KAYLEIGH BASTARD PUGET

The very next day was when my life dissolved into madness. Suddenly, everyone knew who I was and everyone wanted to talk to me. Girls in my grade would bop up in groups of twos and threes and ask me if I was with Jade. Each time, I shook my head, bewildered. I tried in vain to find Jade in the first half of the day, but to no avail; once again he was leaving me in the lurch, but this time I had people swarming me every time I walked down the corridors. My English teacher put half the class in detention cause nobody would listen. They were all too busy pestering me about my so-called boyfriend.

"Davey! Davey, wait up!"

"Yeah sure, I'm just going to the bathrooms to make out with my boyfriend some more." I said angrily, spinning around to hit whoever wanted to talk this time. I almost died when I realised it was Jade, standing in front of me with an amused smile on his face. He looked wonderful that day, dressed in tight black jeans and a dark denim jacket with a pink t-shirt. My eyes roved his body, taking in every detail, and - as usual - a flush crept up into my cheeks.

"Who's this boyfriend you're talking about?" he asked, drawing closer. He didn't seem to notice that everything in the corridor had come to a standstill; people were staring at us, nudging each other and whispering. I desperately wanted to ask Jade if we could go somewhere more private, but I couldn't even breathe, let alone speak. He put one hand gently under my chin, leaned down and kissed me, just as gently, on the lips. A collective gasp whispered around the corridor, but Jade didn't seem to hear. He just drew me closer and kissed me again. I fell into it this time, finding I didn't care much for what everyone else thought of us.

"Puget!" the authorative voice rang out and I jumped as if shot. Dragging my lips away from Jade, I looked around wildly; my eyes came to rest on our principal striding towards us, and I blushed furiously, looking down at the floor. The kids in the corridor were completely silent; it was as if they were holding their breath.

"Hi sir." Jade said arrogantly, with a confident smile.

"Hello Jade. Might I ask you to tone down the PDA with a junior?" the principal asked, and I was shocked to see he was smiling. Jade laughed aloud - I wondered if he and the principal were sharing a private joke about me and kept my eyes to the floor - and replied,

"Sure thing. I just get a little over-the-top when I see Davey. Isn't he wonderful?" Jade's gently, coaxing hand was under my chin again, forcing me to look up. I couldn't quite meet the principal's eyes, but - to my astonishment - he laughed too.

"All I can see is that you're scaring the poor boy to death!" he boomed, clapping me on the back. It hurt a little, but I smiled wanly as if tired by Jade's affection. This made everyone laugh some. I couldn't believe it; a whole corridor of people were laughing because of me! And they were actually laughing with me, rather than at me.

"Well, get to your lessons kids. Come on!" the principal chuckled, patting Jade paternally on the shoulder.

"How did you get away with that?" I asked as Jade slid his hand into mine and started leading me to my lesson. He shrugged, and I noticed he wasn't smiling anymore. On the contrary, there was a slight frown forming on his face. By the time we got to my lesson, he had a black look on his face that seemed to dull the bright summer colours of the day.

"Jade?"

"Get in your lesson, honey. I don't want you to be kept behind cause of me." he said, not meeting my eyes.

"Are you sure you're-"

"Ok?" he laughed, but without humour or a smile. "Of course I'm ok.. I'm always ok."

"No you're not."

"Look, Davey, I don't wanna get mad at you. Just go inside." his demand was so brisk and so cold, I just obeyed him without question. He caught my hand just before I went inside, pulled me close and kissed me for a long time. Then he left and I felt cold and alone. I walked into the class to raucous applause from those that had been present in the corridor.

"Don't." I said shyly, blushing, and sat at my desk as the teacher tried in vain to calm everyone down. For the whole lesson, girls kept asking me if Jade was a good kisser, what starsign he was, if he played any instruments, if he was good in bed. I spluttered at this latter question and screeched,

"How am I supposed to know that!?"

"Oh.. You haven't done anything." they said, sounding disappointed, and I felt myself getting hot under the collar. Even if Jade and I had done anything, I wouldn't have told those stupid whores.

By the end of the day, I realised why Jade sometimes had a dark frown upon his face, why he sometimes looked fatigued and drained; all the attention was tiring, answering constant questions was futile. I caught up with him at the gates, and he held me with a genuine, content smile on his face. I loved seeing him look so happy because of me and nuzzled against his jacket with a soft whimper.

"You ok, angelface?" he asked me, looking into my eyes. I tiptoed to kiss him and nodded. He looked happy, so I dismissed the black look that had been on his face earlier.

"Come over mine tonight, Davey?"

Oh dear. You always know that question is a euphemism for something more sinister >;D