The bell rang and Ringo sighed. History was next, and he hadn’t done the homework their teacher had set for them last lesson. Worst, he had to sit next to Rachel, who he hadn’t spoken to all week.

Ever since another one of their constant break-ups Ringo had been on Rachel’s “must ignore” list for a while, she refused to make eye contact or even sit anywhere near her now ex boyfriend, perhaps in hopes that he’ll come back with another apology.

As he looked over at Rachel talking to Bree besides her locker, Ringo felt a longing twinge in his stomach, clashing with his stubborn side that refused to apologise to her.

As the bell finally ended, Rachel turned around. For a second Ringo made eye contact and looked deep into her dark eyes, before she followed Bree into her next class.

Groaning, Ringo made his way into the class. Walking through the door, he realized that the seat he usually sat was occupied by Bree, a determined attempt by Rachel to make a clear point to him that he wasn’t welcome.

“This is not my day”, he thought to himself as he sat alone at the only desk available at the back of the class. He buried his head in his arms and groaned, looking dully towards the front of the classroom, where the teacher already was droning on and on about important dates in History. He felt his eyes glaze over and he started day dreaming. He didn’t know how long he was there for, but he felt himself jolt awake once he heard his teacher raise his voice.

“Miss Manson, is there any good reason as to why you are late to my class?”

Ringo jerked his head up to the clock, thankfully only 3 minutes had passed. He looked around, hoping nobody saw him drooling on his desk with his head in his arms. Thankfully being at the back desk had its advantages, and all his classmates were glancing towards the door at the latecomer.

She had long auburn hair, which looked teased and sprayed so it looked like it would survive a cyclone. Her eyes were heavily lidded in black eyeliner and mascara, which darkened her hazel eyes and made her freckled skin seem pale. She hugged her books to her chest and mumbled an apology before making her way to the back of her class, eyes skimming the room for a seat. Her hazel eyes met Ringos and she shyly made her way to the seat next to him. Ringo shuffled his books over to make room for her.

She sat down and gave him a shy smile. Ringo couldn’t help but notice how beautiful she was, even with those cat like eyes.

“Hi” he whispered to her.

“Hey…” She muttered back.

They lapsed into silence, looking away from each other. Ringo caught sight of Rachel looking suspiciously at them, turning sharply towards Bree once she saw Ringo looking her way.

“Girlfriend trouble?” The girl next to Ringo smiled at him.

“You could say that” Ringo mumbled. Strangely he didn’t seem to mind the girl asking about it, even when Zeke or Declan mentioned it he felt like knocking them out.

“Well don’t worry about it” The girl said, starting to scribble notes on a new piece of paper, “She’ll soon realize what she’s missing out on.”

Ringo smiled, both to himself and the girl. “Ringo” He whispered, holding his hand out underneath the table. She took it.

“Alexa…you can call me Lex” She smiled, “Everyone does.”

Ringo grinned at the cute nickname; suddenly History didn’t seem so boring.

-LINE-

With History being their last class, as soon as the final bell rang everyone in the classroom raced out of the room as if it was on fire. Ringo stayed in his chair for as long as possible, slowly putting away his things. He noticed Rachel also held back longer than usual. Alexa seemed to be taking this time to check her phone. She frowned at the screen.

“Doing anything this weekend?” Ringo asked, striving to make a conversation as he stood awkwardly by the desk.

“Nothing special…” Alexa trailed off, packing her bag. She looked over at Rachel slowly walking out of the classroom, watching her with a hard stare. Alexa smirked, and then seemed to shake it off and follow her, with Ringo behind.

“I was wondering…maybe you can hang out with me.”

Alexa turned sharply behind her to him, now they were in the hallway. She looked nervously around before whispering, “What do you mean?”

Ringo looked taken aback at this slight nervousness. “I mean…you know…hang out…” He trailed off, looking at Rachel, “As friends…if you wanted…”

“Oh…” Alexa looked away awkwardly. “Yeah, I’m sure that’ll be fine…” She smiled to herself.

“Are you walking out?” Ringo asked.

“Uh…yeah…” She followed him down the hall, looking around.

They made their way out of the school doors, dodging all of the students who were running for buses or cars.

“Do you walk home?” Ringo asked Alexa. Alexa didn’t hear him, she was looking back towards the school to the gym, where a bunch of guys and a girl were hanging around, glaring at her.

“Lex?” he asked her.

“Sorry, I have to go” She mumbled, walking off towards the gym, her head hung. Ringo watched her go, confused.

-LINE-

“…Then she just walks off! I don’t get it!”

Ringo, Zeke and Declan had skipped the regular route home and took a detour to avoid the girls. Ringo was explaining Alexa and her strange exit. Declan was listening and nodding his head, listening. Zeke was trailing along, although his experience in girls were low so he had no advice to give.

“Yeah I know how you mean man...” Declan muttered, “Chicks are weird, and they just stay weird…it’s just how they are.”

“You’re telling me…” Ringo muttered, slightly annoyed that he didn’t get a better explanation.

They walked along the cement sidewalk, Ringo running his hand along the hedge beside it, deep in thought. He did like Lex, not as much as he liked Rachel, but it wouldn’t kill him to have another friend in his life, and Lex seemed like a nice girl. Maybe it was his ears deceiving him, but he thought he heard her voice. He stopped and looked at the Hedge.

“What?” He mumbled to the hedge.

Zeke laughed. “Talking to hedges now are we?”

Ringo hushed him and listened again. Now he was sure.

“…Don’t you trust me? Why are you making these accusations?”

She sounded like she was crying and shouting at the same time. Ringo peeked through. He saw her; black trails of tears from her mascara covered her face as turned away from the boy standing in front of her. He seemed to growl at her. Ringo recognized him, here was Jayden Hollstings, and he was known around the neighbourhood as a troublemaker and was frequently in trouble from the police for joyriding, smoking or drinking. His hair, known as a natural blonde, was dyed pitch black, and he had his eyebrow pierced which frequently got him pulled up in the hallway by teachers. He wore his shirt untucked and hardly ever showed up for classes, and everyone admired his ‘bad-boy’ act like he was some kind of a hero for underage drinking. Ringo was never in that crowd, he’d just heard about the stuff that he and his group got into, they were the highlight of their year…and he was famous in school for his infamous brother and cousin. But why was he yelling at Lex?

“I don’t…not not trust you…” He growled at her, trying to put his arms around her. “It’s the guys I don’t trust.”

She shook him off and folded her arms as more tears slid down her face. “You just said I practically cheated on you just because I sat next to someone else, and you weren’t even in that class.”

Jayden walked towards her again and pouted. “I was only being protective babe; you know I don’t like that…Ringo guy.”

Alexa turned towards him and scoffed. “You don’t even know him!”

Jayden seemed to flinch and frown at the same time; he clearly wasn’t used to being yelled at. “I do though Bub, he’s got a bad rep.”

Alexa folded her arms and opened her mouth, but then closed it, looking defeated. She hung her head as more tears came. Seizing the opportunity, Jayden wrapped his arms around her and looked deep into her face. Ringo had to lean in further to hear what he was saying.

“You know I love you right?” He cooed to her.

She sniffed and nodded.

“And I wont let anything happen to you right?”

Again she nodded.

“Because I’m only trying to protect you…” He smiled and pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “And I want to protect you by letting you know about that Ringo kid.”

“He seemed nice though.” Alexa looked up hopefully but Jayden’s hard glare made her look back down.

“I don’t like him and I don’t want him hanging around you.” He said, more like warned.

Lex opened her mouth, but before she could say anything Jayden talked over her.

“Don’t hang around him, he’s bad news.”

Alexa tilted her head and frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I heard he raped this chick…don’t worry about it, Babe, I just worry so much…” He trailed off, pouting. He could tell Alexa would now do anything for him.

“Ok” She sighed.

Jayden smiled at her and cupped her chin. “You’re my number one baby…I can’t live without you…remember that.” He kissed her.

Both Declan and Zeke were now grabbing onto the back of Ringos shirt to stop him from bursting through that hedge. They both fell backward, Ringo falling with him.

“What the Hell?” Ringo furiously whispered to them.

“Sorry dude, but we had to hold you back, he’s got his whole group there and you know what he’s like-“

“No! I mean him saying all that about me! What is his problem!” he demanded to nobody in particular.

“I don’t know, Bro, maybe he’s just an overprotective boyfriend.”

Ringo walked off in a huff. There went his perfect opportunity on his chance at a girl.

-LINE-

Declan handed the money over to Harold, who smiled back in his usual happy way and handed the drinks over to him. He sneaked a glance over to the nearby table where Zeke and Ringo were sitting, Ringo still looking moody.

“What’s wrong with Ringo?” He asked Declan.

Declan shrugged. “Girl troubles unfortunately. Harold nodded understandably.

Declan slammed the drinks on the table. “Will you knock it off Ringo? You look like you’ve lost the Olympics.”

Ringo grabbed his drink and screwed off the lid. “I can’t help it okay? What’s Jayden got against me anyway?”

“Beats me” Zeke put in.

“Better not look towards the door…” Declan muttered.

Ringo looked. Bree and Rachel had just walked in and walked towards them.

“Hello guys…” Bree said, not looking at her ex boyfriend Zeke.

“Hey…” Rachel muttered, not looking at her ex boyfriend Ringo.

“Hi” The three boys chorused, not looking at either of them.

“Come on Bree” Rachel muttered, “Let’s get something to eat, I’m starved.”

They walked swiftly passed them. Ringo looked up at the wrong time. “This is not my day.” He muttered. He glanced over to the door where Jayden and 2 other guys walked behind him. He looked towards Harold and Lou’s turned backs and made a beeline for one person only- Ringo.

Ringo gulped as Jayden reached their table, looking far from friendly.

“Hey Jayden” Zeke grinned, trying to make friendly conversation, “What brings you here?”

“Shut it, Geek” Jayden growled at him.

“Ok”

Jayden leaned across so his face was right near Ringos. Ringo didn’t flinch, only stared back. He couldn’t see one of Jayden’s eyes, because one side of his fringe was covering it, but he could see one green eye (the one with the eyebrow piercing) looking hard at him.

“Ok, Ringo” He sneered at him. “Stay away from my girlfriend, or they’ll be trouble.”

“What is your problem?” Ringo couldn’t help himself saying. “Me and Lex are friends, and if you’re really this controlling you wont have a girlfriend soon enough.”

Jayden froze, then in one swift movement grabbed ringo’s drink and poured it right over his head. Ringo sat up, soaking and gasping, and Jayden grabbed his school collar and pulled him forward.

“Stay away” He hissed at him, before stalking out, ignoring Lou and Harold’s calls.

-LINE-

OOOO I need reviews!! Reviews make me smile and write faster! This storyline’s good, I can tell you, but if you have ANY tips I need them, im a beginner writer and always open for suggestions. And CONSTRUCTIVE criticism, please.

Also, if you would be so kind, if you want to, to put your name down? I’m not that creative with names (it took me a while to decide on ‘Alexa’) and I need names for my OCs)

Hugs! xx