Chapter 12: Bad Boy or Best Friend

I stared at the ceiling for thirty minutes before I decided to get out of bed. I needed to play it cool when I saw him today. I didn’t want him to think I had been gushing about it all night, even though I had.

‘Play it cool, Aria. You can do this.’ Fumbling through my available uniforms, I remembered I was down one. I would need to explain that to Mom eventually but not yet. I was at the locker, not even concerned with Courtney and her crew, even after what they did to me.

“Hey, you’re back!” I shouted when I saw Hannah walking across the courtyard to my locker. She waved and hit me with a smile. She leaned against the lockers, making a clanking sound.

“Yes, I am, in the flesh.” She twirled and looked off to the side.

“I guess that’s my cue to leave.” She pointed and took off. I turned around to see what she was pointing at, and I bumped into Chase.

“Hey,” he said and grinned. I took a few books out of my bag and swapped them with ones in my locker.