Angel

Room 16

I groan as I glare at the white door. Way to waste my time! I walk in to see Mr. Edwards sitting with a book in his hands. He lifts his head to look at me.

“Ms. Harper,” he greets and extends his hand to me so that I can give him the detention slip. “I didn’t expect to see you here,” he says with a glimpse of disappointment in his eyes. His words make my eyes snap to his.

“Never expect things from me.” I make my way to the seat next to the window under the stare of the shocked teacher. I put my earphones in my ears and stare at the quarterbacks playing on the school playground. Typical school’s stars. The cheerleaders stand near the playground and are cheering for the guys. I roll my eyes and lean against the chair, moving my head to the beats of the song and humming along. I tap my foot on the ground as the beats of the song get to me. Just as the chorus is starting, someone pulls my earphones out of my ears. I glare at the person who dared to interrupt my music session.

“Harper,” Daniel greets, and I clench my jaw. He was the reason I am wasting my time here in fucking detention.

“What do you want?” I ask as he sits next to me. I groan in annoyance.

“Oh, don’t be like that, princess,” he says with a smirk. “I just wanted to talk.”

I raise my eyebrows in disbelief.

“What if I don’t want to talk?” I retort and pull my earphones from his hands. I ignore him as I put them back in my ears and turn away from him. I close my eyes again and rest my head on my arms. Someone taps on my shoulder, and I decide to ignore him. He taps again, and again, and again.

“Daniel, I’m going to fucking cut your finger and shove it up your ass!” I shout and lift my head to come face to face with Ace. My eyes widen and my cheeks redden as he looks at me in amusement.

“Feisty.” He chuckles as he pulls a chair and places it next to me. He is intimidating, the total opposite of Daniel. “I like it,” he mumbles to himself, but unfortunately, I heard him. “So what did you do to be here?” he asks casually as if we’ve been friends since forever.

“Ask your asshole of a friend.” I sneer as I glare at Daniel who simply shrugs with a smirk on his face.

“Not my fault you were ignoring me,” Daniel replies as Ace looks at us in confusion.

Damn, he looks hot even while frowning!

Snap out of it, Angel!

“I threw the paper on your face! That is not ignoring! It’s called rejecting,” I snap in frustration, and my head quickly turns to the teacher’s table, and I sigh in relief when I see that he isn’t there.

“Nobody rejects me,” Daniel says proudly.

“I did!” I shout. Damn, that guy is so conceited. Just as Daniel is about to retort, Mr. Edwards walks in, and he looks at us.

“I’ll dismiss you early,” he simply says and takes his things from the table and walks away. Wait, what? I stare at the table and pick my things, trying to avoid another argument with Daniel. Just as I walk out of the class, I hear Ace’s voice loud and clear, and his words make me stop in the hall.

“Back off. She’s off-limits,” Ace says.

What the actual fuck does he mean? I’m off-limits? I decide not to bother myself with him and walk to my car. Just as I am opening my door, I hear footsteps behind me. I exhale loudly, making a mist form as the air is freezing.

“Hey, Madonna,” Ace calls from behind me.

I turn and put on a blank expression as I cross my arms and look at him.

What is this obsession he and his brother has over Madonna?

“I kind of need a ride home,” he says as he scratches the back of his neck nervously.

“And?” I press him. I know that he wants me to tell him to get in the car, but I want him to ask me.

“I was wondering whether you could drop me home as we live just next to each other.” He sighs, and I notice Daniel walking towards us with a smirk.

“Can I come too?” Daniel asks, and my eyes widen as Justin and Ted follow behind him.

The bad boys want a ride. Can I refuse?

“What if I refuse?” I ask, tapping my chin thoughtfully.

“You’ll let us walk to Ace’s in this freezing weather?” Ted asks in shock as he pretends to feel colder.

I roll my eye and open the door. “If you don’t get in the car in the next thirty seconds, I’ll leave you here.” I enter the car and wait for them to get in.

Ace makes his way to the passenger seat, but I don’t look at him. Once I hear the back door close, I start the engine and drive. “Madonna,” Ace calls from beside me.

Is he going to call me Madonna every time?

“Oh! So she’s the Madonna you were looking for that the party!” Justin says in wonder.

He was looking for me?

“Shut up,” Ace mumbles and turns his attention back to me. “So tell me something, why did your parents choose such a crappy name?”

I stop the car in the middle of the road and turn to glare at him. Thank God, there are no other cars. My name isn’t crappy!

“What do you mean?” I ask slowly, trying to sound intimidating to the hot stuff sitting next to me.

“I mean, seriously, who names their kid Madonna?”

Daniel and Ted burst out in a fit of laughter.

Wait, does he think my name is Madonna?

“Who told you this shit?” I ask and chuckle when I see Daniel almost choking because he is laughing too hard.

“Alex,” Ace says in confusion and frowns, making him look adorable.

I laugh and shake my head. Why the hell would he believe Alex?

“Well, my dear Ace, I think that your awesome brother just tricked you,” I say with amusement as I start driving again.

He mutters some curses and balls his fist. Poor Alex!

“What’s your name then?” he asks, and I glance at the guys in the rear-view mirror.

“Harper,” I tell him, and Daniel smirks.

“Angel,” Daniel whispers as he leans forward so that his lips are just next to my ears. Ace glares at him.

Oh yes, the back-off warning!

“What?” Daniel asks defensively, putting his hand up as if surrendering. “I was just saying her name,” he mumbles as he leans in the back seat.

“Angel?” Ace asks me with a genuine smile, and I nod. “Angel Harper,” he says again as if testing my name.

I park the car in my yard and turn to look at them. “We’re here. Now, disappear,” I say as I get out of the car.

“That was not nice, princess,” Ace says as he gets out and stares at me.

“I never said that I was nice.” I simply shrug. When they are all out of the car, I lock it and make my way to my house. I unlock the door, and just as I am about to step in, I hear someone calling for me.

“Angel!” It is Mrs. Carter. I turn my attention to the guys who are walking to her. Ace looks at his mother, then at me, with a smirk playing on his face.

“Mrs. Carter,” I greet her.

“Oh, sweetie, I’d like to invite you to dinner,” she says with her sweet voice.

I offer her a smile but shake my head under a frowning Ace’s stare. “I’m sorry, but I’ll have to say no. I have to go to the gym.”

Mrs. Carter shrugs with a sad smile on her face. “Do come whenever you want then.” I nod. “Have a nice evening, sweetie.”

“You too.” I watch as the guys walk into the house, following Mrs. Carter, leaving Ace standing there, looking at me with his piercing grey eyes. “Can we go back at ignoring each other?” I ask, and he smirks.

“Not ever going to happen, sweetheart.”

I groan in annoyance. I walk into my house and closed the door.

Maybe if I ignore him, he’ll give up.