6. Kisses from the Black Market

                                    

                                          
Walking inside the classroom, I straightaway saw the students filling in, sitting on their usual spots and conversing with their seatmates. Those who are ill-fated enough fared to carry a banter with their friends at the other end of the room by shouting. 
                          
I sat down on my spot and continued to ignore Greyson Chance. If anyone would ask, we are both playing a secret game called, "How Far Can You Ignore Each Other in School". I don't back down in a fight. Therefore, I will try my best to beat him to it.
                          
A voice interrupted my train of thoughts and I look beside me in question. Lo and behold, Harrison Richmond! I cursed quietly as I shoot him a fleeting smile, hoping someone would ask him to move over and exchange seats with him. Unfortunately, luck isn't on my side right now.
                          
"Hey," Harrison reiterated, "wherefore art thou from, [Yn]?"
                          
I ground my teeth in infuriation. His grin grew even wider when I flashed him a sarcastic smile—-probably assuming it was genuine. "You do realize that what you said is grammatically incorrect, right?" I asked.
                          
Harrison raised his brows in inquiry. "Why is that?"
                          
"Because," I sighed, clearly wanting the conversation to end, "'Wherefore art thou' means 'Why are you'. So, if you were trying to mimic Juliet with her infamous line: 'Wherefore art thou, Romeo?'—She actually meant: Why are you Romeo? So your question is invalid."
                          
"Why would she ask such stupid thing?"
                          
Dear Lord. 
                          
"She meant to ask why Romeo is a Montague. Out of all blokes out there, why does it have to be him?" I answered. "If you were trying to ask me about my whereabouts, I have been here and everywhere."
                          
"I like you." He insinuated with a huge beam on his face. 
                          
I shrugged his confession off. "I like me too."
                          
His glory days were cut off when Ms. Piper went in, wholly reeling everyone's attention on her. She started discussing about poems when Harrison decided to speak again.
                          
"Hey, [Yn]." He said in an undertone, trying to be suave on his seat so that Ms. Piper wouldn't catch him chatting in class.
                          
"Not now, Harrison." I hissed as I glance at Ms. Piper warily.
                          
"But I have something to show you." He whined.
                          
"I don't—"
                          
"Is there a problem back there, Ms. [YLN] and Mr. Richmond?" Ms. Piper cut me off, her hands planted on her waist as she stare us down with utter notion. "Would you like to share you conversation with the class?"
                          
"If I'd do that, ma'am, then it'd be very awkward." Harrison retaliated. I kicked him hard on the feet causing him to quail and smile contritely at Ms. Piper. "I'm kidding, Ms. Pipes. I was just asking [Yn] about Romeo and Juliet."
                          
Ms. Piper furrowed her brows in confusion. I'll have you know, Harrison, that we are talking about poems. You can be Romeo to [Yn] when the class is over, alright? Don't distract the class again."
                          
Harrison grinned and gave her a salute. 
                          
"I saved you there." He muttered. "Now, I don't owe you anything."
                          
"You undoubtedly don't owe me anything, Harrison. So will you please stop talking to me?"
                          
"Then why are you answering back?"
                          
"Because—" I pause when I noticed that he had a point. "Whatever."
                          
I have never been so aggravated with a guy ever in my life. His physical attributes clearly haven't played a big part of my subterranean attraction for him at all (like what Angela said). I know that girls go for the typical bad boy who's actually 'sweet' inside, but Harrison is another type of 'bad boy'. He is one that which I should and would never go with.
                          
"[Yn], come closer." Harrison whispered.
                          
I ignored him and focused my attention on the board itself.
                          
"[Yn], I swear if you will not do it, I will shout and get us both in trouble."
                          
I turn to glower at him, making sure that my heat radiates my sheer aggravation and animosity towards this barnacle. 
                          
"Stop threatening me."
                          
"I returned the favor, right?"
                          
"You don't owe me anything."
                          
"Oh, but you do."
                          
I frowned at him. "No, I don't."
                          
"Just come closer." He sighed. "I'm going to tell you a secret."
                          
"It can't wait?"
                          
"No."
                          
Sighing in defeat, I leaned in closer to him. With a gesture that is as swift as a lightning, he grabbed me by the shoulders and kissed my cheeks (almost close to where my lips were). I drew out a loud gasp. My face painted in swirls of emotion—revulsion, abhorrence, shock, and disbelief.
                          
An awkward cough interrupted our intense staring contest. Harrison broke the contact and nodded at the person who did so. I can see him clenching his teeth and then smirked. "Chance."
                          
I took a quick glance behind me and saw Greyson giving him a stony stare. I was hoping he'd say something unpleasant to ridicule the scumbag beside me but he did not. "You are blocking my view."
                          
Harrison jeered unduly. "I am the view."
                          
Without a second thought, I slapped him. The sound reverberating on the walls of the room. The students wheezed as the entire area fell into a dead silence. I could honestly hear the crickets singing in the background, but that is not my main focus right now.
                          
I just want to slap this guy again and again and again and again. I could slap him to the moon and back. No, I could slap him to eternity and no going back. I touched my cheek in dismay, feeling as if I was the one who got the receiving end of that nasty blow.
                          
I can't believe he stole my cheek virginity! I was saving it for someone special!
                          
"Did...you just slapped me?" He asked me with wide eyes.
                          
I glared at him. "Yeah and you got a problem with that?" His eyes trailed over my angry features. The memory of him kissing me again—knowing how close it was for his lips to touch mine's, I saw red. "I am resisting myself to punch you in the freaking face right now so you better keep a distance from me."
                          
Some of the students snickered at my statement. Then, as if it was a chain reaction, the whole class started hooting and laughing. 
                          
"You go, new girl!!"
                          
"Richmond just got owned!"
                          
"How does it feel to be rejected, Richmond?!"
                          
"I ship it!"
                          
I scowled at the person who said the last comment. Ms. Piper calmed the whole class down and gave me a stern look. 
                          
"What?" I asked her. "He was the one who kissed me against my will, Ms. Piper!"
                          
"Yes, but it doesn't give you enough reason to result to violence. Slapping or hitting or punching——call it what you want, it is never allowed in the school nor in the community." She countered. "I am sorry but I am sending you both to the principal's office."
                          
Almost all of the students fell silent again. I could feel their eyes on me but I was too furious to care. Standing up, I managed to step on Harrison's shoes, earning a sickening yelp from him, before I took a dramatic exit out of the room.
                          
 I am so dead and I am blaming Harrison for this.