'Excuse me, I need some air because you just took my breath away.'

Chapter Two

Pearce's ears were on alert to the sound of a feminine voice close by. Very close by.

He shifted his gaze from the contents of his locker over to his left. There, a brunette stood leaning against the other storage compartments built along the wall by his. She had a smile on as she stared at him. Which immediately struck him as odd.

Pearce scanned the premises briefly for any other individuals she could've been speaking to but no one was around. "Are you talking to me?" He questioned.

The brunette threw her head back and laughed which only had him quizzical. "Of course," she said in a soft tone that disturbingly resembled the voice his mother used when she wanted to strangle him but they were in public. "Who else would I be talking to but you?"

Pearce examined the girl from head to toe, hoping to get the gears in his head turning to figure out who the hell she was. He came up with nothing.

"I think you have me mistaken for somebody else," he answered, wanting to end whatever this was here and now.

When he returned his eyes to his locker, he felt the brush of fingers and snapped his head back to find her hand on his arm.

Her bacteria infested fingers were touching him. If not for his cardigan, his skin would directly be against it as she trailed them along to his elbow.

"Oh, I'm definitely not mistaken," she insisted, inching closer. "You might not know me but you're the last thing on my mind when I go to sleep and the first person I think about when I wake up, Pearce Conway."

She stared at him intensely and he was certain then, that if he let this continue, it was going to get gravely worse.

Pearce yanked his arm away from her touch. "I'm not sure what sort of dumb joke this is and I honestly don't care. Now don't come near me or ever touch me again." He scowled.

Despite the malice and coldness in his tone, the grin on the girl's lips before him remained. Not faltering for a second. "Oh, feisty, too. Mama likey." She licked her lips.

Pearce blinked several times. He stood there for a moment, wordless at her response but gradually recoiled. "Right. This conversation is over." He slammed his locker shut and began walking away with his backpack slung over one shoulder.

***

Gigi stayed standing in her spot. She didn't know what to expect from going with the risky idea she came up with in the spur of the moment but she wasn't disappointed with the results. A strange feeling was festering inside her as she watched Pearce's retreating figure. Relief? Satisfaction? No, she knew that wasn't it precisely.

"Oh my god."

Gigi looked over her shoulder to where her scheming friends emerged from their hiding spot at the nearby wall corner. She guessed they'd be watching from a blind spot.

"I cannot believe you said all that," Renée admitted, flabbergasted. "I mean just... wow."

"That makes two of us. It was like you were possessed by some foxy lustful spirit," joked Sierra. "Just... damn, girl."

It rendered the other two girls into fits of obnoxious laughter. They struggled to compose themselves before the number of lingering stares in the halls increased. Gigi honestly didn't expect to say all those words so smoothly. And most of all, to a practical stranger.

"When you felt up Pearce's arm—oh my god, that had me weak!" Renée giggled. "And where did you get those lines from?"

Gigi shrugged. "Probably heard it from some movie."

"See, Renée, I told you she'd pull it off." Sierra beamed. "Our Gigi's always been a talented actress after all."

Renée shot Sierra a pointed look that her comment was trailing on the skirts of a boundary they weren't meant to cross. Sierra rolled her eyes in response but out of respect and knowing Gigi would fall silent at the mention, she steered the conversation elsewhere.

"Anyways, there's this vegan restaurant that recently opened and I think we should try it out after class."

"Sierra you eat meat and so do we," Renée reminded her. "Not to mention, you own more leather than a whole biker gang combined."

"So? It's not like the restaurant is only for vegans. What are they gonna do? Arrest us?" Sierra countered. "I just want us to try new things."

"Sorry, but I've got detention afterwards," Gigi informed them. "Unless you don't mind waiting two hours."

"What? Detention? Why?" Sierra asked.

"I came in late for Mrs. Stuart's class."

Renée cocked a brow. "That's it?"

Gigi nodded.

"How can she be giving you two hours detention for something like that? You're always on time for classes unlike everybody else in our year. You even got an award for perfect attendance in first year for crying out loud," Sierra pointed out.

Gigi shrugged. "I guess Mrs. Stuart's just strict on punctuality or maybe she's having a rough day."

Her friends weren't at all convinced though. They were familiar with some teachers being unfairly hard on Gigi due to a prejudice personal opinion of her. Gigi would strongly deny that wasn't the case so they wouldn't delve into it.

"I'm gonna get a drink from the vending machine," Renée started and glanced at Gigi. "You want anything, Mama?"

She and Sierra burst out laughing again, making Gigi suddenly wish she'd toned down the act a bit.

"These next nine days are gonna be very entertaining," Sierra predicted.

Gigi frowned. Hearing Sierra number the days made it sound so long but Gigi reminded herself that despite what just happened, the likelihood of consistently running into Pearce Conway was very low. Pearce would probably be avoiding her anyway so she had no reason to worry about seeing him again today.

Or so she thought.

***

"... Pearce? Pearce!"

Pearce snapped out of his thoughts, returning his state of focus to the classroom where a very angry algebra teacher looked on the brink of exploding if the vein on his head didn't pop first.

"Yes, Mr. Chambers?"

"Have you been listening to a single word I've been saying?" His jaw clenched.

"Yes and no," said Pearce. "I stopped listening after you started dribbling on about how to solve questions eight, nine and ten. I've already done them so I didn't see much point in continuing to pay attention."

Mr. Chambers balled his hand into fists, taking a sharp breath. A habit Pearce noticed the short stock of a man did for self-restraint. Pearce didn't find it impressive but he deemed it was more effective than wasting money on anger management lessons.

"Finishing the questions may be all good and well, Pearce," Mr. Chambers began. "But that's not a good enough excuse to not listen anymore. If you do things half-way like that, you'll fall behind."

Pearce scoffed. "I highly doubt it."

Mr. Chambers slapped on a tight-lipped smile. "Even so, this is a classroom— we all have to be listening. Nobody has the leverage to start daydreaming whenever they please. It's inexcusable and rude."

"Understood, sir." Pearce nodded. "So then what would you call a student for using his phone concealed under his desk throughout almost the whole lesson like Frank here?" He jerked his thumb towards said boy who immediately stiffened at the mention, eyes wide.

Though it quickly turned into a scowl directed at Pearce. "You couldn't just mind your own damn business, Conway?"

"Frank give me your phone," Mr. Chambers ordered.

"But sir—!"

"Or is what you're doing on that phone so important that you couldn't wait until the end of my lesson?" Mr. Chambers challenged with a cocked brow.

"He was shopping online to buy reliable cream for back acne," Pearce supplied.

The classroom erupted with snickers and chuckles as Frank's face went red with embarrassment. "Would you shut the hell up?!" He growled at Pearce.

"Frank, watch your mouth. And phone. Now." Mr. Chambers extended his arm and Frank grudgingly got up from his seat to hand it in. "Also Pearce, I don't want to hear another word out of you or you're getting a detention."

"But what if—?"

"Do you want me to make it the weekend too?" Mr. Chambers dared him.

That had Pearce closing his mouth. Relieved, the teacher resumed his lesson. Pearce saw Frank glaring at him from his seat and when the teacher's back was turned, Frank mouthed to him, 'I will get you.' Along with miming a throat being slit.

Pearce averted his gaze, not the least bit bothered about some juvenile delinquent's empty threats and he began zoning out once more. He was certain what Mr. Chambers had to say for the remaining seven minutes wasn't anything he didn't already know.

He let his mind reel him back to the incident at break with that deeply disturbed girl. The police department really needed to do something about the excessive flow of drugs that dumb high schoolers could get their hands on. It was outrageous. He thought of maybe mentioning it to his lab partner, Jessie.

Jessie Smith was one, if not the only person in this jungle claimed to be a school that possessed intelligence. For that reason solely, Pearce tolerated him and didn't mind calling him a sort-of acquaintance. The guy was a natural around the animals here and could maybe shed some light. Though, Jessie had a nasty habit of taking advantage of Pearce's negligence to make jabs for fun.

Taking that risk into consideration, Pearce decided it best not to share what had happened. Perhaps it was better off left for the future therapist he'd no doubt be seeing after high school from all the trauma.

Pearce didn't have an entire grasp on what the girl's deal was but he dreaded the thought of encountering her anytime soon. If he was so unlucky, he'd make sure to stay clear.

***

Gigi really wished she hadn't decided to be nice.

Otherwise, she wouldn't be here now. Where he was.

She wished she hadn't volunteered to run an errand for Mr. Clarke but the poor man seemed to be having a hard time with the struggles of being a substitute teacher. Not being familiar with the class procedures or students' names. And a bunch of teens waiting to take advantage of his inexperience didn't make it any easier.

So when he asked for someone to help him fetch a folder from the faculty room and no one seemed willing, she raised her hand out of pity. Now her pity had brought her into the same room as him.

"Oh. Hello, Georgia." The man greeted her with a wide smile.

"H-Hi, Mr. Omar," Gigi murmured, looking down. "Um, I just came to get a folder."

He nodded and she made her way through the room, scouring for the desk. All the while, avoiding any chances of making contact with the thirty one year old drama teacher. She didn't want to stay here any longer than necessary and was thankful she spotted the folder quickly. She retrieved it from the top of the photocopier, making steadfast steps to the door, her hand about to reach the handle.

"Georgia," he called and she halted.

She could've pretended not to have heard but she couldn't find it in herself to be that rude which she found slightly laughable.

Despite having a feeling she knew what was coming, she turned to him. "Yes?"

"The drama club has started holding auditions for our play, Peter Pan."

"Oh really?" Gigi feigned ignorance on the news.

"I was wondering if you'd be interested in trying out. No one's been cast for the two main leads yet so the roles are up for grabs. What do you say?" A hopeful look in his pale eyes.

Gigi pursed her lips. "Um, I don't think I'm up for that sort of thing and I have some classes I'm lagging behind in which I'm planning to study in my free time. Sorry."

She figured he'd look upset or disappointed but no such expression surfaced.

"Oh, okay then," Mr. Omar accepted. "But if you ever change your mind, feel free to come at lunch."

"I will." Gigi forced a smile and exited the room.

She leaned against the wall, heaving a sigh. Mr. Omar could probably tell she was lying through her teeth but she really didn't care about that at the moment. Or some school play. Well, that's what she convinced herself and she wished Mr. Omar could take a hint so he'd quit pestering her. Yet at the same time, a part of her didn't want him to. It was conflicting.

Gigi told herself not to dwell on the matter anymore and hurried back to class.

When school ended, Gigi was feeling utterly exhausted and ready to lay sprawled out on her bed back home. That was until Renée ever so kindly reminded her of detention.

Gigi dragged her feet to Mr. Hoffman's classroom where it was being held and pushed the door open. The middle-aged history teacher himself was slouched in his chair, merely sending her a nod as she handed in her detention slip.

It was when Gigi peered at the other two souls stuck here with her that she realised she recognised one of them. She swallowed when her eyes locked with the one and only Pearce Conway.