Chapter 9 - Jinx

Change. Something I've never liked and I don't think I will. My cousin Eve says it's because I'm not open to new ideas. Maybe it was true but hey, I was miles from the place I called home. I couldn't be any more open to ideas than this.

"So are you still coming to the party on Friday?" Alice interrupted my thoughts and I turned to her with a shrug. "Come on you promised."

"No I didn't. I just said I'd think about it."

"And?" She insisted but I ignored her question as I grabbed my milkshake.

"What are you doing here? Your friends are way across the room," I said glancing briefly at the table filled with cheerleaders and a couple not so subtly glaring daggers at me but I only tipped my cup at them and the so called Henley turned away from me nose held high and I chuckled.

"If I didn't know any better I'd think you were flirting with her," she said and I raised an eyebrow at her.

"That's the second most absurd thing anyone has ever said to me."

"What was the first?"

"That I'm a sociopath," I said and she laughed. "You don't believe that."

"You just need to get out more often. And I'm the girl to do it. Diana, you are the realist person I've ever met."

"Try again."

"If I would choose one person to be my friend even more than people I've known in like forever, it would be you," she said genuinely and I frowned.

"You shouldn't be fast to trust just anyone," I said and she smiled catching me off guard.

"The fact you said that shows I can trust you," she said and I smiled. That would have been my exact reply.

"I can deal with that. But I have to cut this short."

"Still running away from Stone. For the record, you shouldn't be afraid of him. Just don't get on his bad side and you'll be alright. And besides it's not like he gets his lunch here," she teased and I rolled my eyes as we dumped our trays.

"No. One our paths will never cross again and two, I'm not afraid of him. I mean he can't be that bad, right? And three, I'll probably kill him first."

"Sure."

I swear if I knew that would jinx the next three minutes of my life, I probably would have shut up, I thought as my gaze trailed from the frothy puddle forming around the leather boots to the face of their owner and I looked on in horror. Those fucking blue eyes.

Oh why did I decided to get a Coke today of all days? I lamented mentally watching as the coke dripping down the leather jacket and I gulped unconsciously backing away glad that the machine was near the door of the cafeteria. And what was worse this particular incident had attracted attention of everyone in the hall. I didn't take well to pressure, some anxiety of a sort and I usually acting impulsively.

"Uh some vinegar should fix that right away before it stains too much," I said feeling for the door before I pulled and rushed into the hall.

Why I was even running away from him, I had no idea. But with my hands shaking and thoughts all over the place, all I knew I'd that I had to hide and go calm down. At least I did, when I heard footsteps behind me. I had been many things, scared wasn't one of them. At least I didn't think I was scared. There couldn't be any other reason why I was hiding out in the bathroom other than that right. God get a grip on yourself, I chastised myself before I heard the door open. He wouldn't dare. There had to be some sort of repercussion for this right?

If there was, he didn't seem to care.

"I know you're here. I just want to talk. I won't hurt you," he said his voice coming closer and silently I tucked my feet.

"You really shouldn't make promises you can't keep," I blurted out chastising myself as I clapped a hand over my mouth and he chuckled.

"See that's how I knew I'd find you here," he said coming up the stall I was in and I held my breath.

"What do you want?"

"As I said, I just want to talk."

"Somehow I don't believe that."

"Well,  you did ruin my favorite jacket. I'm willing to be as civil as I can get," he said I could hear the amusement in his voice.

"Sorry," I said with a grimace seeing his shadow beneath the door.

"That's great. Now get out here."

"No," I said musing after a while and I could hear his groan.

"Come on. I won't hurt you."

"Do you promise?"

"Yes."

"Say it."

"Seriously?"

"Yes."

"Okay fine. I promise not to hurt you if you come out of there," he said and I could feel my lips curve up into a smile.

"Say it like you mean it," I pushed stifling a laugh as he let out a frustrated groan.

"Just get out here."

But whoever told me I should trust his words so easily has to be the dumbest person I've met. I guess that's me, I thought as my back met the wall and I quirked my eyebrow in question.

"What are you doing?"

"You ruined my favorite jacket!?"

"And this is civilized how?" I asked and the smirk on his face grew as he pressed my wrists above my head.

"Cos'è in te che mi fa venir Cosa c'è in te che mi fa perdere la testa? Di girare e perdere la mia dannata mente?" He murmured to himself and I furrowed my eyebrows at him confused. [What is it about you that make want to lose my goddamn mind?]

"Are you going cuckoo? 'Cause I'm pretty sure I had nothing to do with it?" I said and he looked at me confused and almost embarrassed. "I'm pretty sure someone talking to themselves is a sign of something."

I said but he only smiled keeping his gaze steady on mine and I tried to hide the shiver that passed through me at the intensity of it, feeling a bit wary as his warmth spread over through his clothes and onto mine.

"You are something else," he said and I could feel my stomach lurch in  excitement.

"Now what?"

"I guess you have a hefty debt to pay."

"I'll cover dry cleaning."

"I'm sure you will princess," he said ruffling my hair as he let my wrists go and I glared at him, slapping his hand away making him laugh as I tried to push my hair back from my face and I could feel his curious gaze on me.

"Why you!? I'll.."

"You'll do what, princess," he asked stepping forward and for a moment I forgot I was already pressed against the wall making him burst out in laughter.

"Don't call me that."

"Call you what, princess!?" He said emphasizing the word princess and I glowered at him.

"Are you set out to annoy me just because I bumped into you?"

"That's not even the half of it," he said and I watched him curiously as he removed his jacket and tossed it my way. "But in meantime, you can take of that."

He said almost arrogantly and I huffed in annoyance. I never counted on it actually ending with me doing his laundry and I made sure he knew it as I caught the wet spot on his white and snuggly fit shirt and he grinned at me.

"What do you think you're doing?" I asked with a huff but his smirk never wavered as he stripped his shirt leaving his tainted skin on display and I gaped shocked.

I couldn't even hide my ogling even if I tried. And it wasn't only about his firm muscular toned body but also the dark marks splayed over his side and his whole back as much as my eyes could lap up through the mirror and I gulped harshly trying to focus. Holy smokes, this has never happened before. This guy was hot and I felt like I was a fish out of water. So this what happened when I pushed my attitude out of the way for a second and appreciated what was around me.

"You should take a picture. It should last longer."

"Bad news. I tried. My lens melted," I said with a grimace and his smirk grew.

"By my hotness. Obviously?"

"Rather your ugliness but meh, whatever helps you sleep at night," I said with a shrug and his chuckle rang out in the room. "You find that funny. Why am I not surprised?"

The response I got to that was his shirt smacking me right in the face and his scent invaded my nostrils and I could feel my eyes flutter slightly in delight as I pulled it off and glared at him.

"Just take care of that."

"You can do your own laundry you know," I said as his hand rested on the door knob.

"I can but you will," he said still smirking. "Just remember, I need my jacket back."

"Huh, you are going out like that," I said shocked and suddenly it seemed like his eyes shone brighter and somewhat devilishly.

"I would leave everything else too, but you know, I need to get out of school in one piece before anyone decides I'm way too hot not to be jumped," he said with a wink before walking out and I couldn't follow him even if I wanted to.

With the way my hair was disheveled and his usually rugged form adding onto the fact his clothes were in my hands, it wasn't exactly painting a good picture. Damn that fucking pervert.