Helena.

That was the name of the girl kissing Tate a few days later in the hallway. She had pastel pink hair and wide blue eyes framed by an array of thick, dark lashes and decent eyebrows. She wore more makeup than most, but she pulled it off well. 

She seemed edgy, smoking cannabis with my brother and his friends under the bleachers during class. 

Exactly Tate's type. 

I wasn't embarrassed to admit I was jealous. I thought I had a right to be, after all, he was kissing some girl I'd never even really seen him talk to before after spending a night in my bed just a few days ago.

What a little man slut.

I rolled my eyes, moving past the two to head to my next class.

Later that day, when I was sitting at my usual spot in the library, I found a spot deeper into the numerous shelves of books to avoid Tate. I settled down to flip through a new novel, popping handfuls of Fritos into my mouth. I didn't hear Tate step into the library over my obnoxious crunching, but I managed to see him through the gaps between shelves. 

He seemed confused, taking a seat at my old table and peering around the room for me. He checked his watch a few times, and I felt some guilt over making him wait but quickly squashed those feelings by remembering his mouth on Helena's.

I tried to get lost in my book, crunching more quietly so that he wouldn't hear.

When I raised my gaze back to the spot he'd been in five minutes ago, he was gone.

I felt a sense of relief and also a strange sense of disappointment. I shook my head, remembering how stupid and confusing boys my age are and that made me remember why I'd only ever dated men 25 and older.

By the end of the day, I was craving a cigarette and I couldn't bring myself to go to my last period so I found a spot under the bleachers and sat on the cool cement to smoke. 

After a few long drags, I heard voices somewhere close. I wasn't worried because teachers never checked the bleachers, so I only continued to breathe in and hold for as long as I could, and then watch the smoke ease into the air as I exhaled.

"So, are we official then?" I heard a girl question.

"It's only been a few days, Hell." Tate answered.

My eyes widened in surprise as I stumbled to get up. There was no way I was going to stick around for a little chit-chat with Tate and his 'un-official' new girlfriend.

I made a bolt for the opposite side of the bleachers, but my bag got caught halfway and jerked me to the ground. I landed hard on my ass and groaned in pain.

"What the hell was that?" I heard Helena say as they slipped under the bleachers.

They'd seen me and it was too late to run now.

"Fuck." I said under my breath.

"Oh," Helena smiled at me and Tate seemed almost nonchalant. "Poppy, right?"

I pushed myself onto my feet and nodded at her."That's me." I scanned the floor, searching for my fallen cigarette and I snuffed it out with my shoe.

"Oliver's sister." Helena confirmed. 

My phone suddenly vibrated in my bag and I took it out and glanced at the screen. 

I'm back in town. Cash for company? ;)

I glanced back up at an unapologetic Tate as he took a seat on the concrete. Helena sat beside him and together, they looked like the ideal couple. 

Definitely. I missed you. Come pick me up.