Chapter 3: Crushing on the bad boy

Chapter 3: Crushing on the bad boy

Nevaeh

The wind feels so good caressing my body as I sway in my swing. I couldn’t stand being in that house any longer. The day is so beautiful, even though the house is cold and stark. As soon as I got home, I exchanged my cheer uniform for a tank top and cut-off jeans. Once I was ready, I set off to sit in my swing and read the Cleopatra and Marc Anthony novel.

However, as soon as I lay my head on the seat, all I can think about was him. Why is Mikhail consuming my thoughts so much? The guy is an asshole. I mean, I apologized. What else can I do? I look over to the house across the street with a pang of longing. According to Jez, he lives there.

My thoughts keep replaying the moment I was falling down the stairs. He was so strong and smelled so good. Grrrrrr, stop thinking about him. I give myself a mental slap and stare at the sky. I wonder if he sees me.

Sighing in resignation, I look up into the sky and try to clear my head. Suddenly, my mind goes back to the dream I had this morning. It felt so real. He was so real. I keep trying to recall what he said to me. He called me something, but I can’t remember. When I close my eyes, the only thing I see is him.

I’m awakened from my musings when my stomach growls, demanding attention. I look towards the house again, hoping that he’ll come out, but no one does. I feel stupid, just thinking about it. Why would he come out? I mean, he hates me. I think if he saw me, he’d pretend that I wasn’t there.

Why do I keep thinking about this?

Biting my lip, I rise slowly and stretch my arms. The wind is so good against my skin. My shirt rises above my belly with a gentle glide, and my body sways with the breeze. I take one last breath of fresh air before I turn back to my house. Time to go back to prison.

The swing rocks slowly with the wind as I make my way to the front door. Not being able to help myself, I take one final look at the house across the street and sigh.

That night, I go to bed, determined to forget about Mikhail. What I do know is that I’m not going to fail literature, which means that I have to talk to him. My eyes close as soon as I hit my pillow. Once again, I dream of my winged lover.

My father never shows up that night. I guesswork kept him too busy to check up on his daughter. At least, that’s what I’d like to think.

For the next several days, things progress the same. Mikhail still avoids me and refuses to work on the lit project with me. My mother and father continue to be absent, so I comfort myself by sitting in my swing. I’ve seen Mikhail and his foster brothers coming in and out of the house, but he never acknowledges me. Somehow it saddens me even more.

Sometime during the fourth night, I make the decision to break it off with Travis. Football practice begins every morning, at the same time, cheer begins. I put on some yoga pants, my nirvana cut off t-shirt, and black UGG boots before I tie my hair up into a ponytail and grab my cell phone. I remember to take a change of clothes since cheer practice can get messy. I get there a few minutes before cheer practice, walk towards the football field, and see some of the guys doing stretches. Unfortunately, Travis is not with them.

I’m about to turn back to the school when I hear female giggles and male chuckles coming from the bleachers. Before I can walk away to give whoever it is their privacy, I hear Travis’ name. Turning back, I walk towards the voices. I have to say, if I was unsure about how I felt about Travis earlier, I am sure now. To my relief, I feel nothing. I’m not upset or even surprised at the scene before me. However, I do feel relieved that he made the breakup so easy. He and Leigh are both plastered against the wall rubbing and touching. I clear my throat loudly, scaring Travis and Leigh apart. I almost laugh when a stunned Travis dumps Leigh on the ground.

“Well, well, well, looks like mornings are for more than practice.” Travis begins straightening out his clothing, and Leigh just lies on the floor, stunned.

“Nevaeh, I─” I hold up my hand in a halting motion. “Don’t bother, Travis. We’re over. Bye.” Before he can reply. I turn around and walk away. The cheer squad minus that skank Leigh are all waiting to begin practice.

Jez runs over excitedly. “Wow, someone Actually, woke up early.” I laugh, mockingly. “Who me? Late? Never.” We both laugh as we move to the mats to do our stretches.

Leigh runs in a few minutes later with a smug look. I give her an eye roll and smile cattily. This seems to infuriate her because her smile fades to be replaced with a withering glare. Crossing her arm over her fake chest, she strides over to me and mutters. “Look, Nevaeh. I feel bad that you had to find out about Travis and me that way. But you must see that he never really cared for you. I mean, he’s a man with needs. He needs a real woman.”

I laugh mockingly at her comment. “A real woman? Really? Last time I checked parts of your body came from a recycling bin.”

My laughter grows more boisterous as Leigh’s face flushes. Her mouth flops open like a fish’s, which makes me laugh harder.

“Don’t worry, Leigh. Travis is all yours. I respect myself too much to give it to a guy so easily, especially one who is taken. You obviously don’t care, so have at it. As always, you get my leftovers.” I give her a wicked smile, making her fume. There’s no way that I’m going to let her get to me. She’s not worth it, and neither is Travis.

Turning my back on Leigh, I walk back to the squad. Jez halts my progress pulling me by the arm. “What the hell was that about?”

I roll my eyes taking a deep breath before I begin my story. “Well…apparently, Leigh and Travis have been doing naughty things behind my back. I caught them swallowing each-others tongues behind the bleachers.” I put my index finger in my mouth, pretending to gag.

Jez turns to me with surprise and indignation. “WTF… That Bitch!” Jez pulls her hands down into tight fists and turns to Leigh. She looks like an angry mama bear.

Before she can pounce, I pull her close and try to calm her down. “It’s okay Jez, I was actually planning on breaking it off with Travis. To be honest, he and Leigh made it a lot easier.”

Jez looks at me incredulously. “Are you serious?”

I nod my head. “Yeah, I was getting tired of him pressuring me all the time, and I just wasn’t feeling it anymore. Which I guess is good because he turned out to be a two-timing asshole.” I shrug as I make my way back to the squad. “Trust me, I’m fine with it. Good riddance.”

Jez chuckles. “Good for you, girl.”

“Ladies, time’s running out. Let’s begin the first routine…” I call out to my teammates as they take formation.

It has been a week since I broke up with Travis. Leigh continues to make catty comments, but quickly gives up when she realizes that I really don’t care. Mikhail still won’t talk to me, which is disheartening. Rowan, on the other hand, seems to hang around a lot. I think he has a thing for Jez.

Today, he’s leaning outside Jez’s locker, looking like the gorgeously cocky bad boy he is. I smile and wave as I make my way to my locker. “Hey, Rowan.”

Rowan snickers in reply and leans close to whisper in my ear. “He likes you, you know. Sometimes I catch him looking at you from his bedroom window. He has some seriously hot sketches of you lying in your swing. Maybe you should apologize and ask him to be your baby daddy.”

I roll my eyes at his comment but cannot help but feel my heart soar. Before I can answer, Jez stops in front of us. “Hey, Rowan.” She says, smiling sweetly.

Rowan moves close and caresses her shoulder. “Hey, sweet thing. I came to see if I can walk you two beautiful ladies to class.” Jez smiles enticingly, wraps an arm around Rowan's arm, and the other one around mine. “Why, sir, we’d love an escort.” Rowan and I laugh at Jez’s horrible Scarlett O’Hara drawl.

As we move closer to the classroom, Jez stops and gives me an admiring smirk. “Girl, I love that outfit. Is that the dress you bought last week?”

I look down at my white sleeveless peasant top, hi-lo skirt, and Sorel Joan of Arctic boots, with a smile. “Thanks, Jez. You like? I told you the boots would look good with this outfit.”

Jez wolf whistles and winks saucily. “Oh, yeah. You look great.” Putting her arm around mine, she pulls me close and turns back to Rowan. “Doesn’t she look pretty?”

Rowan nods. “You look amazing, Nev. Good enough to eat.”

I roll my eyes at his flirty comment. “Thanks, Ro.”

Turning to class, I swallow hard. Mikhail sitting at his desk, staring blankly at the board. I sit down and try not to look at him, but it’s a difficult task considering that attraction that I feel.

Unaware of the tension running through my body, Jez continues talking. “Seriously, girl, I have a second-period class with Travis and Leigh, and they need to tone down the P.D.A. When I asked them to cool it, Travis told me to shut up and mind my own business. Who knew Travis would be such a douche? I’m glad that you broke it off. Sadly, he has developed bad taste because he’s messing around with Leigh. She’s such a slut.” We both laugh at her comment. But my laugh is brittle. Not because of Travis because I’m over him, but because of Mikhail. I just can’t relax when he’s around. Sighing softly, I push tendrils of hair from my face and make every effort to not get a peek at the guy who has been dominating my every thought. Rowan’s words run over and over in my mind.

A moment later, Mr. Andrews walks into class and calls everyone’s attention. “Okay, class, pencil, and notebooks out. Today we’re…” I begin to take notes, but my thoughts are focused on Mikhail. Looking in his direction, I notice that unlike the rest of the class, who are aggressively taking notes, Mikhail is just sitting there listening to the lecture. For some reason, this angers me. Who the hell does this guy think he is?

As soon as the bell rings, I gather my things. Jez walks quietly next to me. “Ugh, I have Calculus right now. You’re so lucky you have a study hall. See you at lunch?”

I nod my head and watch with amusement as she rushes off. Going to study hall is the best part of my day. Since I am so busy with clubs, I use this time to get my homework done. I love the school library. Our librarian, Mrs. G, has made it comfortable. There are laptop counters, a cell charging station, and a headphones section. Instead of hard chairs, she has futons and bean bag chairs. My favorite spot is in a quiet corner near the shelves. There’s a little chaise that I love to lay on. No one bothers me there, and I can get lost in my own world.

Settling my things down, I put my headphones on and lie back on the chaise. I finished reading Cleopatra and Marc Anthony last night. It was so romantic. I mean they died and all, but they really loved each other. Now I need to find a way to finish the project without Mikhail. My frustration surmounts as I look through the packet. We’re supposed to create a love scene. How am I going to do this on my own?

Suddenly I’m pulled from my thoughts by a presence. Looking up, I notice Travis standing a couple of feet away. “Nev, we need to talk.”

I close my eyes, willing a possible headache away. Why now? Why can’t Travis just leave things as they are?

Frustrated, I massage the bridge of my nose. “Look, Travis, it doesn’t matter, we’re done,” I mutter firmly. I don’t understand why he wants to talk. You’d think he’d see that I gave him an easy way out.

Incensed by my aggravated tone, Travis reaches for my arm and roughly pulls me from the chaise. “It doesn’t matter? Wow, Leigh is right. You are a cold bitch.”

My lips tighten with anger. How dare he insult me after what he did? As calmly as I can, I pull my arm from his grasp and take a step back. “Look, Travis, keep in mind, you cheated on me. However, I’m willing to bow out. I’m sorry if your cheating did not incite the reaction you wanted. So just let it go.”

I try to walk away, but Travis pushes me roughly against the wall. “You know Nev if you hadn’t been such a cold bitch. I wouldn’t have cheated. Maybe that’s why your family would rather be at work than be around you.”

Even though I didn’t care about Travis anymore, his words still hurt me deep inside. I’m sure that he can tell from the look on my eyes that his words affected me. My eyes begin to tear up, but I refuse to let them fall. Instead, I struggle against his hold, but he refuses to let me go. “Let me go, Travis.” My teeth are gritted, and my jaw is aching as my control slips.

Smiling maliciously, Travis pulls me closer and tries to kiss me, but I move my face away. He must have noticed my alarm because before I could scream, he clamps his hand over my mouth.

Nostrils flaring and head pounding with fear, I try to push away from his grip. My once quiet sanctuary is no longer safe. Uncaring of my struggles, Travis tightens his hand around my mouth and slams me against the wall. Pain radiates through my body at the jarring motion, and fear claws inside of my gut.

Frightened, I begin pushing him harder. Suddenly, the pressure is gone, and I’m left trembling against the wall. Travis is being held in a chokehold by Mikhail. He looks like an avenging angel with his heated stare and firm hold.

Wrapping my arms around myself, I lie there stunned. It gratifies me to see Travis struggling under Mikhail’s hands. “Let me go, Cross. Nev and I were just talking. This is none of your business.” Travis chokes out. His words come out in a hiss, and his face is red from lack of oxygen.

Mikhail looks over at my shaking form and softly asks. “Is that true, Nevaeh? Do I need to back off?”

I shake my head and clear my throat. “No, it’s not true. We’re done, Travis. I want you to stay the hell away from me.” I mutter shakily. My body is trembling with shock. I try to calm my shaking, but it only gets worse.

Mikhail sneers at Travis, who is still struggling against his hold, pulls him closer, and growls out in a scary tone. “I will rip you to shreds if you ever come near her again. Now, get the hell out of here before I change my mind.” Mikhail releases his hold and pushes Travis away. Glaring venomously, Travis grips his bag tightly and stomps away.

Once Travis disappears from our sight, Mikhail turns back to me and moves closer. I look into his eyes and blink away a few stray tears. I try to brush them away and compose myself, but I’m still shaken. Biting my lip, I open my mouth to thank him. However, the words he expects me to utter refuse to come out.

Mikhail must take my silence negatively because he narrows his eyes and mutters angrily. “I guess receiving any form of gratitude from you is too much to ask, princess. I should have known.” He says before he turns around and begins to walk away.

Somehow his anger breaks through the dam of my tears. “You didn’t need to help me. I would have been fine.” I want to take the words back as soon as they leave my stupid mouth. I don’t know why I’m acting this way. I mean, there’s no doubt that Mikhail saved me from Travis. I guess it’s just all the anger I’ve been holding in since he began ignoring me that makes me lash out.

Back stiff, Mikhail turns and faces me. “Are you serious? Wow princess, you really are a piece of work? Maybe Travis was right. Maybe you like being a bitch, and that’s why no one wants to be around you.”

I don’t know if it’s the silly crush I have on him, but his words crush me. Before I know it, my hand is extended towards his face. Mikhail grasps my arm before I slap him, which incites me further. “Don’t you dare say that to me, you asshole. You don’t know anything about me!” Still holding my arm, Mikhail moves closer. Our chests are nearly touching, and our faces are mere inches from each other. “That’s very self-righteous of you considering that the little bit of information you got about me had you branding me a criminal.”

I gulp hearing the truth of his words. I’ve been so unfair since we’ve met. I’m surprised that he didn’t let Travis hurt me, considering how bitchy I’ve been acting. “You’re right.”

Mikhail tilts his head sideways as if waiting for another retort. He thinks I’m playing him, and I don’t blame him. “Really?” He asks cynically.

I nod my head with a sad frown. “Yes, really. I know what it’s like to be misjudged. I regretted what I said the moment I said it. So, I’m sorry. Okay?”

He nods his head. “Okay.” He says as he carefully backs me into the wall. My body heats instantly, and my breath hitches at his nearness. Stifling a moan, I bite my lower lip and gaze intently into his eyes.

Mikhail leans an arm over my head and licks his luscious lips. “Now, about that, thank you…” He mutters silkily, which makes my body clench with desire. Oh my god, he is so potent. I can feel my thighs aching, and my chest tightens as I rest helplessly between him and the wall.

Hypnotized by his beautiful mouth, I lick my lips and edge closer. My body has taken over at this point, and my mind has shut down.

Mikhail observes my movements but doesn’t move away, which gives me hope. Emboldened, I stand nose to nose. I can feel his breath on my tingling lips and the heat of his gaze upon my face. Tilting my head sideways, I softly whisper. “Thank you.”

Our lips caress as I speak. Neither of us moves for a moment. My body aches with unrequited desire as I wait for him to do something. But he doesn’t make a move.

As if taking pity on our hearts, the end of the period bell rings. Mikhail and I move apart and gaze up at the bell. Our chests are heaving as if we ran a mile, and our faces are flushed.

Wordlessly Mikhail turns around and whispers, “That’s a start, princess.” before he walks away.

Clutching my chest, I continue to lean against the wall. Exhilaration rushes through me. Unfortunately, my excitement dissipates as my cell phone vibes in my pocket. Startled out of my daydream, I reach into my bag and pull out my phone. It’s my dad. “Hey, dad.”

I can hear the squeak of his chair as he shuffles around. “Nevaeh, I don’t know if your mom called but, I have an important case and won’t be home tonight.”

I nod my head twisting my mouth into a sneer. “Yeah, sure, dad,” I reply disbelievingly. I don’t understand why he can’t just admit that he doesn’t want to come home.

Dad makes a couple of intelligible sounds before he disconnects the call. Feeling depressed, I walk out the door. For the past few years, my dad and mom have been absent. It hurts me every time they call me with an excuse. My eyes blur with tears, and my lip trembles as my sadness overwhelm me. Leaning my head back, I close my eyes and take a couple of deep breaths. Sometimes I wonder what I’ve done to make my family hate me so much. Travis and Mikhail’s words come back to me. Maybe there is something wrong with me. I sit there for a while, letting my tears fall.

My phone vibrates with a text. “Girl, where are you?” I ignore the text. Then, it begins to vibrate. Wiping my eyes and straightening out my hair, I answer the phone. “Hey girl, where are you? I’ve been texting you.” I can hear the urgency in Jez’s voice. “Sorry Jez, I’m not feeling well. I think I’m going to stop by the nurse. I’ll call you later, okay?”

Jez sighs in response. “Do you want me to go with you?” I shake my head as I look into the mirror and search my ragged appearance. “No, I’ll be fine.” Before she can ask any more questions, I disconnect the call.

Nurse Donovan is a nice older lady. She used to be an army nurse during the Gulf war. Her kind, wrinkled face always makes me smile. When I walk in, she gives me the once over and unquestioningly hands me some tissue. “Hey, sweetie. What’s wrong?” I shake my head, wiping my nose. “I just don’t feel too well, Mrs.D. Can I get a pass?” She places her hand over my forehead with a pitying expression. “Well, there’s no fever, honey, but you do look a little worn. Do you want to go home?”

I shake my head vehemently. The last place I want to be in is home. “No, I just need to sit for a few minutes. Would it be okay if I just sit here until the end of the period?”

She nods her head and pats me on the back. “Sure, honey, take as long as you need.” She points to a soft chair behind a curtain and walks away. Smiling, I move to the chair and lie back.

I rest for a few minutes until I feel a little less shaken. Waving bye to Mrs. Donovan, I step out of the room. Jez is standing near the door. She wraps her arm around mine. “Hey, feeling better?”

I nod my head. “Yeah, I just needed to rest. I guess I’m just feeling a little stressed.”

Mrs. D smiles as she ushers me towards the lunchroom. “Well, maybe some lunch will make you feel better.”

I nod my head in agreement and walk with Jez towards the lunchroom. Our table is the cheering table. Only girls from the squad sit there. We are very cliquey, but who cares? Jez chats with Brit and Sara while I settle into my seat.

Rolling my eyes, look over and see that Jason is sitting next to Travis and Leigh. Both are kissing so hard that it looks like their eating each other’s faces. I have to resist snorting out loud at their antics, but I just don’t care.

I notice Mikhail and his brothers right away. The boys are all talking except for Mikhail. As if noticing my gaze, his eyes instantly hone in on mine. Rowan must notice our absorption because he smirks and whispers something in Mikhail’s ear. He chuckles and points his chin in my direction. Mikhail gives him a harsh look and mutters something back, which makes Rowan break into gales of laughter. Mikhail must not be happy about what Rowan said because he gruffly pushes Rowan’s hand away and strides towards the exit. Maintaining a sly Cheshire smile, Rowan looks back at me and winks. I roll my eyes and continue to eat. I learned quickly that the best way to deal with Rowan is to ignore him.

Everyone in the cafeteria stills when the sound of a loud crash reverberates across the room. All heads turn and watch as Henry Cruzan faces off with Mikhail. The floor is scattered with the remains of Henry’s lunch. Mikhail stoically brushes off his button-down shirt, his lips set in a tight line. Henry smirks menacingly and says something to Mikhail, but I can’t hear him. It must be something really bad because Mikhail’s head snaps back and angrily retorts. I strain my ears, but I still can’t hear what the interaction is about. I guess Henry did not like Mikhail’s response because he pushes Mikhail. Or at least he tries.

To my annoyance, Travis rises from the bench and joins Henry. I’m not surprised that Henry is getting into another fight. Henry is a meathead who has more brains than brawn, who is always bragging about his conquests. Most of the time, he’s left off the hook because he’s the football team’s wide receiver. I’ve never really liked him.

Travis stops behind Henry and faces Mikhail. Rowan and his brothers do the same for Mikhail. I observe warily as Henry makes another comment. This time though, he’s aiming it at Travis.

Whatever he says seems to anger Travis, because he puffs out his chest and confronts Mikhail. To my shock, he points a finger in my direction. Heat rushes across my face. They cannot possibly be talking about me. Could they?

This time Rowan sneers and aims a comment at Travis. That’s when all hell breaks loose. I don’t know who hits who, but Henry and Mikhail are suddenly rolling around the floor. Mikhail is on top of Henry and punching him.

Rowan tries to pull Mikhail off, but Mikhail is a machine. I don’t know how I end up standing behind Mikhail, pleading for him to stop. “Mikhail, please stop… stop it!”

As if waking from a trance, Mikhail stops and lets Henry go. I wrap my arms around me and observe as Mikhail blinks his eyes and focuses his gaze on mine. He’s breathing heavily, and there’s a cut above his eye, but otherwise, he’s fine. Without another word, he turns around and walks out of the lunchroom.

Unfortunately, as he’s walking out, Principal Moody stops him and ushers him out of the room. Mr. Andrews follows suit and ushers Henry behind them. As fast as it started, it ended. Everyone walked back to their seats and continue to eat as if nothing happened. Jez and Brit sit beside me with a surprised expression. “Holy crap! That was crazy.” I nod my head in agreement. What the hell just happened?