The breath I let out after stepping out of the library made it seem like I've been holding it in for like a century. Oh my God.. where the hell did I get the guts from to even say that. I'm guessing it's from the exact same place I got the one from Loren's beat down.. can I call it a beat down though?.
I walk into the cafeteria searching for my friends.. wow that sounded almost unbelievable, I can't believe I have friends now. I walk to the line to get food first with a knowing smile on my face.
When I get to the front of the counter, I look at what's available and before I can order for anything someone so kind helps me with it.
"A salad for her, she clearly needs it", I turn to see Loren and I kinda hate myself for complimenting her blue jacket straight away.. It's a nice jacket though.
"I bet you think you're a winner now..", she says trailing.. for effect I'm guessing?, "But shocker you're still the fat loser you've always been", she says then flings her glowing blonde hair to the side.
After muttering freaking weirdo she leaves the line and I discover there's a plate of salad on my tray. I look up at the lunch lady and she points to the register.
"Hey fatso you're holding up the line", a voice says from behind so I just quickly leave the line and pay for my food.
I turn scanning the place for my friends with teary eyes. It's not like her comment was that bad but it still hurts and fatso? C'mon that was harsh. The scan stops at Noah and it's like he's been staring all this while.
He's eyes avert to someone else and so I turn to look at who it is. I watch him look at Loren who sashays to their lunch table.
Just as she's about to sit down she's stopped, "Get out", Noah says loud enough for a good amount of people to hear.. approximately half of the cafeteria.
"What?", She asks.
"I said get out", Noah repeats as firmly as the first time.
Loren is in complete disbelief as she processes what's happening. She scoffs and in a swift moment her eyes land on me and she gives me the most menacing look on Earth before she picks her bag she had placed on the chair already and storms out of the cafeteria. To cut the long story short, I'm dead.
I look at Noah and he's eyes soften when he sees me. He stands up from his seat and when I notice him approaching me I walk away and if I could run I would.
"Abby", he calls after me but I don't stop to see what he wants I just keep speed walking until I get out to the field.
I stop to take a breather. Like I said I hate running.. I didn't run but I'm sure speed walking still counts.
"Abby", Noah calls out again and this time I turn around. He walks closer to me, "Why were you running?", He asks and I hold a smirk. So in the eyes of humans that was actually a run.
"Because I'm dead", I say and he raises a brow.
"Dead?", He asks with confusion written all over his face.
"Hurting Loren won't make her back off, it'll only cause more harm to me", I say. I'm gonna be like those mc's who die at the end.
"First off you're not dead and second Loren isn't going to back down even if I tell her to because she's Loren", he says and I sigh knowing it's the truth. Loren isn't just going to stop bullying me with some polite talk like 'please leave Abby alone' she's literally gonna find ways to hurt me and I know it.
"I told you I'd protect you Abby", he says then notices my food tray.
"I'm on a diet".
**
After school I tiredly walk out to the parking lot. I'm not even two steps out before I get pulled over by Callie.
"Woah", I say getting myself together after the little pull.
"Where have you been all day?", She asks pulling her bag straps closer to her shoulder.
"Sorry.. I tried to find you guys in the cafeteria but-
"We weren't in the cafeteria", she cuts me off so I raise a brow.
"Well then where were you guys?", I ask.
"Outside by the curb, eating lunch..", she trails and I slowly nod.
"Okay.. so um why not the bleachers?", I ask.
"We didn't feel like it", she says and I nod again. Even if they didn't feel like it, still seems weird. The curbs so far away.
"Okay but why didn't you guys just wait for me", I say wondering why I wasn't informed.
She shrugs her answer out and I have nothing to do with her reply so I shrug back.
"Wanna walk home?", I awkwardly ask because things at hand were already getting low key weird.
"Uh no, Hernan's taking me", she says with an unmistakable smile on her lips. It's like as she just mentioned his name it appeared.
"Oh..", I let out being short of words. Didn't know he took her home.
"Yeah", she concludes still smiling. Well she's excited about it.
Soon a sleek black bike rolls to a stop infront of us and the riders helmet comes off revealing buzz cut boy.
"Hey Ginger", he calls out and I notice the brows on Callie's face crease, "Where you been all day?", He asks getting down from his bike.
"Um.. around", I say shrugging. "I got called to the library", I say having the need to explain further to him.
"Oh for tutoring?", He asks and I nod so he frowns a bit. "So you're not gonna tutor me anymore?".
"No it's uh-", I start but can't finish because Callie's enthusiasm seems bigger than the whole earth today.
"I could tutor you", she jumps in and Hernandez and I look between ourselves.
"There's no need for that Callie unless Abby doesn't want to tutor me anymore", he says keeping eye contact with me. Almost like he's green orbs where searching mine or trying to tell me something.
"I'm still tutoring you", I say and he softly smiles.
"Okay", Callie says looking elsewhere. Is it just me or she's acting off.
"I just rescheduled it for Tuesdays and Wednesdays but if you ever wanted me to tutor you on Saturdays and Sundays then that's okay", I say and he nods.
"Uh okay I'd like that so um I guess we're free today then?", he asks and I nod. I would have liked to tutor him today since Asher's too busy but seeing how Callie's so enthusiastic to get home by Hernandez's bike I'll just let it slide.
"Yeah so um I'll see you guys.. later", I say then awkwardly stand. I guess I'm waiting for them to leave cause I was standing here before either of them came.
"Okay I'll text you later", he says then gets into his bike, he then gestures for Callie to get in too, "C'mon". Callie walks to the bike and I'm surprised when she gets in without much hassle. Kinda looks like I'm the only one who doesn't know how to get into a bike.
"Bye Ginger", he says with a wink as he hands the helmet to Callie. Callie puts it on just as the bike roars, coming to life.
"Bye Abby", Callie says and I notice her hand finding it's way to Hernandez's waist.
"Bye", I say and the bike rides off leaving me to wonder what the hell just happened. It could be just me though. I shrug it off and start walking again.
I just wanna get home, eat, take a nice hot bath then fall asleep while listening to some soft music.. yeah I wanna do all that.
A loud horn blares through the parking lot and it literally scares the shit out of me. I hold on to my chest looking round for the moron who would just-
"Princess!!",
My eyes land on the culprit and although my heart's still pounding ferociously against my chest I hold a smile. My smile dies down when I notice a lot of people staring.
Instead of moving I just stand there. Should I walk to him or just keep walking home? Everyone is staring so maybe I should just walk home and pretend he was calling out to someone else and not me.
"Princess!!",
These are the times where you wish you could just disappear or turn invincible.. but what if I did, it's totally gonna freak everyone out because a lot of people are staring and what would they do if I just disappeared into thin air. That would be the end of me I would never show my face in this place again.. they'll think I'm a witch or even worse a wizard's daughter.. okay isn't that the same thing.
"Abby", I jolt up at the sound of my name. "Easy, it's me", I look up to see Noah looking down at me with worried eyes.
"Hey", I say awkwardly.
"Is.. everything okay? I've been calling you but you just stood here", he says taking a good look at me.
"Nothing.. I mean yeah I'm fine" I say nodding and he gives out a single nod still watching me with his brown eyes.
"Okay.. so can we go home now?", he asks and I raise a brow.
"Mm?", I question. I mean, what does he mean by that? What does he mean by home? Is like a routine now? Is it a routine for him to take me home now?
"Let's go", he says with a sigh then tries to hold my hand but I move away walking ahead of him. I wince when I hear him sigh again from behind. I hope he doesn't think I'm ashamed of him. I'm just doing this because people aren't nice and they might talk shit about him.
I get into the car and so does he. We both put on our seatbelts and he starts driving. I wonder if he's gonna take me to a special place today when he gets to the schools entrance and I anticipate on which way he's going to take.. either the way home or the other route.
My high hopes plummets when Noah takes the route home. I inwardly sigh concealing my disappointment. He looks over to me and so I look back at him. I'm not sure what he wants so I let my eyes move around to other things, like the steering wheel, the rear view mirror and even the button on his jacket.. I blink in the process of meeting his eyes again and there's a big smile on his lips as he looks back to the road. I sigh but outwardly this time, darn traffic.
"I guess you know what that means", he says with a sly smirk and I roll my eyes.
"Yeah yeah you win", I say instantly giving in to defeat.
"Good", he says with a lick of his lips and I get a tingling sensation down my neck with the sound of his voice. Fingers crossed whatever he asks is doable.