5

"Hey."

I glanced over to see Orion walk into my AP biology class and swerve into the seat beside mine.

"Hi." I mumbled awkwardly, confused by his presence. I knew he was in this class but I never once associated with him.

"This is weird, right?" He narrowed his eyes lightly, chuckling a bit. "I mean, I don't think I've ever once talked to you in this class." I guess he sensed it was a little unusual too.

"Very unsubtle but very true." I smiled a little. "I didn't expect to see you anytime soon."

Orion tugged on his uniform's tie, leaning back in his chair. "Why is that?"

I shrugged. "I don't know-different social groups."

"You're the only talk around the school right now." Orion quirked an eyebrow.

"Perks of accepting stupid proposals." I grinned faintly.

Orion chuckled softly. "It was-interesting."

I scoffed. "That's one word for it."

Orion and I fell into easy conversation the rest of the class. We talked about Gilmore Girls-which was surprising, to hear he watched the show. We talked about the how boring our school dances were. We talked about AP classes.

We just-a lot, about anything.

It was easy.

It was kind of nice.

-

"I heard a little rumour going around that you're hitting it off with Dallas's best friend-Orion."

I looked up from my book and gave Ocean a confused look. "What?"

The two of us were sitting in the library catching up on some school work before lunch ended.

She shrugged. "I don't know Liz-it's just what I heard through the grapevine."

"Meaning-River?" I rolled my eyes. I knew that River and her minions were the best rumour travel agency in this school.

"Yes." She sighed sheepishly, looking at me in concern because she probably didn't want me to start another argument with River. "One of her minions is in your AP biology class. Now everyone's talking about the two of you hitting it off during class."

"Hitting it off?" I ridiculed. I shook my head at the idiocy. "Someone in this school should write a book about alternative meanings. We weren't hitting it off-it was a friendly conversation about Gilmore Girls."

"I'm not assuming anything here-" she quickly spoke in defence. "I'm just telling you what I'm hearing." She frowned. "But-apparently you guys were so deep in this conversation that you didn't even hear the bell ring."

Come on. Seriously?

Biology was-boring, at times. It wasn't that big a deal.

"The apocalypse shall now start and the world will slowly demolish and it will all be thanks to the fact that I was having a conversation with a guy." I widened my eyes to saucers, exaggerating the-complete bullshit this was.

Ocean gave me a flat look. "I'll take that you two aren't a thing?"

I returned the same flat look. "Obviously."

"And-what about Dallas?" She narrowed her eyes slightly, almost looking hesitant to ask.

"What about him?" I asked, not looking at Ocean.

"Are you two a thing?" She asked slowly as if I should've read her mind and already known what she about to ask.

I then looked up at her, and squinted. "Are you trying to piss me off?"

She quickly shook her head, laughing. "I'm just curious."

"You know I hate Dallas, Ocean." I gave her a disappointing look and then started scanning my papers and notes once again.

"Oh."

"What was with that oh?" I narrowed my eyes suspiciously.

"What was with my oh?" Her eyebrows pulled together in confusion.

"That wasn't a normal oh-or a realization oh. It was a 'there's more to this, oh'."

Ocean opened her mouth to question what I was rambling about, seeing as I had lost her. She decided against it and sighed deeply. She leaned closer towards me. "It's just-don't make this a big deal, okay?"

Now I was intrigued.

"What is it?"

Ocean hesitated. "It's just that-well, Dallas sort of got into a fight. For you." She avoided my gaze.

I blinked, not sure I heard her correctly. "What?"

"It was-about you. I guess." She spoke slowly, carefully choosing her words so I would not freak out.

Why would I freak out?

Aside from the thought being completely, absolutely insane. Why the fuck would Dallas Rolland get into a fight for me?

"Elaborate."

Ocean sunk back in her seat. "Everyone is talking about your new-budding friendships with Dallas and Orion. They're the golden boys so you have officially come on the radar." Ocean paused for a moment, eyeing me cautiously as if she were trying to read my reaction. "Some guys were talking about-getting with you. Dallas overheard and got mad."

My tongue slid across my top teeth, slowly. I was carefully digesting the information. "Mad about what-exactly?"

Ocean tugged on her fingers. "Some of those guys were making-sexual and indecorous comments. From what I heard."

I paused for a good minute. I exhaled slowly. "How mad are we talking?"

Ocean looked elsewhere, avoiding my gaze. "A few punches were thrown."

I looked down at my notes I had been going over. I was going to chose to ignore the new information that was now swimming through my mind.

How do I react?

I don't know what to think of this.

"Eliza?" Ocean looked at me cautiously when I hadn't said anything in a few minutes. "What's going on in that mind of yours?"

I stood up, shoving my things into my backpack. "I'll get back to you later."

-

"Woah-sweet thing. You seem rushed. Anything I can help you with?" A guy named Thomas eyed me up and down, blocking my path. I had walked into the boy's football practice-which granted, was not a thought-out decision.

I was suddenly urged to confront Dallas. His actions were not adding up. Or at least, not making sense to me.

"Where is Dallas?" I glanced around the field, ignoring the way Thomas's eyes racked over my body. I could punch him right now.

"Over there-" Thomas pointed towards the bleachers, confusion flashing past his eyes.

I walked towards the group of sweating guys who stood by the bleachers, drinking water. I cut between the ground, pulling Dallas's arm. "Hey."

Momentarily, surprise flashed in his eyes before he smirked. "Hey there, sweets."

Orion's eyebrows pulled together in confusion. He had also been standing there. "What are you doing here, Liza?"

Oh God, what am I doing here?

Maybe I should have thought this through.

Too late now.

"Dallas-a moment, please?"

"So eager to see me-I'm flattered." His eyes glistened with amusement and pure enjoyment.

I crossed my arms over my chest, staring at him tiredly. I didn't have the energy to do this bickering, snippety bantering with him. "Are you going to come or not?"

"What's in it for me?" He was purposely trying to crawl underneath my skin and agitate me and to his joy, it was working.

"Dude-just go." Orion nudged him lightly. At least someone could tell I was not in the mood right now.

Dallas rolled his eyes but followed me away from the group anyways. He leaned against the opposite side of the bleachers, smugly peering down at me. "What is it, gorgeous?"

Oh, he wants to get slapped, doesn't he? He was practically asking for it-calling me gorgeous knowing very well it would only aggravate me.

How does any girl find this remotely charming? He was nothing but a nuisance.

"What happened to your cheek?" I pointed at the blue-purple bruise that was forming under his left eye.

"I'm flattered you're concerned about me." He looked down at me, raw and genuine amusement and delight lighting his eyes.

"I'm not concerned." I stated firmly. "I want to know what happened. Chalk it up to curiosity."

"I could tell you but-"

"Don't." I cut him off, shaking my head tiredly. "If you're going to keep-playing this game, going back and fourth-tell me now so I can save my breath and just leave."

I was obviously not thinking when I assumed he would give me any answer-not that I was in a position to demand answers but still-this was pointless.

I turned to leave but Dallas took hold of my arm and stopped me. "Stop. I'm not trying to-to make you mad."

When I looked at him again, for the first time he looked almost sincere. His features softened, his smirk slipping away.

I pursed my lips for a moment, surprised by his-normal behaviour that lacked his usual arrogance and Godforsaken smirk. "How did you get the bruise?" I glanced at his hands, not surprised to see they were cut up and red.

"I got into a fight."

"With who?" I narrowed my eyes.

"Troy."

"Why?"

"Why what?" He looked at me nonchalantly, as if he couldn't possibly know what I was asking.

"Why did you fight him?" I asked firmly.

"Because I wanted to." He shrugged, glancing away from me. I couldn't quite read him.

"Dallas-I know there was a reason behind the fight."

He met my gaze again, his expression blank. His eyes grew colder. "If you know, why must you ask?"

I paused for a moment, staring back at him.

Why wasn't he admitting it? If the rumours were true-well, why is he not admitting it?

"Why did you fight Troy?" My voice was softer this time.

Dallas stared at me, hard. Then, he took a step towards me, practically towering over me. "Word travels faster than light around here. I'm sure you already know why." His voice was quieter, deeper.

I looked up at him. "Maybe I don't."

I don't know why I just wanted to hear him admit it.

He stared at me for a long moment before he spoke again. "Then ask someone else."

I took a step away from him, finally exhaling. I gave up. He wasn't going to tell me what I wanted to hear. He wasn't going to admit it. "I don't need you to-defend me, or whatever."

Dallas narrowed his eyes on me. "I was not."

I quirked an eyebrow, challengingly. "Then why did you fight him?"

Dallas walked past me, heading back towards the field. "Because he's a prick."

"He must have done something specific to trigger it," I retorted evenly, following behind him. I had to take much larger steps to match his pace.

Dallas halted in his tracks, almost causing me to trip over my own feet. He turned his body to face me, his jaw clenching. "What do you want, Eliza?"

I cocked my head to the side, my arms crossing over my chest. "Why did you defend me?"

He licked his lips, glancing around the field to avoid my gaze. "I told you-he was being a prick."

I shook my head. "That's not-"

"Drop it." His eyes locked on mine. They were ice cold. "You aren't the centre of the universe, princess. Not everything is about you-if you think it is, you're wildly mistaken and frankly, it's pathetic."

I blinked.

I just-I just gaped.

Dallas walked away from me, leaving me standing there gaping in confusion.

What just happened?