"You too Mr. Knight."

What the hell? What does she want? After being forced to watch this poorly executed reenactment of a teen drama, all I want to do is go back to my dorm and listen to music. I side-eye Kennedy, her shoulders are slumped in defeat, her eyes weary. Clearly, she doesn't want to be here either.

After the stunt she pulled with me to get Malibu Ken's attention, I don't blame her. The tension between Kennedy and Corrine was palpable, although somewhat amusing. I've got to give the girl some credit though, she has some top-notch self-control. If someone threw something at me in front of the whole class, I'd rage.

I guess that chick Max is the enforcer in their friendship; she straight up annihilated Barbie girl. Witnessing a verbal catfight is entertaining, but somewhat unnerving. Girls are fucking ruthless; much more so than us men. Yeah, we might knock out a couple of teeth, but Christ, girls go straight for the jugular.

Kennedy and I approach Mrs. Patella's desk, both of us refusing to look at one another. She'll kiss me but apparently, eye contact is too much.

"Miss Carmichael, Mr. Knight, thank you for hanging back." Mrs. Patella's eyes flicker between the two of us, until finally landing on Kennedy. "I just wanted to propose an idea. Since Mr. Knight is a new student, I was thinking it would be nice if you could show him around. I know you just gave a tour to all the Freshmen but if you had time, I'm sure Mr. Knight would appreciate it."

Kennedy laughs nervously, side-eyeing me. "I guess I could...but uh- I think that Oliver's been shown around already. Right?"

I suppress a laugh. She really doesn't want to spend time alone with me. Frankly, neither do I. However, having to show me around will irritate the shit out of her which would make me quite pleased.

"Actually, I haven't," I say innocently. "I'd love a tour."

Kennedy's jaw tightens as she forces a smile. "Okay," she says through her teeth. "Sure, no problem."

Mrs. Patella claps her hands. "Fantastic! Thank you so much, Miss Carmichael, you're always so accommodating."

Kennedy flaps her hand. "Oh, it's nothing. Always glad to help!"

I scoff inwardly. "Suck-up," I mutter under my breath and she shoots me a death glare.

"Well, off you go, kids!" Mrs. Patella exclaims, shooing us out of the room.

"After you, love," I smirk, causing a deep scowl to appear on Kennedy's face as we exit the classroom. Oh, yes. This will be fun.

Kennedy stops us halfway down the hallway. "Why did you agree to this? Do you honestly need a tour? We have a map of the school on our website, can't you just look at that?"

I cock my head to the side. "Didn't you say in your little speech that your job as a Liaison is to ensure that students have all the resources they need to be successful? I would think knowing where my classes are is essential to my success, no?"

Kennedy rolls her eyes. "I could care less about your success."

I let out an amused laugh. "A bit harsh there, Kenny, you barely even know me."

"Don't call me Kenny, we are not friends," she huffs, crossing her arms. "And yes, I don't know you, and I'd prefer to keep it that way."

"I'm sensing a lot of hostility coming from you," I say, leaning against the wall. "Perhaps another kiss would perk you right up?"

Kennedy shakes her head, her eyes wide with annoyance. "Let it go, Oliver. It was a mistake, one that I know I'll regret for the rest of my life."

"Or one that you'll remember," I wink at her.

Kennedy groans. "Can we just get this over with? I have homework I need to finish."

I narrow my eyes. "Classes haven't even started, how do you already have homework?"

Kennedy straightens out her shoulders, a proud smile on her face. "I requested the syllabus for all my classes last week. I like getting a head start."

This girl is mental. Confirmed once again. "That is absolutely ludicrous."

"To you, maybe, but to me, it's necessary," she explains. "Harvard has a 4.7% acceptance rate and I intend to be a part of those statistics."

I scoff. "Harvard? Of course, you're one of those Ivy League snobs."

"Just because I want to attend a prestigious institute doesn't make me a snob!" she huffs.

"Actually, that's exactly what it makes you," I retort. "Just own it, Kenny, you're snobby."

Kennedy closes her eyes. "If I'm a snob then so is everyone else at this school."

I shrug noncommittally. "I won't argue with that."

Even though there's a standard school uniform, almost everyone is repping shoes or jewelry that's probably worth more than a normal person's monthly salary. I find people who flaunt their money to be pathetic. Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, whose net worth is around 200 billion dollars, drives around in a goddamn Honda Accord, yet every student at this school is showing up in Ferraris and Hummers, acting as if they're royalty.

Before Kennedy can reply, a voice from down the hall calls out, "Hey, KC!" I turn around to find Malibu Ken sauntering towards us, football in hand. Speaking of the flashy and sad.

Kennedy tenses beside me, sucking in a sharp breath. "Hey," she says casually, avoiding his gaze, her eyes flickering everywhere except his face.

Malibu Kentops in front of us, his eyes giving me a curious once-over. "Oliver, right?" He holds out his hand. "I'm Sawyer."

I nod my chin towards him, not shaking his hand. I prefer to distance myself from the Chads of the world.

"Okay..." Sawyer's eyes narrow as he puts his hand away, turning towards Kennedy. "How was your break, KC? Do anything interesting?" KC? What a dumb jock nickname.

Kennedy scowls, taking a step away from him, her eyes darkening. "It was great actually. Yours?"

Sawyer scratches his head, almost looking nervous. "Yeah, it was fine. Dad had me on a pretty tight training regime, I-"

Kennedy puts her hand up, cutting him off. "What do you want, Sawyer? Why are you talking to me?"

Sawyer's eyes dart briefly upward to meet mine. He might be slightly more jacked than I am, but I still tower over him. "Just wanted to say hi," he says, shrugging. "You know, catch up."

"Okay," Kenny says in a clipped tone. "Hi. Is that all?"

Sawyer shakes his head, letting out a scoff. "Don't be like this, KC. We can still be friends." He nods toward me. "We've both clearly moved on, right?"

Does he think- Oh, shit. No way. No. Does he really think I would ever be into someone like Little Miss Perfect? Nuh-uh. Kennedy's eyes widen, picking up on what Malibu Ken is implying. She's going to correct him...right?

I open my mouth to say something but Kenny elbows me in the kidney so subtly that Sawyer doesn't even notice. "At least I don't need to be up to date on all my vaccines to be with the person I moved on with," she sneers. "Must be so difficult dating Corn-On-The-Cob, I know how much you hate needles."

My eyebrows furrow at her lame attempt at an insult. Corn on the Cob? What the fuck kind of slight is that? Unless... Corrine is the corn and...the cob is... Oh. I let out a low chuckle. I get it. Quite clever actually.

Sawyer's head whips towards me. "What're you laughing at?" he snaps. "Something funny?"

"Yes," I state simply. Is he really trying to start something right now? In the hallway, like a prepubescent child? Typical American jock. "Kennedy just roasted your little girlfriend. It was quite humorous. Did you not get the joke?" I look over to Kennedy whose face is losing its color. "Perhaps you'd like to explain your jab to our dim little friend here."

"What did you just call me?" Sawyer fumes, his eyes darting between me and Kennedy. "You better check yourself, new kid." Sawyer faces Kennedy. "Where did you find this guy, KC? Were they giving boyfriends away at the Goodwill?"

Before I can make fun of Malibu Ken for literally trying to shake me by using the phrase 'check yourself before you wreck yourself', Kennedy, for some peculiar reason, starts laughing uncontrollably. What is happening?

"Goodwill?" she snorts, wiping the tears from under her eyes. "That's rich coming from someone who hand-plucked their new girlfriend from Hoes R' Us." She shakes her head, chortling. "Goodwill....Oh my God."

Sawyer balls up his fists. "You're such a bitch, KC. You don't even know Corrine."

Kennedy blinks a few times, suppressing a stream of giggles. "Sawyer, everyone knows Corrine. I mean...go ask your team. I'm sure they could give you the exact number of moles she has all over her body."

Sawyer shakes his head, a disgusted scowl plastered on his face. "What happened to you, Kennedy? You used to be nice."

"I am nice, just not to Corrine," Kenny scoffs. "And after what she did to me Sophomore year, I don't have to be." Her face falls. "You of all people should know."

Sawyer takes a deep breath. "Yeah, well, I guess people change, right?" He nods toward me. "When push comes to shove, some of us upgrade, others...downgrade."

Kennedy nibbles on her bottom lip. I just know that she's trying to muster up a comeback but she's taking far too long. Fuck it. In the midst of trying to put Kennedy down, Sawyer made an unfortunate error in judgment, he insulted me.

"A downgrade?" I say, utterly amused by his flawed logic. "What qualities are you basing your assessment on? Looks? Because in that case, I win. Charm? Me again. Intellect? Well, I'll go out a limb and say that I'm smarter than you. And then there's wealth. Which I can guarantee, I have more of."

Sawyer scoffs, making icy eye contact with Kennedy. "You sure know how to pick them."

Kennedy crosses her arms and gives Sawyer an obvious and somewhat sassy once-over. "Clearly."

Sawyer rolls his eyes. "Whatever, KC. Have fun with that."

"I will!" she exclaims as Sawyer starts walking away.

When we're finally alone in the hallways and Malibu Ken is out of earshot, I turn to Kennedy. "Care to explain what the fuck just happened?" I ask.

"It's none of your business," Kennedy mutters and begins walking down the hallway.

"I think implying that I'm your new boyfriend makes this one hundred percent my business."

"You're right, I guess it does," Kennedy says lifelessly then pauses, her eyebrows knitting together. "You had several chances to say something...why didn't you?"

Fuck. "Good question," I murmur.

Kennedy leads us up the stairs to the third floor. "I guess I should say thank you for going along with it. I just- I don't know. Sawyer is-"

"A douche?" I supply.

Kennedy lets out an emotionless chuckle. "Yeah, that's one word for it."

"I think that's the reason I didn't say anything," I admit. "He was acting like a complete turd."

"This is the library," Kennedy says, pointing towards two glass doors. "And yeah, well, he wasn't always like that. I don't really know what happened."

I nod as we pass a few more rooms that supposedly are not worthy of an introduction. "What happened with you and Corrine? You said something about Sophomore year." I am not normally this nosy but I'm itching to know the details.

"I don't really want to talk about it," she whispers, pointing to a room with its door closed. "This is the guidance counselor's office."

"That bad, eh?" I ask, trying to read her face. It amazes me how she can go from being on one minute to completely off the next. Girls are peculiar. Must be hormones.

"Let's just say police were involved," Kenny sighs. "Not that anything came of it. Corrine's father is the Chief. I doubt he'd let his own daughter be charged with-" She stops herself. "Doesn't matter, it's in the past."

"Her dad's a cop?" I muse. "That explains a lot."

Kennedy frowns. "What do you mean?"

"She just seems like the type of person who thinks she can break rules and get away with it," I explain.

"Sounds about right." She nods then stops walking, her spirited eyes looking up at me. "Is your dad a cop too?"

"Mine?" I throw my head back and laugh at the image of my father in a uniform. "No, not at all. Why would you ask me that?"

She cocks her head to the side, grinning. "Seems to me like you think you can break rules and get away with it too."

Ah, the motorcycle. "Are you going to issue me a blue slip?" I tease. "If I recall correctly, you did threaten me with that."

Kennedy bites her lip, her eyes scheming. "No, I won't," she says slowly, taking two steps towards me. I can practically see the gears in her head turning. "Actually, I won't give you any blue slips this year."

"And why is that? Do you suddenly have a soft spot for the new student?" I smirk.

Kennedy hums, almost as if she's having an internal conversation with herself. "No, I still find you quite annoying, Oliver," she says. "But I do have a proposition for you."

I raise a curious brow. "A proposition?" What is going on in that head of hers? "What sort of proposition?"

A knowing smile lifts the corners of her mouth. "One that I think will be mutually beneficial."

I take a step backward away from Kennedy, she's suddenly gotten quite creepy. "I don't think I like where you're doing with this..."

"Before you say no, at least hear me out." She pauses, tilting her head to the side, and smirking cunningly. "Boyfriend."

____________________

Yes yes, Kenny is a little mean but so is like everyone else. Welcome to high school

Thoughts on Sawyer?

OKAY SO THE CORN ON THE COB JOKE IN CASE Y'ALL DIDN'T GET IT: Corrine is the corn and the cob is *ahem* an...eggplant..if you catch my drift.

Ollie watching Sawyer tryna puff up like: