Pic of Marie Fitzgerald on the side! (or above if you are on the app)

Chapter 2

"You know him?" asked Marie.

I glared at him. "He's Wall Douche!" On our walk to the park, I told Marie about my encounter with him. She found it funny, of course.

"Really? He's the arrogant asshole who called you a nerd?"

"What's with the name calling?" Wall Douche whined. Like a kid. I'm not joking.

Jackson looked confused. "Wall Douche?"

"Yeah,this stupid idiot was lurking behind corners and when I ran into him, he insulted me! I swear Jacky, your taste in friends has really gone downhill."

"He's friends with you. It can't get any worse than that, sweetheart." Wall-e said.

"Excuse you?" I don't know why he gets to me so easily, but he does. "You're like an annoying bug. Shoo!" I waved him away.

"Whatever you say, Plain Jane."

Marie gasped. She knows how much that would bother me. "Do you wanna go boy?" She charged at him and got up in his face. "No one insults my girl and walks away!"

"Marie, chill." Jackson grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back. All while this is happening, Wall-e was standing there with his arms crossed, smirking.

"You know she would have kicked you in the balls, right?" Jackson had Marie in a firm grip, but doesn't mean she was going to give in. Nope, not her. She was struggling to get out of his hold.

Wall-e's face paled slightly.

I took a couple steps closer to him. "You do want kids, right, Wall-e?"

"Wall-e? It's Tate." His eyebrows rose. "And I don't want to have your children. Thanks for asking."

I knew I had a light blush on my face, which was odd because I don't blush. "That's not what I meant." I quickly took the five steps that still separated us. I lifted my knee and hit him right in the baby maker. "That's what I meant. Don't mess with me, Tate. I always win."

Jackson's eyes were wide and Marie stopped struggling to get out of his hold. "I've changed since you left, Jacky. I can take care of myself now. See you tomorrow, Marie." I turned around and left the park.

*

I walked through the halls the next day.

Marie got her car back from the auto shop yesterday night, so she drove us. Whenever she brought up what happened with Tate, I blew it off as nothing. Because that's what it was. Nothing.

I may have kneed him in the nuts, but he deserved it. He seems to think he's some sort of god. He needed to be be knocked down a few notches.

"Hey, Luna!" A voice yelled from behind me. I turned around and faced Jackson and his three apparent followers. "You ran off yesterday before I could introduce you to the others."

"Connor." The blonde haired, blue eyed guy winked.

"Luna Ludwig." I held out my hand to him in a friendly gesture. He seemed nicer than Tate at least.

He grabbed my hand, but instead of shaking it, he kissed the back of it. "Nice to meet you."

I snorted and rolled my eyes. Obviously, that's not what he was expecting. "Did you expect me to blush and giggle or something?"

"Don't be too flattered. He flirts with anything with boobs." Tate added in. Connor glared at him.

"I know a player when I see one, Tate. I'm not as naive as you seem to think I am."

He didn't answer.

"This is Josh, he pointed to a guy with bright red hair and freckles. I swear, he is the only ginger bad boy I have ever seen. It's kinda cool.

"Hiya Ron." I smirked thinking he wouldn't get the reference, but Jackson would. He read the Harry Potter series with me in middle school. Tate and Connor were looking at me like I was a freak. Jackson was laughing and surprisingly so was Josh.

"The bad boy reads, huh?" I teased him.

"Because I ride a bike, I'm supposed to be illiterate?" He raised an eyebrow.

"I'm just surprised is all. I mean, look at those two knuckleheads. They obviously don't read." I gestured towards Connor and Tate.

"Hey! I'll have you know I read!" Connor protested.

"Please." Scoffed Tate. "The only thing you've ever picked up that remotely resembles a book is a Playboy magazine and I'm pretty sure you weren't doing any reading."

I cringed and Jackson laughed.

"Whatever. Jacky, Connor, Josh, it's been fun. I'm headed to class." I purposely skipped over Tate. He still annoys me.

*

"Where did you go? I locked my car and when I turned around, you were gone." Marie complained.

"Sorry." I whispered. "Now shush, you're going to get us in trouble." Ms. Green is one of the strictest teachers in school. I really don't need detention on the second day of school.

Marie rolled her eyes, but didn't say another word.

*

"So, we're hanging out with the guys later and-"

"What guys?" I cut her off. Class just ended and were walking to second period.

"Jackson, Josh, Tate, and Connor." She said is a 'duh' voice.

"Don't get me wrong, I am so happy that Jacky is back, but Tate annoys me. I don't want to hang out with him." I whined.

"He's friends with Jackson. There has to be something good about him. We're hanging out with him. You don't have to be best friends, just get along." It was weird for Marie to be the rational one for once.

I'm the rational one. She's the crazy one. That's how it is. Tate is screwing up the dynamics of our friendship! Damn you, Tate!

"Fine." I mumbled. "We better be getting food or something. If I have to deal with that arrogant jerk, I'll need food. Fattening, greasy food."

"Yay!" She jumped up and clapped her hands.

"Let's just get to class." I dragged her into second period.

Jackson and his friends were sitting in the back of the room. All of the seats around them were taken, much to Marie's disappointment. I sat towards the front and Marie sat in the middle.

Our teacher rushed into the room just as the bell rang.

"Class, this is your Senior Project." Our English Teacher, Mr. Wiggle, handed out a requirement packet.

"If you fail at this, you don't graduate. It's as simple as that. This project is supposed to prepare you for the future. In the past, everyone did their own, but since you will need people skills in the real world, the board chose to make this into a partner project." Everyone smiled and looked at one of their friends. "I've picked your partners." And there goes the groans.

"Jerome Parry and Melissa Brant." The nerd and the jock. What a cliche.

"Rita Feliz and Jessie Melbourne." Two girls that totally hate each other? And the cliche continues!

"Marie Fitzgerald and Jackson Chance." They both smiled. I sighed disappointed. The childhood friends that drifted apart? I think this teacher is up to something.

How did he pick certain partners if this is the second day? Jackson and his friends weren't even here yesterday! You can't tell me that this is a coincidence.

"Luna Ludwig and-" Wait cliches! No, no, no! Not him! Anything but him! "Josh Burns."

No!

Wait, what?

I looked back at Jackson's red-headed friend. He smiled at me as if he was a little bit shy. I smiled back, relieved.

Josh may be a bad boy, but at least it seems like I won't be stuck doing the entire project on my own.

"Connor Lincoln and Tate Marks." And of course, Tate gets to be partners with one of his friends.

I zoned out as he went through the rest of the pairs.

The bell finally rang, and I walked over to Josh.

"So, what do you wanna do?" I asked him.

"I don't know. We can go through the requirements and stuff like that after school or something. I want to get this done long before it's due." I smiled brightly at him.

"Exactly what I was thinking!"

"Aw, look at the little nerds planning a study date!" Tate sneered.

Josh punched him in the stomach. "Grow up man."

Jackson laughed at this. "Jealous, Tate?"

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This story is just getting started.

I can't wait to start writing the action-y part of this story.

Point out mistakes and all that or they wont get fixed for a while.

Edited 1/30/16

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Anubis xx