I've been staying at Johnny's place for a week now. I'm grateful everyone's being respectful to one another. I expected the guy next door to be a hardass I'd have to deal with but he's a lot quieter than I thought. Turns out he was a medicine student.
I just came from the office talking about the prize money that just came through yesterday. Now that I have the money in my hand, I'd have to get my own bank account. I should do it this weekend.
My teacher for Biology is late as usual – only this time, she's much later than normal. This teacher gets to class so late, she can barely finish a lecture before the bell rings. Whatever she's doing before this class must be worth her profession.
"Four, Hunter's bringing high class scags tonight. You want me to reserve one for you?"
I sighed, turning to Jacob with saggy shoulders. "Nope. I'm not paying for Hunter's fake shit."
He laughed. "Real or not, it's good shit." He shrugged leaning back to his chair. "I mean, if you don't want it, I respect your decision. I'm just saying." He said planting a hand over the girl's lap, his new toy, I guess.
"Good morning, class. I'm sorry I came in late." You aren't really though. "Now where we last time again?"
The class fell silent. It's her job to know what we're supposed to tackle next so joke's on her.
"Let's see…"
I sighed. "Diffusion and osmosis."
Everyone turned their heads toward my direction. If she tries to find what lesson we were at the last time, it would take her another thirty minutes before she actually starts teaching us something. I don't even need to listen to her just because I rely on the books that I read.
"We're supposed to have an experiment today for the concept, you said." I added.
"I— Y-Yes… Well…"
She can't even speak properly. I get that she's embarrassed because a mere student like me is telling her what we're supposed to do but this is just a whole new level of time-wasting. I bet my life this no-good teacher didn't even prepare a proper lesson-plan for the unit. How mortifying.
After her boring readathon about diffusion and osmosis, the bell finally rings for lunch. As I walked to the cafeteria, the speakers activated. Pretty soon, someone started talking.
"Good afternoon, fellow students of Lakewood High."
This voice…
"This is Mark Lee of the Humanities Department."
What the fuck?
"I have exactly two minutes to say what I have to say before the student council finds me so I can stop this camaraderie."
In that instant, the students around me pulled out their phones recording what was happening at this very moment. They all looked confused but excited of this sudden gimmick of Mark. I stood in the middle of the hallway, as shocked as everyone else.
"There are a lot of rumors going around about me dating recently so I'm here to address that rumor once and for all."
Holy—
"I am."
—shit.
"And that girl is Forest Laken Young."
"That's her!"
"She's here!"
"Oh my god, it's her. That's Forest."
"Mark is the sweetest!"
I feel everything inside me clenching as I watched everyone around me, pointing their fingers at my direction, pointing their phones toward me even.
"Before you all start spreading rumors about how it started, I'll say it now. It's me— Hey! You're not supposed to be here!— I liked her first! I followed her around! It's me who is crazy about her so don't—!"
"What happened?"
"Did it stop?"
Everyone whispered the moment the audio system went down.
"So Mark was the one who chased after her."
"That's brave of him to say."
"Guys wouldn't own up to that."
"That's a cute relationship actually."
"I mean, by the looks of it, Forest doesn't seem interested with boys ever since the other guy, right?"
I can't with all these murmurs around me. I walked away and reached the cafeteria only to be welcomed by more glares from every student there is. I balled my fist making my way to the counter for some food but only their whispers were audible and echoing inside the room.
I can't believe he just fucking did that. Fuck.
As soon as I got my meal, I went straight to the most isolated table inside and sat, eating my food in anguish. When will these stupid people stop talking about me? I hate this kind of situation.
"Oh my god, he's here."
"He's here for her."
"Mark!"
I jumped from my seat when a pair of hands slammed through my table. I glanced up and saw Mark smiling, looking down at me like I was a dog. "What the fuck did you just do?"
"I just said what I had to say." He shrugged and sat across me with a wider smile. "I wanted everyone to know how much I like you, that's why."
"You're a student. You're not a celebrity."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning you don't have to let people know what you do with your fucking life!" I exclaimed and regretted it when more eyes diverted to our direction.
He chuckled. "I just didn't want people to start talking behind your back once they see us together." He tilts his head and gives me this stare – this specific stare that can make you feel lost in his eyes. 'I'd like to hold your hand in public, hug you in public, give you kisses in public, visit you in your classes – I'd like to do all of that to you in public, Forest.
"And in order for me to do that, I needed everyone to watch us without wondering – without having to hear them judge either of us. I want them to watch us in envy." He suddenly crouched closer to me, pinching my cheeks the way I do to him. "Forest Young, daughter of Lucifer in Lakewood High," He flashed a daring smile. "I love you more than watermelons now."
My eyes widened when he suddenly pressed his lips against mine. The students around gasped in surprise. Mark removed his hands over my cheeks as he pulled away with a smile.
I glared at him, my insides shaking in shock. I always played with his feelings by teasing him but I didn���t think he would return the deed I do to him.
"Now we're even."
I stood from the table. "Stay. Don't you fucking dare follow." I walked out of the cafeteria with phones following my path. I was flustered and embarrassed of what mark just did. I don't hate what he did. I was just not prepared for it.
"Hey!" The strong force I felt over my shoulder pulling me back made me furious and I got even more furious when I saw who it was. "Why did you do that?!" she exclaimed.
"What do you mean?" I asked her.
"You kissed Mark! Mark's mine! He's mine!"
I scoffed in disbelief. "Are you fucking delusional?! He kissed me! Why are you fucking shooting me with your blame gun?!" I barked back at her.
"Stay away from him."
I creased my brows at her. "Do I always have to just give you whatever you want just because you tell me to?"
She was quiet.
"You've always been so selfish. You like throwing things you once used and act like they were never valuable to you when you needed them." I provoked her. "I forgave you for stabbing my back, forgave you for disregarding me like a piece of shit. Even after everything you did to me, I never asked you to give me back what I gave you because I thought you would change but you didn't." I stepped closer to her so she can see how mad I was at her as well. "You just got worse."
"He's mine." She said under her breath before yelling. "HE'S MINE!" She cried. "Stop flirting with him and just sleep with other guys! Mark's mine so stop whatever you're trying to do with him before you break him! You can't take care of him!"
"I gave you enough. He's all I have now so," I glared at her. "Fuck no."
"I'm the one who always stood by his side! I'm the one he should be dating! Not you! You're a drug addict! You're crazy! You're not good enough for him!"
Poor thing. "Say whatever you want. He chose me. I didn't. I just fell for him. Stick that in your fucking weed brain."
"I'm telling you Forest, leave him alone." She looked sad and angry with her tears and balled fists. "He and I are meant for each other."
"You're fucking crazy."
"I said leave him a—" When she was about to slap me, a hand stops her arms and slowly brings it down. "M-Mark…"
I looked at Mark who was looking at Connie in confusion. He turned to me worriedly before he pulled me to his back to face Connie. "W-What are you doing to Forest, Connie?" He asked calmly.
"Mark…"
Mark stepped away, pulling me with him when Connie tried to touch him. "You were about to hit Forest. Why would you do that to her?"