Arabella Rivera "What do you mean?" I question, slightly intrigued slightly afraid of the answer. But that's what Haiden Cross does to everyone anyway. He installs fear while also intriguing one to wonder. To wonder who the real Haiden was behind all this hard exterior. Something about his tone told me that whatever he meant wasn't at all rainbows and sunshine. It was a brewing storm. A storm I was afraid I'd get in the crossfire of. He pointed at the bricked building. " If I get in there and hear another asshole call me herpy guy again, then I won't be able to stop myself from pounding his face in. I only have one more strike and I'll get expelled. I can't afford that." His voice had gone back cold. And by the way his voice hissed out the words I could just tell he was probably rehearsing what upset him in his head. As his words sank in, all I could feel was the guilt of starting all of this. His voice was thick enough with emotion to notice how upset he was by all of the rumors. "So then that means the rumor still bothers you...." I drawled out not entirely speaking to him but more to myself. The words just came out without my permission and I wished they hadn't. At least not at this very moment. "I don't fucking care about the rumor!" He roars, completely catching me off guard and startling me enough to take more than one step back. Before I knew it, the bottom of my converse now scrunched on top of the grass. I was not on the concrete anymore but away from Haiden. I might have gotten used to his cold personality but I haven't quite gotten used to his sudden change of moods. He must have seen the shock and fear that betrayed me and showed in my eyes because he sighs in dejection, looking apologetic. "Sorry." His voice lowers. He lifts a hand and racks it through his already messy hair. "Sorry I didn't mean to.....shit. I can't ever do anything right when it comes to you." His last words are a low whisper which made me believe that it was all just a fragment of my imagination. He clenched his eyes, jaw ticking in frustration. "Just leave it Bella. I don't care about the rumor." He opens his eyes and pins me with a look that said otherwise. He cared, the rumor was getting to him more than he let on. And all of it was all my fault. I needed to fix this. "What's her name?" I asked. The words had rolled out before I could even think them through.Haiden looked confused as he peered down at me. "What?" "The girl who's spreading the rumor." I grumble faintly but he catches it. Haiden stares at me for a couple of seconds before a chuckle slips out of his tempting lips. "Well, she's standing right here." He raises an amused eyebrow as he stared at my feet. I rolled my eyes, not at all amused. Time was ticking, literally. Sooner or later the bell would ring and I wasn't so sure I'd be able to stop the rumor before the day ends. In fact, I wasn't so sure I could stop it at all, but I could at least try. Especially since I was the cause. "You know who I'm talking about Haiden. The girl who came to your room last night, the tree girl." Haiden throws his head back and lets out a bark of laughter. "Tree girl?" He then stops laughing and looks at me with a tiny ghost of a smile on his face. " You amuse me Bella." I let out an impatient groan, scowling at him. "Stop beating around the bush Haiden!" His eyes twinkled as he folded his arms. "So demanding." He clicked his tongue. He laughed when he saw how frustrated I was becoming. " Fine. What do you want with Sasha? " I shrugged. "Nothing much, just a little friendly chat. Mind telling me her last name?" He hums, portraying himself as someone who looks skeptical. "I don't know. You don't seem all that friendly." I gritted my teeth growing more and more impatient and irritated. "Well I can also be a bitch if that's what you want." I snapped, fury clouding my senses. Maybe I should leave and just call it a day. But as I look into his eyes the anger slips away. He didn't deserve this no matter how much of an asshole he is. Besides, I wouldn't want him to retaliate and ruin whatever perfect reputation I had. Being up all in my head made me miss the fact that Haiden had somehow come close to me. It was only the sound of the grass crunching beneath his boots did I realize that the scent of cigarette and mint had gotten stronger. I move my eyes off his black shirt that was a few inches away from my face and sucked in a sharp breath when his head dips. My eyes flick to his lips unknowingly and I felt my pulse quicken. His pink tongue dart out to lick his lower lip and my mouth had suddenly become dry. There was a pulsing need I had never felt before as I waited for what he would do next. No one can explain how disappointed I was when he shifted his head until his hot breath fanned against my ear. "Only for me." He whispers, the feeling of his breath against my ear and neck made a shiver run down my spine. I am shocked by the feeling and seemed to be frozen solid. Haiden pulls away, his face leveling with mine as he softly holds my chin and brushes his thumb under my bottom lip. "But for others let's keep your perfect persona up." He smirks pinching the skin of my chin. "Name is Sasha Phillips." His words finally got me out of the trance I seem to always get myself stuck in with him. I finally regained the little composure I had left, coaxing the shivers to let up. I glared into his eyes, slapping his hand away from me as I took a step back. "There is something called personal space Haiden." I grumble and started to walk away from him. I was now on the hunt for Sasha. Before I disappeared from his sight Haiden stops me." Hey Bella!" My steps faltered before I halt. "What?" I asked, not turning around to face him. The shivers had subsided but the racing of my heart didn't. I feared looking at his face would push me over the edge. "Try smiling once in a while. It suits you." He murmurs. I inhaled a breath not bothering to answer him as I walked away. His words weighed down on me more than I liked. They rang in my head over and over until I finally entered the building.