My First Crush

The weekend ended without any word from my new neighbors and I couldn't complain. If I never had to see Elijah again, it would be too soon. Just thinking about him put me in a sour mood. Like right now.

It was Monday morning and my mom had already called from downstairs for me to get ready for school. I'd groaned in response and sleepily got out of bed to take a quick shower. Once I had put on a blue sweater that made my eyes pop with a pair of ripped jeans, I headed downstairs.

My mom, with looks similar to mine, stood at the stove with a frying pan in hand and an apron around her waist. My dad was sitting at the small table in the middle of the room, sipping coffee and reading the newspaper. He set the newspaper down as I sat in the seat across from him.

"Hey sweetie," my mom said as she set a glass of orange juice in front of me. I took a huge gulp, wiping my upper lip afterward, before I spoke.

"Hi mom," I said while yawning. My mom laughed and continued cooking. My dad rolled his eyes knowing that I hated mornings.

"Have you met our neighbors, yet?" He asked. My dad had brown hair and blue eyes that seemed larger than they were underneath his thick glasses. They grew larger when he asked me that question. I sighed.

"Two brothers, my age," I clipped.

My mom spun toward me with mischief in her eyes. "Are they cute?"

I groaned and dropped my head in my hands. "Mom," I complained.

"They are!" She said, excited. "Why don't you invite their whole family over for dinner?"

I shook my head. "Absolutely not. And I haven't met their parents yet."

Before she had the chance to force me into inviting them, I ran out the door and locked myself in my car to drive to school. It was pouring rain outside and in my haste to get out of the house, I hadn't even brought an umbrella. I put the windshield wipers on and drove to school.

The parking lot was pretty empty for the most part since I had left so early. I picked a parking spot close to the school so I wouldn't have to be out in the rain for too long. I parked and turned off my car, pulling my hood up to prepare to make a mad dash across the parking lot into the school.

As I was pulling up my hood, something caught my eye. I squinted out the windshield, but couldn't make out what was leaning against the building in the rain. I slowly got out of my car and once the first drops hit me, I sprinted for the cover of the building.

The pavement was slippery and my feet glided right over the ground. I was so close to the school building when my feet lost purchase and my arms pinwheeled behind me. I was going to fall right in a puddle.

Suddenly, my plunge to the ground stopped and I was suspended in the air. I was huddled against a broad chest with my legs dangling over strong arms. My hood fell off and my eyes met glaring green ones.

"Elijah!" I yelled, "Put me down!"

He narrowed his eyes and tightened his hold on me. I smacked his chest as water droplets fell off his wet hair. With one hand holding me up, he used the other to run a hand through his hair.

I felt him shrug. His eyes had a strange glint in them and I realized why too late.

The next thing I knew, I was sitting in a deep puddle. My jeans were immediately soaked all the way up to the bottom of my sweatshirt. I slammed my hands in the water and threw Elijah the nastiest glare I could muster.

"Did you just drop me in the puddle!"

He looked at me, then at the puddle, then back at me as an answer. He was mocking me. I leaped up and threw myself at Elijah. I hated him.

My wet clothes made a smacking sound as our bodies connected. He wasn't ready for me and tripped backwards. His back slammed against the brick wall of the school. I clenched his leather jacket in my hand, pulling his face down to mine.

"You should have just told me you wanted me to kiss you again," he said raising an eyebrow at my hand on his collar. My cheeks flamed, remembering how I had done this to him yesterday and how he had responded by kissing me. I jerked him closer to me.

"The last thing I want to do is kiss you," I spat.

"Don't act like you're doing me any favors. Believe me, I don't want to be seen kissing a drowned rat."

My blood boiled in rage. I didn't think. I just acted.

The back of my hand collided with his cheek in such force I didn't know I was capable of using. His neck snapped to the side and his wet hair fell in his face. He slowly brought his head back around to face me and I seriously feared for my life. I've never seen a guy more pissed off than him.

He slapped my hands off his jacket and was about to get revenge on me when two arms wrapped underneath his armpits and held him back. I looked up to see a very angry Uriah trying to restrain his brother.

With clenched teeth, Uriah bit out, "What is going on?"

I pointed an accusing finger at Elijah. "He dropped me in a puddle and insulted me."

Uriah rolled his eyes. "Are you guys two?"

"Yeah, two seconds away from beating your *** up," Elijah growled.

"Usually when a guy and girl argue like this, it means they like-"

I cut Uriah off real fast.

"I do not like Elijah. He's arrogant, an asshole, mean-"

"And?" Elijah said, daring me to go on, as he struggled in his brother's arms.

"And...and I hate you."

Elijah raised a hand to his chest in mock hurt. "Ouch," he said.

My gaze was drawn to his lips as he pouted. His full lower lip quivered and I couldn't take my eyes away.

His lips turned up in a smirk when he caught me staring again. Damn, I had to stop checking out my enemy like this. I narrowed my eyes on his green ones and was about to say something when the warning bell rang.

"I'll see you around, Veronica?" Uriah said, hopefully.

By now, more students were piling into the parking lot and gave us weird looks. I nodded at him and completely ignored Elijah as I went inside.

I headed right for the nurse's office for a change of clothes. She gave me a normal pair of jeans with a new sweatshirt that said Pink. Ew, I hated that store. I thanked her anyway and headed to my first period class.

I took my seat in the second to last row, next to the window, in math class and dropped my backpack next to my chair. I hadn't felt like going to my locker to be in the hall with all those people I didn't associate with. Instead, I came straight here and dumped my folders and notebook onto my desk.

I started doodling in my notebook to wait for class to begin which would be in about three minutes. One minute later, a chair scraped across the ground behind me. I ignored it, figuring it was Chase Collins. He sat behind me everyday in every class we shared. He was kind of nerdish with his huge glasses and messy hair, but I didn't mind him. We were always partners and I had the feeling that he had a crush on me which was weird since no one liked me. Everyone thought I was strange. I didn't care.

A pen poked me in the back. I picked my head up from my drawing and without turning around, I asked, "What's up Chase?"

"Did you get your clothes at Goodwill?" A voice responded.

That wasn't Chase.

I swirled around in my chair to see Elijah smirking at me. By now, the class was almost full. The students closest to us snickered and sat down so they could be close to the new kid who just went up on the social ladder in a matter of seconds when I couldn't move up it in years. I grasped the pencil so tightly in my hand that it snapped.

"Did you get your clothes at Hot Topic?" I replied drily. "Goth wannabe."

Elijah's eyebrows drew upwards and the students who had laughed before at his comment gave me stunned looks. Guess they hadn't expected me to say anything.

Elijah leaned forward so his desk balanced on the front two legs. I didn't want to seem intimidated by him, so I didn't move.

Then, I had the best idea. I brought my hands down on the front of his desk and shoved. Elijah's desk fell forward and he toppled right to the ground. The class erupted in surprised laughter as Elijah sat at my feet.

"Is that Veronica?"

"What's gotten into her?"

"She's badass."

"Who's the new kid?"

I ignored the excited whispers of my classmates. I could only see Elijah as he stared up at me. The bell rang and everyone took their seats, including him. I spun around to face the front of the class as my math teacher walked in. Mrs. Humphrey was in her mid twenties and had her long, auburn hair styled in perfect waves down her back. She looked around the class and once she spotted Elijah, she beamed.

"Oh, looks like we have a new student. Why don't you introduce yourself to the class?" She requested.

I didn't bother to look at him as he stood up.

"I'm Elijah Reed."

All the girls sighed dreamily and repeated his name. I rolled my eyes.

"Is there something wrong, Veronica?"

My eyes snapped up to Mrs. Humphrey's. My ears turned pink and I heard Elijah sit back down behind me.

"No," I said.

She began the lecture and I began my plotting.

Instead of taking notes, I mentally tried to figure out how I could get Elijah back. And get him back good.

A picture of my mom flashed through my mind. That was it, I had the perfect idea.

I had hated my mom's idea at first, but now I loved it.

Elijah would lose his mind if I invited him over my house for dinner. He would hate it. I would too, but it would be worth it. Plus, Uriah would be there and I liked him.

The bell rang, signaling the end of class and I took my time getting out, making sure that Elijah left before me. I caught up to him in the hallway and grabbed his arm. His head whipped down to me and he yanked his arm free.

"You're going to ruin my reputation if I'm seen with you," he said.

"What reputation? Because I already know that you're a jerk-"

"Is that why you stopped me in the middle of the hallway? To tell me that I'm a jerk?" He dragged me to the side of the hall and leaned against the maroon lockers. Students stopped to stare at the new kid talking with me.

"Come over to eat dinner with your family tomorrow," I said.

"Is that a request?"

"No, it's a demand. From my mom," I said, crossing my arms.

"I'm sure Uriah would love to come."

"What about you?"

"I'm busy tomorrow."

"Doing what?" I scoffed, "You just moved here."

"I've got better things to do than to hang out with an annoying girl."

"I don't want to hang out with you either! My parents want to meet our new neighbors, but I couldn't care less if you didn't come. In fact, please don't come," now I really didn't want him to come. I'd figure out my revenge some other way.

Elijah thought about it for a minute before he decided.

"In that case, I'll be there."

Then he swaggered down the hallway of Hell's High and left me fuming behind him.

The bell rang, beginning the next class, and I still hadn't moved from where he had left me.

"Veronica?"

I turned around to see Uriah heading down the hallway towards me. He smiled and I could see his dimples. When he reached me, he said, "I got lost."

I laughed and brought him to his next class. Outside the classroom door, he shyly rubbed the back of his neck. His cheeks had a faint pink tint to them when he asked, "What are you doing after school today?"

"Uh, nothing," I admitted.

His smile widened and he said, "Wanna grab something to eat later?"

Oh my gosh. A hot guy just asked me out on a date and I could do nothing but gawk at him. He chuckled at my face and I said, "Sure."

"Great."

Uriah gave me one last look that I couldn't decipher and went inside his class. I stood there with my heart beating a million times a minute.

I think I may have just developed my first crush.

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