It wasn’t very comfortable.

“Wait wait wait,” Kaitlyn said. “They apologised to you?”

I nodded and bit my lip. “Yeah, it was weird. Like, why would they do that? They seemed to find it funny at the time,” I explained.

She nodded as well. Over classes, I had gotten to know Kaitlyn better and better. She’s actually a really cool person.

“Maybe I should just stop thinking about it, move on and focus on my school work. I don’t wanna end up in the middle of all of their drama,” I replied, eating my sandwich. It tasted like plastic in my mouth. Maybe I should just buy pizza from now on. That sounds like a good plan.

“Good idea, you seem like the only other girl who wants nothing to do with them. I mean, look at them!” she said, staring at the table that the boys are occupying.

Girls are flocking around their table, pulling their tops down and flipping their hair. I didn’t know if I wanted to laugh or gag.

Xavier then looked over at us, a neutral expression on his face. I looked away immediately, but I could still feel him staring at me.

“Let’s go, I don’t wanna be late to class,” I said, glancing at him distractedly before chucking the rest of my lunch in the bin.

I felt his stare burning through the back of my head as I walked out of the cafeteria.