The Perfect Candy

Chapter 2: A Girl is a Girl

"Hey Coop, can I bum a cigarette?"

Coop looked up from his own freshly lit one to see Spence watching him expectantly. With a shrug, Coop fished the pack he kept in his pocket out and held it out to the other boy who mumbled his thanks and the two fell back into their usual morning silence. A few minutes passed and Matt Hanson, one of the school's Golden Boys, turned the corner coming from the student parking lot, a girl tucked under his arm. She wore an Adam's High football hoodie that was at least three times too big and her hair clung to her face. Coop thought he caught a glimpse of glasses on her, and it was hard to miss the way she was shivering.

The two soon disappeared into the building and Coop lost interest as quickly as he'd gained it. The comings and goings of others had nothing to do with him. He hadn't been able to catch much of a glimpse of the girl's face anyway as she'd practically burrowed it into Matt's chest. He wasn't a fan of clingy chicks, they were too much of a nuisance.

"That wasn't Sera," Spence said after a few minutes had gone by since the couple had disappeared. As usual, Spence took Coop's silence as agreement and continued his one-man conversation. "That chick must have a death wish."

Oh yeah, Sera would eat that mousy little girl alive, but again, that was hardly his problem. Coop took another drag of his cigarette and half listened as Spence continued speculating about the other girl and what would happen. For someone who considered himself a rebel, Spence had an unquenchable thirst for gossip.

***

Coop didn't protest when perfectly manicured hands grabbed him by the arm and yanked him into an empty classroom during what would've been first period if he had bothered to even go to class. He found himself looking into the confident and predatory eyes of Sera. "I need you," was all she said before yanking him towards her.

He let it happen, just like he'd let it happen before. He didn't care that she was dating another guy; of course, he wouldn't have cared if it had been a different girl to pull him into the classroom either. Coop smirked as her fingers found their way under his shirt and up his back. He leaned her back against the wall and prepared to enjoy himself for the next half hour or so, but before more than a few minutes had passed, the door knob was turning and Mrs. Franklin stepped through.

The two of them broke apart at the sound of her surprised gasp followed by a sharp cough of disapproval. "Mr. Daniels, Ms. Patrick, I have no doubt that you're well aware of just how inappropriate this type of behavior is anywhere, much less on school grounds in my classroom."

When neither student seemed inclined to either respond or look remorseful, the older woman's lips tightened in disapproval and her eyes narrowed. "Perhaps three days of detention will give you both an idea."

That seemed to help Sera find her voice because the girl's face immediately twisted with disdain and her mouth set into a thin, icy line. "I don't have time for detention. I have cheer practice."

"I daresay your education is more important than dancing around on a football field Ms. Patrick," Mrs. Franklin snapped back without sympathy. "I expect both of you to find your way to class right now."

Sera's face turned mutinous, but she only hmphed as she stomped past Mrs. Franklin back out into the hallway. Coop didn't bother saying a word. He'd been given enough detentions by now to know that arguing rarely solved the problem, and besides, what did he care? It wasn't like he'd be going anyway. As he stepped through the doorway, out into the hall to follow Sera, Mrs. Franklin cleared her throat and he turned to look at her expectantly. "I will be checking in on both of you before first period has ended."

Coop made his way to class, figuring it would be a nice change of pace to show up for once, and listened to the distinctive slap of Sera's sandals on the hallway floor. He wondered, with a passing curiosity, if Matt would even care that she was cheating seeing as he had his own thing going on.