Teach Me (GxG)

Five

I sat at my vanity once again. I blended my eyeshadow and applied mascara and lipgloss.

My emotions weren't children when a piñata was broken, running wild and in a frenzy. I didn't have the need to do an extravagant, glamorous look. I mean, I usually did not wear a ton of makeup on a daily basis, anyway. My modeling agency says that natural is more "in" these days.

I looked at myself once more in the mirror. My golden blonde hair was tamed and flowing past my shoulders and down my back. The lipgloss glimmered and shone in the sunlight. Wow. I'm so beautiful. I thought.

People hated my confidence, but fuck them. I would be an idiot to think that I was anything less than beautiful. I didn't need anyone's reassurance but my own.

I left my room and walked into the main kitchen. I saw my mom and father sitting at the island. "Hey Mom," I said as I searched the fridge for something to eat.

Wait a second, I thought. I stopped and looked at my parents again. Both of my parents were here this morning. Wait-both of my parents were here this morning?

"Father?" He was never here in the mornings. Or ever, really. "What are you doing here?"

He held a stern face despite the tired look in his eyes. That was his normal expression, so it didn't unsettle me. He had a clean shaven face with green eyes and shortly cut brown hair. Nothing about me resembled him, besides my height.

"Your father thought that it would be a good idea to go to work later so that he could see you and Avery before you go to school," my mom said with a small smile, placing her hand on his cheek.

I knew it was bullshit. He would never-in a million years- choose less work to spend time with his own family. Not on his own will, anyway. My parents' anniversary lasted two days before they returned because "something important came up." I knew it was bullshit, but my mom was determined to paint him to be something that he wasn't.

"Whatever," if she wanted to make him seem like Father of the Year, then so be it, "I'm going to school now."

"Peyton, it's still early. You don't have to leave now." I rolled my eyes hearing my mom say that.

I turned to face them. "If I don't leave now, then I'll have to deal with all of the traffic when I'm trying to park." That was a lie, but I don't think they would like to hear me say, "I would rather go to school all day than spend time with him every morning."

I flashed a fake smile. "Have a good day, love you." I hurriedly turned on my heels and left my house before my mom could protest.

•••

The bell had rung for first period. I opened my locker and grabbed my textbook.

"Lavagirl cosplay, huh?" I snapped my head to see Wesley laughing at my insult. His curls were in a neat bun with one curl hanging on his face. "I still can't get over that one."

I cut my eyes at him. "What do you want, Wesley?"

He looked at me with a more serious face and soft eyes. I loved his hazel eyes. "You need to talk to Ruby. I think she misses you."

I scoffed. "She should be the one that should be talking to me! I didn't do anything wrong."

He placed his hand on my shoulder. "You called the guy that she likes Trump, Peyton." He tried to hold in his laugh but failed.

I chuckled. "I don't regret it, either."

"Look, as funny as that was, you still shouldn't have said that."

I folded my arms. "Maybe you all shouldn't have been rude to the person who was serving us food."

He looked at me in disbelief. "Is that what you're upset about? You really think that a girl-who you have tutored for less than a month- is worth losing your friends that you've known for years?"

I pushed him softly. "I didn't say that!"

He placed his hands on my shoulders and leaned forward so that he was mere inches from my face. I could see the flecks of brown and yellow in his eyes. "Don't lose the people you're close to over her. I know the real you, Peyton. You're not the type of person who's mean to her own friends like you were that day."

I sighed. He was right. I would never talk shit about the guy that my friend liked. Unless he was a terrible person, but Eric was the opposite of that. "Okay, I might talk to her. Happy?"

He smiled again, showcasing his imperfect smile. "Good."

He let go of my shoulders. "You going to that formal event at the Kingston estate? My dad wants me to tag along with him to it."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, my dad is making me go too."

"Great! See you there. You can be my date for the night." He gave me a sly smile. 

"Yeah, only for the night." I smirk. He flashed me one last smile before walking to his next class.

Maybe it won't be as bad as I thought.

•••

A/N: I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who reads my story! If you like it, it would mean a lot to me if you left a comment or voted on the chapters :).