Playing Knight in Ripped-Up Denim

The following day Hayden is practically glowing. Sitting on his face is a radiant smile so bright that it can blind anyone who stares at it for more than five seconds. He emanates a rather buoyant and jubilant aura, which does not go undetected by the other students.

None of his classmates has ever seen him this happy before. Yes, he is often referred to as the bundle of sunshine at Highland High School, the human happy-pill you go to if you need some cheering up.

He'll never turn someone in despair away unless they're smiling again. That's the main reason why plenty of girls are always falling hopelessly in love with him. He's not intentionally leading them on or giving them false hope, like some of the heartless guys at their school do. It's not that they mistake his kindness for flirting either. The girls are very aware that Hayden is just being Hayden. He's being nice. That's all there is to it. It's who he is. So how can they not develop feelings for a boy as innocent as Hayden Knight?

Second period ends and Hayden makes his way towards his next class, whistling an upbeat tune. His throat becomes parched, which leads him to make a pit-stop at the at the nearest bubbler. After satiating his thirst, Hayden straightens his posture. He is shocked to find Gianna Humphrey, Paige Wang and Autumn Shays planted in front of him. "Hello ladies," he greets warmly.

"Hayden, we don't want you to take this the wrong way," Autumn begins timidly. Out of the trio, she's the most demure.

"And we mean no offense when we say this," adds Gianna.

"But your girlfriend is a total, fire-breathing bitch," Paige finishes with her nose wrinkled in distaste.

The insult causes his eyebrows to bunch up at the center of his forehead. A small fire crackles inside of him. What has Cecilia ever done to them? "Excuse me?" The smile he's been sporting up until now immediately vanishes. He may be a gentleman, but he isn't going to let these girls get away with talking trash about his girl.

"We said no offense," Gianna quickly reminds, trying to justify their crass words. Yeah, like that makes it any less immoral for them to badmouth people behind their backs.

"We're just looking out for you," Paige announces haughtily as if he's supposed to be grateful. "Charlie's a slob who doesn't deserve you. We're not the only ones with this kind of mindset either. Unlike the other spineless losers who claim they like you, we're not afraid to tell you like it is."

The tense muscles in Hayden's body unclench when he realizes that they aren't actually attacking Cecilia. How can he forget that, to the rest of the world, Charlie Whitmen is his girlfriend? What would have happened if he had slipped up and said Cecilia's name instead?

"We don't mean to hurt your feelings but, maybe, you should reconsider your relationship with her," Autumn chimes in.

"Seriously. There are so many girls who are way better than her, the three of us included," Gianna sneers.

"We understand you guys have history, but she isn't the one for you, Hayden. You have to get out of this while you still can. It's not too late," Paige urges. What's he supposed to say? Hayden's mouth falls agape, but the next words are not spoken by him.

"Who he decides to date is none of your business." Ethan saunters towards them and halts next to Hayden. His eyes are set on Paige, the ringleader. "If you think she's such a horrible girlfriend, why don't you go and tell her instead?" The confidence she had been exuding earlier is nowhere to be found.

Ethan licks his lips and shakes his head. "What? Are you scared she'd take you all out with one finger? Because she totally can." None of them have the nerve to retaliate and he scoffs, a smirk settled on his lips. "Why don't you all run along now and go poach someone else's boyfriend?"

Embarrassed and ashamed, the three girls bolt out of there. Ethan watches them disappear around the corner and Hayden finally finds his voice. "Thanks."

"I didn't do it for you. I did it for Charlie," Ethan answers harshly as he turns and looks at him.

The brown-eyed boy blinks. "Why would you do such a thing?" He's genuinely curious.

"Because she's my friend." Ethan doesn't skip a beat and narrows his eyes at him. "And she doesn't deserve to be degraded and belittled behind her back like that, especially by people who don't even take the time to get to know her."

"Yeah, you're right," Hayden agrees as his gaze drops to the ground. He feels awful for letting those girls openly bash Charlie. As her friend, he should have defended her honor.

His calm behavior ticks Ethan off. Rage is coursing through his veins at the speed of light. He can't help but mentally criticize Hayden for his passiveness during the confrontation. Ethan might not win the best boyfriend of the year award (he and relationships don't mesh well together), but even he is aware of what a guy should and shouldn't do when it comes to his lover.

He is having a hard time understanding this guy, but an even harder time trying to decipher the enigma that lives across the street from him. How can Hayden be so nonchalant about all of this? How can Charlie like somebody so... gutless? Do their contrasting personalities not clash? "You're really pathetic. Do you know that?" Ethan doesn't care if he sounds like an asshole. He's been told it's his forte by a handful of people and he's proud of it.

Hayden frowns, instantly on the defensive side. "What?"

"You just stood there and allowed those hags to insult your girlfriend," Ethan remarks pointedly as he scrutinizes him from head to toe. "No wonder she didn't want to tell anyone she liked you. It's embarrassing. I wouldn't be surprised if she's the one swooping in and saving your ass when you're under duress." It's funny and ironic how Ethan manages to hit the nail on the head without even meaning to. That's exactly what Charlie's doing. He must be clairvoyant.

"I was going to defend her. You just beat me to it. Also, they're not hags. They're usually better than this." Prior to this encounter, a small part of him had wanted to befriend Ethan. Now he isn't positive if he even wants to be acquaintances with him. He doesn't like how judgmental and impudent this stranger is. Who is he to butt in?

"You could have fooled me. You looked like a statue. Hold up,"—Ethan pauses and then laughs in disbelief—"are you seriously defending those hags right now? After they dissed your girlfriend? What kind of man are you anyways? You can't even properly protect your own woman. If you're going to be a coward that does a half-assed job, why don't you step down and give somebody else a chance with her." It comes off as more of a demand than a request or question. "Someone who'd be willing to shield her without a second thought."

Hayden grits his teeth. He's annoyed and Hayden never gets annoyed. "And do you think you qualify for the job?"

Ethan takes a daring step towards him. His expression unreadable and his tone venomous. "More than you do at least," he announces confidently. The two of them engage in an intense staring contest and the bell rings. Hayden concedes first because he doesn't want to be late for class.

Ethan sighs once he is alone. His head falls against the lockers behind him and his eyes flutter shut. What did he just do?

Meanwhile, in the library, Charlie sits at a table by herself with a stack of books perched in the corner and a few more sprawled open in front of her. She flips through the pages, scavenging for any kind of information she can use in her essay. Her teacher sent her and seven other students down to do research while the rest of her classmates are working back up in the room. He does this so that the library won't be overcrowded. Tomorrow they will rotate and another set of eight will come down.

"Hey," a voice squeaks.

Charlie peers up and puts her pen down once she sees that it is Cecilia. "What's up?"

"N-nothing. I just wanted to say thank you. You know, for agreeing to do this for us," the girl whispers softly, conscious of their surroundings. "It means a lot."

"I may not be Little Miss Sunshine, but I do have my moments."

"I also took your advice," the blonde murmurs.

Charlie assumes she's referring to the date with Hayden. "So I've heard," she replies.

A couple of students pass by, casting their eyes at the pair. "Maybe we should minimize our interactions at school," Cecilia offers as she hangs her head low.

Charlie glances around and agrees. "Probably."

"Do you think..." Again with the hesitation. "Do you think we can be friends?" she breathes out at last. "After that party I dumped my old ones because I realized you were right about them. If they can't accept me as the antisocial bookworm I am, then they were really never my friends in the first place. Friends don't try to change each other."

Charlie's eyebrows arch. What's with everyone and wanting to be friends with her out of the blue?

* * *

A bloodcurdling scream erupts through the phone and Charlie pulls the device away from her ear before she goes deaf. "You can't be serious. I thought you couldn't stand him!" Jillian cries, nearly bursting out into joyous tears. She cannot believe her best friend is going to go out on a real date!

"He's becoming tolerable. Don't read into this too much either, Jill. We're friends. This is, in no way, a date. Just two people hanging out," Charlie reiterates.

"But he had dinner with your whole family already!" she screams. "From what Ian told me everyone seems to like him!"

This time, Charlie snickers and rolls her eyes. "My brothers only like him because he's an idiot like them. His grandma was here too."

"Even better! Birds of a feather flock together!" Jillian sings.

The doorbell echoes through the house and prevents Charlie from providing a response. She wonders if it's Ethan. Because if it is him, he's extremely early. She then recalls the second day of school when he sashayed in late to class. It probably isn't him. She tells Jillian she'll talk to her later, to which her enthusiastic friend agrees to. Before she hangs up, she makes unnecessary kissing sounds that cause Charlie to gag.

Next, Cameron scurries up to tell his sister that her boyfriend is downstairs. The surprise is evident as she goes to see her guest. "What are you doing at my house?"

Hayden shoots up from the couch. "I thought I'd have dinner with your family tonight since I didn't come last night," he explains briefly.

Without another word she stalks up to him, latches onto his wrist and drags him outside. The door closes behind them and Charlie releases him. "You can't just show up here because you want to without discussing it with me in advance. I have plans tonight."

"You do?" he asks, stunned. She nods. "Can't you cancel? I won't be free for the rest of the week."

Is he being serious? Charlie stares at the boy with a slightly piqued expression. Who does he think he is? Why should she change her plans for him? She let him go out with Cecilia last night without any complaints. He should be doing the same. "No, I can't. I'm not catering to your schedule, Knight. That doesn't fly with me. I have my own life too. So you should leave before my dad gets home," she orders briskly.

"Where are you going?" he ponders.

"I don't know." She shrugs. "Moron-dozo wants me to take him around town."

A bitter taste spreads over his tongue. "I didn't know you were friends with the new kid."

Charlie doesn't like how hostile he sounds. "The new kid has a name, you know. It's Ethan and it sort of just happened."

"I don't know. He just doesn't seem like a good person." Hayden doesn't comprehend why he's telling this to the girl. He's never done something like this. He's never been one to judge.

"He's not," chuckles Charlie. "But neither is eighty-five percent of the world."

"I'm not joking," Hayden says with a stern voice. "You should keep your distance from him. He looks like a troublemaker."

Thinking that he's simply trying to watch out for her, Charlie dismisses his concern. "I think I can handle it. Besides, we could all use a little trouble in our lives every now and then."

"Fine, do what you want. I guess I'll see you tomorrow at school."

Charlie collapses onto her bed and drapes her forearm over her eyes. Today's been a long day; she drifts to sleep without knowing it. Two hours later, she rouses to the sound of rambunctious laughter. She takes her phone out and scrambles off of her bed. She was supposed to take Ethan out thirty minutes ago! As she is rushing down the stairs, Charlie skids to a halt when she catches sight of the familiar figure positioned on the leather sofa between Nick and Cameron.

Her neighbor peers over with a teasing smile. "It's about time you woke up, Sleeping Beauty."

"I was tired," she reasons as she swallows the lump lodged in her throat. "I've been working on my philosophy paper all week. It's slowly, but surely, killing me. My bad."

Ethan gets up and walks over to her. "Do you want to reschedule then? We can do this over the weekend. I don't mind."

"Nah, it's cool," Charlie assures. "I can use a break. Should we go now?" She swipes the keys off the counter and calls out to her brothers. "Don't wait for me. I'm going to eat out tonight." After saying bye to the guys, Ethan follows her out.

"Is your boyfriend cool with you hanging out with me?" That b-word is starting to bother her.

She shuts the car door and stabs the key into the slot. "Who cares? He doesn't own me." She'd be a damn fool if she let Hayden control her life, fake boyfriend or not.

Ethan buckles up and rolls the window down, exposing himself to the warm air. "It's good to know you're not one of those submissive girlfriends who always listens to their boyfriends."

"The only man I listen to is my dad," answers Charlie as she pulls out of the drive way. "On rare occasions I also listen to the teachers and authority figures who have the ability to lock me up behind bars too." Suddenly, she recalls the conversation she had earlier with Hayden. "Did you run into Knight or something? He came over and warned me to keep my distance from you. He said you were no good."

How predictable. He must have felt threaten. "I don't care what he thinks," Ethan states honestly. Then he turns to her and gazes at her profile. "What about you?"

She keeps her eyes on the road, unaware of his blatant staring. "What about me?"

"Do you think I'm no good?"

---

Author's Thoughts: ohdhofhosdhojsigjfei. I have no words. No words. But imagine Ethan looking at those girls like he did in the GIF above! Credit to the creator of the image. I love the new cast members, do you? This chapter is everywhereeeee just like my feels. That ending and that beginning. Comment and vote if you'd like :) I would like to dedicate this chapter to elliottkkk and akaiiroses you guys are awesome :D

But oh my, what do you think her answer will be?