Crooked Young
Mint
KARINA'S POV
Entering the library, I silently made my way through the aisles and to the encyclopedia section in search of a volume that would help me with my upcoming Geography assignment. As I turned the corner, my feet halted at the sight before me. A matter of meters away stood Tony, books in hand as he filled a half empty shelf.
Swallowing my fear, I ignored his presence as I focused my attention on the books and let my fingers run along their spines.
"They don't stock 50 Shades of Grey in here," said Tony, his words sounding like a roar in the quietness of the library. Lifting my head, I turned to see him in the exact same stance as before. I suddenly felt silly for looking at him, but I couldn't stop. Gnawing on what I imagined was a piece of chewing gum, his strong jaw danced under his tanned skin. I swallowed thickly.
"I'm not looking for that," I answered quietly.
"What are you looking for then?" He questioned, examining a book briefly before placing it on the shelf. I paused, getting caught up in the way his jaw muscles flexed. Just as I'd settled into a comfortable stare (which was probably not comfortable for him), he bent down and lifted the empty plastic box off the floor.
"Weren't you ever told that it's rude to stare?" He whispered upon passing, slowing to a stop as he reached me. Words refused to come out as his forearm brushed mine. His minty breathe fanned across my face, and his low words slipped into my ear like liquor down your throat. Noticing his plump pink lips curl up into a devilish smirk, I forced my eyes upon the shelves in the distance. Tony just let out a breathy laugh and sauntered off.
Shaking off the odd feeling of being rendered speechless, I squeezed the bridge of my nose as I tried to collect my thoughts. Something about Tony made them muddled - he was a hurricane, and I was Kansas.
Hurrying out of the library, I nibbled at my bottom lip as I wandered the halls in search of Elise. She was the Queen of being unable to read emotions, so I'd be safe in her company. I guess that's one of the reasons we got on so well: no matter what mood I was in, she was caught up in her own predicaments and, soon, I got caught up in them too, therefore leaving mine behind.
Finally, I spotted her at the water fountain across from her locker. She was leaning against the wall, flirtatiously talking with a blonde haired boy I'd seen a few times before.
"El," I said, giving the guy a heavy stare to ward him off.
"Kat," she nodded, smiling at the guy as he backed away. I shook my head at her and slouched against the wall. I didn't want to go to anywhere - I just wanted to watch everyone pass by, going about their business like we weren't there.
"That was Bradley," she informed me. "He's cute, isn't he? I mean, he's a little bulky - y'know, not as thin as Mike - but I like him. I think he packs large too. He's really funny."
"Awesome," I replied absentmindedly. Elise was, to put it simply, a bit of a whore. She was my friend, she was my backup, she was my driver, and she was my whore.
"Yeah, he asked me out on Saturday. We're going to the cinema, and you know what that means," she said suggestively, nudging my side with her elbow. As I went to reply, my words caught in my throat. Tony was strolling past, Mike a millisecond behind as he stared intensely at his phone. Wait, they're friends? Is that how Tony knew my name?
Feeling a slight whirl in the pit of my stomach, I averted my eyes to the sun beaming through the open doors. I could faintly hear Elise rambling on in my ear, but I was too lost in my own thoughts to care.
"Hold still," Meg grumbled, lining the needle up with the dot she'd put on my ear. There was a moment of still silence before I felt a stinging pain as she pushed it through. "Okay, now for the stud," she told me, removing the needle and pushing the jewellery through the freshly made hole. I winced in pain, but didn't dare move.
"All done," she announced, sitting back and smiling proudly at my sore ear. I let out the breath I was holding and lifted her mirror, examining my new cartilage piercing.
"Y'know what, I'm happy I'm your dummy," I told Meg, my eyes flickering to the camera that was recording the whole thing. "Maybe you should be a piercer?"
"Yeah, thought about it," she shrugged, sliding away on her computer chair to turn the camera off. "My mum taught me how, hence the reason I could do that, but I just wanted to be able to do it. I don't really want it as a career."
I understood what Meg meant and, as I held a cotton pad to my ear, I agreed. Meg was quite an indecisive girl until her mum remarried and the husband brought along his 15 year old son. The competition turned Meg into a different person - she began to get hooked on new hobbies every week, and she was constantly planning her future. I guess she just wanted to make her parent proud, and I knew exactly what that felt like.
Flopping back on her bed, I let the peach coloured sheets surround me as I stared over at her poster wall. She had numerous pictures of obscure indie bands pinned up alongside signed tickets and scraps of paper. She was pretty great at meeting celebrities in odd places, it was one of her many talents.
"So, any boys on your radar?" I asked.
"No time," she said as though it was obvious. "Anyway, I don't want one. You?"
I glanced over at the packet of gum on her bedside table and inhaled.
"Nope, none at all."
Entering the library, I silently made my way through the aisles and to the encyclopedia section in search of a volume that would help me with my upcoming Geography assignment. As I turned the corner, my feet halted at the sight before me. A matter of meters away stood Tony, books in hand as he filled a half empty shelf.
Swallowing my fear, I ignored his presence as I focused my attention on the books and let my fingers run along their spines.
"They don't stock 50 Shades of Grey in here," said Tony, his words sounding like a roar in the quietness of the library. Lifting my head, I turned to see him in the exact same stance as before. I suddenly felt silly for looking at him, but I couldn't stop. Gnawing on what I imagined was a piece of chewing gum, his strong jaw danced under his tanned skin. I swallowed thickly.
"I'm not looking for that," I answered quietly.
"What are you looking for then?" He questioned, examining a book briefly before placing it on the shelf. I paused, getting caught up in the way his jaw muscles flexed. Just as I'd settled into a comfortable stare (which was probably not comfortable for him), he bent down and lifted the empty plastic box off the floor.
"Weren't you ever told that it's rude to stare?" He whispered upon passing, slowing to a stop as he reached me. Words refused to come out as his forearm brushed mine. His minty breathe fanned across my face, and his low words slipped into my ear like liquor down your throat. Noticing his plump pink lips curl up into a devilish smirk, I forced my eyes upon the shelves in the distance. Tony just let out a breathy laugh and sauntered off.
Shaking off the odd feeling of being rendered speechless, I squeezed the bridge of my nose as I tried to collect my thoughts. Something about Tony made them muddled - he was a hurricane, and I was Kansas.
Hurrying out of the library, I nibbled at my bottom lip as I wandered the halls in search of Elise. She was the Queen of being unable to read emotions, so I'd be safe in her company. I guess that's one of the reasons we got on so well: no matter what mood I was in, she was caught up in her own predicaments and, soon, I got caught up in them too, therefore leaving mine behind.
Finally, I spotted her at the water fountain across from her locker. She was leaning against the wall, flirtatiously talking with a blonde haired boy I'd seen a few times before.
"El," I said, giving the guy a heavy stare to ward him off.
"Kat," she nodded, smiling at the guy as he backed away. I shook my head at her and slouched against the wall. I didn't want to go to anywhere - I just wanted to watch everyone pass by, going about their business like we weren't there.
"That was Bradley," she informed me. "He's cute, isn't he? I mean, he's a little bulky - y'know, not as thin as Mike - but I like him. I think he packs large too. He's really funny."
"Awesome," I replied absentmindedly. Elise was, to put it simply, a bit of a whore. She was my friend, she was my backup, she was my driver, and she was my whore.
"Yeah, he asked me out on Saturday. We're going to the cinema, and you know what that means," she said suggestively, nudging my side with her elbow. As I went to reply, my words caught in my throat. Tony was strolling past, Mike a millisecond behind as he stared intensely at his phone. Wait, they're friends? Is that how Tony knew my name?
Feeling a slight whirl in the pit of my stomach, I averted my eyes to the sun beaming through the open doors. I could faintly hear Elise rambling on in my ear, but I was too lost in my own thoughts to care.
"Hold still," Meg grumbled, lining the needle up with the dot she'd put on my ear. There was a moment of still silence before I felt a stinging pain as she pushed it through. "Okay, now for the stud," she told me, removing the needle and pushing the jewellery through the freshly made hole. I winced in pain, but didn't dare move.
"All done," she announced, sitting back and smiling proudly at my sore ear. I let out the breath I was holding and lifted her mirror, examining my new cartilage piercing.
"Y'know what, I'm happy I'm your dummy," I told Meg, my eyes flickering to the camera that was recording the whole thing. "Maybe you should be a piercer?"
"Yeah, thought about it," she shrugged, sliding away on her computer chair to turn the camera off. "My mum taught me how, hence the reason I could do that, but I just wanted to be able to do it. I don't really want it as a career."
I understood what Meg meant and, as I held a cotton pad to my ear, I agreed. Meg was quite an indecisive girl until her mum remarried and the husband brought along his 15 year old son. The competition turned Meg into a different person - she began to get hooked on new hobbies every week, and she was constantly planning her future. I guess she just wanted to make her parent proud, and I knew exactly what that felt like.
Flopping back on her bed, I let the peach coloured sheets surround me as I stared over at her poster wall. She had numerous pictures of obscure indie bands pinned up alongside signed tickets and scraps of paper. She was pretty great at meeting celebrities in odd places, it was one of her many talents.
"So, any boys on your radar?" I asked.
"No time," she said as though it was obvious. "Anyway, I don't want one. You?"
I glanced over at the packet of gum on her bedside table and inhaled.
"Nope, none at all."
Notes
so, a little more action in this chapter! thoughts;)?
I hope you guys liked this:s
thanks for reading!<3
OMFG <3
7/6/15