“He’s an asshole who’s looking for a fight. Just don't give it to him Cole. Please, just stay away from him. Like I said, he’s really not worth your time or energy.”
“I know. You’re right. As long as he stays away, I will too, but if he comes at you, all bets are off, Livy. I’m not going to stand by and let him give you shit, and no way Matt will either.”
“Fair enough.” I agreed. Hopefully Steve would heed the warnings and stay clear of us all.
“Hey Cole!” The shrill voice startled me, and I looked up hurriedly for the source, which turned out to be some super modelesque, very leggy blonde who stood as close as she could physically get to Cole without climbing into his lap.
She really was beautiful, with dainty little features, her face perfectly made up with heavily applied make up. Her hair hung in long, loose waves down her back and it was a beautiful bright shade of blonde. Her legs went on for days, and she had curves in all of the right places. She was dressed in fancy designer jeans that fit her like a second skin, and a snug shirt that displayed all of her assets perfectly.
Jealousy hit me like a rock to the head, and I found myself looking at my outfit, and comparing it and myself to little miss perfect. I came up very short, quite literally. She was almost six feet tall, and I didn’t even hit five. My clothes were nice, but not sexy like hers and I wasn't even wearing makeup except for a little mascara and cherry flavour chapstick.
Cole glanced up to see who spoke, then turned away looking pissed off. That helped ease the jealousy a little, but Leggy wasn’t deterred, she leant forward a little, pushing her ample cleavage out of the low neckline of her shirt and tried again.
“Did you speak to coach today?” She asked, her voice all squeaky and girly. I think she was trying to sound cute, but it hurt my ears.
“No.” Cole grumbled. It was unlike him to be short with someone, but I was relieved.
“Oh, well he was looking for you at lunch. Thought I’d let you know.” She was getting annoyed with Cole looking anywhere but at her, and her angry gaze dropped to our still joined hands in his lap.
Her gaze locked on me then, and it was obvious she was disgusted by me, with the sour faced look on her face.
“Who are you?” She asked, all politeness gone.
“Hi, I’m Olivia.” I said, trying to be polite. I wouldn't forget my manners just because she didn’t have any.
“My girlfriend.” Cole hurried to add, as he turned to me and finally smiled again.
“What?” Leggy squeakled, then she seemed to get a hold of herself. “How? Isn’t this her first day here?” I took a breath and looked up to her with annoyance. I’d had enough and I just needed her to go away and take her squeaky tone with her.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t catch your name?” I said, keeping the polite smile on my face, despite my annoyance.
“I’m May Travis, head cheerleader here at Griffin Woods.” She said, pushing her chest out, like her status meant anything to me.
“Well May, the details of our relationship are really none of your damned business, except for the fact Cole is not remotely interested in your desperate flirting, so why don’t you tuck away your cleavage, and go be elsewhere.” I said it all with the smile in place, then had to stifle a laugh when her face dropped in shock and fury. No way I was allowing her to make Cole feel so uncomfortable. I had resolved a while ago to always find the strength I needed to protect the people I cared for, just as they had worked so hard to protect me.
She opened her mouth a couple of times like she was going to say something, but then just slammed it shut, gave me a glare and turned on her fancy heeled boots.
“Nice meeting you!” I called after her, not able to help myself. She just huffed and stormed across the class to a desk in the front. Four other girls sat around her and they all started whispering and glaring daggers at me. I didn’t care; girls I could handle. It was men who triggered me, and even then, I had faced Steve. I felt like I was handling this whole school thing pretty well so far.
“Babygirl, where is this coming from?” Cole whispered a huge grin on his face. He kissed me hard, catching me off guard, but I just melted into him, my tongue duelling with his. He kept it short, pulling back before I was ready for it to end, but I knew we had to, considering the teacher could walk in any minutes. “That was so fucking hot!” Cole added, making me blush.
“She made me kind of jealous.” I admitted.
“Nothing to be jealous of, Livy. May just wants to be with me because I’m a quarterback, and she thinks that as head cheerleader she gets to date me. She’s been trying for over a year and I have never been interested. She’s fake and vapid. Not a patch on you, Babygirl. You’re a million times more beautiful, smart and sexy than she will ever be.”
The teacher walked in then, and everyone went silent before I could reply, not that I knew what to say. I was just overwhelmed that he felt that way, that he could ever see me as more attractive than the model who had just offered herself up to him on a platter. It gave me a huge boost of confidence in myself.
***
The AP calculus class I had been pitched, had been guaranteed to be a challenge for me, and that was why I had taken it,
