Bad Influence - popular girl x nerd boy

15- Rome

Bright red covers the nails on my right hand, the small brush coating my fingers and leaving a toxic smell in the air. Autumn cusses as the paint drips off my nail and onto the skin of my thumb. Her nail painting skills could use some work, but I am partially to blame since I shake my hand every time I laugh at something she says.

Since my parents are rarely home by the time I return from school, I often invite people over to my house. The loud laughs and echoing chatter help fill the silent home and make the large rooms feel less lonely. A habit of mine that manifested in my freshman year of high school and has only amplified, with my resentment of my own house growing every month that passes. Without company, I feel like I live alone. It's a silent reminder that my parents are never there for me, and it's something I pretend not to be aware of.

Currently, Autumn and I are laying across my bedroom floor as I hear her rant about her nearing report card. Whatever possession I forgot to pick up off the floor digs into my stomach every time I move slightly, and my back is beginning to ache due to the hard surface I am bending against.

Despite this pain, I am grateful for the company my friends bring me.

"Autumn, you're so worried about your perfect grades when you should be worried about your eyebrows," Chloe says from the chair by my vanity mirror, her makeup being touched up and redone until it fits her version of perfection. My makeup products are dropped across the floor and desk, and she tests out every brand that she hasn't seen before.

"Chloe, shut up," Autumn flips her off with a grin, keeping her eyes on my nails so that she can finish the coat. "I want to hear about Rome's date yesterday."

"You were on a date?" Chloe yelps, "That's why you didn't answer your phone for hours!"

"It was not a date! At all." I glare at Autumn.

"You spent hours alone with a boy and it wasn't a date?"

"We were studying! We needed to work on a project so we were forced to spend a lot of time together. That's it!"

The girls look at each other with doubtful expressions. "You didn't even finish your project. If you really hated that guy, then those five hours you were together would have been focused on actual school work. Not seeing who's the better kisser." My anger grabs a shoe sitting next to me on my carpet and throws it her way. Her laughter doesn't hinder her ability to duck and evade my attack, unfortunately, and my reaction only drives her chortles to multiply.

Lucas and I weren't together for five hours. Autumn is obviously exaggerating. At least, it didn't feel like five hours. I never checked my phone when I was with him, too focused on him and what we were doing.

Honestly, my time with him felt like it was going fast. The hour spent studying (alright, maybe Autumn had a point about us not being entirely focused on schoolwork) was far more helpful than I predicted it to be. With expectations of a repeat of Lucas's actions, I was surprised to see how much more thoughtful and patient he was with me. Although I have not forgotten how he acted, his apology felt entirely genuine and I saw that he had made an effort to change his behavior.

Thanks to him, I understand all of the major concepts of the World Wars and I am starting to make connections to past history lessons. In one hour Lucas helped me learn more than my teacher had the whole year. He didn't give up on me when I struggled and, to my surprise, he did his best to support me, which my teachers never do.

After studying, Lucas let me drive his car. I'm still shocked that he trusted me to drive his beautiful Bronco, let alone teach me how to do it. I would never admit it to his face, since he's already been my savior enough, but he has motivated me to get my license. I am planning to talk to my parents about taking my driver's test, and it's largely because he pushed me out of my comfort zone. I can do so much more than what I've been letting myself do, and I want to step outside my cage of safety.