“Is something wrong?” Jules asked, noticing something was off with me.

“Oh you know,” I tightly smiled, furrowing my brows together. “Abby just got to school before us, is all.”

“Is that a problem?” he wondered.

I let out a light chuckle.

“It’s a major problem,” I said. “You see, I get up earlier than I have to, just so I can arrive at school wayyy before anyone else.”

“Okay?” Jules replied, unsure. “Why?”

“For the best goddamn spot in the student parking lot, of course.”

“Oh yeah, obviously,” Jules said with a sarcastic tone.

“It’s a one of kind park!” I stated. “There are no other spots like it.”

“Uh-huh,” Jules was clearly doubting me. “But what does this have to with Abby?”

“Oh, everything,” I replied. “I especially make sure to leave before Abby does, because she just so happens to like taking that particular spot of mine. And not because she cares about like I do - but because she wants to piss me off.”

“Wow,” Jules commented. “I can’t even tell who’s more petty, you or her.”

“She is!” I exclaimed. “I can be petty but at least I don’t take a person’s spot just to irk them off.”

“Would she really do that?” he asked.

“Yes,” I didn’t hesitate to respond. “That’s who she is. She’s like a vampire that just feeds on everyone’s unhappiness.”

“Not going to argue with you there.”

We finally arrived at school, pulling into the student parking lot that was filled with several other parked cars. I drove past a couple of empty spots but I didn’t care for them. I was determined to get to my spot, hoping that maybe – just maybe – she didn’t take it. Maybe today, she would realise what an ass she is and spare me.

But this is Abigale Towns we’re talking about.

She would never pass up a good opportunity to piss me off.

Reaching my spot, disappointment settled in the pit of my stomach. Parked in my beautiful parking spot, Abby leaned against her boyfriend’s car with his arm resting over her shoulders. They had a couple of their friends around, all laughing as I drove by, while Abby pulled a sad face and slid her finger down her cheek as a pretend tear.

“Okayyy, so maybe she is more petty,” Jules commented. “You could park near them, right?”

“Like a loser? Who do you think I am!” I huffed.

“Now look who’s being petty,” he threw me a smirk.

I let out an annoyed sighed, doing as he suggested as I parked across from them, into a crooked park without any shady protection from the fiery inferno that is the sun.

What’s even the point of living now?

I accepted my defeat, turning the engine off. I looked through my rearview mirror at Abby’s group, finding them all still laughing.

“C’mon, it’s not that funny.” I muttered.

I rolled my eyes and then glanced at the time, realising class had already started. Yet, Abby just had to rub salt into the wound by waiting around to laugh at me.

“Sorry,” Jules said. “I probably cost you that spot.”

I looked at him, sighing as I remembered my rough night.

“It wasn’t just you,” I replied. “But you still owe me one.”

“Okay, okay, sure.” Jules smiled.

Jules and I got out of the Jeep and then headed towards the open gate. I heard the snickering and chatter behind me as Abby and her group decided to follow us in.

“What’s the matter, Oliver?” One of the boys called out. “Couldn’t get out of bed?”

I ignored them and kept walking on, but then I started hearing hollering from them all. I turned to see what the commotion was about, only to find Max walking up the path along the fence towards me.

“Stalker alert, stalker alert!” Another one of them called out.

I frowned at her but she made me smile as she gave me an overly dramatic eye roll.

“Why on Earth is Abby the Sea Wench in your spot?” Max asked, glancing back at them with a look of disgust.

Max dramatically flicked her blonde hair over her shoulder then crossed her arms as she walked with the both of us.

“Blame it on a rough morning and being a hero,” I replied, nodding towards Jules.

Max looked at him, head to toe, then at me. She let out a sly smile.

She jumped in front, facing us as she walked backwards.

“You two came to school - together?” She questioned.

I noticed her mischievous look, realising she was interpreting this all wrong.

“Yes, because Jules is my neighbour!” I quickly said. “Next door neighbour, actually.”

Max look surprised, doing a double take as she glanced him up and down again.

“What, he lives with the moody old couple?” She furrowed her brows together.

Jules looked both insulted and confused.

“Try again,” I said.

She paused, thinking about it. Then suddenly, she quickly looked over my shoulder at Abby, then right back at Jules.

“Shut. Up.” Max said, looking majorly shook. “You are not living with her.”

“Why is this so surprising?” Jules questioned. “I’m her cousin.”

Max’s jaw dropped.

“Shocker, right?” I said. “Worry not, he is nothing like her. Actually this morning he was her first victim of the day.”

“Oh boy,” Max commented. “What did you do? Steal her eyeliner?”

“Heh, something like that,” Jules replied. “I’ve been doing Abby’s chores and her parents found out, so this morning they gave me her weekly allowance.”

“Ooh, yeah, that’ll do it.” Max said. “She likes playing the rich girl.

“Oi, Stalker!” A voice called out, disrupting our conversation.

We turned around to see Abby’s boyfriend, Jaren, strutting over like he’s top shit. He had his eyes on Max, glaring at her like she was filth.

Jaren's not a bad looking guy. He's fit, has a nice face along with his short mess of unruly dark curls. But his personality...

He snapped at Max, “Thought I told you to stay the hell away from Abby!”

Oh man, his personality. It really does ruin it.

“It doesn’t really matter what you say,” Max replied with a snarky grin. “Because the other night, she was begging me to stay.”

I watched him tighten his grip which caused me to take action and step in front of Max. I smiled up at him, gaining a grossed out expression.

“How about you back off, mmkay?” I told him. “Wouldn’t want me telling Mr Palmer that you’re threatening Max now, would you?”

He didn’t change his expression nor did he move.

“Just leave it, babe,” Abby called out. “We're late to class.”

Abby waited to the side, inspecting her nails as if to say she was bored, while the rest of her group headed towards the buildings.

“Yeah, whatever,” Jaren spat on the ground near us and then strutted back over to Abby, wrapping his arm around her waist as they walked off.

“Ew,” Jules remarked. “How feral do you have to be to spit like that?”

“Mhm," I agreed. "And your cousin is dating that feral.”

Jules made a disgusted expression.

“Right, back to that,” Max turned her attention to Jules again, clapping her hands together. “You’re Abby’s cousin?”

“Yeah,” Jules said. “And you are Abby’s…”

He paused, thinking on how to finish that.

“Stalker?” He questioned.

“Apparently so,” Max replied. “A crazy lesbian stalker who is head over heels in love with her.”

She rolled her eyes at her own statement.

“Does this have anything to do with ‘feats’ Abby has with you?” Jules asked.

Max looked surprised, turning to look at me.

“I didn’t say anything!” I held my hands up in defence. “I just said something to Abby and Jules happened to be present and rudely listening.”

Jules furrowed his brows together. 

“How could I have not listened?!” Jules asked. “And that particular statement was interesting, okay?”

“Wait, what did you tell Abby?” Max asked me.

“Nothing new,” I replied. “Just reminded her of who she is.”

Max rolled her eyes, touching her temples.

“So,” Jules said. “What are you to Abby?”

“That’s a good question,” Max replied. “I still don’t know.”

Max’s smile slowly faded with her expression softening. She looked to the side in a daze and I saw the sadness fill her eyes.

I hate it when she looks like that.

“I’m gay,” she said. “I’ve been open about it from the get-go, making sure people knew about it when I started high school and everything.”

Jules didn’t look surprised but he did seem a little taken aback.

“When Abby found out, well…” 

Max continued, twirling a strand of her hair.

“Let’s just say her curiosity was piqued.”