MONDAY MORNING WAS definitely not what I had anticipated. Gone was the warm comfortable weather of the weekend and its replacement was a cold, windy and just borderline unbearable. To others that is. A contrast to the perfect weekend it had been. Well almost.

Students' voices echoed in the halls and bounced off the the great thick walls, screaming like annoying little kids in a toy store. Or a candy store. You would swear they were on a sugar rush with all the adrenaline that seemed to be pumping in their skinny overly-exposed bodies.

I hate my life.

Since it was a Monday, they had this big morning assembly which I always managed to skip at my old schools. But since I was still new and I didn't know all the hiding spots around here, I had no choice but to stand around as the principal droned on and on about academics and other things I had no business or desire to know. It was so boring I was ready for it to be over in less than five minutes.

Waiting around for people had never been one of my strong suits. I hated it. Just as I was about to celebrate when the principal finished talking, a few other teachers stepped in to give detailed reports about God knows what. I was over it. Just as I was about to walk right away, they had us sing some song and then say the Lord's prayer. I respected that part enough that I stopped myself from cursing in my mind. That part, I definitely didn't mind. Strange? Hahaha I know.

With a sigh, I made my way towards my class and tightened my hoodie around me. It didn't escape my notice the amount of nasty looks I received probably from the ones that recognised me from last week. I rolled my eyes at their petty and childish behaviour. Mean girls were so cliché. It was getting old. You'll think people would somehow get over themselves.

They could be fucking children.

With yet another sigh, my mind went back to the arrogant cutesy. Like he had been on my mind most of the weekend, much to my annoyance. Thinking about him again further infuriated me to no end. But much to my surprise, it seemed Liam had shared my mind right along side the other stranger. I hated having unwelcome intruders on my mind. They would occasionally pop out of nowhere at times. I really didn't like it. Not one bit.

"What have we here? If it isn't miss smart mouth herself. How lucky am I to be in your company, lovely and mysterious presence." I paused mid step, my brow furrowed. I would know that deep, throaty and annoyingly sweet voice of his even buried deep in my grave. Just like that, I could feel my anger and irritation rising as I spun around to face him. Then I had to embarrass myself when I gulped.

Jesus the guy is so hot it's freaky.

His sun kissed skin looked much more defined and toned than he had last week, with his curly black hair that was shaved on the sides. His body stood right there, with his slightly open shirt showing off abs unnecessarily. Don't get me started on his eyes. They were the most interesting thing about him. And they also happened to be the kind I had never seen before. Overall the guy carried himself like he was ready to shoot an eye ad, anytime or something.

I groaned visibly, grumbling and scolding my traitorous mind for noticing all those unnecessary details. Shrugging away the way seeing him affected me, I focused on my words carefully. Ones that hopefully wouldn't embarrass me. I sighed by folding my arms on my chest, succeeding in hardening my stance. To make myself as unapproachable as possible. The last thing I wanted was for the guy to think he stood a chance with me if he really tried.

"I thought I had a little more time before I saw your face again. I was hoping for maybe in like mh let's see...never." He was there before I even took a step away from him. Successfully crowding my personal space. I raised a perfectly arched brow at him. Which he mirrored by arching his own back at me.

"That's too bad then since I'm already here. You can't stop what's meant to be." He smiled his billion dollar smile. A smile I'm sure had gotten him out of trouble countless times. Or maybe it had girls falling all over themselves for him. I rolled my eyes. He chuckled seeming completely amused.

"Move." I said while I unceremoniously shoved him out of the way.

"Damn you're strong." He said as he wobbled on unsteady feet.

He can entertain himself for all I care. I'm out.

"Wait!" He caught up and stood infront of me, blocking my pathway. I glared at him and he raised his hands in the air as a gesture of goodwill or whatever the hell he thought it could do. If anything, it made him look wildly vulnerable and exposed I wanted to punch him right where it would undoubtedly hurt the most. I suppressed my sinister smile before it creeped out.

He's lucky I don't fancy a visit to the principal's office this early.

Not yet anyway!

"What? I have a class that I need to attend and I sure as hell don't want to spend that time with you." His grin widened. The guy was nuts.

"Aggressive. Nice. Just the way I like them."

What in the bloody mary.

"Yeah it sure doesn't seem like anyone ever told you just how creepy that sounds."

"Oh yeah?" He waggled his eyebrows stepping closer.

"Yeah...no. Way to go to try and be less creepy." I pushed him with one hand.

"Okay, so I realise the two of us got off on the wrong foot..." He started and I chuckled when I realised his swiftly and wittily repartees were coming to a surprising halt.

"Oh really. I didn't notice." I sidestepped him and like a persistent stomach bug that just wouldn't go away, he was there too, standing in my way. My neck prickled and I became aware of the more heated and questioning stares I was getting from others. In other words my fellow female species. It was settled. This school had the nosiest students I had ever encountered. What ever happened to minding your own business?

Oh please y'all ladies can have his ass.

I wished to have shouted that in their faces.

I could still do it too!

They stared at us even harder and I opened my mouth to cuss them out but -the-still- standing-there guy spoke first. Halting my plans.

"Well I did and I'll like to rectify that." I ignored him and he frowned, staring at the side of my face harder.

"I have to ask. Are you always this stuck up bi...um character... individual... person?" He kept backpedaling when I gave him the- yeah-finish-that-sentence-to-your-own-demise- look.

That I would beat the shit out of you without batting an eyelid. Or without even breaking a single sweat.

I smiled as he rambled on.

"Rambling and all nervous." I took a single step and them whispered into his ear.

"That's how I like them." I stepped back with a triumphant smile on my face. He stared at me with wide eyes before he chuckled, shaking his head. His eyes dancing with amusement.

"Cute." I snorted taking a threatening step towards him again.

"Call me cute again and I'll..."

"Jesus. Okay fine." I just loved it when they took me seriously. It was always so much fun making people squirm.

"Enough with all this alpha- female thing you've got going on for you. It must be exhausting keeping it up." I folded my arms glaring at him.

"Keeping what up?" He sighed, not the least bit bothered by my murderous gaze.

"This tough girl persona. It must be exhausting." I didn't like being offended but I was. I was never offended.

I am never offended!

"Okay yeah, take that back. Right now!"

"Can't you at least try to be a little bit nicer? I'm trying here."

"Trying what?" I asked now completely unfazed.

"To be nice. To you." I watched as he ran his hands into his nonexistent long hair visibly forgetting that he didn't have waxy or wavy frizzle long hair. His short curls bounced around and back to his forehead mesmerising me for a short second.

How typical of him.

It didn't escape my notice that, that small action made him look more cute than was even remotely necessary. All agitated and frustrated. The fact that I noticed annoyed the living daylights out of me. I hated this teenage stage with each passing day.

Freaking teenage hormones.

What a great time to suddenly make an appearance!

"Why?" I asked. He quirked an eyebrow, looking genuinely confused.

"Why what?"

"Why are you trying to be nice to me anyway?" He shrugged like the answer was just as simple.

"You obviously don't like me and I hate it when that happens. Which actually never happens." I snorted, getting distracted when the siren rang and students moved about to their first lessons.

"So this is about you fulfilling whatever twisted obnoxious male ego of yours that everyone has obviously stacked up. Well how extremely nice of you to sacrifice so much for little ol'me." He smiled that million dollar smile of his indicating I had hit the nail in the head. I rolled my eyes.

Well at least he's not lying about who he is.

"Well then, fortunately for you or rather unfortunately, this is actually me being nice. Well to jackasses like you - that is. But nice is overrated anyway. So you aren't missing out on much. But now if you'll excuse me, I have a very important class I need to get to. Like, right this second. I do have to warn you though, that if you block my way ever again then I might actually have to show you just how much...nicer I can get."

I shoved him a little harder this time then walked away from him to my class leaving him with the most dazed look I had ever seen.

When I couldn't take the burning sensation on my neck any longer, I chanced a glance behind me only to find him still standing there with the same expression. Then I blew him a quick kiss over my shoulder followed by a wink. He stood there, chuckling to himself before turning around to snake his arm around a girl who had latched on to his arm.

*********

"Damn what a weekend. I wouldn't mind taking the rest of the week off. Don't you agree buddy?"

"It's school, not your doll house office." Liam muttered under his breath. I pretended to think about it.

"Isn't that one and the same thing though?" He muttered something incoherent under his breath as he effortlessly reverted back to ignoring me, burying his face into yet another book in his hands.

Boy, does he take the term bookworm to a whole new other level.

I wondered if he was always this grumpy due to the fact that he spent his days in a fictional and fantasy world. It wouldn't surprise me one bit. He acted like he had something against humans in general. Or maybe it was just me. I shrugged widening my smile. I really didn't like being the one getting shrugged off. I did the shrugging off.

"Can't you at least pretend to be as happy to see me as I am doing with you?" Silence.

"You do realise that you're going to have to just suck it up at some point because we literally have the exact same subjects and we sit besides each other. In all of them. And no matter how many times you wish it, I'm simply not going to just mysteriously evaporate babe. I'm here to stay and we're in this together."

I nuanced the last bit just to get a rise out of him. Following Liam around and pissing him off had suddenly become my new pastime hobby.

He visibly paled a bit before a small smile appeared on his lips. The little sucker was obviously thinking about what I said. He turned to look at me and my heart stopped. Well not really but it sure felt like it did.

Hot to the tee tee tee!

I sighed giving up on my treacherous brain.

Twice within freaking minutes!

"You really are going nowhere aren't you?" My wide grin was the only answer worth giving but I still replied with a simple one.

"Yep. Not anytime soon."

*********

Beautiful people!!

I don't know why, but I just love this chapter so much!!

What do you think about my two guys?

What about Lanaya?

Do you think she's too aggressive for your taste?

But why do you think she's the way she is?

Vote and comment please!!!!

⭐✨🌟🌟⭐✨