Chapter 2:

"Everyone staring," I exclaimed breathlessly, staring out the front window of his jeep. Everyone was walking past the jeep but stopping when they would see me in the passenger seat. I could literally see their mouths drops in shock, most likely because no one else was ever in his jeep, besides Darragh. If they only knew I was after sleeping in his house, in the bed beside them, it would be the gossip of the week.

He threw his arm across the back of my seat, while staring out directly at the people, as if he was daring them to be more nosey than they already were, "Since when," He started, changing his gaze from out the window to me, "do I care what people do?"

I shrunk back into the seat, suddenly feeling vulnerable, "I know you don't, but I do." I quietly told him. I started fiddling with my fingers loosely, with nerves.

He had a neutral expression on his face, with his jaw clenched as usual. One hand of his was resting casually on his steering wheel, while the other was thrown on the back of my seat. This morning when we got up his mother and sister were nowhere to be found, when I asked about them, he said they had left already for work and school.

"You shouldn't care." He said to me, sparing me a side glance then continuing with his staring competition with everyone that passed, "Whatever you do, it's your business not theirs."

It was true, exactly what he was saying was so true, but sometimes you just can't help and feel like you need the opinion of everyone else, in front of your own. When you actually let the thoughts process, it was a crazy point, it sounded as if you were after losing sanity.

It was just a natural human being characteristic, craving the approval from everyone else when he was right no one else's opinion should matter but your own. We had been sitting here with the last fifteen minutes, all because of me. I was too scared to exit the vehicle because of the prying and questioning everyone would be doing.

"You're going to have to leave the car sometime." He told me, I knew it was true but I was just so scared of everyone. I pulled my sleeves down further, covering up the red marks from everyone, when he all of a sudden exited the vehicle.

"Where are you going?" I shouted after her, subconsciously removing my seatbelt to climb out following in suit. His broad figure was taking long strides towards the entrance door. His leather jacket clung to his sculpted broad build.

Suddenly, he came to a halt, whipped around and gave me a smirk, "To school, are you actually coming?" He asked sarcastically, letting the smirk shine perfectly in my face. I purposely ignored the clang at the pit of my stomach, while selfishly indulging in his striking good looks.

He noticed I was checking him out, and continued to roll his eyes, before he turned around again and went in the direction of the school. I was partially glued in place, not sure whether it was because I was never on speaking terms never mind sleeping terms with a guy, otherwise it was thanks to my outstanding social skills.

Definitely the outstanding social skills, I thought to myself. He walked with such confidence and ease, like he knew there was no chance that I wouldn't be following after him. It was kind of shocking how unlike we were. With each long stride he took, more and more confidence struck out of its cage, even the way he had his hands stuck in the back pockets of his black jeans, it was clear, he was a much laid back person.

Every easy and comfortable step he took making his hands shift slightly in his back pocket. He didn't check if I was behind him, until he reached the door, and briefly shot me a smirk, seeing that I was indeed following on his heels.

I gave him a slight head shake in return, but I couldn't ignore the fact I was forcing the smile back off my face, even just looking at him made my insides twist and melt, uncontrollably. The pace of my heart increased with every second longer that he held eye contact with me. It was just like it was only us, as cliché as that sounds, it was true.

When you have someone who suddenly makes everything brighter, makes your day better, more importantly makes life easier, all it is, just you two.

Looking at this smirking, at ease, confident person, you would never have thought just a few days ago he was contemplating suicide, but I was yet to find out why.

His gaze wavered once more, when he finally nodded his head for me to come closer to him. This time I couldn't help but let the smile take over my whole face, with each step I took closer, my smile grew, my genuine smile. Reaching him, he grabbed my hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze before releasing it once again.

As we walked in the doors, side by side, the looks, the opinions didn't matter to me anymore. Even though, everyone's eyes were on me and him, it didn't matter. I somehow developed coolness and carelessness, with each step deeper into the school, it blanketed my whole body.

I felt invincible.

"What's he doing with her?"

"Are they together?"

"He never showed anyone interest this school, why her?"

"I saw them get out of the same car."

Even though the whispers were completely audible to me and Trey, what made them distant, fully distant to me, was the comforting hand he threw lightly around my shoulder, and hugged me tightly to his side. Just like I used to do to my teddy bear, just like you would do to a child, offering them your protection.

He now and again would offer them a slight head nod, but his attention would always shift back to me. Checking if I was content, or searching my face for any intimidation, but he would never find any, because it wasn't there.

He somehow made all the pessimistic emotions vanish. The bell rang in the distance and I began taking off in the direction of my English class when I heard Trey, "Where do you think you're going?"

I halted in slight confusion, where everyone goes when a bell rings, I thought deeply. "I'm going to English." I announced hesitantly as if I was supposed to say something else.

A beginning of a smile cracked at the corner of his lips, "But I'm in your English class." He told me with his voice laced in humour.

What he said had me at a crossroad, slightly confused that I had never noticed it before. How do I not notice who is in my class?

He let out a slight chuckle, at my face that I liked to call 'the fish face'. It happens when I get extremely confused, my mouth literally opens and closes, but nothing comes out.

He stormed passed me with his bouncing laughter in tow. As I watched him go towards the English door class, I was riddled in confusion, until I realised I was going to be late, and then I took off running after him.

Good habits never die.

* * *

"How was your day?" He asked me, leaning against the hood of his black jeep. He still looked as good as he did this morning, except his hair was now extra tossed, making him look so dangerous and mysterious it was alluring.

"Fine." I told him, hitching my bag further up on my shoulder, trying desperately to stare him in the eye. Being honest I was lying through my teeth, it was horrible. As the day progressed it got worse, at the beginning it was only a few names here and there, but towards the end, I got shoved in to the bathroom and threatened for capturing 'their Treys attention'.

There were three of them they were in my year, except I was not familiar with them at all. I didn't even know their names they pulled me into the bathroom and shoved me against the wall, saying that if I didn't stay away from their man, the consequences would be endless.

"You're lying." He stated plainly, with his arms crossed easily and his head tilted slightly giving him better access to stare at me. I stared directly into his eyes hoping that it would convince him that I wasn't, he offered me direct eye contact back and I knew by the way his eyes narrowed, he wasn't buying it.

"Do you ever stop lying to me?" He asked with slight annoyance, it was always so good, but every time, every single time, I would fuck up and ruin it.

It didn't help that we were only a few feet away from each other, so I didn't have too much selection of where to look. I didn't look him in the eye instead I resorted to the floor.

"Look at me Maggie." He commanded in a firm voice, just like the voice and army Sargent would use with his troops.

"No." I shouted stubbornly, bringing my head to look at him, "No I don't want to always look at you." I was ranting I knew it, but I couldn't help it, I stomped my foot in frustration. "I already know that everyone loves you, I already know that everyone wants to be your friend and I already know how perfect you look." Taking a step closer in rage, I repeatedly poked his rock hard chest. "So no fucking thank you, I would not like to look at you." I finished with a huge release of breath, and relief at finally getting all my frustration from the day out.

He grabbed the index finger that was trying to murder his chest and interlaced our hands, while flipping us around so I was the one leaning against the car. His body was pressed firmly to my own he interlaced both our hands loosely and rested his forehead lightly against mine.

His hazel eyes were staring directly into mine, we were so close I could see his eyes darken, I wasn't sure whether it was from lust or anger, but I decided against the first, so the latter it is.

"You done?" I couldn't deny the huskiness that his voice had supported all of a sudden. I desperately tried to pull my hands out of his grip, but it was no use, when you think about it, I was hardly having the upper hand here.

"So, why don't you tell me what made you get your knickers in a twist?" He asked me, I expected some bit of humour on his face, but there was none. Seriousness was the only thing that was painted across his face.

"Nothing," I answered him bitterly. It was his fault I was being threatened if he just left me alone with no friends I wouldn't have any problem right now. I was just fine with being a loner, but that didn't suit him.

Peaking around his shoulder, I panicked. The three girls were walking out of the school, laughing loudly, probably discussing how they had gotten rid of their competition. I was in a rut with urgency, trying to put space between us before they caught sight of us. Trey noticed my sudden panic and followed my gaze to where I was looking, leading him directly to his answer.

He wasn't a stupid person he was perfectly able to put two and two together. Before I knew what was happening, he was already taking off in the direction of the three girls who were heading directly towards a silver car.

I couldn't hear anything, but when they noticed him in front of them, their expressions shifted from humour to awe, until he began speaking their expressions then changed to fright. They spared me a quick glance when he pointed over to me and nodded at him. Before I could function what was happening, they were all heading over to me. I didn't even get time to panic because they were already in front of me.

"Sorry-" the main culprit started my guess would be the ringleader. She couldn't finish her sentence it was if she was physically incapable of apologising. One of her lapdogs finished, "What she means is sorry for what we said to you, it won't happen again." As she announced the last bit, she spared Trey a glance of terror. I wonder what he actually had said.

I nodded in reply, unable to find figure out an answer, with shock. These girls didn't strike me as the biggest people to regret anything. Nodding he told them to politely fuck off. He didn't say anything just stood there and stared at me. All too quickly he took two quick strides and pinned me against his car, "I-".

He was cut off by another voice who decided to join us, "Hey my little flower, sorry to ruin the moment, but we have got to go." I knew by the humour dripping off his sentence that he was not sorry at all, only amused. Trey left out an obvious huff out of frustration and seemed to forget about what he was going to say to me as he pushed himself away from me.

He nodded in acknowledgement, at Darragh letting him know that he heard him but said nothing else. There was another two guys with him, who were occupied with the cigarettes hanging out of their mouths.

"Are you going to drop me home?" I asked innocently, looking up at him, waiting for an answer, when he heard the question I asked he glared at me, "Or not." I whispered.

"Dude, have you got your period." Darragh questioned him, but failing to hide his amusement at how angry he got, if only he knew why he was so angry. He stayed silent and shook his head as he climbed into the driver seat, "Get in." He told me forcefully. He was so bipolar I couldn't keep up with him.

The two guys opted to outing their cigarettes and climbed into the back never once making a sound of protest. I had just climbed up the step of the jeep to follow them in when Trey said, "No." I stopped in mid-way of my step and glanced at him to see him nodding at me to sit in the front seat.

I took a glimpse at Darragh and he was nudging me towards the passenger seat. Shrugging, I let him climb in the back and proceeded to the front. He said nothing as he started the engine and pulled out of the parking spot, "Where are we going?"

I got no reply he just continued driving, when Darragh piped up from the back, "Its ok dude, I'm fine with romancing with these cupcakes." I weakly heard the replies 'do one' and 'I romanced your mom' then followed by a punch. I wondered how Trey was friends with Darragh they just seemed like such different people, kind of like contrasting personalities.

From then on the whole car ride was dead silent, until we reached a place that was pretty much on the outskirts of town. The further and further we drove made me even more curious as to where we were actually going. I stuck my head out of the moving car window and the breeze drifted along my skin soothingly and that's when I heard the revving of car engines.

"Where are we?" I asked looking in at Trey from the cold wind. Of course I got no reply except for one off Darragh.

"You are going to be so excited." He told me, sending me a quick wink while Trey wasn't looking. As soon as he spoke we pulled up beside a sort of toll box, with an intimidating looking guy staring in to the car. Trey gave him a quick nod, which he quickly returned and slowly pressed a button making the metal gates open slowly, revealing an open car track full with cars all lined up perfectly.

"A racing track?" I said cautiously, it was definitely something I had not expected to be shown. Were they racing car drivers or something? The car came to a halt and the guys exited from the back, when I was just about to follow, Trey took hold of my hand.

"Maggie, be careful please." He told me with slight urgency, "Stay with one of us, whether it's me, or any of the other guys that came with us, stay with them." He stared directly into my eyes to make sure I was taking in what he was saying. "I don't trust any of these guys, so you shouldn't either."

He pushed the driver side door out smoothly and exited the Jeep, in less than three seconds he was around to my side, "You wanted to know what we were doing in the alley last night, and this is what we were doing."The minute I was outside all I wanted to do was crawl back into the car and just go home. I was partially terrified of these people, by the description I was getting.

"What do you mean this is what ye were doing?" I questioned slightly confused. They were hardly doing this exact thing down a narrow alleyway. A slight amused smile broke out at what I was saying. I sounded so calm when I was on an ecstasy of terror.

"We were talking about it."

Even though the sky was completely calm, I was anything but. His arm snaked around my waist and he pulled me close and thankfully, it seemed to relax me a little bit. I snuggled into his side and inhaled the smell of clone on his t-shirt, somehow it seemed to settle me, not fully, but some bit.

He guided me along to where the cars were all laid out and that's when I only realised, there was a group of boys gathered in a circle between them. As we neared closer, the boys only then seemed to notice us, Darragh and the other two guys had joined them.

While they greeted each other, I stood there awkwardly not really knowing what to do as they stared at me just like a predator stares at its prey.

"New girl, bud?" One asked he looked pretty intimidating, to be honest.

Somehow Trey's hand seemed to tighten around my waist, there was not even breathing space left for me, anymore. I looked up at him only then realising that there was a fire in his eyes, directed straight at the beast across from him.

He bared his teeth, "Yes." As he took a step closer to the guy the intensity of the heat that his arm provided for me was quickly lost, the minute the boys were head to head all the other guys stepped forward, looking extremely weary.

They were just about to near closer but that's when Trey held up his hand beckoning them to come to a halt, the quietness surrounding them, made every word they spoke echo.

"Don't think about it, Russell." Trey breathed in a strained whisper from the intensity of his anger that was boiling. Whatever Russell saw in his eyes he seemed to back down.

Russell carefully raised his hand up in defeat, "Dude, were cool."

I tugged on his arm, trying to get his attention. It worked, and his eyes bore into mine with such emotion it was like he was trying to tell me something, trying to show me something, but he was strained. I gave him a look that showed him I was not comfortable with him starting a fight. I was already scared shitless.

"I'm sorry."

As he said that he turned to Russell and sneered, "You already have shit on your plate, do you really want me to add some more?" There was such hatred seeping off his words, it made me question what shit he actually had on his plate.

One thing I was perfectly sure of was that Russell was not a nice person, and this was probably the guy Trey was specifically warning me about. When the fog horn went off, everything began and half the group departed, most of them climbed into the cars that were lined up. I only noticed then they were all dressed in black hoodies and sweat pants. There were roughly about ten cars lined up right beside each other. The fog horn had come from a girl that was standing in front of all the cars barely dressed, with a pair of short shorts, and a belly top. With one hand she had a fog horn in and the other was occupied by a flag.

The engines started up, and the reeving began. They were all still in place but the reeving kept increasing, it struck me that they were all racing cars. My heart was beat faster and faster with each reeving that was louder.

"What is this?" I shouted over the engines noises at Trey and Darragh. They seemed to glance at each other smirking then Trey finally looked at me, smiling brightly.

Just then rave music with intense beats began pumping out through the