All Chapters of Tempting The Bad Boy: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

ClaireI had learnt, a long time ago, that when it came to Andrew Stephenson, I had to lower my expectations in order to avoid being disappointed by him. What I wanted him to do and what he would do were never going to be the same. I'd been here before with him, waiting around for him to offer up an explanation, but as time dragged on, I soon realised that his silence was the only explanation he felt I deserved.It took me a long time to move past that pain. I was only 12 years old, and I didn't understand why my best friend stopped talking to me, but he could still be friends with my brother? But every time I tried to talk to him, he would answer me with a grunt of disinterest. I allowed him to occupy my thoughts, long after the hurt had faded, wondering if I'd ever get the answer I needed.What made matters worse was that our families were close; our parents worked at the same school together, so there was really no escape from seeing him. Every birthday we celebrated, he was there,

Claire"We don't have to see that movie," Andy tells me once we're in his car and pulling out onto the road. "It was just the first thing I could think of when your dad asked."I thought it over for a moment, considering what all the other options were. Being Summer, there were a few blockbusters to choose from, including a new romantic movie that I'd been dying to see, but which I thought would probably bore Andrew. I love Marvel movies, though, and usually go see them when they first come out with Dad. Yet, after what he'd just done, I was considering never going out in public with him again."No, let's watch that, then I can go home and spoil it for Dad as punishment for embarrassing me." I giggle."You have nothing to be embarrassed about, Claire, that's just your dad being protective." He says, throwing me a quick glance, I can see it on his face that he wasn't bothered one bit by how my dad just carried on."The way he acted, though, as if we were going on a date, not just two f

Claire"Gabby?" I hissed at my friend, lying across the lounge behind me, trying to get her attention, but, as I thought she would be, she was fast asleep before we'd even made it to the second season of The Office. "Seriously, Gabriella Penelope Stephenson." I groaned, switching off the TV and throwing a light blanket over her body before creeping out of the room. The house was dead quiet. Lucas and Penny had gone to sleep hours ago, leaving Gabby and me to our marathon. I peeked in Andy's room, hoping to catch a glimpse of him sleeping, but his bed was empty and still made, indicating he wasn't even home yet. I guess when you're out, having fun, home is the furthest thing from your mind.I wandered into the room that was considered mine for the night and rummaged through my overnight bag, searching for the drink bottle that I knew I had filled with water before I left home, but I must have left it on the kitchen bench when I grabbed the cupcakes. It's way too hot to not have water

ClaireThe mark on my neck seemed to stick around just to cruelly remind me of how it came to be there, a souvenir from a night I wanted to forget. My parents bought the story that it was a curling iron burn, although I think Dad still had his suspicions, asking a few follow-up questions of both Gabby and me before he could be convinced. I felt bad lying to them, we had a relationship built on trust and here I was, going against everything I was raised on to protect some boy but Andy, to me, wasn't just any boy, he was my friend, he had been through enough, he didn't need my Dad, plus his own, coming down on him right now.Jupiter saw right through my cover-up story, though, and she knew who the culprit was, but I managed to hold her back from saying anything to Andy, a mission that was proving to be more and more difficult as the week went on. Jupiter could see that I liked Andy, and it was because of that that she wasn't going to tear him apart over Saturday night's kiss; she also w

AndyHow could Claire think that I'd want to keep our friendship a secret? She's the one good thing in my life, the one person who I want to be around. It was Adrian, Clint and Elijah I was ashamed of, the way they look at girls, like they're objects, playmates to pleasure them and nothing more, how could I ever consider bringing them around a sweet, innocent girl like Claire?The last thing I wanted was for Claire to think I was hiding her away from my life, more than anything I didn't want her to know that part of me, who I used to be because I knew that the truth would send her running but I also didn't want her to feel like I was ashamed of her, not when I could tell that it was hurting her greatly. My two worlds were going to collide tonight, and I wasn't prepared for it. This could be the end of Claire ever wanting to be around me ever again. I didn't want to lose her, not when my feelings for her were growing stronger by the day. I had told her I wasn't ready for a relationshi