AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I walk off the field, chancing a look back at him. He’s still there, under my bleachers, in my spot, waving at me like a goof. I shake my head, but I smile despite myself.
He shows up again the next day and the days after that, until having him around feels as natural as breathing. I sing, and he listens. I still don’t particularly like the boy, but I don’t hate him either.
“Do you have any idea how overly depressing your music is?”
I slap him on the chest. “You are treading a thin line, Duke.” I’ve taken to calling him by his last name, mainly because of his arrogance.
He leans on his elbow, staring at me. “You know what, you should sing something sexy about a guy who saves a damsel in distress, finding her stranded under the bleachers at Liberty High.”
“You didn’t save me,” I tell him, scribbling down a few lyrics. I hum out loud to hear them.
“Yeah, I did.” I have gotten used to his cockiness. Denton Duke believes that he is God's gift to women.
“Hey Denton,” a girl in his year waves at him as she walks past us.
He slides down his sunglasses onto his nose. “Hello, Kira.” Her name is like two syllables, but he stretches it. But the attention of the great Duke of Liberty High is fleeting.
“But seriously, sing me a happy song.”
I tap my lip, picking up my guitar and closing my eyes.
“I think you’re such an asshole,
You’re the prick, and you don't even know,
And I hate you, oh, boy, do hate you.
Girls ought to kick your ass and ignore your advances,
But every time you smile, they just fall on their asses.
And I hate you, oh, boy, do hate you.”
At the end of the song, we’re both laughing so hard we gasp for air. People stare.
“You are so full of shit,” he says, tugging my ponytail. “But, I love it.” His eyes lock on mine. He smiles wide, his eyes sparkling with mischief, and something inside me flips.
“Yeah, well, don’t think you’re getting another one out of me, or I’ll have to start charging,” I say, packing away my guitar.
“How much?”
“Huh?” I ask, narrowing my eyes at him.
“How much to get you to sing for me?”
“You’re stupid,” I chuckle.
“I’d pay anything to hear you sing to me every day.” His voice is serious, all playfulness disappearing. He reaches out and tangles a curl in his finger again.
“Duke, that may work on the other girls, but it’ll never work on me,” I ruffle his hair. But when he walks me back to my classroom, I can’t help but steal a glance at him.
He smiles but doesn’t look at me. “See ya later, kitten.”
There’s that stupid flip again.
Later that night, when I lie in bed, all I think about is Denton. That stupid smile, those eyes, those lips. I feel an ache grow in the pit of my stomach and continue down between my legs. I cover my head with a pillow trying to shut out the thoughts of him. He’s my friend, for God’s sake.
“Bre, you’ve been staring at the guy non-stop for the last fifteen minutes. If you were going for clandestine, you’re failing dismally.” Denton doesn’t bother looking up at me when he says it. He lies back on his makeshift leather jacket pillow, his hands folded across his chest. We’re sitting at our spot, the sunshade spot. He gets the sun, and I get the shade. The thing I love about the bleachers is that I can spy on Kevin Bailey, and he doesn’t even know it.
