Four

The following morning, I met Ashlyn at the bus stop she asked "What happened last night after I left? Tomas has been blowing up my phone wondering why you weren't replying to him." I brushed my hair back "You were right. He likes me." She had a huge smile on her face "I told you, what did you say?" I looked down "I left. It's not worth risking losing him for good." She frowned "You can't be afraid, just go for it." I looked up "Ash if I said yes he'd be my first boyfriend. I'm not ready to date." She sighed with a frown "So tell him that, he thinks you rejected him because you didn't like him."

The bus pulled up, we climbed onto the bus then walked to our seats, she asked "It wasn't because of what I said right?" I sighed "No." I looked up and saw Tomas coming down the aisle, I panicked and whispered "Since when does he ride the bus? I thought his dad took him to school." She shrugged "Hey Tomas." He sat across from us, I turned to look out the window; Ashlyn said "I thought your dad took you to school." He avoided eye contact with me "He had to start working mornings today. So I'm on the bus again."

The bus finally arrived at school, I got up, pushing past Ashlyn, and was the first one off; Tomas looked at Ashlyn "Is she okay?" She nodded her head "Bad morning, she's been like that the whole time." They came up to me talking to Alisha and her boyfriend Jayden. Kylie and Amanda came up "Aren't couples supposed to walk with each other to school? Let alone sit together on the bus." I got mad "We aren't together; it was all fake. Do what you do best. Have him because I know that's why you're here. Turn him away from me too."

I stormed past her and went into the school, Ashlyn and Alisha ran after me. Jayden crossed his arms "Why do you have to bully her? Just let her be. It's sad you need to mess up any happiness that isn't yours." She smirked "It's not my fault she can't get a boyfriend." He faked a laugh "I wonder why. You torment every guy she gets close to. Admit it you've always had it out for Casey." She smiled "Not my fault every guy decides they like me more and wants to sleep with me." Tomas cut into the conversation "I like her, and I don't want to sleep with you."

She faked a frown "Liking her won't go anywhere, she's too scared of being dumped and heartbroken." Confidence grew over him "I won't let that happen. I will show her that a relationship isn't all that bad." Tomas and Jayden walked to find us; Tomas looked at Jayden "What does that girl have against Casey?" Jayden stopped walking "All I know is they were once best friends. Maybe Ashlyn can tell you or even Casey."

The guys walked up, Jayden asked "Casey are you okay?" I nodded my head "Yeah." Tomas said "Can you guys let us talk?" Ashlyn smiled "Of course." They left, he stood in front of me, I said "Before you say anything, I'm sorry about last night... I just..." He shook his head "Don't explain yourself, it's okay." I looked down, he came toward me for a hug. He held me for what seemed like forever, I was okay with that. Until the bell rang, I pulled away "We should get to class before we're late."

A girl approached us "Are you Casey?" I crossed my arms as Tomas and I distanced ourselves "Depends, who's asking?" She smiled and handed me a uniform "Welcome to the volleyball team. I'm Jordyn, team captain. First practice is on Monday." She looked at Tomas and smiled "Hey Tomas." He ignored her, we went to class; I asked him "You know all these girls would die to be with you? Why not give them a chance?" He chuckled "Do you really want me to answer that?" I shrugged "You can be with any of them, they are drooling over you after all." He smiled and chuckled "They can wipe their own mouths then." I stopped in the hall "You are mean." He continued walking and looked back smiling "You know it. I don't like girls that beg or act like I'm a piece of meat."

I skipped to catch up to him, the last bell rang; we started running down the halls. Just as we ran up Mrs. Monroe was shutting the door, she held it open for us "You two are late." We made up excuses, I said "My mom was late coming home from work and she was our ride." She gave us a warning "Don't let it happen again." We sat down at our desks, Kylie walked by slowly; she dropped a folded paper on Tomas' desk and smirked at me. He wasn't paying attention and didn't notice the note, Mrs. Monroe stepped out with another teacher for a second.

I got up, grabbed the note, ripped it up and tossed it in the trash. I walked by Kylie's desk and knocked over her opened water bottle, she got angry "Are you kidding me?" I continued walking back to my desk, Mrs. Monroe came in "Quiet or all of you can stay after class." I sat down at my desk, Tomas whispered "What was that?" I shrugged "Came from trash so I threw it away." I picked up my pencil and started taking notes in my journal.

Tomas handed me a paper, it said, "Want to ditch?" I wrote "Yes." The bell rang, I got up and started heading for the door until Kylie stopped me "You just started a war Casey." I pushed past her "No I finished one, get out of my way." I walked out of the classroom with Tomas and Ashlyn, Ashlyn asked "What happened?" I looked up from my phone "With?" She exhaled "Kylie? Why did you knock over her water?"

Tomas looked at me surprised "Wait. You knocked over her water?" I crossed my arms "Quit with the interrogation guys. Yes, I dumped her water so what?" Ashlyn sighed "I have to get to class, we'll talk at lunch." She walked away, he asked "Are you ready?" I brushed my black dyed hair back "Always." We ditched and started walking down the hill, he brushed his hand with mine and asked "Why are you so quiet?" I looked at him "In my thoughts." He glanced at me "Kylie?"

We walked up the hill to my apartment, avoiding his question; he looked up at me smiling "It's like you to avoid my question." I turned to face him "Kylie and I have a lot of history. We were once best friends. Once we became interested in boys, she became worse to be around. Every guy was her target and she got good at ruining relationships. She belittled Ashlyn and me often then Amanda came along. Amanda was nice until she met Kylie. She helped Kylie sabotage relationships." He studied my expressions "Did she do that to you?" I chuckled "I've never... No. I've never had a boyfriend. Embarrassing I know. Every crush I had she'd sabotage it before it became more. That's where our friendship ended."

He chuckled "Don't feel bad. I haven't dated myself, I don't think I've had an interest in anyone before you." He paused rethinking his words, I was shocked he said that. He exhaled "That's why she bullies you. She has no control over you anymore." I slowly nodded my head, he looked down "That's why you don't do relationships." I nodded my head and remained silent, the situation got uncomfortable so I avoided it.

I pulled off my uniform shirt covering a tank top; he asked shocked "What are you doing?" I threw my uniform shirt over my shoulder "You think I'm going to stay in this ugly thing? Plus it's too hot for it." I threw my hair up in a ponytail, I grabbed my lanyard and backpack from the grass. I walked up to him "Can I see your picture?" He handed me his lanyard, I smiled "Awe you are so adorable."

He rolled his eyes "My mom made me comb my hair to the side and I look like some rich billionaire." I looked up at him "Glad you haven't seen mine. Makes me wonder what you'll think about it." He looked at my lanyard "Can I see yours? I doubt that." I shook my head with a grin "No, I'll be humiliated." He tried to reach for it, but I pulled it away, he wrapped his arms around me trying to hold me so he can grab it but I took it off and threw it in the grass.

We both ran for it, but he ended up grabbing it and looking at it "You look fine Casey." I sat on the grass, staring at him with a dirty look "I don't like you right now." He handed me back my lanyard, as we approached my building my mom was outside talking to a guy. I pulled him down behind a car "Is that your dad?" He looked up over the hood "What are they doing?" I pulled out my phone to check the time "We should be at lunch right now" I called my mom "Casey? Was just about to call you, everything okay?" I whispered "Yeah what'd you need?"

She sighed "I have to leave for the rest of the school year. I asked Rob if you could stay with them and he said he has a spare room for you. Ashlyn's mom said no because of what happened last time." I rolled my eyes "Of course." She exhaled "I won't be home; I'm leaving right now. I am begging you to be on your best behavior, no more ditching. Your school called Rob and I so where are you guys at?" I faked a laugh "We're at school Mom." She became agitated "Come home now but you better go to school tomorrow, I swear to god don't make Rob call me." I giggled "Bye Mom." I hung up, Tomas waited for me to say something "She's leaving for the rest of the year, your dad said I could stay with you guys."

He smiled "That's good news, right?" I frowned "She'll be gone for months; I normally go with her but I guess she doesn't want me to." He grabbed my hand "Are you going to be okay? We will have fun." I stood up "I'm fine, I'm not complaining." He stood up and hugged me, I pulled away "I'm going to get changed out of these dumbass clothes." He grabbed my hand before I walked away "We'll have fun; you won't want to leave." I smirked and walked to my apartment.