Could she erase that time when she ran into Eric and said stuff about moving on with someone else? She regretted extremely for pulling such a cliche and now needed a solution—and stat!

After Jezebel had gone and say that, he couldn't believe it like there was no way it wasn't true. He would believe that she went back to her old ways of making some guy miserable by the end and not lasting with him too long, like she customarily did before she went stable with him for some time. But no, she dared to say that she carried interest in some guy and not like how she always did with previous guys.

From what he said, it wasn't the response she wanted. Eric couldn't stand the thought of being away from Jezebel and cared too much to not want her to slip away. He didn't want to make that same mistake. He told her he'll make the effort to see her more, to prove he's someone that makes the distance thing between them work.

"Really? Then I'll come back for you. I'll stop by and see you after school and ask you how you're doing. It'd be like I'm still here with you."

If what he said was true and she would see more of him, she needed to run with her story, or he could cop her out on it. She needed him to believe she liked someone else more than she wanted Eric back.

She thought long and hard about this last night. A random guy would be too easy to obtain, and he could react how she wanted him to, but she didn't need to have an unnecessary complication of infatuated feelings. Especially if later on, the guy was a complete douche, and she couldn't stand him. It'd be abhorrent, and her plan would surely go down the drain.

She needed someone fast and easy to dispose of but not be that terrible to be around. At least he had to be adequate.

There were so many guys around school, yet all of them in her eyes looked the same to her: bland, unsightly, and had an unrefined personality.

Goodness gracious, this will be a hard pick. Viewing teenage boys in the hallway distraught her. It's boys in the sea, but none of them was a rainbow fish. They were grass carps, bristlemouths, and peruvian anchovetas.

Jezebel stopped scanning and continued her way down the path to her science classroom. She took her seat, this time her seatmate and lab partner present as Jezebel gave her a casual 'hey.' With two minutes left to spare, she further thought about her plan and who would be a possible candidate to fill in.

The bell quickly rang, and Mackinley burst to the door entrance just as Mr. Rezendes was standing there. He quickly forced the door inward and walked inside the classroom. The teacher made a disappointing sigh.

"Why don't you try to be here a little early?" Mr. Rezendes asked, turning the lock on the knob as he glanced at him.

"No can do. What fun would that be? It's best to let fate take its course." As he made that witty reply, it forced the man to bestow a taxing stare at him, and he mocked his hands in surrender. "All right, I'll take my seat." Mackinley stalked off down the aisle to the back row as he passed her row, his presence wafting to her.

He smelled crisp and delicate, like laundry detergent, especially fresh. It was a light scent for her nose to inhale.

She spun her head to look at him while he sat there, digging inside stuff in his backpack. It was like that night of the party never happened. What was it about that guy that just barged in for the first time and then left like he never came at all? Oddly enough, he wasn't intolerable. Maybe he just needed better manners since it appeared mannerism wasn't his thing.

She thought about her plan further during the beginning lecture and decided that all the boys she came across were heinous. None of them was socially acceptable enough. Mackinley, however..., she could probably do something there. He's an unexpected twist, and there was no good option if she had to be honest, but he'll do. 

Jezebel ripped out a shred of paper from her notebook and wrote a small message with her pen.

Hey you. do you think we could meet up during lunch period like outside the gym? - Jezebel

She folded the paper into a small square and made sure the teacher wasn't paying attention. Then carefully whispered to a student behind her to pass the note as she quickly pointed to him. It got around with other students until the one person at the next table near him extended her arm out to give him the note.

She watched him as he unfolded the paper and read the message. He glanced up and met her gaze as she nodded simply to him. Telling by a slight raise of an eyebrow and painted confusion, he certainly didn't expect this. 

She turned her head to the center of the room to not look like she was a hawk with focused eyes and straying from the class topic. She wrote some things down from the whiteboard to catch up on the seconds she didn't get. On short notice, she felt a tap on the shoulder from behind with the note offered in hand, grasping it from the student.

She unfolded the piece of paper and read a new handwritten response. It looked like what you expect from a boy with messy penmanship as she attempted to make out a few words. 

What suddenness from you angel face. are you giving me a gift? :o

Gift? He is an imbecile. Do I look like I have a present in hand to give to him and for what? Jezebel mentally cursed as she wrote a new message discreetly. But she decided to play nice since she thought she would need him later.

Hmm... it's a surprise. You should see for yourself. So meet me there?

Jezebel passed the note around again and waited for the second response. Passing a note around made her feel like she was in second grade.

The note came back to her, and this time she bubbled up in annoyance. She didn't like a guessing game.

If I feel like it we'll see

We'll see? He's just playing tricks on me, isn't he? That boy better come.

It was her lunchtime period when Jezebel stood by a wall and waited outside the school's gymnasium. Standing with nothing to do was a tedious task since she practically skipped lunch for this. She made an excuse that she was going to talk to some boy, which wasn't actually false. At least, she expected he would show himself.

Her eyes scanned the generous width of the football field and track. It looked so empty when there weren't gym classes going on or sporting events she'd attend to have fun with her girlies or because she dated a couple of the football players.

Some days when she'd come outside the gym after her volleyball practices were finished, and she had one of them waiting for her. The company and attention were what she feed on; it was the needed nutrient.

After twenty-six minutes of waiting, no sight of Mackinley anywhere. She ran out of patience when ten minutes passed, but this was utter foolishness. How dare he can make a girl wait?

A scowl emerged on her face, with her decided that she wasn't going to wait around any longer and sauntered out to find him. Jezebel looked around the hallway from the first floor but to no avail. Even when she peeked inside the classroom's window in case he was one of those people that were like freaks or loners who preferred their own privacy while the teacher didn't mind. She checked the second floor for hopefully better luck there, passing by some students and the lockers.

Where would that boy be? Was he really doing a lot to hide himself?

Why was she spending time looking for an absolute nuisance? Then she stopped, her eyes set on someone. A boy with his head bent over to the water fountain as he was swallowing water. He quickly finished, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. She saw him that one time the other day; he's someone that Mackinley talked to and looked casual around.

Her eyes narrowed at him. Would he know where Mackinley was?

Deadset without a second thought, Jezebel marched over to that guy. "Hello?"

He turned with a startled look as the side part of his hair flipped. Jezebel got closer to him and when she stopped in front of him, his green eyes looked on nervously, and he gripped his jacket with his hand firmly.

"Hi there," Jezebel said, putting on a smile and pleasant face. "I was wondering if I could ask you something."

The boy smoothed out his shirt with his other hand. "Okay?" he said, his voice quiet.

Is he a shy boy? She wondered as he wasn't keeping eye contact with her. It could be on her hair or the fake ear piercing. 

She made a head tilt at him. "Do you know Mackinley by any chance? You know... the one that has... a reputation made for him? An infamous one."

"Mackinley? Umm...," he paused as though he was debating what he should tell someone. "Kinda, maybe."

What are the odds of these two? Mackinley, the one that likes to get out and twist fun for his own pleasure... and this guy... who has a quiet voice and seems skittish around me. If she would poke him, how would he take it?

"What's your name?" she asked.

He attempted to respond with his lips slightly parted, but nothing was coming out. She maintained a friendly composure to signal that he had nothing to worry about. Normally a couple of guys that were nervous around her were nothing new to see, so she dealt with it. But this one really was taking his time just to say anything.

"I'm Joss," he said.

She casually checked him out. His hair was the brown of milk chocolate, light and creamy, yet with the subtle hues divulge like a sporting of rich cocoa. It was floof as though he could shed a ball of fur simply. He had fair skin and a smooth one at that. He didn't dress too bad, as he had a slim bomber jacket over a plain shirt and casual jeans. Certainly, she never had seen his face before.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Jezebel." She smiled. "Are we in the same grade?"

"I'm a junior so..."

"Oh, lovely, so we are. How good to know." She nodded to herself. Now that she could get past this strange introduction out of the way, she critically needed to know what happened with Mackinley as that was her purpose in coming to him. "About Mackinley, do you know where he is?"

Joss moved a step back as he put a hand behind his head. "He's not here."

"I know. That's why I'm asking if you knew where he went."

He seemed to know, he had that look, but he's hesitant. It seemed as though he didn't know if it was safe to tell her. He held onto the strap of his backpack, looking at her meekly. "Why do you want to know where he is?"

"I have something I'd like to say to him... it's kinda embarrassing, and I could only tell it to him." She blinked at him through her small lashes in a cute manner. "I would like to get a chance to tell him right away."

Put something a little cute and indicate a kind of girl's personal issue and work her magic in a way that a boy would just feel sheepish and wouldn't say more.

Joss didn't know what to say but just looked at her. "Oh, I-I'm sorry, Mackinley went off-campus so..."

He's not even at school?! To think I wasted my time. She glanced away in restrained exasperation. So he didn't even care about that note. The next time she sees him, she will make him stand in a fire. If he liked trouble so much, he should look good in it.

"Did he? He wasn't supposed to."

"Yeah, not really."

He was a rulebreaker, alright. "I guess that settles it. Could you pass on a message to him then?" Jezebel clasped her hands together. "I seriously need to talk to him."

He nodded. "I can do that."

"Thank you, Joss. Don't forget it's from Jezebel." 

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Hello, Happy September! Whoo, we're getting close to Autumn now. I want summer to end soon so I can wear hoodies, long sleeves, and cardigans, hehe.

Damn though, what do we think about this chapter? Mackinley ruined her plan by not even showing up. Just totally not how it should go for her. And what do we think about this new character, Joss? How do you like him? Do you want to see more of him? 

Keep an eye out for the next update!

Please vote and comment as it means the world to me!