As I walked in class, I felt the intensity of Jason's scowl, marking my name on the dreaded tardy sheet.

Sauntering to my seat, I sat beside Justin who just woke up from Jason's earlier lecture.

"Where have you been?" he says rubbing the back of his hand over his cheeks and eyes.

I shrugged, giving him the hint that it wasn't something to worry about, "I just had something to take care of..." and he nodded, not sure if he believed me, but he moves on to his next trail of thought.

"You don't mind if we leave you alone during lunch do you?"

Great. The last thing I wanted right now to be left vulnerable with the king of hell.

"Where are you and Angela going?"

"We'll skip..." He replied, not elaborating further. When can I do that? Lucky bastards...

Jason shot us a warning look, immediately hushing us both. We cowered under his gaze, directing our attention back at him.

As time flew by, lunch came and as I feared, I sat alone in our regular lunch table. Brett and his followers occupied the empty space in front of me. He sat to my right, draping an arm around my shoulders.

I gave him an irritated look and he just took it in with a knowing smirk leaning down so close to a whisper.

"Just go with the flow...” he cooed and his arm still dangling around my shoulder dangerously place on top of my chest. I cringe, he was doing it intentionally, and if I am not mistaken, he was actually caressing it, what the hell?

"This is my new friend Paige, treat her the same way you treat me... and if anyone messes with her I'll make sure you will pay the price understood?"

"Yes, sir..." They chimed in a systematic echo, I don't know if he was using some kind of hypnosis technique that he got them to do what he says like dummies. Unless these people didn't notice the bossiness in his tone at all.

Sighing a couple of times, I silently sat there, trying so hard to stop my need to slap him as his fingers tickled the back of my neck.

Feeling uncomfortable, I tuned out the conversation they were having about a car we will hold next Saturday and other council stuff I could care less about.

Not meeting any of their gazes, my mind began to wander, thoughts of Jason came swimming in, and then I pitied myself as I stared down at my palms firmly set on my lap. I wished I could leave, but apparently, he had an invisible leash on me.

Every time I brushed him away, he inched closer just to get under my skin, and when I thought I wouldn't survive another minute there, Jason enters the cafe catching my stare, I can tell he saw Brett too. Looking away, he eased forward moving through the lunch line.

The moment he received his portion - enviously more appetizing than what they served us - I excused myself without waiting for Brett's reply and followed Jason back to his class.

"This is all a misunderstanding-," I say flustered that his advantageous stride made it hard for me to keep up with him; either that or he was intentionally putting some distance between us to save his ass.

"What are you apologizing for kiddo?” It's your life, not mine... I have no say in who you like or hang out with."

"But I don't like him!" I defended balling my hands into a fist against my sides, "I can't tell you the reason now because it would be bad for the both of us... And if you cared you'd understand me just like you always do."

He sighed, and I knew it was a sign of his usual understanding self, "Just be careful okay." he spat rather gloomily... was he jealous?

No, he was Jason. Schoolgirls and female teachers flock over him. What was there to be jealous about?

***

When I came home later that day, boxes were scattered around the floor. Mother was busy from work going back and forth from state to state that she barely had time to get everything organized; she probably had started packing after the burial. It was good though so she could get over dad's death.

I never felt so sorry for her, I've never seen her so depressed, and it was unhealthy for her just to lie there in bed all day crying her eyes out. I was busy from school so whenever I got home had no time to even fix the laundry, and here she was doing something more or less productive while I was away.

Noticing me, mom gives me a half-hearted smile as I crossed the room towards her. "Hello dear, how was school?"

I shrugged kissing her and resigned to my need of wanting to lie flat on my belly on the sofa. If I could get paid being a couch potato, I’d rather lie there for the rest of my life. "Mom, could I change my name and go to another school?"

"How come?" she questioned polishing the picture frame which was once stacked neatly in the box filled with Styrofoam for I believe the one-hundredth time to perfection.

"Please don't let me go to school," I begged burying my head on the dull dusty pillow below me, "I'll work hard I'll even get a part-time job just please don't let me go back to that horrible school..."

Mom frowned placing her hands on her hips "Paige Levine! I work my butt off just to get to you a prestigious school and here you are complaining?"

She just doesn't understand.

"But mom... I just can't!"

"Why," she placed her hands on her hips, "are you pregnant?"

"What? How can I get pregnant when I don't even have friends!"

"Then are you getting bullied?" she asked raising her brows, she wasn't chastising me, she was more or less worried and alarmed.

"I wouldn't say bullied... it's just that there's this guy..."

"Oh my Gosh Paige, you're in love?"

"Mom, could you shut up and listen? I don't like this guy, I hate him, he's the fakest jerk I've ever met, and I can't even believe he's the school council president!"

"So this guy," mom began, her eyes seeking me with dreamy mischievousness written all over her face, the need for money and power... "Is bullying you and he's in the student council... dear have you ever heard of the saying opposites attract?"

"Eww mom, don't even think about it."

"Dear, you should become friends with him we need good relations in our family, who knows maybe he likes you and marry you!"

No, just no, just stop there, the hell with that, there is no way in hell I'd marry him. "No mom that won't happen, I refuse to make that happen."

"Unless you say he's ugly you gotta marry this guy!"

"He's not ugly okay! Every girl on campus except me has a crush on him, everyone thinks he's perfect, he's just too damn perfect, but under that fake smile it's all evil!"

Mom gives me that look that told me she thought I was crazy if only that were the case.

"You've gone crazy dear, you should take a nap, it must be the heat outside..."

"MOM I'm telling the truth! He's a freaking -"

"What?" she questioned eyes eager to hear my next words. It almost slipped, and we didn't want that to happen.

"Nothing, forget I even started that conversation." I should really control my temper if his secret spills out... I'm toast.

"How about Jason don't you see him every day? He's not helping you?"

Ha! "He barely talks to me and when he does... Ugh... I just get so annoyed..."

"Want me to talk to him?"

"No mom, I wouldn't want him to treat me any different from the others."

She rubbed her temples, fatigue plaguing her features.

"Whatever you say, dear, if you need anything I'll just be in my room." With that, she left me alone as I unknowingly dozed off without sparing the thought of eating dinner.

I was on campus and everyone kept staring at me, everyone was smiling almost like they were laughing. I could hear the broadcast system calling out my name telling me to go to the broadcast center.

When I got there, Brett was sitting on a swivel chair, holding a microphone on hand; besides him were dozens of press. They were flashing pics of me and as I looked down, I was wearing a revealing lace maid outfit. Brett wore an evil smile.

"I know your secret, Paige..." he chuckled

"Please don't..." I cried and his smile only grew wider as he turned to the crowd the mic a few inches away from him.

"Everyone, I would like to make an announcement. Paige Levine likes Willow High School’s Teacher, Mr. Sean!" and that I thought was the end of me, everyone's face twisted into a grimace, everyone spat at me, telling me I was immoral, impaling me with tomatoes and banana peels, the next thing I knew I was being kicked stomped at being told to go to hell...

I screamed, clawing and kicking as I woke up from the nightmare.

Mom was shaking me, her eyes even more spooked than mine.

"Dear are you alright?"

No mom I had a bad dream, can't you see by looking at my sweat-covered face? I wanted to say, but that was just too rude.

"I-I," my voice cracked, "just need a few days off that's all..."

"If that's what you want..." She whispered rubbing my back, “take your time sweetie.”

“Thanks, mom” I buried my head on her chest, shivering, I just need time to process all of this, come up with a foolproof plan to get Brett off my tail. Yeah, just a few days, without Brett, and I’ll return to a right state of mind.