by Zara Rivas
Number one was she spoke to Creston – Satan's spawn – and number two was that she took Chris' rose – meaning she'd be slaughtered by his groupies. Entering her English class, she threw the teacher an apologetic look for her tardiness before making her way discreetly to a seat located at the front.
With her books before her, she commenced jotting down some notes, taking no notice of the arrival of more late comers. Perfectly aware that a person was now taking the vacant seat beside her, she subtly glanced over at them.
There had been many seats available towards the back of the room though the person beside her had to sit next to her.
As her eyes took in the figure, she found herself freeze in shock. Staring back at her with a trademark smirk was the one and only Creston Spencer.
"So we meet again," he greeted.
Rolling her eyes Essa muttered under her breath. "Just my luck,"
Creston could only grin devilishly.
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Fuming, Essa managed to find a table all to herself as she sat down. English had definitely not gone according to plan, and the mere thought of what occurred in that period enraged her further.
Throughout the lesson Creston had gotten her into trouble numerous times. At first she had received intimidating glares from the teacher and then it got to a verbal warning. The indignity of the situation wasn't fair! It was all Creston's fault!!
Throughout English he would keep talking to her – mumbling incoherent words to annoy her. In response, she would tell him to shut up.
However every time Essa told him to silence, the teacher always seemed to hear her and think it was directed to them. As the period lapsed, she had not only been infuriated by the annoying prick Creston, but she had also made a bad impression on the teacher. So when class had finally reached an end, Essa had made a run for the door, intent on getting as far away as possible from the devil's spawn.
Now seated and settled, she was pleased to see her friends approaching and there was nothing more she wanted than to be surrounded by her friends. Smiling tightly as her comrades joined her table, she began to make a start on her lunch.
"You look rather angry today dear," Trisha Davis pointed and Essa found herself exhaling loudly.
"Don't go there."
"What happened?" Sophia Teague – Essa's other best friend queried.
Hesitant at first, Essa commenced retelling her mates the events of the morning and how Chris had been an ass to her. What made her feel good was that they agreed with her that Chris had been a complete jerk. It was a relief to finally be around normal people who she felt comfortable around.
"Creston Spencer is an ass," Trisha said with finality. "I can't believe he got you in trouble like that,"
"He felt no remorse because he was smirking at me whenever I gave him the death glare." Essa added, jabbing at her pasta in hopes that it was Creston's head.
One thing in common with the three girls was that they all shared a passionate loathing towards Spencer and his little mob of girls.
Essa, Trisha and Sophia had been friends since the start of high school. It had been different forms of art that had brought them together. Sophia was good at music, Trisha was great with photography and Essa was fantastic with drawing and painting.
The school's annual art gallery had brought them together a few years ago. The three girls had teamed up to help with the set up and the nightly event. After that occasion, the three had been inseparable.
"I wish someone would deflate that ego of his," Sophia mumbled, able to see Creston and his group of friends seated a few tables away. "But then again I don't think that's possible seeing as his groupies are constantly praising him for nothing."
There was silence for a while before Trisha's head popped up in thought. She observed Essa briefly and then her gaze travelled to Creston who was preoccupied with his group of friends. As she turned back to look at Essa, Sophia caught her eye and she smiled deviously. If anyone was to shrink Creston's ego, Essa Evans was the one to call. She was pretty and a true feminist.
Smiling wickedly, she realised that Essa just noticed her scheming expression and she was greeted with Essa's questioning brow.
"Actually Soph," Trish began. "I think I might have found the right person for the job,"
It was then and there that Trish's gaze narrowed on Essa and Sophia nodded her head in agreement – a joyful expression on her face. Essa didn't share the look of bliss with her friends. Instead Essa was frowning at the two of them who were suddenly chatting amongst themselves in an excited manner.
Crossing her arms, she leaned back in her chair and cleared her throat, waiting to be acknowledged. When she had her friends' attention she gave them a stern stare.
"You guys are crazy," she stated shaking her head. "There is no way I'm doing whatever you've got planned."
"Come on Ess," Sophia sulked. "You won't have to do anything, I mean just try and close the distance between the two of you,"
"You mean you want me to grovel over him like the rest of his parasites?" Essa queried with disgust, her mouth pursed into a tight line. "No. Way."
It was Trish's turn to intercept. "No, you don't have to do that 'cause he'll just lose interest in you after a day." She explained, "You have to be different to the other girls. You have to…" There was a short moment of silence before Trish came up with the words, "Be you!" She half shrieked and smiled at the confused expressions on both Essa's and Sophia's face.
"Well, guys usually like the chase and since you, Essa, didn't appear to like him at first glance, I'm sure he'll be swarming over you to try to get your attention. So you two finally met today and had a bit of an exchange and you probably won't be speaking to one another. But," she accentuated able to see that Essa was about to protest. "If you made yourself appear more in his life – in his social activities – I'm sure he'll soon chase after you and that would be an opportunity to crush that ego of his."
Finally able to speak, Essa shot out her first question. "Why would I want to waste my time on a jerk like him? And it's a little cruel don't you think?" She asked as the three of them shifted to study Creston.
His current girlfriend was huddled in his lap but he was paying no attention to her since a pretty brunette was busy flirting with him. Cassandra appeared as if she was about to pounce on the brunette but he had stopped her by giving her a quick peck on the cheek.
This had to be one of the lowest things Essa had ever witnessed in her life. Sophia and Trish were staring at her in a 'what-were-you-saying' fashion and she backed down a little.
"Okay, so it sounds like a good plan but have you guys forgotten that Creston Spencer is also Chris' buddy?" She fired at them. "He will kill me if he found out our motives and you two won't be facing his wrath."
"So there are a few loopholes here and there, but we'll figure something out. We're all in this together; all for one and one for all." Trish stated her gaze fixed behind Essa who had her back facing the main entrance to the cafeteria. "Speak of the devil," she muttered her eyes falling to her watch. "I have to go. I have to see Mr. Shipper about a class transfer."
"Hey, I have to scoot too." Sophia informed and smiled apologetically at Essa, "Ms. Atkins wants to talk to me again."
"She still hasn't given up?" Essa asked and received a mouthed 'no' from Soph.
Essa shook her head at Soph.
Sophia Teague was a tall, intelligent girl with brown curly hair topped with dark brown eyes. She was academically gifted but refused the many offers the teachers had thrown at her to compete with other schools due to her painfully shy nature.
"We'll see you soon," Trish announced and left the cafeteria with Sophia alongside her.
Now seated alone, Essa pulled out her sketch book deciding to continue with her drawing.
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Tynan Welling entered the cafeteria scanning the room for a brief moment. To his left he could see
his group of mates seated and chatting up girls as usual. As he passed many smiling faces, his eyes caught the lone figure located towards the back of the cafeteria. She was sitting with her back towards him; her body leaning over the table.
It was obvious she was drawing in that sketch pad of hers. Silently approaching the table, a few females waved at him in greeting. Grinning back at them he continued to walk past, able to hear a few sighs here and there. Smirking to himself, he took the seat across from Essa – one of the only females who didn't really pay him any attention.
She was still busy colouring and erasing, adding some tone to her masterpiece as he cleared his throat to announce his presence. Leaning over, blue eyes studied the almost finished picture.
"I thought you had soccer practice today," he heard her say.
Gazing at her with his ocean blue eyes, he grinned at her which caused her to quirk a brow at him in response.
"It got cancelled so I decided to spend some quality time with you, Ginger Ale."
To his satisfaction an irritated look crossed Essa's features before her attention fell back to the finishing touches for her sketch. He had given her that name since they were young. The 'Ale' part stood for her full name.
"You know I hate that name," she breathed.
"And you know I love it," Chris replied, his grin widening. "It's so brilliant."
"Stop smirking," she ordered without looking up and he knew he had won the argument.
A few girls approached their table, gawking at Chris and giggling softly. The red head was the first to settle down as she stepped forward to speak to Chris.
"Do you mind if we sit here with you?" She asked, ignoring the fact that Essa was sitting right across from Chris and that the two were conversing.
Rolling her eyes, Essa observed in silence as her best friend pushed a seat out for the red head and her other two friends. She wanted to say that she cared but decided to go against that urge.
Sitting silently, she was pleased by the fact that none of the girls took notice of her. Instead they had their eyes set intently on Chris, bursting into fits of giggles at the lame things he expelled.
"Will you be interested in coming to my party this weekend?" the red head inquired in a flirtatious fashion. She placed her index finger on Chris's left knee, tracing small circles on his kneecap. "I'm sure we'll have a lot of fun."
"We'll have a lot of fun," added one of the red head's friends.
Chris threw her a dazzling smile, one that was sure to have made many girls blush. He wasn't surprised at the pass the three ladies were giving him; he was after all one of the most well respected males at school. His reputation was based on the people he hung around and his rugged looks. The females really loved his shaved beach blonde hair and his sky coloured orbs.
Lifting his head, his eyes drifted over to Essa. She was ignoring him and she was doing it gracefully.
A male voice broke Chris out of his thoughts, "Tynan," Jensen called. "Hello ladies," he greeted, referring to the pretty red head and her two brunette friends. "Creston rescheduled soccer practice," he said to Chris, "Since today's practice was cancelled because of some sport tournament, he wanted us boys to make up for it in our own time."
"Oh, can we come and watch?" piped one of the brunettes whilst flicking her hair in what she thought was an appealing fashion.
Wanting to stand and walk away from the pathetic scene before her, Essa snapped closed her pad. She began to stand from her chair but it appeared this had caught the attention of Chris and his cronies. Hiding behind her fringe, she returned their stares with a challenging look.
There was an amused expression on her best friend's face – his eyes twinkling with laughter. Summoning enough courage, she placed a few of her long jet-black wavy hair behind her ears before speaking.
"I just can't wait to tell the girls about this practice session," she squealed in mock delight. Her eyes locked onto Jensen, "You will be playing in the park that's across from Chris's house right?" She asked in a high pitched voice, she was trying to imitate the many girls at school.
Jensen seemed to be taken aback by her, it was evident he remembered who she was from this morning. Shifting her attention to Chris, she gave him what she hoped was her best inquiring-trying-to-be-cute look. The amusement showed in his eyes.
"Uh, yeah," he replied and turned to Jensen. "At five right?" He asked.
Jensen could only nod.
Imitating the giggles she had heard earlier, Essa flicked her dark glossy hair back. She inwardly cringed at how brainless she sounded when she had giggled. She was aware of Jensen gawking at her as if she had just grown another head and how the three girls were glaring at her because of the attention she was receiving. Unable to leave without finishing what she had started, Essa leaned over the table so that she was almost face to face with Chris.
"I bet you're the best player on the soccer team handsome," she breathed, giving him a smirk before walking away. She almost gagged for calling her best friend 'handsome', though the looks that followed her were worth it. At least she got a laugh out of it.
Essa was sure that Jensen and the other girls had been frightened to have witnessed her attempt to flirt. But she was only giving those girls a taste of their own medicine. She was merely trying to show them what she saw whenever they flirted with guys.
Usually she would have never bothered to make such a scene, but she had been bored and decided to add a little more jargon in her life. It was after all her final year, and what better time to have a little fun than now?
As the bell sounded, she released a sigh of happiness – relieved that it was her final class and she was spending it with her female friends.
Chapter Two
"I'll see you guys tomorrow," Essa bid her two best friends as she made a run for the opened school gates. With her gaze set over her left shoulder, she waved her hand at Trish and Soph and walked into what felt like a tonne of bricks.
With the air knocked from her lungs as she backed up a few paces, she glanced up to find a rather haughty Creston Spencer staring down at her. Shifting away from him, she blew her fringe from her right eye in frustration – arms crossed over her chest.
"The day keeps getting better and better," Essa mumbled under her breath, her voice filled with pure sarcasm as she tried to slip past the immobile Creston.
She was rewarded with a wide grin – indicating that he had clearly heard her. "Glad you love me so sweetheart," Spencer replied. "Though when you bump into someone it's common courtesy to say 'sorry'" He remarked, causing Essa to turn back and face him.
Irritated by the smirk still on his face Essa cocked a brow at him, her lips pursed into a tight prim line.
"Well some just ignore and move on like this," she stated and walked away from him not even sparing a glance.
If she had turned around for one last glimpse, she would have been satisfied with the somewhat disgruntled expression spread across Creston's features. He was never one to be puzzled or short of flashy comebacks. But this time he was slightly intrigued by the dark haired figure that was now walking away.
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With her mind focussed on a specific chain of thought in her childhood, Essa commenced painting whatever her imagination conjured. She was so lost in her own world that she failed to hear the doorbell ring. It was her mother's shrill tone that had broken her out of her reverie as she heard the front entrance close, footsteps stalking down the hallway.
"Alessandra Lara Evans!" Ava Evans called, her voice travelling down to the basement where her daughter was hiding in. Her ears perked up at the soft thudding of footsteps climbing up the stairs as a satisfied smile danced across her lips.
Inwardly cringing at the use of her full name, Essa found herself stomping up the stairs reaching out for the door handle. Poking her head down the hallway, she was glad to find that it was empty as she stepped out onto the wooden floorboards in her oversized, paint covered shirt.
Rolling her eyes at her childhood friend whom she had the greatest urge to strangle right this instant, her eyes fixed back onto her mother's form; bracing herself for whatever was to come.
"How many times have I told you not to close that basement door when nobody's at home?" Ava queried, preoccupied with putting her groceries away. "Chris was waiting at the door for almost twenty minutes." She informed as she stared at Chris with warm eyes. "We really should get you a spare key."