"The original bad boy . . . is a screw up."

21| The Badass Every Girl Wants

"Wanna tell me why you skipped class?"

He leans back in his chair, giving me his full attention. In that moment, I wish I could've told him how much it sucked being a moron who couldn't keep her mouth shut in front of the wrong people.

"My friend got in a fight," I answer. He raises an eyebrow and I explain, "It was practically his first day back to school, so you wouldn't know him. Nevertheless, two idiots told him a guy was harassing the girl he likes, and the next thing you know, we're all icing his black eye and other bruises."

Vivian shifts forward, his forearms flat on the dinner table. "Want me to beat up the guy who beat up your friend?" A smile plays at his lips and I earn a glimpse of a small dimple.

"I thought you'd be ashamed I didn't use my self defense skills," I confess.

"I'd rather you not get involved in other people's fights."

"I have my own to tackle," I mutter under my breath.

"Huh?"

"Mr. Dex--Vivian," I correct when he opens his mouth to scold, "we have three minutes left and I'd like to chat about something other than me skipping a highly valuable lesson in gym class."

He checks the timer and swears. "Okay. Have you been to the Museum of Art here in NYC?" I shake my head, wondering how that had anything to do with the seven minutes of conversation. "Would you like to?"

I slowly nod, but then I shake my head realizing he's asking me out.

"Is that a yes or a no?" he asks confused.

I don't even know.

"You're my teacher," I point out in disbelief.

"Yeah, we'll go for research purposes," he says almost sarcastically. "If it just so happens that one of my students wants to learn something outside of class, no one can object."

"How does self defense relate to the history of art?"

"Who's talking about art history?" My eyes widen at whatever he's trying to imply. He seems to understand my discomfort too. "Okay, that didn't sound right. I do have an art history project for my college class and rather than me wandering alone, I thought I'd have company." His face softens, and I can easily see the disappointment. "If you don't want to go, you can say no."

"You're my teacher," I repeat again.

"Self defense teacher. I'm only a year older than you, maybe."

I blink at him with an abundance of thoughts racing marathons through my mind. As interesting as a museum is, visiting it with my . . . teacher seems risky and unconventional.

"If I go with you, would it be considered a date?"

He presses his lips, trying to hide a smile but I see it anyways. "Only if you want it to be."

I hesitate before producing my answer: "I'll go, but it's not a date."

"Deal." He grins. 

Before we can continue any further, the clumsy waitress walks up to the table with Vivian's order and accidentally drops it. Every single thing spills across the table on top of him and on top of me. 

I no longer have the heart to say anything to anyone. 

------------------

The date or the "Not a Date" with Vivian has me on the edge the entire night. If that isn't enough, the Ben and Danie issue as well as my own stupidity for opening my mouth overshadows everything else. Arsen asked me to join his gang to save my life, but that was equivalent of asking me to commit suicide. I didn't have that kind of self destruction motivation.

I end up at school the following day with extreme dark circles. Danie runs up to my locker as I'm grabbing a few heavy textbooks and shoving them in my backpack. Her face runs with tears and ruined mascara.

"What's wrong?" I ask concerned.

"B-B-Ben . . ." she sobs. 

Isa follows right behind her seeming frustrated as she punches the side of the locker next to mine. "That dumbass," she mutters.

"What's going on, guys?" I inquire completely lost.

"The moron left us," Isa says, nose flaring.

"Huh?" I honestly think I lost brain cells overnight.

"Val, Ben decided to join Arsen's gang," Danie explains before bursting out in tears all over again. "It's a-all my f-f-fault."

"How? Why? What?!" I murmur in shock. 

"After Danie rejected him, he thought he wasn't cool enough. She likes bad boys, so he decided to join the Ruthless Rebels to learn the art of becoming a bad boy." Isa's face clearly states her disapproval as she further elucidates. "At least, that's what he told me when I saw him trying to smoke weed with Leo in the school courtyard."

"Smoke what?! Ben? Weed? What the hell is wrong with that idiot?" I can't believe the turn of events, especially this one concerning one of my best friends. 

"He was practically choking and gagging." Isa informs.

"I'll go talk to him." As I turn to scurry away, Isa grabs my arm and shakes her head profusely.

"Don't bother. He said he won't talk to any of us until he achieves what he wants," she says quietly. "Ben was really wounded by the rejection."

"All my fault," reiterates Danie. 

"No, it's not. Hush," I mumble, offering her a sideways hug. She refuses at first, but then Isa and I tackle her in a group hug and reassure each other our friend was eventually coming back to us. "For all we know, Arsen might break his leg again."

"Twenty dollars he'll use his brain to come back--before they break his legs or arms," Isa bets.

Danie and I roll our  eyes. 

Things are going in a different direction than I had imagined. 

Danie, Isa, and I hold a small conversation before continuing to our classes, our minds obviously stuck on Ben's actions. I decide, though not confidently, to meet up with Arsen and tell him to kick Ben out of his group. Why the ruthless rebels had accepted Ben in their team is beyond me.

At the end of the school day, I encounter the group of rebels with their newest member, sitting on top of someone's car in the student parking lot. I swallow, take a few deep breaths, and saunter towards the group. 

"Ben," I say as I reach the rebels.

They blink at me like I'm some sort of alien. Leo raises an eyebrow as he pulls the cigarette out of his mouth. Ben stares at me as if he had never seen me before in his life. I notice Arsen releasing a tired breath as he brushes a hand through his dark hair. Furthermore, he simply gets up, picks up his jacket and swings it over his shoulder before walking away.

The only person who I thought would support me through this leaves.

Ben turns to me and says, "You need something?"

"Can I talk to you?" I ask feeling little.

"Sure," he agrees, "Whatever you have to say, you can say right here." I scowl, letting my forehead wrinkle in confusion at his statement. While the rebels are impressed by the new recruit's response, I fall short of words. "Don't waste our time, Cruz. We have places to be."

"Cruz?" I repeat. "They've already changed you, Ben. Why the hell are you with these people?!"

Ben bites his bottom lip and nods apprehensively. I couldn't ever imagine him referring to me by my last name. 

"Either you're really bold or really stupid to approach us like this," Leo tells me. I lock my eyes with his piercing ones and blink harshly. Of course, he's referring to me opening my big mouth in front of his group last time in the cafeteria. Ben has no idea what's going on and I don't know how to handle the situation any better either. "You have a death wish and I am granting it. Three days, Cruz. Three days."

The rest of them agree, terrifying smiles crossing their features. They turn away, muttering something about jump starting the car.

As I register Leo's words slowly and painfully, someone pulls me away from the sleeve.

Without glancing at the person, I allow myself to follow behind, my heart and my head pounding in fear. Leo--oh so graciously--gave me three days to live. 

"Cruz! Cruz! Valerie!" Arsen shakes me until I finally turn to him.

"They're gonna kill me," I reply. 

We stand underneath a tree away from the prying eyes of teachers and students leaving.

"Oh look who came to her senses," Arsen says proudly. "What made you believe my words finally? The fact that I left you to those guys by yourself?"

"Arsen, they have Ben," I whisper in shock. "Leo said he was going to kill me in three days. What the hell just happened?"

"You see, some people are on a different level of stupid in this world," he says in a matter-of-fact tone. "You fit that category. Your dumbness is unmatched and is unique in its own way. You actually received a death on sight warrant on your head."

"Shut up!" I push him away.

"Who the hell told you to go to them?" he asks simply, anger underlying his words. "And why did that dumbass friend of yours decide to ask Leo to recruit him in the group? Do you have any idea what they're going to do to him? Or to you?"

"How was I supposed to know Ben wanted to be like you? The badass every girl wants?!" I say in frustration.

Arsen laughs mockingly. "Badass? You mean a screw up? A rebel without a cause? Someone who gets by in life with money earned from illegal dirt bike races? Someone who needs to sell drugs to make money to run his home?" He steps up to me. I breathe hard at the rising tension between us, the anger reflecting and deflecting off of each other. "Do you think any girl would still want me? For god's sake Valerie, you wouldn't even bother exchanging a word or passing a look at me when you found out I joined the gang."

My heart thumps against my chest as I stare back into his cold eyes. I've never seen such pain and such damage in someone's soul from just his dark brown irises. Arsen didn't mention our past from the night he fled away from me and my life. Of course, he would notice me not talking to him after he fell into the wrong crowd. I didn't think my failure to talk to him would impact him to this point. 

"Arsen," I say not knowing what else to say. Tears fill up my eyes as I don't know what to say or what to think. 

He backs away. "The only way out of the mess with Leo is if you decide to join the gang. Here's the plan. You and I have been secretly dating for a while, and because you're my girlfriend, they won't do anything to you. Once you convince Ben to get out of the mess he's in, you and him slowly step out of the gang. Essentially, nobody dies. That's the goal."

I keep my focus on his face. "Why would you help me?"

"I don't know."

"Arsen?"

"I really don't know." He shrugs. "Tell me your decision by tomorrow. I'll stop by your parents' new restaurant."

I nod my head as he trudges away, shrugging on his jacket. 

I honestly have no idea regarding what happened. 

------------

Check out my twitter: worldgirlalways (I follow back)

This update is damn overdue and I hope you forgive me for an uncalled for hiatus. What did you think about the chapter? Drama is awesome, no? 

Anybody like Arsen?

Fake girlfriend is gonna work out?

Check out "Mermaid's Bad Boy" if you got time! Pretty please!!! 

What days and how often should I update? I won't promise I'll do it exactly but I will try at least. So, if you say update twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays, that's practically impossible. College classes and work is cruel. However, if you say one chapter a week on Friday or on any other day, I can probably arrange that.

Thanks for your support so far. Stick with the story because I finally got past the writer's block.

Please vote, comment, and share!!!!!!!!