C H A P T E R N I N E

"Why do you even wear those things?" Quinton asks me, looking down at the white crop top I decided to wear today. "Seriously, you look way too exposed."

I glare at him, looking at him up and down. After years of being insulted by him, you'd think that I would have developed a rock hard shell that would allow me to block out his negative comments, but I haven't. Every single one of his insults affect me, which fuels the deep bitterness that I've developed for him.

"Are you the fashion police, or something?" I snap, crossing my arms over my chest defensively. If you ask me, that's overstepping the boundaries. Like, who is he for trying to make me feel bad for wanting to look pretty. I seriously don't understand this boy.

"Yes." He says with a small grin, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Actually, I am."

I roll my eyes at his stupidity. "Shut up."

"Why don't you shut up?"

"No, because I'm not the one that started this argument!" I growl, shoving him hard in the chest with my pointer finger. He just grins even wider, looking as evil as ever, if that's even possible.

"Yes you did." He says. "You started it by wearing slutty clothing to a family owned business establishment."

My cheeks heat up in rage, and I let out an angry growl. "These are are not slutty! This only shows," I make a gap between my thumb and my pointer finger, keeping them about an inch apart, "this much of my stomach!"

He just shakes his head at me. "That's how you see it."

"Shut up, Quinton!"

"Not until you cover yourself up."

"Why do you even care?" I growl, stomping my foot on the ground to get some of my anger out. Obviously, it doesn't work. My anger can't be tamed, I've fallen off the edge of insanity.

"Because I care about the children that walk through these doors." he says, sickeningly amused as he points to the front doors. "You don't want to corrupt the children, do you?"

All I can do is stare up at him, rage swirling through my eyes. Why does he always do this to me? Why does he feel pleasure in seeing me enraged and upset? Even when he hadn't known me, he managed to embarrass me beyond great extents and say things to me that only he can get away with.

I don't know what I did to deserve this. But I do know that I'm done with it. All of it.

"What did I ever do to you?" I ask admittedly, maintaining eye contact. "Why do you feel pleasure in hurting my feelings?"

Just for a second, a tiny, almost non-existent look of sincerity makes its way into his eyes as he stares back at me. For a second I think he's actually going to say something half decent, but instead I get something entirely different back.

"Don't be a hypocrite, Peters." He snaps, rolling his eyes at me, and I can't help but cringe at the way my last name sounds on his lips.

"What are you talking about?" I ask, narrowing my eyes at him. "You're the one who started this whole thing!"

"Are you talking about what happened in freshman year?" He asks with a sigh, rolling his eyes. Wow. . .he actually cared enough to remember.

How sweet of him.

"Of course I'm talking about that!" I huff, throwing my hands in the air exaggeratedly. "That's what started this whole thing!"

"I was fourteen!" He snaps, glaring at me. "The only reason why I've been so rude to you since then, is because of you."

"What are you even talking about?" I can't help but ask, and he lets an angry huff of air.

"Ever since then, you've made it your goal to annoy the living shit out of me. You're presence alone gets on my nerves!" He says, angrily pushing a hand through his hair. "So I have to fight back! And honestly, I'm getting really tired of your immaturity, Peters."

I wouldn't be surprised if smoke flew out of my ears right now, because I've never been this angry before.

"My immaturity?" I yell, taking a step closer to him. "You're the one who embarrassed me in front of everyone! I liked you, and just wanted to go to an innocent dance." I finish, realizing just how loud I was yelling when I stop, hearing nothing but my heavy breathing.

He stares at me with furrowed brows, looking utterly confused. "You. . .liked me?"

Oh no. . .code red.

Abandon ship.

"Uh, I mean, I didn't like you. . .I just thought you were cute." I rant, feeling my cheeks heat up in embarrassment as a smirk makes its way to his face. Oh crap.

"Huh." He says, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Interesting."

"That was like," I hold up four fingers and shove it in his face, "almost four years ago!"

He shakes his head, grinning. "This is some good information. . .may even good blackmail." He rubs his hands together evilly, and I can't help but narrow my eyes at him.

"What?"

"This could be some good blackmail information," he says again, rubbing his chin. "I did want the day off next Friday. . ."

No freaking way.

"No." I snap, placing a hand on my hip. "I'm not letting you push me around. Go ahead and tell Percy I had a crush on you when we were fourteen. He wouldn't even care."

The grin on his faces widen even more. "So it's a crush now? Things keep getting better and better."

"Shut up!" I growl, punching him hard in the arm. He whines a bit, holding his right hand on the area I hit.

"Ouch." He mumbles.

"That's what you get for being an idiot." I snap before turning around and heading back to the register, hopping onto the countertop. He shoots me a sharp glare.

"I'm done talking to you. If you need me, I'll be in back sleeping." He sighs before swiftly making his way into the back room. I roll my eyes at his back, silently cheering that he's finally gone and that this heated argument is over.

Fishing my phone out of my pocket, I unlock and it and send Jack a quick message.