Prove Me Wrong Read online

  “Mr. Hannon, long time no see.” Of course she remembers me. I only got kicked out of her class every other day freshman year. Not my fault her lack of humor and my wit never meshed.

  “Yup, long time,” I say.

  “I hope now that you’re older there will be no problems this year,” she says, not even trying to mask her condescending tone.

  “Not at all.” Great. There went my chances of making a good first impression on Hailey. Unless she’s into that type and if that’s the case, getting in her pants is going to be a heck of a lot easier. I glance over at her and watch as she nibbles on her pouty bottom lip, pretending to be focused on her notebook and not me. Yup, definitely not another Amanda. So thank you, Mrs. McNamara for blowing up my shit.

  “Good, wouldn’t want you spending your day in I.S.S,” she says it like it’s a bad thing.

  In school suspension is not as horrible as everyone thinks. I typically get my assigned work done within the first hour then sneak in my iPod earbuds and take out my sketchbook to draw one of my Manga characters.

  I’m pretty good too. Last year my art teacher tried to talk me into joining the art club because it would look good on my college application. I nearly laughed in his face. College is never going to happen. I’m just not the type. I barely go to my classes as it is so why would I take out a million loans to pay for an education I don’t want?

  Besides what am I going to go to college for? Art? A classroom can’t teach you natural talent.

  I look back up at Mrs. McNamara who still has her eyes on me. “No, I wouldn’t want that either,” I say. It’s a lie, but I don’t want Hailey to think I’m a dumbass. I’m sure in time she’ll believe I am, but if I can get her to know me before that happens, then maybe she won’t believe the rumors. Or at least hook up with me before she does.

  I grab my notebook and stand beside her as Mrs. McNamara calls out names from her attendance list. I’m hoping Hailey’s last name falls close to mine. I’m tempted to ask her but I want to play it cool.

  “Mr. Hannon, you’re right here.” Mrs. McNamara points to a chair in the second row. I plop into the seat and wait to hear Hailey’s name called. The spots are filling up and Hailey still isn’t seated. “Hailey Saldino.” She sits down three rows over from me.

  After all seats are assigned there’s fifteen minutes left of homeroom. Sitting here with no one to bullshit with is torture.

  Russ leans forward in his chair towards Hailey. Damn him for having the last name Sanchez. He whispers something in her ear, and in return she turns slightly and rolls her eyes. What the fuck is he saying to her? Russ might be a friend but he’s a class A douchebag. He uses girls for sex and then dumps them before the night ends. You can at least buy them something off the dollar menu before sending them on their way.

  By the look of utter disgust on Hailey’s face, his sleazebag charm isn’t working. Even though she doesn’t give him the time of day I still want to know what he’s saying to her. It better not be anything perverted because I swear I’ll kick his ass. Again.

  I keep my eyes on Hailey’s back. If I don’t make my move fast enough I’ll never get the opportunity. Though… I wouldn’t blame her if after I show her to her classes she never talks to me again. I wouldn’t talk to me either.

  Why did she have to put us in alphabetical order? Now instead of sitting next to Luke I’m stuck sitting in front of this creep. He’s told me in more ways than one how good I smell and how he’d like to taste me. I’m pretty sure that’s grounds for sexual harassment.

  I glance over my shoulder and catch Luke looking in my direction. My cheeks are shooting flames again. I try my hardest to keep it cool but some part of my face always gives it away.

  I like the subtle attention but at the same time I kind of wish he’d leave me alone. It’s not like anything can happen between us. Even if after getting to know me and he’s still around, I’m sure as soon as I introduce Brady he’ll bolt.

  At twelve months Brady’s starting to remember people. I’d hate to bring someone into his life who won’t be around for long. He is the most important person in my life, and I have to do everything in my power to protect him.

  It’s bad enough I can’t support us. I had a job at a pizza place before we moved, cutting slices and working the register after school. I barely made enough to buy diapers and formula for the week but at least it was something.

  If it wasn’t for Mom I don’t know what I’d do. She’s been my biggest supporter. I never met my dad. Brady and I will have that in common. Between my dad and Nolan, my outlook on men is shot to shit.

  I swear my son will never turn out like them. Just thinking of Brady’s pudgy cheeks and adorable laugh, I couldn’t even imagine it.

  Being away from him just plain sucks. What if he finally says Mama and I’m not there to hear it? The devastating pit in my stomach grows at the thought, but I push the idea out of my mind. I look up at the clock and smile knowing Brady’s eating his mid morning snack and probably throwing cereal at Mom.

  The bell rings, and I grab my bag trying to get as far away from creepazoid as I can.

  “Nice legs,” he says as I walk away. I can sense him behind me which makes me think of all those times mom taught me the importance of screaming stranger danger.

  “Hey Russ. I see you met Hailey.”

  Luke knows this jerk?

  “Yeah, she’s hot,” Russ says, lifting the corner of his top lip, and I think I just threw up in my mouth a bit.

  Luke shakes his head and laughs. “Excuse him. He has no filter.”

  “What do you mean?” Russ says.

  He’s obviously not intelligent either.

  “Nothing man. Nothing. Come on, Hailey. Let’s get you to your next class.”

  As we walk away, I watch Russ give Luke the stink-eye but then another girl in a skirt walks by and his attention quickly diverts. He lets out a loud whistle then high fives some guy before making an obscene gesture.

  “Are you friends with that jerk?” I ask because if he is this camaraderie we have going on ends now. I don’t need another disappointment in my life, and if he’s friends with that guy I can almost guarantee it.

  “Not really. Maybe. We kinda hang around the same crowd.”

  “They’re not all like him are they?”

  “No, Russ is his own breed.”

  I laugh. “I can’t believe I’m stuck sitting in front of him. It’s not going to give me the motivation to get here on time that’s for sure.”

  “Well, you’ll get to see me. Maybe that’ll give you a little motivation.”

  He’s smooth, real smooth. Nolan was exactly the same.

  There’s one difference now, I’m not that naïve little girl I used to be. My guard is up, way up, and I’ll never let a guy take advantage of me again. No matter how good looking and enticing he is.

  “Maybe,” I say, and glance around in order to avoid eye contact with him. Also so my face doesn’t give me away.

  He winces. “Ouch. Not the response I was hoping for.”

  I playfully arch my eyebrow. “What? I said maybe, not no. So there’s some hope left.” Why the heck am I flirting? It’s wrong. I’m only going to start something I can’t continue, but he’s making it too easy.

  He doesn’t know my past so I’m free to be Hailey. Not Hailey the girl with the baby. It’s been so long I just want a taste of being a normal teenager. Once I get home, my reality will sneak back up on me. So what’s the big deal if I pretend to be someone else for the seven hours left of school?

  “Good to know. Hopefully I can change that maybe to a yes.” He looks at me without turning his head, a smooth sideways glance I’m sure he’s perfected over the years. I can just make out the gold ring within his blue eyes.

  I’m sure he has his pick of girls in this school, so why he’s chosen to show me around is beyond me. Maybe this is what he does. Preys on the new girl until he gets her into bed. Some kind of sick game he plays with his
friends, which would explain his acquaintance with that jerk Russ.

  Who knows, maybe I’m wrong. I hope so, but the only way to find out is to ask around, which is exactly what I plan on doing.

  He shows me to Earth Science, and once that’s over I find him leaning against the lockers across from my classroom. His arms are folded across his chest, pulling his t-shirt tight showing off his very toned biceps, making it obvious he works out.

  I catch myself smiling ridiculously big and quickly wipe at my nose to cover my lips. If he thinks I’m some girl he can get in his bed, I’m definitely not helping the situation. I might as well be wearing a sign that says “easy.”

  “Hey there,” he says and kicks off the wall. He moves towards me with nothing but pure confidence in each step.

  “Hey.”

  “I can show you to your next class, but after that it looks like we part ways until lunch.”

  I meet him halfway. I hate the disappointment that washes over me. Getting away from him is a good thing, yet I kind of like having my own personal tour guide. Okay maybe I just like Luke being my tour guide. He’s nice and easy to talk to.

  I think of my old school, and how I was treated when people found out I was pregnant, and focus on that. Because let’s be honest just because Luke seems like a nice guy doesn’t mean he’s any different than those assholes.

  “That’s okay. I think I can figure it out,” I say, before I make myself look more conquerable. Besides it gives me a chance to find out who Luke Hannon really is.

  I’m not one of those guys who works out religiously. Unless you count running from the cops. In that case, my regimen is very extensive. Other than that, a few reps here and there in CJ’s basement. So when I leaned up against the locker, waiting for Hailey, I crossed my arms to make my biceps look bigger than they actually are.

  I smile at the memory of her eyes drifting from my face to my arms and the way her cheeks flared up. At least I knew I had an effect on her.

  I head to my next class. I might as well. I mean, I already went to two of them. Wouldn’t kill me to sit through all of them for a day.

  “Hey Luke, wait up.” I look over my shoulder and Russ runs towards me. I’m assuming he wants to bum a cigarette. Too bad for him; I quit a few months back.

  “What’s up?” I stick my hands in my pocket and lean back on my heels waiting for him to get to it.

  “So what’s up with that Hailey chick? You hitting that?” Typical Russ fashion. Absolutely no couth.

  “Not yet.” I go along with it because when it comes to Russ it’s easier just to play his game.

  “So you’re trying then?”

  “You could say that.” Vague answers are my best bet.

  “I seriously want to hit that.” Russ humps the air and slaps a pretend ass.

  I feel my fists clenching, the tips of my fingers digging into the palm of my hands. He’s lucky I don’t knock him out. Again.

  “Sorry, you’re a little late.” I give him a pat on the shoulder.

  “We’ll see about that.” Russ smirks and walks backwards as if to give his words more emphasis. All I can picture is smashing the fucking asshole’s head into a locker.

  Though, I don’t think I have anything to worry about. I saw how Hailey grimaced at him. He’s definitely not her type, unless she likes sleazy douchebags who think they look cool with twelve-year-old bowl haircuts.

  I push Russ out of mind and sit in class, actually trying to pay attention to what Mr. Lehman’s saying. I still can’t believe I lucked out and got him two years in a row. For a teacher he’s not so bad.

  After the usual introduction to the class, he goes right into the lesson. I find myself taking notes. I never take notes. The closest thing my notebooks have ever seen to any form of note taking is a drawing of a samurai attacking a textbook with a sword. Maybe CJ’s rubbing off on me.

  All of my classes go by fast and before I know it, it’s lunch time. Hailey’s face pops into my mind and I hurry to the cafeteria so I can see her. Completely insane considering I just met the girl only a few hours ago. I walk into the lunch room, scan the tables, and spot her. Her hair hovers where her shirt scoops just low enough to reveal the perfect amount of cleavage. Once I take my eyes away from the two perfect bumps of her anatomy, any hope I had of one day being able to explore those bumps is destroyed.

  Shit. She’s sitting with Roxy Valentine. AKA… the biggest bitch at Ridgewood. Most of the student body, as well as all of the teachers, think she’s this perfect, friendly, law abiding person. It’s a total crock of shit. I know exactly who she is. You can’t change who you are no more than you can change the weather.

  God only knows what kind of bullshit Roxy’s filled Hailey’s head with. She has a range of topics she can choose from. All she has to do is take her pick and I’m sure Hailey will never want to speak to me again.

  Hailey’s eyes blink up and lock with mine. Her lip tugs to the right as she tries to conceal her smile. She lifts her hand and waves. Maybe I still have a chance. Doesn’t seem Roxy has gotten to her yet. I start to walk towards her when Roxy’s evil glare pins me in place. She looks from me to Hailey and I swear she looks like she wants to rip my eyes out.

  Roxy leans over to Hailey, and as soon as her lips part and words come out, Hailey’s hand falls back into her lap. More words pour from Roxy’s mouth and Hailey snaps her eyes away from me, glancing down at the table. I knew it.

  It’s not my fault Roxy spent a summer in rehab. Even though she acts like it is. There’s a lot more involved than she’s willing to admit.

  If anything it catapulted her into the popularity she has now. She told everyone she was in the same rehab center as some pop star. I can’t remember which one. For all they knew she could have lied but it didn’t matter. From then on everyone wanted to be her friend. I’d say she made out in the end. She needs to let the rest go.

  I wait a second, hoping Hailey will stand up and leave the bitch behind but she doesn’t. Roxy got to her before I did. I accept defeat and scan the cafeteria for someone I know. This morning when CJ picked me up I was so concerned with not wanting to go to school I forgot to snatch his schedule and compare.

  Amongst the crowd I see Amanda. I’m definitely not going in her direction.

  CJ approaches and piles all his books in one arm to give me a pound. “Hey shithead.”

  “So we do have lunch together,” I say as we move to the empty table across from the snack line.

  Amanda sees me and I duck my head and slide into the chair. “So how’s your descent into academic achievement going?”

  The book on the top of his pile falls to the table. “It’d be good if I didn’t have to carry all of these damn books around.”

  “Why don’t you just stick them in your locker?”

  He rolls his eyes. “My locker is nowhere near any of my classes.”

  “Leave lunch a few minutes early then and take care of it.” I take some books from his hands. He’s gone to four classes. How can he have accumulated so many already? I have one. Mr. Lehman insisted I take it otherwise I would’ve left it in the classroom like I did with the rest of them.

  The rest of the pile slips out of CJ’s hands onto the table, and I place the books I’m holding beside them.

  “What’s with all the books?” Bobby asks as he flips a chair around and sits on it backwards.

  “CJ thinks he’s going to turn his life around this year,” I answer.

  “Sorry to tell you, but getting good grades senior year isn’t going to help. Colleges don’t even look at senior year. They look at what you’ve been doing all along. They’re looking for consistency which you, my friend, are anything but.” Bobby pats CJ on the shoulder.

  CJ sighs heavily and swats at the air. “Can always count on you guys for support.”

  “Dude, we’re kidding,” I say.

  “Whatever.”

  I go to crack a joke to relieve some of the tension, when I feel arms wrap around
my neck. The strong scent of vanilla tips me off. What the hell does she want?

  “Hey, you. Why’d you leave me so early last night? I was hoping we could have a little reunion party. Just the two of us,” Amanda purrs into my ear.

  “I was tired.”

  “Uh huh.” Her arms move across my shoulder as she leans her body into me. “Why don’t we meet up after school and make up for lost time?” Her unnatural blonde hair falls forward, creating a wall between me and my friends. “What do you say?”

  I never realized how much I despise the smell of vanilla.

  “Pass.” Normally I’d go for it. She’s an easy lay. With her it’s always right down to business. However, I’m over it. There’s no chase. No game. No fun.

  “Come on, Lukey.”

  I hate when she calls me that. I look up and see Hailey across the room, her eyes fixated on us. She darts her head away then disappears into the cafeteria bathrooms.

  “Sorry, I’ve got things to do.” I take Amanda’s hands and lift them off my shoulders. I don’t care if CJ and Bobby give me shit for blowing off a guaranteed lay. I just need to put an end to this once and for all. I look at her with a stone cold expression as if she’s bothering me.

  “Whatever. Screw you, Luke,” she spits, and then she’s gone.

  “What was that about?” CJ asks.

  “Seriously, dude, I thought she was going to start unbuttoning your shirt,” Bobby says.

  “I’m over it.”

  “Over it? You didn’t even have to do anything. Next time, send her my way. Sex is sex.”

  Bobby doesn’t understand. I’m not sure if I even understand.

  “You can have her.” I sink back into my chair, which is just as hard as the chairs in the classrooms. You’d think they’d give you something a little more comfortable for lunch.

  “Who was that chick I saw you with earlier?” Bobby asks, and I don’t know why but referring to Hailey as chick kind of annoys me.

  “Just some new girl I was showing around.”

  “That was very noble of you,” Bobby says.