"Look, is there a place where I can study for a biology test? Peacefully?" I yelled through the blaring music of Nirvana's, "Smells like Teen Spirit." Taylor had to keep annoying me with his music, but there wasn't a much more convenient place to study except the living room.
It was quickly shut off. "Why? It's in two days. Study later." Taylor said, and went to turn the music back on.
I quickly grabbed his wrist before another note of music was made. "Because I like to put my education first so that maybe I can achieve at the top of my class and be valedictorian." I hissed through my teeth.
"Okay, fine. I guess studying doesn't come easy for you, does it?" he snarled.
"Don't piss me off, jerk!" I yelled.
"Ooh, is that a threat? What next? A black eye? Oh wait, you're a girl, you wouldn't hurt a fly." he taunted, throwing his hands in front of him.
"I'm not taking any of that bullshit from you. Also, if you don't shut up, you're going to get a black eye." I threatened back.
"I'd like to see you try." he said, smiling and crossing his arms, trying to prove me wrong.
I got up off of the couch and walked over to him. "I don't know why I'm wasting my time over you, so I'm just going to ignore you." I said, teeth clenched shut, and turned back around to the couch.
"I'd like to see you try," he repeated. "I don't have have to be afraid of you, so that is why I'm not afraid of you. Like I said, you wouldn't hurt a fly, so I can keep bugging you all that I want, because you wouldn't hurt me. 'Oh, look, there's a fly in my soup, I wouldn't want to hurt it. Here we go, little fly, go spread your wings and fly away happily for the rest of your life!" he said in a high, prissy voice, pretending to pick up something and throw it into the air.
That did it. Not a second was wasted, and I gave him an right hook. Hard.
He fell back down to the ground, holding the left side of his jawbone. It took him a moment to speak. "What was that for?" he demanded, still holding his cheek to manage the pain.
"Oh no, you knew you had it coming," I walked up to him, my hands on my hips. "But no, you pushed on further into bugging and making fun of me. What's am I to do, huh? Stand there and take it?"
"Yes." he said.
"I didn't ask you! And no, I stand up for myself," I lectured on, putting my hand to my chest. "I am not a poor, defenseless creature; I am a strong, beautiful person. But see, you were wrong. I did hurt a fly. Flies are meant to be hurt because of their little, annoying buzz." I said, raging mad. "Now, do you want a black eye?" My breath was practically puffing out of my nose.
"No, the question is, do you want a black eye?" he asked, getting up to his feet, anger in his eyes.
"You wouldn't dare hit me or touch me." I growled, getting in his face.
"You want to bet?" he asked. Then he quickly punched me in the jaw.
My eyes widened when I turned to look back at him, clutching my face. It took me no more than a second to react, and I knocked him to the ground.
We rolled around on the ground, punching and choking each other, pulling hair, ripping clothes, doing whatever it could to beat the crap out of each other. This is why I hated Taylor. Why couldn't my friends just understand it, and actually be there while we were fighting? Stupid prick. Oh well, he knew it was coming. Damn kid left me with a couple of welts.
"Noelle, I'm concerned. What the hell happened to you?" my dad exclaimed, examining my limp face and body.
"Dad, I told you, I knocked over the plant at the top of the stairs at the Hanson's. I tried to save it, and I ended up crashing into the wall and fell down the stairs." I fibbed.
"It looks like you got into a fight, sweetie. Are you sure that you are okay?" he asked, worriness spelled over his face.
"Daddy, I'm sure, I'm fine. Look, I'm going to be late for school. I'll see you later." I said, and exited out the back door to walk to the bus stop.
Taylor's really going to get it this time, I thought, plotting my revenge on the way to school.
"Rachel, I'm going to." I said, leaning against my locker and looking down the hall.
"Going to what?" she asked, putting her Biology book away and grabbing her French book.
"I'm going to ask Simon out." I said, biting my lip when I looked at him. He had his nose buried in a book called "My Antonia." It was the one the whole ninth grade English classes had to read.
"Okay, you don't need my permission." she said, closing her locker.
"Ooh, here he comes, go away." I said, and pushed her away towards the stairs. She tripped a bit, and waited at the bottom for me.
"Hi, Simon." I said flirtilly, walking up to him.
"Uh, hey, Noelle." he said, looking up from his book.
"So, Simon, I was wondering, do you want to go see a movie on Friday night?" I asked, clutching my binder.
"Mmm, I don't know." he said, unsure. He seemed to be backing away from me.
"What? What's wrong?" I asked, disappointed.
"Well, I've been aware of how you, per say, handle guys. Personally, I'm not into that. And don't you sleep around? I heard that you did." he asked.
What!? "What?!" I yelled, and shook my head at him. This was too much, and I ran away from him into the bathroom.
Rachel heard my cry from the bottom of the stairs, and she raced up them. "Noelle, Noelle!" Rachel cried after me, giving Simon a dirty look and ran after me into the bathroom.
"You prick!" I hissed to Taylor, approaching him after classes on campus.
"Excuse me?" he asked, turning around to face me.
"You were the one who told practically the whole school population that I slept around!" I hissed again, throwing my hands up in the air.
"Oh yeah, I heard about that. Well, I didn't enjoy it when I found out you told everyone that I paid girls to sleep with me at least once a week!"
"Don't change the subject, Taylor. And I didn't tell anyone that you did that. I didn't even know you did that." I said.
"I don't! Don't lie to me, I know you said those rumors about me." he said.
"Why would I waste my good time thinking of a rumor to spread about you when I have many, many better things to do?" I questioned him.
That shut him up. "Are you sure?" he asked after a pause.
"What did I just ask you?"
"Who spread that rumor? Who made it up?" he asked me.
"Don't ask me. You just better confirm that me being a slut isn't true." I said, and walked away, confused.
"Wait, I never said that though!" he yelled to me.
I stopped my tracks, and waited for him to go on.
"I only said that I heard about it. And just like your reasons, why would I spread a rumor about you?" he continued to call out.
After he said that, I kept walking, even more confused. I believed him, and for the first time, I didn't hate him as much I had before.