“Well, we’re here. So let me see your schedule to see if we have any classes together.” Ryder told all of us. Seemed as though, Ryder was the leader out of the three of them. Luckily, I had at least one of them in each of my classes.
“Alright, let’s get this shit show on the road,” I grumbled, as I got out of the car.
Apparently, Ryder’s car got a lot of attention because everyone was staring at me. My breathing started to pick up from all of the attention I was getting. This was not good. I did not need to have a fucking panic attack on the first day, in front of the entire student body.
Grayson grabbed my face gently, filling my vision he explained calmly, “Malia, look at me and breathe. In through your nose and out through your mouth.” Honestly, when I looked at him and his gorgeous hazel eyes, it felt like it was just us. He was looking at me like I was the most important damn person on the planet and all he wanted to do was save me.
I sensed a pattern with these guys. Ryder looked at me the same way yesterday. It seemed as though Grayson knew what he was talking about because the breathing exercises he told me to use were working. My breathing was slowing down. But for some odd reason, I didn’t want Grayson to stop holding me or looking at me the way he was. He sighed, putting his forehead on mine, and closed his eyes.
4.
Firecracker
Grayson
Between getting out of the car and calming Malia down, I had forgotten where we were. When I opened my eyes, I realized I was still holding her face in the middle of the parking lot. Letting go slowly, I lifted my head and noticed a crowd forming. Shit.
“Malia. You okay now?” I asked quietly.
“Yeah. Yeah, I think so. Thanks, Grayson.” she answered shyly. My name rolling off her tongue was music to my ears. It was instant, the reaction to my body from it. I got chills and goosebumps all at once.
“Hey, can we maybe get going so people stop staring at me?” Malia insisted, looking a little better than she was a couple of minutes ago.
“Yeah. Come on beautiful. Let's get you into First Academy.” I said, throwing my arm around her shoulders. Ryder was on her right side and Asher was behind her.
As soon as we got in the doors, Skylar and her minions came strolling over to us, or should I say, to Ryder. Skylar looked at Malia like she was the dirt under her shoe. That immediately pissed me off. I already didn't want Malia to be around her. When she started talking it sounded more like desperation lacing her voice.
“Hey RJ baby.” I barely stifled a groan at the pet name. She looked ridiculous as she ran her hand down his arm. If I didn’t know any better, I would think Malia looks pissed as hell, barely covering it with a scowl.
“What do you want Skylar?” he said with a sigh.
She tried to lean in and kiss him, but he was having none of it. He put his hands on her shoulders and stopped her from getting any closer.
“Skylar stop it. What happened this summer was a mistake. Please just let it go,” Ryder tried to calmly let her down easily. Skylar looked at him with a resigned look for all of two-seconds, before the look was replaced with a sneer that was pointed at Malia.
“So, what is she, your new toy?”
“Skylar!” I growled at her because that was totally uncalled for. Malia surprised the shit out of me, smirking at her and saying, “Your ass must be pretty jealous of your mouth judging by how much shit spews out of it.” Holy hell this girl was a firecracker. Everyone burst out laughing. Even Janie and Jessie, Skylar’s minions, were covering their laughs with a fake cough.
If it was possible, Skylar was turning redder by the minute. Like a petulant child not getting her way, she stomped her foot, and stomped away from everyone.
“Well, I think I love you gorgeous!” Asher gushed to her as he grabbed her hand and kissed her knuckles.
“Dude leave her alone!” Ryder told Asher as he swatted his hand away from hers.
“Would you two knock it off? Grayson, could you please take me to my locker since these two want to bicker like idiots. I would like to get to my first class before we are late,” Malia sighed, sounding almost amused but a little annoyed.
As soon as she was done talking the first bell rang. My arm went around her shoulders, almost as if it was something I did every day. I steered her to where her locker was because this place could get confusing. Considering she had all AP classes like us our lockers were located next to or close to all of our classes.
Most people would look at me, because of my size, and think I was just some dumb jock that played football, and only cared about that. Few people knew about my home life and what went on behind closed doors.
See, my parents on the outside were loving parents, but in reality, my home life was falling apart. Mom and Dad just got a divorce. The only reason they were still living together, was because they wanted the picture-perfect life that society made it out to be. When the divorce was finalized, I would be in college. I kept my grades up so I could stay in football and get the hell out of dodge as soon as possible. My parents may be wealthy, but my dad wouldn’t let me have my trust fund until I was twenty-one.
Malia and I had AP Calculus with Mr. Rogers for the first period. He was an alright teacher as far as teachers go.
“Well, at least the lockers are a pretty color,”
