Worse Than Nicotine

As much as Hayley agreed to the “affair” Holly was having with their music teacher, her eyes were glued to Alex at all times during class. If there was something to notice or suspicious in his manner towards Holly, Hayley was the first to spot it.

The friends’ lunch and social routines had also changed rapidly. The girls no longer sat outside for lunch anymore in fear that Brendon would be there like he would before the breakup. They got their own small table in the back of the cafeteria, which Holly wasn’t happy about since she couldn’t go out for a cigarette anymore at this time. But sometimes the blonde would also go visit Alex at lunch when no one could catch her.

Another bummer for Holly? Hayley and her had become somewhat distant. They didn’t spend their time together as often. Hayley was usually out with her new boyfriend, Chad, leaving Holly with a lot of time with Alex. It wasn’t that she didn’t appreciate this time, but she missed Hayley. She missed Brendon too.

Mr. Gaskarth had really turned her life upside down.

---

Next Friday, Holly had called her mom to say she was staying after school for some extra help. Well, she technically wasn’t lying, was she?

Maybe she was.

Her mother didn’t care anyways. She basically let her daughter do whatever she wanted sometimes, and other times, she would criticize anything and everything she did.

Holly watched kids hustle to their buses and cars in the student lot as she put a couple books into her locker. Her eyes roamed to the pictures stuck on her locker’s door. Most were old photos taken with her Polaroid from either freshmen or sophomore year. Holly laughed at the photo of her and Hayley in ninth grade, remembering back to her best friend’s natural dark red hair. She then brushed her fingers over an old polaroid of her and Brendon, the camera’s glare washing out their skin tones in the picture of her kissing his cheek.

I miss you, she thought in her head, almost as if her ex-boyfriend could read her thoughts.

A tap on her shoulder welcomed her back to reality. She cleared her throat and turned, not expecting the sight before her. She almost wanted to laugh.

Alex stood in front of her. But not the normal “dress shirt and tie” teacher Alex. This Alex was dressed like a student―dark hoodie on with a snapback and all. She knew it was him, even with the sunglasses on, because she knew that regular Alex smirk well. She put a hand to her mouth, stifling a giggle. “That’s a good look for you,” she remarked, shutting her locker and stepping closer to him.

“Shit, you noticed me?”

“It’s kind of hard not to.” She chuckled. “The main question is: what the hell are you doing out here when you could get caught?”

“Okay, I have a good reason for dressing up like a hoodlum to come and see you in public right at this moment.” He said, making her laugh even more. “I know this little hole-in-the-wall restaurant on the outskirts of town that not a lot of people know about.”

She lofted a brow and twirled the strings on his hoodie. “Oh, do you?”

“Miss Holly Wolfe, would you like to accompany me on a date there?” He threw her his best grin.

She bit down on her lip. “In public?”

“Well, yes, dates are usually public.”

“Sarcasm is not needed,” she sneered and hit his shoulder. “I’m just a little apprehensive. Many people might not go there but … you just never know.”

“Do you remember when I first asked you to come afterschool? You told me, ‘What do I have to lose?’” They were already close, but he moved even closer so that their bodies were almost molded. “So what do you have to lose, Holly Wolfe?”

“Don’t do that,” she bit back her giggle.

He winked. “You’re stalling.”

“Can’t we just continue our classroom Easy Mac routine?”

“I know it’s hard to believe,” he said as he brought up a hand to caress her cheek, “but I care about you. And I would very much like to take you out on a proper date in public.”

She faked a sigh. “I guess so.”

“Excellent,” he flashed her a grin, pulling her in and kissing her lips lightly. “Wear something nice, okay?”

“You’re lucky I’m even going.” She mentioned and he laughed, guiding her away from her locker.

“Now for our private activities …”

Notes

Awww okay I liked Alex in this chapter :3 (even though I miss Brendon ;-;)
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