When Summer Ends (15 page)

I gasped.
Man, he’s just starting to piss me off more and
more!
“Is that some kind of joke?” I snapped, clenching my fists and ignoring
the stinging from the little scratches on my palms as the skin stretched
slightly, probably starting them bleeding again.

“Just an observation.”

“Nick and I are friends, not that it’s any of your business
anyway.” I looked back into the hallway quickly, making sure Nick wasn’t there
listening to any of this.

“Yeah? That’s not what I heard, I heard that you two used to
date but broke up at the start of the summer,” Will retorted. His jaw tightened
as his piercing grey eyes hardened accusingly.

What the hell is he looking at me like that for? This is
none of his damn business even if I did start to date Nick again! He’s the one
that broke up with me, not the other way around.
“That has nothing to do
with anything; we were friends before we got together. Where are you getting
this crap from anyway?” I asked annoyed.

He shrugged, his jaw relaxing now. “I hear stuff. You
weren’t in class so people started speculating because you were seen leaving school
with your ex-boyfriend.”

“Well like I said, it’s none of your business anyway. Thanks
for the phone.” I stepped back, starting to close the door in his face.

Before it even got half way he stuck his foot out, holding
the door open. “I’m sorry I’m hurting you,” he said quietly, looking at his
hands.

I scoffed at that. “You’re not sorry at all. It’s no skin
off your nose. You’re probably just pissed that you’ll have to work a little
harder for sex from now on. No longer on tap when you want it. Oh, and by the
way, I’ve sorted my tutor issues; Nick’s offered to help me.” I kicked his foot
making him pull it back. I slammed the door in his face, ignoring his shocked
expression.

I leant against it barely able to breathe. He hissed a cuss
word from the other side of the door, and then a few seconds later a car door
slammed. I pushed myself away from the door and headed to the kitchen. Nick was
leaning against the counter waiting for the kettle to boil. His back was to me
so I went and pressed my face between his shoulder blades, fighting the urge to
cry again.

“Okay?” he asked, turning awkwardly and wrapping me into a
hug.

I nodded, hoping my voice would work. “Yeah I’m good. Want
to stay for dinner tonight?” I asked hopefully.

He grinned. “Hell yeah, your mom’s cooking is even better
than yours, no offence,” he replied, pulling back and smirking at me. I slapped
his arm, faking hurt. “Ouch, easy with the right hook, Rocky Balboa,” he
teased.

Chapter Nine

The rest of the week passed much the same. I tried to avoid
Will whenever possible. If I saw him coming down the hallway or anything I excused
myself to the nearest restroom or classroom. The lunchtime detentions were okay,
he didn’t let me off of them so I just sat at the back of the room listening to
music and reading. I ignored him completely, as he did me. He didn’t buy me
lunch again; I purposefully made myself a sandwich so I could turn him down
even if he did anyway.

His classes were awful. I had no idea what I was doing. I
barely understood anything and sat there on edge the whole time while the girls
all drooled and flirted with him like crazy. He didn’t single me out, and he
didn’t ignore me, he just treated me like any other student in his class.
Except maybe I got fewer smiles. Actually, come to think of it, I got no smiles
at all, but that was probably because I didn’t give him any either. Nick and I
were meeting up on Saturday so he could help me study.

Today was Friday, and I was due to meet Sam any minute. As
the bell sounded signalling the end of the day, I packed up my books and stood
there waiting as Amy pulled her hair into a loose ponytail.

“So tonight’s the big date,” she gushed excitedly, waggling
her eyebrows.

I could practically feel Will’s stare boring into the side
of my head. From the corner of my eye I could see him standing there watching
me. His whole body seemed tense.

“It’s not a date,” I reply flatly. My hands were starting to
get sweaty because Will was staring at me so intently.

“You’re going to the movies with a boy, it’s a date,” Amy countered,
waving her hand dismissively. I shook my head and opened my mouth to protest,
but she spoke again cutting me off. “It should be a date anyway, because damn,
I would screw that boy senseless, and you should too. It’ll help you get over
Mr Perfect if you jump his brother. It’ll stop you pouting so much,” she
teased.

I gasped. “Amy!” I hissed, grabbing her arm and dragging her
closer to me giving her the shut the hell up face. Too late. I heard a loud
crash from Will’s direction and looked over to see he had walked into a desk,
knocking the chairs over and dropping the stack of books he was carrying. His
jaw was tight, he looked furiously angry.

“Are you all right, Mr Morris? You need a hand?” Amy offered,
smiling seductively.

“Er… it’s… no it’s fine. Thanks for the offer, Miss Clarke,”
he rejected politely.

I decided I needed to leave before he could pull me to one
side. “I gotta go,” I muttered looking only at Amy. “I’ll call you and we’ll
meet up Sunday.” I hugged her quickly, before turning for the door leaving her
to finish packing up her books.

“Chloe, wait!” Will called.

I stopped dead in my tracks. That was the first time he’d
called me Chloe since we found out he was my teacher. The sound of it made my
stomach get all fluttery even though I was angry at myself for still letting him
have power over me. I turned back to look at him, not really wanting to see his
angry face again.

“I could actually use some help, maybe you could give me a
hand?” he requested, though his eyes were saying something different entirely.

“I’ll help you, Mr Morris,” Amy interjected. “Chloe has a
hot date.” She shoved me towards the door with a sly grin and a wink. No doubt
she was excited for a few minutes alone with Will.

Will frowned. “But I… I… right, okay yeah thanks, Miss
Clarke.”

I waved to Amy and headed through the door. I felt guilty
for not staying and clarifying to Will that it wasn’t a date and that I wasn’t
going to ‘jump his brother’ like Amy had made it seem. But then again, he
should know that I wouldn’t sleep with his brother anyway. He should know that
because firstly, I wasn’t the type of girl to go sleeping with someone on a
first date, and secondly, we’d only just broken up, therefore I wouldn’t do
that anyway, especially not with his brother.

I headed to my locker quickly grabbing the rest of the books
I would need so I could do my homework over the weekend. I lingered near my
locker, wasting time. When I could put it off no longer, I walked out of the
front doors, silently wishing I hadn’t agreed to this. I just wanted to go home
and change into sweats and chill.
Hopefully Sam won’t even show up…

My hope of that faded as soon as I looked up and saw a black
jeep parked right at the edge of the walkway. My heart sank as I spotted him perched
behind the wheel. He grinned as he saw me and started the car up; I plastered
on a fake smile and opened the door.

“Hey,” I greeted with forced happiness, slinging my bag into
the backseat.

“Hey, Chloe, good day? Uh-oh, big brother alert,” he said,
looking over my shoulder as I was just about to get in. I turned back to see
Will walking out of the building. I could see the barely contained fury
building with each step he took towards us.

He stopped right behind me. “Chloe, I’d like a quick word
with my brother, please,” he growled, not even looking at me. He was glaring at
Sam with so much anger that I’m surprised he hadn’t died from the venom alone.

I gripped his arm tightly making him look at me. His eyes
met mine. I flinched a little from the hardness of them. “Just leave it. Ignore
Amy, it’s not a date,” I assured him. I looked around seeing that most people
had left already so luckily there was hardly anyone around.

He didn’t answer; instead he gripped my upper arm and pulled
me behind his body, putting himself between me and the car as he leant in to
speak to his brother. “Don’t you fucking dare. I’m warning you, Sam. You need
to drive away right now,” he spat angrily; his whole body tense and alert.

Sam just laughed. “Relax, I don’t want your sloppy seconds.”
He rolled his eyes.

“Sam,” Will said his name as a warning, his hands clenching
into fists.

Dammit, is Will going to hit his brother? 
I grabbed
his wrist quickly, pulling him back out of the car. “Stop this! We’re going out
as friends. Not that it’s any of your damn business anyway, but I have no
interest in your brother at all. You’re behaving like a spoilt child, arguing
over a toy that you don’t even want to play with anymore!” I chastised. I could
feel my eyes prickling and I knew I would cry soon. I needed to go.

His face softened as he looked at me pleadingly. “Chloe,” he
whispered. His eyes bored into mine making my heart beat faster.

I shook my head. “I’m going out with a friend; you have a
good weekend, Mr Morris,” I said acidly as I climbed in the car.

Just as I went to slam the door and make a dramatic exit he
caught it, pulling it open again looking at Sam warningly. “You keep in mind
that she’s a minor, Sam,” he warned.

Sam laughed. “Like you did you mean?” he teased. Will opened
his mouth, probably for an angry retort based on the look on his face, so I
held up a hand and cut him off.

“For goodness sake, you both need to chill out, or I’m just
going home. I’m not in the mood for this right now. Just grow up both of you,”
I scolded, crossing my arms over my chest, staring out of the windscreen.

“Fine,” Will huffed. “Have a nice time, Miss Henderson.
We’ll talk later, Sam.” Will slammed the door with so much force that it made
the whole car shake.

“Wow, someone’s jealous,” Sam muttered, chuckling to himself
as he waved teasingly at Will.

“He’s not jealous; he just doesn’t like the thought of
someone touching something that he’s had. What a jerk! What the hell did I see
in him anyway? He doesn’t want me, but I can’t go and have fun? Damn he’s so…
so… ugh; I don’t even have the right word! Annoying will have to do for now
until I can think of something stronger,” I ranted. Sam laughed at me as he pulled
out of the parking lot, heading in the direction of the movie theatre.

I couldn’t stop thinking about him all the way there.
Will’s
reaction was so annoying. Where the hell does he get off telling me who I can
go out with? And that little comment to Sam about keeping in mind that I was a
minor, jeez, does he actually think I’m going to sleep with someone? What kind
of person does he think I am? He really doesn’t know me at all.
That last thought
hurt me more than anything.

“Earth to Chloe,” Sam teased, laughing and waving a hand in
front of my face.

I snapped back to reality.
Oops, had he been talking to
me?
“Sorry, Sam, what?” I asked, smiling apologetically.

He sighed and shook his head in exasperation. “I said; are
you planning on getting out of the car or do I need to find a drive-in movie or
something?”

I looked around to see we were parked outside the movie
theatre. I laughed sheepishly because I was so lost in thought that he’d driven
the whole way there already. I rolled my eyes, grabbing the door handle and climbing
out of the car.

Sam walked around to my side and slung his arm round my
shoulder. “Come on then, let’s get you cheered up. I’ve not seen a real smile from
you since you two broke up,” he suggested, looking a little sad about it.

As we walked into the foyer, he stopped and cursed under his
breath. An angry looking bleached blonde girl in a tight and very short skirt
was walking towards us, glaring at him.
Hmm, what’s this about? 

“Sam Morris! You were supposed to call me three weeks ago.
What happened? Were you too busy with a new slut?” she spat angrily. Her voice
was a little screechy and made me wince at how loud she was. Her hateful glare
turned to me so I stepped away from him quickly making his arm drop down off of
my shoulder.

Sam shrugged. “I lost your number.”

“You lost my number? I stored it in your cell!” she countered,
her nostrils flaring as her voice somehow got even higher pitched.

“Oh, well in that case maybe I lost my cell,” Sam replied,
laughing quietly.

Holy monkey-butt, he really is a man-whore!

She scowled at him. “You had no intention of calling me did
you?”

Sam shrugged, seeming unconcerned. “I told you beforehand
that I wasn’t interested in anything. You were the one that said I’d call, not
the other way around.”

She stepped forward quickly and before I realised what was
happening, her palm connected with the side of his face. A resounding crack
drew the gaze of every single person in the foyer. I gasped. I’d never seen
anyone do that in real life, only in the movies. It was actually pretty funny
and a lot louder than I thought it would be. She turned to me and raised her
hand again, going to hit me too.
Oh hell no!

“If you touch me I’m going to rip your cheap extensions out
with my bare hands,” I warned.

She scowled at me again and I could practically see her
brain ticking over. Obviously she was weighing her options as to whether she
wanted to take the risk of it or not. “Whatever, he’ll hurt you more than I can
anyway,” she snapped, sneering at Sam again before storming out of the front
door, dramatically flicking her hair over her shoulder. A couple of girls
quickly ran out after her, already telling her what a hoe I was and what a
waste of space Sam was.

I looked at Sam with my mouth open in shock. He raised a
hand and rubbed his face lightly, and I burst out laughing. I laughed so hard
that I had tears in my eyes. He was laughing too as he continued to rub his
face wincing.