To Claim His Girl

“Even though you two worked well, I can’t have this sort of behavior. Wayne, swap partners with Eli.”

“No, it’s fine. He’ll be good,” Aria said, tapping his chest.

“I know, which is why he’ll be helping Stacey. Now, chop chop.”

Eli glared at Wayne, who looked smug as they were forced to swap partners.

“Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of her.”

Handing over the same colored band, Eli was going to make sure that he was hot on Wayne’s tail.

****

“Do you need me to rub it better?” Wayne asked, later that day.

Aria was rubbing her thigh while she stood at her locker. After gym she’d not been able to catch any time with Eli, and it made her nervous. She didn’t know how to face him after what he said, and it made everything even more confusing.

One week he’d been back, and she was all over the place.

“Fuck off, Wayne,” she said.

Partnering up with Wayne was the worst moment of her life. He couldn’t keep his wandering hands to himself, and when they had been on the rope, he’d squeezed her breast. If a teacher hadn’t been there, she was so going to nail him in the balls. Each time he touched her, Eli was watching them. It was like they were competing for something, but she just didn’t know what.

“Is that any way to speak to me?” he asked, moving up close behind her.

“Ew, what is your deal?” She slammed her book closed, and turned toward him. “I don’t know what kind of sick game you’re playing, but leave me out of it.”

“Come on, Aria, you’re not that stupid. You know why I was at your house the other night.”

She rolled her eyes. “I don’t. Whatever my dad has planned, it’s on him. Nothing to do with me, just like you’re nothing to do with me.”

“I’d guess again if I was you,” he said. “I may not have wanted you, but I can make it work, especially if it means Eli doesn’t get you.”

Closing her locker, she folded her arms, and stared at him. “You’re an idiot. What do you want, Wayne?”

“Well, you see, my dad told me that your father is looking to partner in business. He doesn’t have a son, and rumor has it, his little girl wants nothing to do with his empire. So he’s looking for a son to hand it to. I could be that son.”

Her stomach turned. “Ew, I think I just threw up in my mouth.”

“You could get to know me quite intimately.”

He went to tuck some of her hair behind her ear, and she caught his hand. “I don’t think so. You’ve spent most of your life calling me names, and making life really shitty. It’s not going to happen. Not now, not ever. You don’t even like me. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got somewhere to be.”

She made her way toward health class, also known as sex ed, and she was nervous. Eli wasn’t known for his outbursts of actual affection. She’d known him all of her life, and his father was a tough guy who didn’t believe in emotions.

The classroom only had a few students inside, and so she took a seat in the back.

Seconds later, Eli walked in, and he didn’t even take his time to talk to anyone else. He went straight for her.

Neither of them spoke for several seconds, and she really didn’t know what to say. The band on her wrist reminded her that she still had her hair down. Quickly pulling it back, she wrapped it in a messy bun to keep it out of the way.

“I love your hair,” he said.

“Eli?”

“Hear me out. I know I just spilled my guts to you, and you’re a little freaked by it.”

“Well, yeah, it’s out of the blue. You’ve never even looked in my direction before.”