''You better come to school today.''

Devin Greene practically bounced wall to wall that Thursday morning. While in the process of getting ready for the school day, the pressure of how well she dressed today grew anxiety.

She made a scene in front of the entire school. Everyone knows only one side of the story. A story that was taken out of control into a twist that wasn't close to the truth.

A phone call shared with Jeffery Atkins was put on speaker, her cellular device put on her dresser.

''But there's people there, Jeff,'' She whines with a pout.

‘’So?’’ He chuckles.

Letting out a dramatic sigh, Devin pats her pillow down on her neatly done bed a final time before rushing over towards the corner of the dresser and grabbed her phone. She tapped the screen until her options had appeared and took the call off speaker. ‘’So, you’re not gonna be judged as the crazy girl that played two guys.’’

‘’Stop,’’ He gently spoke. ''I don't want you to worry about that. It's just us, it always will be just us.''

She couldn't fight the urge to smile when telling him, ''That's not how the world works.''

''It can't be how we work?''

A bubbly grin took over on her lips as she sat down on her bed. ''How did I get lucky to have you in my life?''

Over on his end of the line, he shrugs his shoulders while grabbing his bookbag. ''When you decided to be clumsy and not look where you were going.''

She rolls her eyes and giggles. ''Again with this?''

''But, I'm serious,'' He says more sternly after he chuckled as well. ''You better come to school today, Dev. I mean it.''

She furrows her brows as she reaches for her bag on the floor and slings it over her shoulder. ''Or what?''

''Don't test me, babe.''

Babe.

How the hell is she going to get used to being called that? From being seen like that in his eyes?

She nods her head. ''I'll see you at school?''

''You better.''

Devin Greene hangs up the phone and stuffs the device in her back pocket. She then grabs her keys from her nightstand and leaves her bedroom, stampeding downstairs and making her way out of the house.

When Devin Greene had stepped in school grounds, those around her broke out into a roar of unsettling whisper and hushed voices, all exchanging derivative rumors and judgmentals calls from afar.

''Hey, Greene!''

Or, confronting those face to face rumors and judgmental calls.

Bryce Walker smirks at her.

''Maybe we should get it on in the library sometime?''

She tilts her head to the side and scrunched her features. ''Still not into you. Points for trying though, it shows how desperate you are.''

Justin and his goons, drawled an ''Ooh,'' as they're eyes grew when looking back at him.

''Awe, come on, Devs,'' Marcus joined in. ''Why does Jeff and Monty get to have all the fun?''

She cringed at him. It's not polite to verbally express how someone is based off of looks, but Devin Greene can never be over the fact on how Marcus Cole looked like a chipmunk.

''The same reason why you never get any fun.''

His group of friends chanted an even louder set of, ''Ooh,'' laughing and cheering Devin on for her quick comebacks.

''Alright, alright,'' Jeff had intervene, one arm in the air while the other was being wrapped around Devin's shoulders. ''Shows over guys, keep it pushing.''

She peered up at him with a smile as Bryce says, ''One day, Devin, you're not gonna have Jeff by your side..''

She looks back at him with furrowed brows.

''I wonder what you're gonna do then.''

She shrugs her shoulder. ''I'm gonna continue being the savage that I am.''

With a sweet smile thrown their way, Jeff Atkins and Devin Greene stroad through the hallways of Liberty High.

Spite all the looks she had received and automatic conversations that occurred when she passed by, it didn't feel as bad as she thought.

If she can easily shut down Bryce Walker and his crew as she does on a regular, she can easily do so with any other person.

''See,'' He nudged her arm. ''It's not so bad. And you still get to look good.''

She bowed her head, allowing her hair to fall over her face to hide the blush crept upon her doughy cheeks.

Though it wasn't made official, they knew where they stood. And neither had a problem with that.

She looks up with a chuckle, ''Yeah, let's not get ahead of ourselves with the, I told you so. It's just the morning.''

He cocked a suggestive brow. ''Bet that I will?''

She narrowed her eyes at him and pursed her lips. ''Too soon.''

''Bets are our thing!'' He exclaims, having Devin to shush him down when more started to look at them.

''Fine,'' He nods his head. ''What are you doing after school?''

''Um..'' Her thoughts trailed off when she saw him standing at his locker, his crunches still intact from under his pits.

''Rosies,'' She turns to him and repeats more vividly. ''I'm going to Rosie's and picking up dinner for Matt and I.''

Her thoughts were barricaded while Jeff had spoke, knowing Montgomery was only a couple of feet away from them.

''Dev? Are you listening?''

She blinks at him. ''Yeah, that sounds good, hun.''

She turns back to Montgomery and then back to Jeff. ''Listen, I’ll see you third bell,’’ She smiles gently at him before she began to walk off. But just as she did, Jeff had reached out for her hand and pulled her back.

‘’Are you sure?’’ He questions with furrowed brows.

She responds by nothing but with the nod of her head. At this point, Jeff Atkins would have the trust in her to go up to Montgomery de la Cruz and set an apology straight and nothing other than that.

He had and will continue to refuse to listen to the rumors and many more to come.

‘’Hi,’’ She greets softly when approaching Montgomery at his locker, leaning her body against the set next to him.

He kept his gaze trained on the books he was swapping for the morning set of his classes, his features growing stern to try and keep focus on nothing other than that.

‘’I just wanted to say that I was sorry,’’ She blurts out, deciding it’d be best to head straight to the point. ‘’You didn’t deserve to find out anything in that way. If anything, I’d  rather you hear it from me and how I saw it instead of what was told in your ear.’’

She looks away with a sigh. The last thing he should hear is another defense line.

‘’Again, I’m sorry.’’

She pushes herself off of the set of lockers and states, ‘’If you feel like there’s a chance for us ever being on good terms again, come to the library. I do feel bad, Montgomery. Never think that I don’t.’’

She walked around him and off to her first period class.

× × ×

''I'll be back, I'm gonna use the bathroom,'' Jeff assured before placing a chaste kiss on her forehead.

She nods at him as he walks off, her feet wandering over to the stools set up at the bar.

She sat down with a sigh, her chest sinking along with the seat with the lack of events that had happened today.

She leans over and props her elbows on the table, resting her forehead into her hands.

Montgomery de la Cruz never showed up. And as much as she wanted him to come, she couldn't blame him.

But one thing was for sure after today.

Devin Greene's discrete corner she kept unknown with Jeff Atkins turned into a fiasco with the amount of guys that came for their ''head appointment.''

It's was disgusting and overall annoying.

She had to sit Jeff down three times before his nerve struck and his fist were thrown.

''Anything I can get you?'' A waitress had approached. Her name tag had read Emmery over her uniform.

''Yes,'' She breathes out, dropping her hands on the table. She gave off a feeble smile and requests, ''Let me get two of today's specials, Beef Short Ribs and the Pulled Pork Sandwich.''

She nods her head while writing her order down. She peered up from her notepad and asks, ''To stay or to go?''

''To go.''

''M'kay,'' She hummed. ''Any drinks?''

She shakes her head. ''No, no drinks. Thanks.''

Emmery shoved the miniature pencil that included no eraser into the pocket sewn on her apron and smiles. ''I'll be back with your order.''

''Thank you.''

Oddly enough, Devin was more excited for Jeff's order to come.

She found it interesting that they served a pork sandwich covered in barbeque sauce under Italian bread with potato chips literally stuffed inside.

She even teased him on the ride over that she was was going to take a bite of his meal just to try.

''So,'' Someone clears their throat. A hand had landed on the small of her back, trailing from around to her sides and up to her right boob as they ask, ''You're still not into me?''

Her eyes shot open when she felt a squeeze and twisted in her seat as she jumps off, his fingertips still trying to keep in touch with her chest as much as possible.

''What the fuck is wrong with you?''

''I told you to stop fucking with her, Walker,'' Jeff hissed as he came marching up from behind her.

Devin had moved to the side when she heard him approach, making it easier to throw a punch at him.

''Jeff!'' She called just as Bryce had tumbled down to the ground and Jeff taking this as his advantage to continue what he had started.

''Come on, Bryce!'' His friends had cheered on after witnessing themselves that Bryce Walkers not throwing a single throw punch back when being overpowered by Jeff Atkins.

''Jeff!'' She cried again, pulling him by his arm. ''Jeff, let him go!''

His arm was thrown back, but he held it there. He turned his head to the side, panting from all the adrenaline pumping through his viens.

''Let him go,'' She enunciates more sternly.

''But, he-''

She nods her head vigorously. ''I know what he did. But he's had enough. Let him go, please.''

''Listen to your whore like a good bitch,'' Bryce spat out along with the blood pooling in his mouth.

''Dude!'' Justin had called out, peeved his own mouth gotten him into more trouble than from what he started.

Given that already taken apart of the damage tonight, he didn't think throwing in a punch or two would kill anybody.

And so he did.

And she let him.

Because she was angry.

They both were.

''You're gonna listen and you're gomna listen good,'' Jeff had started, his voice low and tempted. ''You're gonna take your group and go somewhere else. And tomorrow, none of you better look at her or talk to her unless it's for a class. I find out that any of you are talking about her, it's the end of you. Am I clear?''

He looks at him plainly through his bruised features.

''Am I clear?'' He repeats louder.

Devin stood behind him with flushed cheeks. Everyone in the establishment were just watching the scene unravel with wide eyes.

''Crystal.''

Her nose crinkled when she sniffed the air. There was a strong smell of charcoal that was close by.

She turns around to Emmery, the brunette that carried out the three meals she requested in a foam container.

''Turns out, we're taking that to stay.''

× × ×

Tagged; @dev.xo

293 likes 14 comments

@jeffbank; why can't you be normal?

@dev.xo; normal is for basic bitches babe 😇

@jensen11; a girl that's not basic would forgive their friend for hitting the volleyball in ur face.. @dev.xo

@dev.xo; I'll forgive, I won't forget but I'm a dead the issue @jensen11

@jensen11; what? @dev.xo

@dev.xo; instead of watching Lord of The Rings, get with Nicki Minaj and you'll know what I'm talking about @jensen11

@jensen11; I don't get the better option in that @dev.xo

@a.kay; Jeff when did you get into fights? And right after we break up? @dev.xo is already a bad influence

@dev.xo; nobody likes you Katie @a.kay

@jensen11; ^^

@jeffbank; ^^

@a.kay; his mom did @dev.xo

@dev.xo; she can like you all she wants. She loves me tho @a.kay

@dev.xo; lol smelling some basic snakes 👀🐍

@chelsboo; damn Jeff, you really put Bryce in his place

Furrowing her brows, Devin had watched her phone blown up with Facebook notification.

And the video being recorded during the fight between Jeff Atkins and Bryce Walker taken place at Rosie's Diner proved that Jeff and Devin weren't going under the radar anytime soon.