Mina

Obnoxious Boys

I didn't make it back to school until Wednesday. Penny had a complication early Monday morning. She ended up with a lung infection and begged for me to stay with her as she wheezed into an oxygen mask.

I had skipped out long enough to make it to my classes and my internship. Although really I was able to do so much more with Penny in the hospital. The house stayed cleaned, the laundry was minimal, the pantry stayed full.

But Tuesday night before I left I told her there was no way I could miss another day of school. I couldn't, really. My teachers had been understanding but I knew it would end at some point and I didn't want to find out what that point was. I wouldn't be graduating as a valedictorian by any means but I still made sure to keep my grades high. Plus I was just tired of sitting in the stale hospital room with Penny.

I leaned back against the locker beside Chelsea's, my first two hours worth of books folded against my chest. She had been babbling on about Colby. Ever since that day that he rolled up to us, obnoxious as ever, spouting bullshit, she hadn't stopped. I for one didn't trust Colby or any other "popular" person farther than I could throw them. They were all the same, each and everyone. They'd all clawed their way to the top, stepping on whoever necessary, telling whatever lies, pretending to be whoever they needed to be. And people like that weren't to be trusted. No matter how great they seemed. 

And as if he knew I was talking about his kind, he appeared around the corner. It was a reflex. I couldn't stop myself from trying to shoot daggers through him with my eyes. He was obnoxious, full of himself, arrogant, and childish. All things I had absolutely no patience for.

His eyes found mine, it hadn't been intentional. It wasn't like I wanted his attention. In fact one of the worst days in my life was the day that he rolled into the therapy lobby and Sarah pointed him out. If I had been willing to sacrifice my dignity, I would have begged to work with anyone but him. But I was too proud, and this was now where I found myself. Holding my ground, our eyes locked, having a stare down in the middle of our high school hallway.

Owen Savas was nothing.

"I know that look." Chelsea commented.

I flicked my eyes to hers, a smile spread across her face.

"You mean the look I always have when I'm here, surrounded by imbeciles?" I asked, shoving myself off the locker with my foot.

"Now you have that look. The other one is for Owen." She clarified.

"Why are we talking about that beautiful specimen of a man?" Max said, colliding with our backs as he wedged himself between us.

In his usual way of greeting, he kissed us both on the cheek. A sloppy, wet, dramatic show of affection that we'd both come to love. If albeit by force.

"He is not a man, an overgrown child at most." I muttered.

"You have to at least agree a little he is good looking." Chelsea said.

"I can think of a thousand things more attractive than him, like a monkey's ass." I retorted.

Max let go of me as we walked, leaning into Chelsea as he eyed me suspiciously.

"Have you been checking out a lot of monkey asses lately?" He asked, Chelsea snorted out a bark of laughter. "I mean to each there own I just didn't know you were into beastiality."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "You're especially obnoxious this morning. Who'd you convince to finally suck your dick?"

Chelsea's eyes bulged out of her head as she burst out laughing yet again. But Max was forcing my hand. There was only one way to deal with him when he got annoying and that was to banter back and forth until he lost.

"Your dad." He said back.

"Before or after he got done fucking your mom?"

And that was how you shut up Max. He was unbelievably protective of his mom. And normally I wouldn't pull the mom card but he pulled the dad card on me so it was only far.

"Hey." He sobered up. "Not cool."

I shrugged my shoulders, Chelsea grinning from ear to ear, her auburn hair like a beacon in the dark under the fluorescent lights.

"I love you guys." She said on a laugh.

"I love you the most, that bitch over there not so much." Max said, his arm still around her.

"Someone has to keep you humble." I told him as we rounded the corner to our first class.

"Doesn't have to be you." He whined.

"Ah but it does." I pinched his cheek, rising up on my toes to kiss his forehead. "Everyone else is blinded by you're incredible good looks and impeccable taste in fashion."

He flashed a huge smile, pulling me into his arms at the compliment.

"Alright, Alright. I love you too. But only because you called me cute."

————————

I dropped my books on the table that Chelsea and I shared in Mr. Palmer's, glancing to see if Donny was in class or not. Ever since Mr. Palmer had informed Owen he was responsible for his own notes, I'd been letting him borrow mine on the days Donny wasn't in class.

It wasn't that I was softening up. I still couldn't stand Owen. And I definitely didn't want to deal with him anymore than I had to. But I knew how difficult writing was for Owen still, even if he had improved greatly. And as much as it pained me to say, Owen was right. Mr. Palmer was just being a dick.

"Do we need to switch?" Chelsea asked, pulling her chair out just as Donny's obnoxiously loud voice boomed in the hallway.

"Nope, I think we're safe." I said, a small smile on my face as I sat.

Donny was a nit wit but at least if he was here I didn't have to spend even more time with Owen. I'd do just about anything to ensure that.

                               ————————

I love Max and Chelsea. Max has turned out to be one of my favorite characters to write in this book. Maybe he'll get a spin-off, I haven't thought about it much but I might not be ready to part ways with him at the end of Mina.