On sunday I hang at home in my room. Hiding away from my wretched mother. Everything I did, everything I ate, every breath I took she commented on. She judged. It was just easier to spend the weekend in my room, watching love island, practicing makeup. Than going to see her. 

Monday rolls around and I set my alarm slightly earlier because it's Ivy week. Meaning each day we dress up as a theme, to try distract our minds from the news we could receive any time this week.

My school kind of puts it on to distract the seniors from the stresses of whether or not we got into our desired college.

I facetime Bea as I sift through my closet showing her my options. The theme today is Nerd day.

I end up going with a yellow plaid skirt, with a black crop top in and a pair of reading glasses I should wear more often but I forget to. 

Bea put on a blue plaid skirt with high-knee socks and a white tee.

I make my way downstairs quickly towards the sounds of the coffee machine going. You could honestly call me anywhere with the smell or sound of coffee.

"Morning munch." My dad says kissing my forehead and handing me a ready made iced coffee before he turns back to the coffee machine.

"Morning dad." I reply taking it into my hands gratefully.

"What are you wearing?" Leroy asks his face contorted as he peers up, from his laptop, which is placed on the dining room table.

"Ivy week." Molly says tiredly from the table. Looking like she was dragged out of bed by her hair.

"It's nerd day." I answer him taking a sip of my coffee. Leaning against the counter as I watch the pretty colours of my nearly mixed coffee.

"That skirt is ugly." Leroy says, nodding down to it.

"Wow. Thanks Leroy. Really appreciate it." I reply giving him a look.

"Morning beautiful people." Jacob says walking in to the room, his hair damp from the shower.

"Morning Jacob, and Leroy leave your sister alone." Dad says, giving Leroy a look. 

My dad is really good about that sort of thing. He allows me to express myself however I want. 

He had taught me not to care too much about clothing. And he had taught me how to defend myself with the dusty old boxing bag in our garage. It was important to him that I be able to express myself however I choose, and for his own piece of mind, that if it came down to it, I could defend myself. Because even though it's unfair, us women have to protect ourselves.

I place my glass into the sink after rinsing it out. Wiping my hands on the tea towel I check my reflection in the microwave. Before I begin to check the bowl of keys for my car keys.

I open my mouth to ask if anyone has seen my keys, because I remember putting them in the bowl, before I'm interrupted.

"I took your car to the shop yesterday." Leroy states, watching my confused face.

"How am I getting to school?" I exclaim, caught up in the immediate annoyance at the lack of communication, that I don't think about a simple solution to my problem.

"Get Bea to drive you." My dad suggests, solving my problem for me. With a nod thanks, I pick up my phone and dial Bea.

"Have you left your house yet?" I ask her in to the phone. Making my way upstairs towards my room.

"Nope. Seth's giving me a ride. Want us to pick you up?" She replies as I hear her rustling around.

"Yes please. See you in a bit." I reply before hanging up quickly. I double check my soccer bag to make sure I have all of my gear for practice after school.

I hear the front door open and I make my way down the stairs, throwing my bag over my shoulder.

"Let's see the fit girlie." Bea says walking in. I do a little spin and she claps her hands.

"You look hot." I say to her looking her up and down.

"Says you!" She exclaims as I turn to get out a plate and a spread for my toast.

"I'm just making some toast really quick. Want anything?" I ask Bea right as Seth walks in. My eyes brows raise at his outfit. He has on a button down shirt left with two buttons undone, glasses on, his hair messy and silky. He had some jeans on.

Seth wearing glasses sent absolute shivers down my spine. They suited his face, and accentuated his eyes. 

"Hey Seth." Leroy and Jacob say from the kitchen table.

"Hey guys." He replies before turning to me.  His eyes widen as he travels the length of me. I bite down on my lip at the heat of his gaze.

"Could I have a coffee?" Bea asks me from the doorway where she's pulling her shoes off.

"Of course." I say turning to the now abandoned coffee machine and put a sachet in sliding the cup underneath and pushing start.

"Are you wearing that?" Seth says his eyes catching on my body again, sending butterflies wherever his gaze landed. Walking in from where he had been staring, rooted to the ground.

"Yeah." I reply taking a bite of my dads abandoned toast. I was unsure to where he had gone.

"Fuck." Seth says quietly, running a hand through his hair, turning away from me and swinging himself in to the barstool.

"Bea." I sat as I hand Bea her coffee.

"Thanks." She says gratefully before resuming her conversation with Jacob.

"Bea we should probably get going." Seth informs her, in a snappy tone.

"You guys go to the car I'll be there in a second." Bea replies taking a large sip of her coffee.

I pick up my soccer bag and make my way outside, saying goodbye to my brothers and calling to my dad on the way out.

I swing my stuff in to the boot of his car and get in the front for shotgun.

Seth looks at me again, letting out an annoyed sigh before turning to the front and rubbing his temple with one hand.

"You alright?" I ask him cautiously.

"Yep." Seth says curtly. Not looking at me. Running a hand over his face.

"Are you sure? You seem mad." I ask him again, worry filling me.

"Lace I'm fine." He snaps, his gaze flicking to me aggressively, before moving to the front his jaw locked. My eyebrows shoot up in surprise.

I stay quiet. Leaning back against the corner of the seat, casually looking out the window trying to ignore Seth's annoyed aura.

"Sorry sorry I'm here. Ok let's go." Bea says climbing in to the backseat of the car.

Seth stays silent and starts driving. Even though it's quiet, my ears buzz with the sound of my mind thundering with confusion.

Confusion that was around Seth's pissy attitude this morning.

The guy's fucking PMSing or some shit.

"Well you guys are awfully quiet this morning." Bea says after a few moments of silence. Awkward silence.

"Yeah Seth awfully quiet this morning huh?" I snap, letting the annoyance slip through my controlled demeanour.

"Lacey." Seth snaps warningly. I almost reel back in shock at his tone and use of my name. Not his nickname for me.

"Jesus christ. I was just trying to make sure your ok there's no need for the attitude." I snap back at him.

"Look can you just leave it." He says his voice raised. Making my stomach twist.

"Not really no." I reply in an obviously not tone.

"What's up did something happen?" Bea asks confused at the situation that had unfolded around her.

"No your brothers just being a dick." I say rather aggressively.

Seth stays quiet, an angry look still plastered on his face, letting out a deep breath.

Bea stays quiet. Not pressing further, afraid to cause further upset within the car.

Seth pulls the car in to the parking lot and climbs out. I get out, leaving my soccer bag in the boot for later and wait for Bea to climb out.

Seth waits until we're out of the car before he locks it and walks off. More like stalks off.

"What's got him so pissy this morning?" I ask Bea as we make our way towards the classroom we sit in in the mornings occasionally.

"Whatever it is. It started at your house. He was rather bubbly this morning." Bea says thoughtfully to herself, not bothering to filter herself.

"Huh." I say my mind racing. I really had no clue as to why Seth was acting like that. I mean my anxious mind could come up with a few, but I was trying to push those out of my mind.

I push the classroom door open and swing my bag in to a seat next to Callie.

"Hey guys." Luke says, stopping his chatter, I notice his eyes widen at Bea's appearance and I half smile.

"Ya'll look hot." Callie says with a grin.

"Thanks so do you." I exclaim at her get up.

"Hey Dallas." I say throwing him a quick smile.

"Hey Lacey." He replies giving me an ok sign on the outfit which I return. The group jumps in to conversation.

I zone out, my mind overworking, overthinking the events of the morning. After a rather generous amount of time, the door opens again and I turn and see Seth walk in still wearing the pissed off expression from this morning. My eye's trail him as he takes a seat next to Luke across the circle from me. He catches my gaze and looks away immediately taking in a sharp breath.

What the fuck is his deal.

"Hey Seth. Got out of your little mood yet?" Bea asks with a fake cheery grin.

"Shut it." Seth snaps tapping his knee agitatedly and crosses his arms.

I notice Luke nudge him and smirk at him. Seth almost sends him a death glare as they pick up their phones and clearly text each other. Luke glances at me a few times and I wonder if I did something.

"Wait shouldn't the bell have gone by now?" Bea asks the group.

"It's late start remember. We start at 10." Callie says.

"Wait what why are we here so early then?" I ask looking between the group.

"We have to be here on time, assembly I think. But seniors don't have classes until 10." Dallas explains.

"Shit I forgot bout that.." Bea says with a dismissive shrug.

I hear laughter and the door opening as a few guys walk in.

"Hey it's Carlos." I say with a smile as I recognise him and Malcom.

"Hey Lace." He says and I almost hear Seth take in a sharp breath.

"It's Lacey to you." Seth snaps angrily. Carlos's head snaps to where Seth is sitting and he gives him a look.

"I wasn't aware that Lace could only be used by one person." Carlos replies. Seth glares at him. I can almost feel the daggers being thrown. No. Hurled.

Seth had a point. He was the ONLY one who called me Lace. And he kind of had a claim to it. It just didn't sound right coming out of Carlos's mouth.

"So Lacey how you been." Carlos asks taking a seat in an empty seat near me. Perching on it like he could get up at any second, ready to leave once the conversation fizzled our.

"Oh you know. Pretty alright." I say with a polite nod.

"That's good. How was your surf the other night?" Carlos asks me. His friends lingered besides him.

"It was amazing. I got some really good waves. Unfortunately for Luke and Seth over there I absolutely kicked their asses." I say nodding my head towards Seth and Luke.

"You did not!" Luke exclaims.

"Oh I did." I reply with a nod.

"I'll have to see it in person to believe it." Carlos says with a flirty grin.

"Yeah, I'm sure I'll see you around the surf sometime." I reply immediately shutting him down. I see Seth almost, almost crack a smile.

"Maybe we could catch up again? You free today?" Carlos asks, leaning back on his seat. 

"Sorry Carlos, We should probably stop seeing each other, I mean a date is a little serious for me and.." I start, Carlos rolls his eyes. Standing up not even bothering to let me finish. 

"Whatever slut." He says, nodding to his boys to take their leave.

"Don't you fucking disrespect her like that." Seth says standing up quickly. Within two strides he's grabbed Carlos's shirt. I notice his knuckles turn white. 

"Why do you care. Your not dating her." Carlos replies clearly pissed off at Seth's protectiveness. Seth shoves Carlos against the wall and I immediately stand up.

"Seth." I say as he mutters angry words to Carlos. Seth shoves Carlos against the wall again threateningly before letting him go and turning back.

That's when Carlos makes the biggest mistake of his life, and takes a swing. It hits Seth on the cheekbone and he snaps back. Firing an immediate punch back.

The other boys in the room stand up in their seats, ready to come make a move to seperate them.

Seth get's Carlos on the ground and lands a few good punches before Luke pulls him off of him. It was scary watching Seth like this.

Carlos brushes himself off making his way out of the room, followed by his friends. Catching my eyes as he walks out. I can feel the anger... and embrassment.

"Why would you do that?" I ask Seth who stands there breathing heavily.

"I don't like him. Or the way he looks at you." Seth says with a shrug going to move past me towards his seat. I grab his wrist, nodding towards the door.

He sighs, and follows me out, leaving the awkwardness of the silent room behind me. 

"What is your deal this morning?" I ask as we begin to make our way down the hallway. He doesn't say anything. And breathes heavily, I can see the start of a bruise forming on his cheekbone.

I reach up and graze my fingers along it and he winces. I push open the door of another abandoned classroom. 

Once we are inside, I look at his face, surveying for bruises. Reaching my hand up I feel a soft lump forming on his cheekbone. 

"Sorry." I say pulling my hand away. He shakes his head and grabs my hand again.

"Your fingers are cold it's nice." He says putting them on his cheekbone again.

"Let's clean this up then you can tell me what's going on." I say moving away from him and towards the sinks in the back of the classroom, it was a science room.

I wet a paper towel and pull myself up on to the bench so I'm sitting on the edge of it. I gesture for Seth to move in between my legs so I can reach his face and with a bit of hesitation he obliges. I dab at the cuts and hold a cold wet paper towel against his bruise as a substitute for ice.

"So. Why are you being a prick today?" I ask him as I take away the paper towel and replace it with my hand.

"Jesus your hands are cold." He says wincing. I raise my eyebrows at him and he let's out a small sigh and looks down at his feet.

"Just some things I want that I can't have." Seth says vaguely. I look up at him skeptically.

"I'm going to need a little more than that sorry." I say annoyed at the whole situation. Even though I know I have no right to be.

Seth is quiet for a moment. His adams apple bobbing as he swallows.

"Look it really doesn't matter." Seth says looking up as I clean a small cut under his eye.

"Look it fucking does matter. Was it something I did? Because Bea said it started once you got to my house. You know if you don't want to talk to me anymore because you know what I truly am like then that's fine as well but it would be great if you could let me down a little bit nicer instead of shutting me out." I start rambling. I see Seth's eyebrows furrow in guilt.

I meet his eyes through my blurry tears. Next thing I know his lips are against mine. He kisses me hungrily to which I easily respond, his hands move to my waist as he draws my hips closer to him. I grip his bicep, pulling him closer with his t'shirt with the other hand.

The kiss grows heated. I press myself against him as he begins to trail kisses down my neck, and along my collarbone. I let out an involuntary moan. Which only motivates him.

I hear the door-handle shake and we spring apart. The student doesn't look up straight away and Seth moves away from me. Trying to look normal. The student looks up from their phone before nodding and leaving.

Weird.

I rest my head against his shoulder in front of me.

"Oh my jesus." I say with a sigh.

"Bea's going to kill us." Seth says quietly. "But does that answer your question?" Seth says with a small sigh.

"It's enough of an answer." I say with a smile as he rests his hands against my hips again gently.

"Just know. I will never ever ditch you. I've never even had that thought. Ok I'm here for you always just like you've always been there for me." He says passionately.

"Okay?" He asks me his thumbs moving in circles around my hips.

"Okay." I say with a small smile. Seth smiles and presses his lips against my forehead, right as the bell goes.

"We can't do that again right." I say with a sad sigh at our doomed reality. I couldn't sleep with him, he couldn't sleep with me. Hell we shouldn't even be kissing.

"No. We can't." Seth says moving away from me. Instantly making my heart drop.

"What do we have first?" I ask him picking up my phone from off the desk. Attempting to get back some normalcy after the sudden exposure of vulnerability.

"Biology." Seth replies grabbing his abandoned phone off another desk.

"Is your face gonna be alright." I ask reaching up and brushing my fingers gently across his bruise.

"It'll be fine." He says with a small smile.

"Good. You better ice that after soccer." I say pulling open the door.

"I will." Seth says reassuringly. Chuckling at me.

"No you won't we both know you." I say rolling my eyes and stepping in to the hallway and starting in the direction of our biology class.

"Yeah your right."

"I'll text Trina." I reply as Seth pulls open the bio door for me. Waving a hand for me to go in.

I slip in to the seat in between Callie and Bea. Seth and I's gazes meeting as he moves to take his seat behind me.

"You guys all sorted?" Bea asks looking between us.

"Yes we're all sorted." I say, looking down at my feet as guilt washes over me. 

"Good." Bea says with a nod as the teacher calls for our attention.