I watched the clock closely on the wall waiting for the bell to ring signaling the end of class. I was not looking forward to my next class with Thomas, but the closer to the end of the day it got, the happier I was. I could endure it. I was also eager to learn who the girl from yesterday was; the one that was talking and laughing with him in the hallway.

I wasn’t jealous at all. I was just…curious. It’s not my business what he does. In fact I should honestly be thanking the girl for providing him with such a distraction. The more time he spent with her, the less he spent with me. I suppose that was something, right?

“Why do you look like someone just stole your favorite pen?” Megan asked leaned back in her desk looking amused.

I rolled my eyes. “Dreading next period.”

She laughed. “Why? All you do is cook.”

“Actually there is a lot of book work involved too.”

“Please pass your completed worksheet to the front of your rows. The homework assignment is written on the bored,” Mrs. Evers announced from the comfy chair at her desk.

After writing my name at the top of the paper I gladly passed it forward feeling oddly confident I did well on the worksheet. Studying was my distraction from a certain gorgeous guy that I was currently sharing a house with and would continue to do so until Sunday when I had no choice but to go back home.

After explaining to my mom Grace’s situation and her fear of being alone she hesitantly agreed to let me stay. However, if she had known that Deacon was staying with us I’m sure that would have been a definite no. Thankfully she didn’t ask about him though, or I would have been forced to lie and let’s face it, I’m not so great at it. I often forget the things I’ve lied about and it somehow manages to always come up sometime in the future and usually at the most inconvenient times.

Seeing as my mother was oblivious to Deacon staying home while attending college, it proved to be very useful. There was no need to enlighten her if she didn’t ask.

Megan and I walked from the classroom to our lockers and exchanged our books for ones needed in our next class. Farrah and Grace soon joined us, but didn’t stick around to talk very long. Grace had to meet with one of her teachers before class started and Megan had to meet someone. Farrah, however, seemed oddly depressed and excused herself as well without providing much of an excuse.

It was quite odd not seeing her as her normal cheery self, but I could only assume that had something to do with Blake and that was not a surprise. He’d been ditching her lately for various reasons and she was getting annoyed.

With my friends doing their own things I walked to Food1 alone. Upon entering I quickly spotted Thomas and some red haired girl sitting at our table talking. I immediately recognized her as Julia from one of my classes from last year. We spoke a few times, but were never more than anything besides acquaintances. She had never sat with us in this class before so my interest was now piqued.

“Hi,” I said politely taking a seat across from Thomas.

They both grinned up at me and smiled, though I could sense something more behind his smile. No doubt this was his next conquest, as was the girl in the hallway yesterday I’m sure.

“Hi, Olivia,” Julia said in an overly friendly high pitched voice. It was enough to make me wince, but she was too concentrated on Thomas to notice.

I inconspicuously tried to listen in on their conversation to hear what it was about. Nosey, I know, but I was curious was here.

Over the rumbled of the class I caught a few words here and there and some useful bits of information. As I expected she was his next conquest and they apparently had some plans to go somewhere this weekend. I didn’t catch where nor did I care. The less I knew the better. I just wanted my suspicions confirmed. Though, the nagging question of the girl from yesterday was still in the back of my mind. If he’s asking Julia out then what role did tall, tan, and raven haired beauty play in all of this?

“I see someone put today’s class period to good use,” I said to Thomas as we exited the classroom together.

He looked at me amused. “Why, are you jealous?”

I rolled my eyes. “Don’t flatter yourself. I’m merely amused, that’s all. I honestly don’t know how you have time for it all.”

“For what?” he asked innocently.

As if he could ever be so innocent. Does he even know the meaning of the word? I think not.

“You know what,” I retorted. “You certainly don’t waste any time, do you?”

He merely smirked to himself as he pushed some poor, unsuspecting kid out of his way while making our way down the hall. I gaped at him in shock. Could he be any ruder? Jeez.

“I don’t see that point in wasting time. When I see what I want I go for it. It’s very simple,” he explained.

“Whatever, it’s really none of my business anyway.”

When I made it to my locker I stopped and so did Thomas, he looked more amused than ever.

“And yet you still feel the need to comment on it; interesting.”

I quickly put in my combination and placed my books inside and grabbed the key to my gym locker. “Don’t read too much into it bad boy, it’s just a simple observation.”

He crossed his arms over his chest and winked at me. “Well, what can I say? I like variety. I get bored of the same thing for too long.”

Why does that not surprise me?

“Whatever, I have to get to class. Have fun on your date tomorrow.” I closed my locker and maneuvered around him in proceeded in the direction of the gym.

“Believe me, I will,” I could almost hear the smirk in his voice when he called after me, but I ignored it making my way from his sight.

Gym was nothing special, just more running like the previous day only this time I learned that Friday would be our last day of it, thankfully, and Monday we would start playing volleyball. I was particularly excited about that. I wasn’t too bad at it and anything beat running again. When the gym couch finally dismissed us from class five minutes early me and Farrah made our way to the lot alone.

A few other students were standing by their cars talking while one couple was noticeably making out in one of the vehicles. I gasped when I saw it was Thomas and the girl from yesterday. So they were more than just friends. And to think he has a date tomorrow. Or whatever you want to call it.

What a shame. He’s nothing more than a heartbreaker. I’m glad I wiser to his tricks than most. Some people should really learn how to say no. I’m sure that’s a word Thomas doesn’t hear very much of. I’d gladly be the first to tell him…if he ever asked me out that it. Which he hasn’t, and probably never will. He just wasn’t my type.

“Olivia, you coming?” Farrah asked breaking my from my burning stare. I flushed red when I realized I had been staring longer than the amount of time deemed appropriate.

Farrah was by her car holding the door open waiting for me to get in. I hadn’t realized everyone, minus Megan, was waiting for me.

“Megan said she was catching a ride with someone else today. It’s just going to be us,” she said.

I nodded at her and walked silently to the car and got in. Katy Perry played over the loud speakers as we pulled away from the school. I hummed to the tune as Grace and Farrah entered into light conversation.

At Grace’s house we were completely alone. Deacon wasn’t there like the other times and I was both happy and sad. My feelings often confused me more than other people. However, it was something I’d gotten used to over the years. It was just me.

After finishing up my homework I helped Grace place all the rented DVDs from Redbox back in their cases and readied them to be returned. They were Deacons movies he rented last night and it was left up to Grace to take them back. After explaining he wouldn’t be home tonight and promising her ten bucks she finally agreed to turn them in for him.

“Anything you want to see?” she asked reviewing the movie list outside the store.

I shrugged. “Just pick whatever you want. I don’t really have a preference.”

She didn’t reply and kept scrolling through the list of movies. After another few minutes she eventually decided on one and waited on it to be dispensed. I didn’t notice what it was until we got back inside the car.

“Friends with benefits?” I smiled. Really Grace?

“What? It’s a good movie.”

“I’ll take your word for it,” I said. “I haven’t seen it.”

“It’s good thing I rented it then,” she replied as she pulled away from the brightly lit store.

When we got back to her place she didn’t waste any time popping the movie into the player and settling comfortably in her bed. The rest of the night was spent this way until we drifted off into a restful sleep.

I soon found myself back at school, much to my dismay, but at least it was Friday. I couldn’t have been more ready for the weekend. Today we had the school talent show which was quite entertaining in my opinion. I think the best part was when Kara Tate forgot the words to her song out of nervousness and had to cut her performance short. Though, I really did enjoy the Dirty Dancing, final scene, reenactment. The performance wasn’t nearly as bad as I expected it to be.

At the program’s end Farrah, Blake, Grace, Hunter, Megan and I all made our way to the lunchroom. Grace stared disgustedly at the menu for the day and turned to me.

“Want to hit the diner across town for lunch?” she asked hopeful.

When I remembered that today was my allowance day I smiled at her and nodded my head. “Yes.”

“Do you guys want to go?” I asked the rest of the group.

“I could go for a burger,” Blake said. “How about you babe,” he asked looking at Farrah.

“I’m not that hungry, but it might be nice to ditch school for an hour,” she replied wrapping her arms around Blake.

“Yeah,” Hunter added.

Megan didn’t reply and looked oddly annoyed while texting to someone on her phone. After a minute she momentarily glanced up at me form her phone sighed.

“Sure,” she agreed.

Hunter and Blake ended up driving. Since there were so many of us going we had to take two cars. Grace and Megan road with Hunter while I road with Farrah and Blake. We arrived at the diner fifteen minutes later and took one of the large corner booths that seated us all.

After the waitress took our orders everyone dived into conversation. When the sound of the door opened in the diner again I looked up to see four familiar guys enter and take their seats.

Thomas didn’t even notice me when he sat down next to Brody, Kyle, and Jake. They quickly looked over their menus and placed their orders with the young looking waitress who they all seemed to be flirting with. Of course.

So is this where Thomas was everyday at lunch time? No wonder I never saw him in the lunchroom.

“So who are you going with?” Farrah voice broke my stare from the bad boys.

“What?” I asked, my eyes snapping to hers.

“The homecoming dance next Friday,” she said.

“Oh um…I don’t really…I can’t go with anyone really. I’m on cleanup committee.”

Farrah looked confused. “Really? Why?”

I sighed. “Long story. I’ll tell you later.”

When the waitress finally brought our food out we ate mostly in silence apart from the occasional topic of the dance that continued to arise. By the time everyone was finished eating I had to visit the bathroom before returning to school. Little did I know that Thomas would be exiting the bathroom just as I approached them.

“Fancy running into you here. Are you following me?” he asked with teasing tone.

I rolled my eyes at him pausing at the bathroom door. “Please, I was here before you were.”

He grinned. “Yeah, I noticed. I saw you when you came in.”

“Then wouldn’t the correct question be are you following me?”

“I’m here every day, so no; I think I win this one.”

So I was right. This is where he spent his lunch hour.

“Sure,” I smiled with fake sweetness. “Well as delightful as this conversation has been I have to go.”

I put my hand on the bathroom door to pull it open when Thomas’s hand quickly came up to stop me from entering.

“By the way, nice Facebook message you left me. Why didn’t you just tell me you wanted to hook up?” he said moving entirely too close to me. “I always knew you felt something for me.”

I scoffed and pressed myself further into the door trying to make some much needed room between us but failed. There was no room to be made.

“Yes, I do feel something for you. It’s called repulsion. Don’t you recognize it? And I ever said anything about a hook up. I said go out with you. There is a difference.”

He shook his head and smirked. “Not to me there isn’t. I don’t date Olivia. I only go out with a girl if I know that I’m getting something out of it. I’m just not a one woman kind of guy. You’d do good to stay away from me.”

Believe me, I’m trying.

The familiar feeling of repulsion swept over me again and I fought the urge to become nauseous. It’s just one meaningless hook up after another with him. Why does this not surprise me and why do I feel so bothered bout it?

“Psych,” I smiled evilly forcing myself to sound like my normal self. “Now who got played? Payback is a bitch, isn’t it?”

Much to my disappointment he didn’t take the news as hard as I’d hoped and leaned in so that our noses were half an inch from touching. I could feel his hot breath fanning my face and out of nowhere millions of unwanted butterflies erupted within my stomach.

What the hell?

“Babe, I don’t get played. I do the playing. I’d have been stupid not to see this coming.”

I gasped when he placed the hand that was free on my side and pulled me into him. As a natural reflex I place my hand on his chest and tried to push it away while trying to regain some of my equilibrium back.

“Well, don’t be too disappointed, I seriously doubt we could even get through an entire date together much less a hook up. I don’t think either of s would enjoy it very much.”

He chuckled. “Sweets, not only would you enjoy it, but you’d be coming back for more.”

Is he serious right now?

“Wow. Conceited much?”

“I’m just stating the truth. Maybe you should try it sometime and tell me how you really feel about me.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “Right now I don’t feel anything except contempt. Now, kindly remove your hand from my waist before I start screaming profanities.”

“Really?” he mused. “I didn't think ladies such as yourself used profanity.”

I smiled, "I never said I was a lady."

All to soon, before I had a chance to see it coming, Thomas crashed his lips down on mine, sending butterflies and tingles and everything I hated to feel around him, to explode within me. I hated it and loved it all at the same time.

After a moment of sheer shock, I found myself winding my arms around his neck and kissing him back. His warms lips worked with mine in sync before his tongue traced my bottom lip requesting entrance. Before even had a chance to think it through I allowed him in.

Oh why did he have to be such an amazing kisser?

Maybe it’s all the experience he’s had, my snarky subconscious replied. It was only then that I realized what the hell I was doing and who I was doing it with before I roughly and very quickly pushed him away from me shocked by my bizarre actions.

Why did I do that? I shouted inside my head. Great way to prove my point!

Sometimes I could be so stupid.

“No effect, huh?” he mused. “That what I thought.”

I opened my mouth to comeback with an excuse that would save face with him but nothing was coming to mind and I frowned.

“Oh and I like to call in that favor now, if you don’t mind. You’re coming over to my house Saturday to meet my family. I’ll pick you at yours at five. Be ready, I don’t like to wait.”

Sudden anger coursed through me at his words. “Excuse me. I’m not at your beck and call and secondly I’m not meeting your family. I’m not your girlfriend.”

“For Saturday you will be. Just for appearance purposes of course. Like I said, I don’t do relationships. And now that I know we have chemistry, the plan is fail proof.”

“Hell no,” I protested. “I’m not pretending to be your girlfriend. Not even for a day.”

He immediately became smug. “I‘ll just back out of our deal with Mrs. Perry then. I think you have forgotten about our deal.”

I gasped. Oh the power of blackmail.

“You’re evil.”

He shrugged. “So they tell me.”

I groaned, but had the sense to know that I was beat. “Alright, fine. I’ll be your fake girlfriend for a day, but only in front of your family. No one else knows about it. After that our deal is done and I don’t owe you anymore, got it?”

He lifted his thumb to my face and gently trailed it along my chin and grinned. “Deal. But just so you know, you’re getting off easy. Be glad I’m feeling especially generous today.”

And with that he dropped my hand and walked away leaving me with very conflicting and confusing emotions.

I felt dirty, but also felt a strange sense of joy that I would be spending the day with Thomas and his family. It’s kind of an odd deal to make with someone, but as he said it could have been worse. He was in fact letting me off easy. I suppose I should be thankful for that.

“Olivia, what are you doing? We’ve been waiting on you forever,” Farrah shrieked when found me. “Come on, or we’re going to be late getting back to school.”

Crap. And I hadn’t even used the bathroom yet.

So with a full bladder and a curious mind about what just happened, I forced myself to leave the diner with many thoughts running through my mind. I was determined to figure out the mystery that was Thomas Cavanaugh.

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