It's currently Wednesday, three days since I went out with Nikki. Her words are always on my mind and I can't help but wonder if she's right. Maybe I do like him. But that doesn't mean anything will happen between us, right?

I sit in history class, bored out of my mind. I've been avoiding Justin all week but I have to face him eventually. If you ask why I've been avoiding him, I won't have an answer. Maybe I'm scared of the idea liking a guy who kills people for a living. Or maybe I'm scared that that's no longer an idea, but a statement.

Wow that was philosophical.

The bell rings and students rush out of the classroom to get to lunch, with me following because I didn't really have breakfast so I'm starving. I make my way to the lunchroom when a hand clamps down on my shoulder firmly, but not enough to actually hurt. I turn around and Justin stares down at me.

"We need to talk."

As soon as my smile appears, it fades and I get a weird feeling in my stomach. That can never be good. Did I do something? My dumbass probably did.

"I have to go out of town for a while."

"Why?" I ask and my curiosity spikes.

"Business," he replies after a few seconds. But I immediately know what that means. I just mumble 'Oh' under my breath and look away. His gaze burns like he can read what I'm thinking. "I'll be back in a week or so. So I'm having Dom take care of you, okay?"

"Where are you going?"

"Caribbean."

"Can I come?"

"No."

I gasp, "It's the CARIBBEAN! Why are you going there for business?"

"I'm not at liberty to discuss that." I just pout and continue my journey to the lunchroom while my head fills with doubt. "I promise to call you," he says quietly.

"Why?"

He sighs, running his hand through his messy hair continuously. "I need to make sure you're safe. I trust Dom but still..." I turn to walk away but he grabs my hand in his before saying something that makes my heart flutter. "If anyone touches you, tell me and I'll fly back to kill them myself."

"I will," I blush before looking down at my feet. I pull my hand from his and walk towards the table my friends are sitting at.

"So you're not sitting with the populars?" Noah teases and I smile sheepishly.

"I like you guys more," I laugh.

"So there's another party this weekend. Anyone interested in going?" Jess says and I remember all my other friends are there, including Justin, not just Noah.

Everyone says yes except me and Justin, so everyone looks at us. "Ill be out of town."

"What's your excuse?" Nikki says to me smugly. She knows I don't want to go, and they all probably do but they still wait. I mean I have nothing against them, I just don't like going to them that much. Okay I will admit this; it's not like I'm invited every day but still! That's not the point.

"Well–"

"She's going with me," Justin pipes in.

"I am?" I say with my mouth hanging open. He said I couldn't come with and now he's telling everyone I'm going? I really think he's actually bipolar now.

"She is?" They all exclaim at the same time and I have to restrain myself from laughing because they sound like a 90's sitcom.

"Yep. We're going to the Caribbean." He smirks as they stare at us in shock and rests his arm on my shoulder. I feel my cheeks burn up and Noah eye me curiously.

"Anything you want to tell us Avery?" Noah seethes.

"Jealous much?" Eric smirks before nudging Noah's side.

Nikki rolls her eyes, "when were you planning on telling us you two are together?"

"We're not together!" I yell in defense.

"Why are you trying to hide our relationship?" Justin says 'sadly'. Everyone is still shocked and staring at my red face. He slips a quick wink in when no one is looking.

"What relationship?!" I exclaim and throw my hands up in frustration, earning a few glances from others from different tables.

"You don't need to lie babe," he says smirking at my face.

"'Babe'?"

We all turn our heads to a pissed off Noah.

"Yeah. I think I can call my girlfriend 'babe', no?" When he said that I could hear a slight Spanish accent and oh my that was hot.

Oh God I need to stop thinking like that.

That shut Noah up but he didn't say anything else the whole lunch. People just dropped it after that but Justin just kept making small moves on me and every time I would snap at him so people stared at me weirdly.

Lunch ended and as soon as it did I grabbed him by his shirt and dragged him out of the lunchroom.

"Woah! I knew you wanted me but I didn't know you wanted me that bad," he smirks and backs me up to the lockers.

"What the hell Justin?!" I cry. "Get off me."

He laughs before backing away. As soon as he laughs he goes serious again. "I didn't want you go to that party. I'm sorry but that's the first thing that came to my mind." He looks at me with this emotion that I can't name and I sigh.

"It fine. I've always wanted to go there anyways," I smile trying to lighten the mood and he chuckles. He smiles before walking away to his locker I'd assume.

"So you and Justin, huh?"

I grab my math textbook before looking to Noah. I want to tell him everything and that we're not really dating but then I would have to tell him about Justin leading a gang and I don't want to do that if Justin doesn't want me to. So I guess that we're 'dating' now.

"Yeah," I say quietly smiling.

"For how long?"

"Why do you care?" I snap suddenly, taking me by surprise but it doesn't seem to affect him.

"I don't," he replied coldly before storming off. Oh shit what have I done.

~*~

When I got home, my parents decided to go out for dinner, meaning I had the house to myself for a few hours.

I was just sitting down, eating popcorn in my room when there was a tap on my window. I look over surprised and I jump up, spilling my popcorn on the floor. Cursing, I open the window and the infamous Justin Carters jumps into my room.

"What are you doing here?"

"I missed you." He rests on the windowsill, flashing me a boyish grin.

I giggle,"it's been like 3 hours." We sit there for a minute or two in silence, but it's not awkward or anything.

"We need to talk again." I sigh and sit back down on my bed ready to listen. "We need to get a way for your parents to let you go on this trip with me, convince your friends we're dating, get the boys to come with me now to protect your beautiful ass and I need to figure out how to explain this to you." 

Did he just..? Oh he so did.

"My parents probably have another business trip," I say mostly to myself but he still nods.

"Good."

"When's the trip?"

"This weekend. From Friday to the following Friday." He notices my hesitation, "I know it's a week of school that you'll miss but this is super important Princess. I need to go."

"I know, I know," I say sighing, "will it be dangerous?"

"It shouldn't be but you know I will do anything in my power to keep you safe." He smiles softly before walking over to me. He plops down on the bed next to me and eats a few pieces of popcorn that fell on my bed from earlier when he scared me.

I yawn and lean my head on his shoulder.

"I know."

"Avery! We're home!"

"Shit, you have to go!" I say flustered trying to push Justin towards the window.

"Not without a goodbye kiss," he turns smirking. I try to push him harder but he weighs a ton.

Oh God I'm so dead.

"There's no time. Just get out!"

He laughs before swinging both legs over the windowsill and climbs down. I slam my window shut just as my parents open the door.

"Hey sweetie!" My mom smiles, hugging me briefly. "What were you doing with your window?"

"It was just hot in here." It definitely was with Justin. I mean damnnn.

"In December?" My dad questions chuckling. "Were you trying to sneak a boy in here or something?" My mom laughs as they joke and I can only laugh along nervously.

If only they knew.
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thanks for anyone who reads my book! it really does mean a lot btw. i just wanted to let you know i have a few chapters pre–written so i'll hopefully be updating more often:)

i only have 9 1/2 more days left of school until summer so i'll update more!

dont forget to comment and vote!

— chezywik 💗