Chapter 4

Everyone was looking at us.

After the hair pulling incident yesterday and now this, there was no way I was going to be left alone.

I agreed to walk with this tall, dark haired boy who was a total dream for every girl, well almost

every girl in this school, me included.

"I can tell what you're thinking... but don't worry, they will have something else to talk about later,

I'll make sure of it." He says before his arm snakes it's way around my shoulder.

My body instantly heating up, blush creeping up my neck to my cheeks. Having Jaxon's arm around

me, this close contact made me feel things I've never felt before.

"Jaxon." I try to say but we stop in front of his two friends from yesterday in the cafeteria.

"Hailey, this is Brett and Caiphus, my only friends in this school but I hang out with other people. If

I'm not around, they will make sure you don't get bullied.” He says and I nod my head in

understanding.

"That's great and all but I think I should make my own friends. I mean, no offense but I usually get

along with girls.” I say making them all chuckle.

"Yeah, good luck with that after walking around with Jaxon's arm around you. Besides, you're better

off with us for your social status.” Brett says, making them all chuckle once more.

"Brett is right Hailey. You probably won't be making any friends after this, your overnight step up

the ladder to instant popularity.” Caiphus says to me. I don't respond, but a tiny annoying voice in

my head believed them although I'm not one to listen.

I look around the school, looking for Rebecca because I hate being the joke and I find pleasure in

proving chauvinistic little boys wrong.

"Actually, I've made a friend already. One who doesn't care about this stupid social status, one who

couldn't care that Jaxon's arm was around my shoulder two seconds ago and I think I'll go hang out

with her. See you around Jaxon." I say, catching them off guard.

"Everybody cares Hailey.” Jaxon says and this time, I chuckle as I walk away from them.

The walk to Rebecca was not that long but it was the longest 25 seconds of my life with everyone

staring at me. I kept praying I don't trip and fall on my face because that's what happens when

everyone is looking at you. Not forgetting Jaxon's gaze burning a hole on my back. I could feel his

eyes on me because my body was heating up again, igniting a fire inside of me that completely

confused me.

I've had crushes before in my life but it usually starts at imagining a life with the guy first then day

dreaming and feeling all giddy before my body reacts in this sexual manner. The need to have this

boy take me was slowly overtaking my senses and I hate something I can't fight off in my body.

"Finally taking me on my offer?” Rebecca asks as all the other students she was sitting on the grass

with start to get up and walk away at my arrival.

"Don't worry about them. Now that Jaxon is sort of claiming you, no boy wants to be anywhere near

you." She says to me and I groan out loud making her giggle.

"I can't believe this is my life. This place was supposed to be my escape. I just wanted to be left

alone, focus on my studies and graduate but I failed at that, dismally. Jaxon won't leave me alone

and now the whole school won't either and I hear Azuri will try to come back so there goes my luck

at feeling safe.” I say.

Rebecca looks at me with pity.

"Don't worry about Azuri. Jaxon handled her and I'm sure she won't want to lose her queen status

because she couldn't let go of Jaxon. It was never going to go anywhere with them anyway. I have a

feeling Jaxon is not toying with you.. he seems different and he has not taken his eyes off of you

since walking away from him.” Rebecca tells me and I look down trying to hide a blush,

"What did you mean Jaxon handled her?" I ask because that text did not scold Azuri in any way.

This question makes Rebecca seem nervous as she looks around before looking back at me.

"I'm going to tell you this once because you need to understand this. Jaxon is from the Gellar family.

His family built this town, this very school. They are old money and old money comes with traditions

normal families don't follow. Jaxon here will soon be the heir to take over the family business and

control the fortune and Azuri comes from a normal family in this town. The Gellar men believe in

fate when it comes to the woman they end up, the other men have also adopted that too but we

are focused on the Gellars here okay?" She asks and I nod my head in agreement.

"Jaxon won't end up with Azuri because if he was, he would've claimed her already. They believe

that one day they will meet the woman made for them and they will know it then that she's the one.

Azuri knows it but I guess like every girl that's been with Jaxon always hopes to be that girl, stupid

wishful thinking. My guts telling me you're that girl for Jaxon but I could be wrong." Rebecca says

and I roll my eyes at her.

"It's crazy to hear that men believe in love at first sight. That's usually what happens in your typical

romantic movies but in real life? That's called lust.” I say confidently.

"We don't usually get new students but I can understand how that can be difficult to comprehend

especially when it's about men but that's the case here in our small little town." Rebecca says and I

just nod my head to end the conversation.

I couldn't possibly be Jaxon's love at first sight. He just wanted to add me to his list and I had to

admit that he had game. I mean he was playing my hero, risking his relationship with Azuri to make

me feel special but after hearing that he's done this plenty of times before and going back to Azuri

right after is reason enough for me to not entertain him

I will ignore the need to feel his touch, the constant wonder of how soft his lips are or what he'll

taste like when we kiss. Gosh is this what becoming an adult feels like? Constantly thinking about

sex?

"How old are you Rebecca?" I ask and she smiles at me.

"I'm 18 and you're still 17." She tells me and I nod my head yes.

"I'll be 18 in a few weeks.." I say sadly and Rebecca gets excited.

"Oh we have to celebrate! I'll plan everything, you leave that to me." She says but I shake my head

no frantically.

"My mom and I used to always go for ice cream in the morning as breakfast and steak for lunch

then we would have bacon and eggs for dinner. We always did things backwards on my birthday

but now that she's gone, I won't be doing anything. I don't want to do anything without her." I say

as I try to gulp down a sob stuck in my throat, forcing a way out.

Rebecca gently grabs my hand and squeezes it.

"I'm so sorry Hailey. Do you want to talk about her?" She asks.

"What can I say? A drunk driver hit our car killing my mother instantly because she swerved the car

to her side trying to save me. I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye or tell her that I love her.

He's in jail now but he will get out and find life again but my mother is gone. And don't get me

started on my deadbeat father who is living large on my trust fund because he's a prick.” I say

feeling hot tears on my face.

"I came here because it's far away, far from my evil stepmother and her toy, my dad. He does

everything for her but nothing for me. This place was supposed to be my escape, where I can focus

on things important to me but it's just another horror show in my life. I ran away from my problems

because of the coward I am only to run in to more problems with a bunch of teens who have no

worries except for their social status.” I say chuckling through the tears.

I wipe away my tears.

"Wow. I'm so sorry Hailey, things will get better. You won't always be the new girl, maybe Jaxon's

girl for now but you'll get used to the way things work here and you'll be one of us soon." Rebecca

assures me and I force a smile.

"I just want to be Hailey. Not the new girl and definitely not known as Jaxon's girl, I'm not his girl." I

say.

"Ouch, that actually hurt.” Jaxon says before sitting next to me.

"Rebecca." Jaxon says without a smile but Rebecca smiles at him which was unsettling. She had a

look of longing when she looked at him and that confused me.

"Jaxon." She says before grabbing her phone and getting up.

"I'll see you around Hailey.” She says and I wave back at her.

"You need to stay away from her." Jaxon says to me.

"Why? She's nice to me." I say and he smiles at me, making my heart flutter.

"She's only nice to get her way. Just stay away from her. Come on, let's go to class.” He says getting

up and holding his hand out for me to hold on to.

Once I'm up, without his help my phone pings and so does Jaxon's.

We both get our phones to see it's a notification of a new post on chatpax that everyone was

tagged on.

I open the post to hear my voice, my voice talking about my mother and horrible father. The caption

of the post read, wrecker girl to Jaxon's girl orphaned and all alone.

Rebecca had recorded me.

I felt my phone slip through my fingers before it hit the grass but I couldn't care. I just opened up to

this girl and she betrayed me.

I find her looking back at me, grinning from ear to ear before winking at me and turning around,

walking away.

I thought I heard a growl but I pay it no mind.

I could feel my body getting cold, closing off. Jaxon assuring me he will handle it but I couldn't even

care what he was saying. My brain pushed the pain to the back of my head, this is not my first rodeo

with bullies. I've been here before, plenty of times and the only way to survive such attacks is to

keep it moving.

I picked up my phone, my backpack and I walked away from Jaxon, heading to my first class.

I may be hurting but there's no way I will break down and cry. I did that already and I'm paying the

price for it now, my sob story out for the whole school to listen to and judge, laugh or pity me. I will

keep an expressionless face and that I am good at.

Rebecca may have slipped past me but that's the lesson I needed to learn to keep everyone at arms

length, there's no way I'm letting any of these kids in to my life.

Not even Jaxon, Rebecca made sure of that.