Rowdy Boy

Then again … I don’t think she’d mind. Even if she says she doesn’t want me, I don’t believe a word from her mouth, and we both know that’s not the truth. She just denies it because she loves to hate me. I guess my plan for her to hate my guts was successful …

But now I’m starting to question why I ever wanted it in the first place.

Is protecting her from me worth it when I’m still the one hurting her the most?

Sighing, I scratch my head and walk into the band practice room, hoping to take my mind off things. But what I see in there, slobbering all over the table, has the hairs on the back of my neck standing up straight.

Ariane is all over Michael, kissing him like she wants to show him how she’s going to suck his dick later.

Fuck that shit.

“What the fuck are you doing?” I growl.

They stop kissing as if caught by surprise and look my way. “Oh, I didn’t see you there,” Ariane says with a giggle. She quickly wipes the red lipstick stain off Michael’s lips. “Not that I care.”

I throw her a look. “What are you trying to do, huh? Work your way up to all the band members?” I growl, folding my arms. “Suck their dick and hope you get famous too?”

“Oh, please.” She jumps off the table and puts her hands against her side. “Like I’d ever be that pathetic.”

“You already are,” I bark.

“Aww … poor Cole. Did I hurt your feelings?” She raises her brows in a mocking manner.

“No, just my eyes,” I snarl.

“Calm down, Cole,” Michael intervenes as he gets off the table too. “It’s no big deal.”

“You’re the one to talk with these sloppy seconds,” I spit back.

“Hey, fuck you,” Michael growls.

“Yeah, Cole. Simmer down,” Ariane says. “Don’t want to get in a fight with your own band member, now do we?”

I march to her but come to a full stop right before I do something I regret. “Don’t fuck with me, Ariane.”

“Or what?” she hisses, glaring up at me with that same fucked-up glare she used to give me. “You gonna punish me?”

“Stay. Away.”

“What? From you?” She cocks her head. “I think I was already doing that. In fact, I’m hooking up with Michael, and there’s nothing you can do to stop it.” She shrugs. “So peace out and stop being such an asshole, will you?”

I avert my gaze and focus on Michael. “You have no idea what you’re messing with, dude.”

He scowls. “What the hell is up with you? You’ve been acting all strange ever since …”

“Since what?” Ariane asks, looking at us both.

“Since that fucking girl came to our school,” Michael continues.

Ariane focuses her attention back on me, but her eyes are fiery this time. “That girl …”

“Yeah, you know … what’s her name …” Michael flicks his fingers and rubs his forehead. “Monica!”

“Monica,” Ariane repeats, but her voice has darkened quite a bit. “Tell me more, Michael.”

I glare at Michael, sending him practical death threats with my eyes.

Still, he ignores my warning signals. “She was snooping on us on that trip when I did some coke, so Cole here had to shut her up.”

“Oh, is that so? And how did you do that, Cole?” Ariane cocks her head at me, clearly mocking me.

I make a fist with my hand to stop the rage from culminating in a fight. “I did what I had to do.”

She narrows her eyes at me. “And what was that, exactly?” She pokes me with her index finger, but I swat it away.

“Enough with your fucking games,” I growl.

“I could say the same to you,” she replies.

“Hey, do you two need a room or what?” Michael interjects. “’Cause it sure seems like you’ve got some beef.”

“I’m fine if she leaves,” I growl, keeping my deadly stare on Ariane.

“No,” she retorts. “Why would I?” She marches back to Michael and puts her hand through his looped arm, then pecks him on the cheek. “He’s my new boyfriend.”

My eyes both widen and narrow in a split second, and I swallow. “Whatever.”

“What? You don’t approve?” Michael asks.

“You do whatever the fuck you want,” I say. “As long as it doesn’t get in the way of our band.”

“Right, because that’s all you care about,” Ariane scoffs.

I snort and shake my head. “Why are you so obsessed with me?”

“I’m not,” she says through gritted teeth.

“Sure seems like it,” I spit back as she comes marching at me.

She presses her fingertip against my chest again, “Stay the fuck away from Monica.”

I lean in, a vicious smile on my face. “Or what?”

“You’re gonna regret you ever lived.”

A devious grin forms on my face. “Yeah … you think that.”

I pass by her and go up to the stage to prepare for practice.

“I ruined your reputation once, I can do it again,” she barks from the back of the room.