Chapter 6

Two days.

And not a word has been exchanged between Liam and Reneè. I was like they never met. And she wanted it to stay that way.

"Hey, what happened to your wrist?" Carlos said as he got to her. She had made sure to wear long sleeves to school during those two days but the bruise didn't seem to be getting better... maybe a little.

Today she was wearing a short sleeve T-shirt and a pair of light blue jeans with black flats. So the bandages on her wrist were on full display.

"Um... I bruised myself. No big deal, I-i'm fine." Carlos' eyes narrows a bit, knowing that wasn't the full truth but he didn't pry.

"Hey guys." Lucy says, throwing her arm over both their shoulders. Carlos had to bend slightly to accommodate her height. "So what are we doing today? I say we should go watch a movie, or maybe we should go shopping. Yeah, let's go shopping."

"One, let's focus on finishing school for today and two, I am never going shopping with you again so don't bother." Carlos comments, Lucy pouts while Reneè tries to stifle a laugh by biting her lips.

"Whatever. But don't come crawling back to me when you need new clothes. Anyway we have history now, let's go. See you later Reneè."

"Bye Ray Ray." Lucy grabs his arm and pulls him down the hall way. They both disappear up the stairs.

She sits down taking her books out of her bag. An African-American girl takes the seat beside her. "Hi..um.. Reneè right?"

"Yeah."

"I'm Africa." She smiles and Reneè smiles back. "Your name is very beautiful. Are you really from Africa or did your parents just like the name?"

"Thank you and yes I am. Nigeria to be precise."

Reneè opens her mouth to say something when the door to the class opens. She already knew it wasn't the teacher since it was still early.

Her mind told her not to look at who walked in but her eyes betrayed her as she looked up.

A pair of green eyes roam the room before landing on her. Like every time, his face held no emotion. She looks away from him, her eyes fixed on her table.

Liam kept his eyes on her as he walked past her table while she was busy holding her breath.

"Is everything okay?" Africa asked looking at Liam and then her. Reneè was quiet for some seconds.

Was everything okay?

"Yes, everything's okay." That was the last thing she said before the teacher walked in.

"Um Africa." She catches up with her. "Would you like to have lunch with my friends and I?" Africa was also one of the new students but she came before Liam did. Reneè knew how it felt to be one of the new students and how it takes time for people to warm up to you.

"Really? I mean sure. Thank you."

The two girls walked side by side to the cafeteria where Lucy and Carlos were waiting for them. After grabbing their food they sat at the table.

"Hi." Lucy was the first to talk to Africa.

"Guys, this is Africa, I thought maybe she could sit with us."

"No problem. I'm Carlos." He gives her his signature dashing smile.

"And I'm-"

Carlos started rambling about random things interrupting Lucy from her introduction.

"I hate you so much." Lucy glares at him and he smiles wrapping his arm around her shoulder, "And I love you too."

"Get your hand off my girlfriend Hound, or I'll steal yours." Andrew says plopping down on the seat beside Lucy.

"Which one of them?" Carlos asks with a smirk.

The group laughs, Lucy adding a little eye roll.

They talked, inserting jokes here and there trying to make Africa feel at home. And indeed did she feel that way.

"Well well well." A high pitched voice says. Reneè could recognise that voice anywhere and how she did hate every atom of it and the person that owned it.

And that was no other person than London Sinclair.

"Welcome the Queen bitch. The bitch over all bitches. The bitchiest of them all. London Sinclair. You know sometimes I wonder why your parents named you after a very beautiful city and then they ask who London is, they see this..." Lucy pauses looking for the right word, "... Mistake."

They could practically see the smoke coming out of London's ear. "I'm not here for you if not you'll be six feet under the floor."

"Yeah I'd rather be six feet under than hear that siren you call a voice."

"I'm hear for this little black thing." She points one of her manicured fingers at Africa.

"Woah London, you can't come here like you own the place and start causing chaos." Carlos steps in for Africa but London ignores him.

"I heard that children in Africa are dying of poverty and hunger. So I came over here to give you this." London throws a plate of fries on her, "And as for the poverty aspect, you can go ahead and die 'cause no one cares." She smiles innocently.

Africa stands. "I won't let you talk to me like that." She wasn't afraid to stand up for herself.

London laughs, "And what are you going to do? Give me Ebola?" Her two minions, Isabelle Brick and Hilary Jackson laughs along with her.

Reneè decided that she couldn't sit there and watch how they insulted her friend. "Back off, London. She didn't even do anything to you, what's your problem?"

"I'm sorry but I don't talk to fatherless children."

Lucy said something along the lines of 'oh no you did not just say that.'

"What did you say?" Reneè could feel the anger building up.

"Oh now she's deaf too." That was all it took to push Reneè over the edge.

A slap rang through the cafeteria. Every one has thought it was London who struck first but they were far from right.

"You slapped me." London says, clutching her red cheek.

"You slapped me!" Her voice was louder, almost deafening. "I'm gonna kill you."

London charged a Reneè and that's how the fight started.

There were shouts of encouragement from the crowd that had gathered to see the fight.

Carlos and Andrew tried to separate Reneè from London but Lucy threaten them not to try it. Apparently London needed to be taught a lesson.

Reneè hated fighting. But she could make an exception when it came to her family.

London didn't even try. she pulled and pushed still Reneè refused to stop.

Reneè landed one last slap on her cheek before she was pulled away.

A teacher stopped the fight telling everyone to go back to eating while he directed Reneè and London to the principal's office.

"Fighting! Reneè I did not expect this from you." She refused to look at Mr. Brown.

"And you Miss Sinclair, what exactly did you do to provoke Miss Young." He turns to London.

"I just came to say hi to Africa when she insulted me and purposely bumped into me. When I told her to apologize she started hitting me." London fake sobbed, dabbing her dried eyes with her with her hankie.

"She's lying I didn't insult her She did, to Africa and I. You can ask the others, they were there." Reneè cuts in trying to defend herself. "Did you hit her first?"

Silence.

She sighs, "Yes."

"Since this the first time you've really ever done something wrong I'll only give you detention, two hours." Mr. Brown turns to London, "And for you, I will have a word with your parents. You're dismissed."

Reneè walks out of the office with London behind her. "I've never liked you Reneè but now you're in for it. You won't know what hit you." London says before walking away, spotting a bruise on her cheek.

Reneè didn't know when she was engulfed in a hug. "Tell me that he suspended London or did something at least." Lucy waited for an answer.

She shakes her head. They already knew that London wouldn't get into trouble. Her parents were extremely rich. They supported the school in a lot of ways and if they heard that their daughter was punished in Anyway then that was it for their support.

"They gave me detention, I don't know what I'm going to tell my mom."

Carlos was angry. "Why the fuck would they give you detention when it was all that whore's fault. You know I think it's time to give that principal of yours a piece of my mind." He wasn't joking but Andrew tried calming him down.

"I'm so sorry for getting you in this mess..." Africa was cut off.

"No. Friends stand up for each other and that what I did." Reneè smiles and Africa whispers a thank you.

"Lets get you some new clothes. I have some in my locker." Reneè finally realised that there were food stains on her clothes from the fight as she follows Lucy to the girls restrooms.

"Are you sure this is okay?" Reneè asks for the millionth time, looking at her outfit.

"Of course it is. You look hot girl." Lucy confirms looking at her from head to toe.

Both Reneè's jeans and shirt were stained so Lucy gave her a short high waist jeans skirt that reached her mid thigh and a red crop top. Reneè's bust was bigger than Lucy's so the shirt rode up even more showing her belly button and a little of her cleavage. Lucy tried to make her wear one of her heels but Reneè declined sticking to her flats but it did nothing to make her dressing less... eye catching.

She was unsure of her dressing but what else could she do. She nods and Lucy squeals excitedly. "No one is gonna get their eyes off you."

And she was right.

Everyone turned to look at her as she walked down the hallway nervously with Lucy by her side. "Hey Reneè." It was one of the football guys, but he was one of the nice ones. Isaac was his name. "You look good." He sent her a wink before running to meet up with his friends.

Reneè could feel her cheeks heating up at the compliment. She felt a pair of eyes one her, she looks around her eyes landing on Liam.

His eyes slowly trail down her body, taking in every curve that defined her beautiful body. The clothes she wore made them even obvious.

He hated it.

The way she attracted attention so much. A lot of students couldn't take their eyes off her, a lot of guys.

She stared at him watching as he checked her out. She felt naked under his stern gaze but she willed herself to look away. "He's still looking at you." Lucy whispered to her.

"I really don't care." She walks pass him with Lucy trailing behind her.

~

"Are you sure you'll be okay? I mean I can wait for you..."

"Carlos I'll be fine, stop worrying." She assures him. "Stop being such a mom." Lucy adds.

"I should get going." Reneè sighs, "I'll see you guys tomorrow."

She steps into the class where the detention was suppose to take place. She handed Mr. Issac her detention slip, "I didn't expect you to be here Reneè." He says.

Expect for the teacher they were three people in the room. A guy in her grade and the other two were juniors.

She was the only female.

She quietly took a sit, taking a book out of her bag.

Love and lies.

she began to read.

About thirty minutes later she was absorbed into the book but the teacher chose it as the right time to break her concentration.

"I have a meeting to attend so no one leave unless you'll have detention for the whole week, for four hours." Taking his bag, he walks out of the class.

That's when Liam walked into the class, his eyes meeting hers for a split second. He takes a seat not far from hers.

"I heard about your fight, not bad for your first try." The other guy in her grade says. She noticed he had moved to the seat beside her.

She noticed something shining at the edge of his lips.

A piercing.

"Um... Yeah." She had no idea what to say. "I'm Theo." He says tilting his head side ways. His dirty blond hair falling over his light brown eyes. His eyes travel the length of her body before smirking.

He didn't talk to her the rest of the day. And neither did Liam, he just kept glaring at Theo and her.

Once the two hours were done she quickly stood up grabbing her things and walking out of the door.

She walked as quickly as possible but she wasn't as fast as she thought she'd be. She could hear the sound of a car behind her but she refused to look back.

"Get in." Liam says through his window, driving as slow as possible to meet her pace.

She ignored him.

"Get in the car." He sighs but all he received was silence.

She continued to walk, she heard him get out of the car. She felt a hand grab herself.

"Don't you dare touch me." She snaps. "What do you want me to do when you've been ignoring me?"

She turns again to walk away. "I'm sorry okay? Isn't that what you want to hear?" He was getting angry.

"It's not about saying sorry Liam. You do things without caring how it will affect others and then you just come and say sorry and expect everything to be okay? No Liam."

"You couldn't even see what he was trying to do. He just wanted to use you but you were so blind..."

"He has a girlfriend."

Silence.

His eyebrows drew together. "He loves her I know because he wouldn't stop talking about her to me, and he wouldn't try to hurt her. But all you could think about was how he wanted to take advantage of me. You hurt him for no reason and then you hurt Me." His eyes travel to her bandage covered hand. "I'm not doing this anymore. You didn't want to do the project anymore. You have your wish. I'm done with you."

She continues to walk away.

"Reneè."

She stops as realization hits her.

It's the first time he had ever said her name.

"I'm sorry." She slowly turned to meet his eyes. There was no trace of dishonesty. All she could see was sincerity and truth.

"I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm sorry just," he pauses taking a deep breath, "Please don't leave me." It was the first time she had ever seen him display such raw emotions.

Every part of her body was telling her to walk away but her heart wanted to forgive him. "If we're still doing this there has to be some ground rules because I'm not taking any chances. You can not hurt me again." He nods "And you have to be nicer to me and at least try to cooperate."

He frowns at the words nicer and cooperate, then finally nods.