A Lot Of Differences

The school's parking lot was packed. I honestly think that the inside is deserted by the amount of kids that are out here. Then again, it's a huge school, so I'm sure I'm wrong.

I sit in my car and watch all the kids—girls mostly—squealing and laughing and jumping around excitedly. There were multiple groups of people—friends being reunited and all that. I felt sad almost, knowing I don't have not even one person to call a friend. That the closest people to me were in their thirties and shared my genes.

I got my bag from the passenger seat as I pushed the car door open, then hiked it over my shoulder as I stood. The sound of the vehicle locking sounded as I walked away.

Suddenly there was screaming and cursing, making me turn my head to the source. A black dodge challenger was speeding into the parking lot, kids jumping out of its path and I couldn't help but roll my eyes. It parked horizontally, taking up three parking spaces mind you.

Is this what he does when I don't come to school?

Shaking my head in disapproval, I kept walking to the school not giving that performance a second glance. I only hope he doesn't see me.

Try to blend in with the crowd.

"Grace! Grace!"

Too soon.

An uncontrollable cringe wracked through me, and I started walking faster, keeping my gaze forward. Can't he act like we don't know each other?

"Grace- get the fuck out of my way kid!"

I couldn't stop myself from gaping at that, forcing myself not to stop so I could rip him one. I absolutely despise swearing. It makes me uncomfortable and he knows that, but he's not thinking and he's angry. For obvious reasons. John would always curse around his friends but once he sees me, he stops. That was the part of him that drew me in. The tiny part that respected my wishes. I always knew that he only did and said those mean things to me around his friends, but he proved me wrong this morning.

People were staring at him like he was crazy, and I don't blame them. No one knew who he was calling though, because I wasn't dressed the same as how I used to, and that's why they were staring at him like that. They didn't notice me. They were looking for a big girl in sweatpants and a hood or something, but they didn't see her so they immediately think he's going bonkers.

I pushed the double doors open and as I figured, I was wrong. The hallway was packed with kids hugging and laughing as they stood around welcoming each other back to school and asking how their summers went. If only one of them would stop John and give him a warm greeting so he could forget about me for at least a couple seconds so I could lose him.

"Grace!" I speed up my walking again, getting lost in the crowd. When I broke up with John, I really wanted him to jump for joy- not really. But I think he would've been relieved to be rid of me. I was waiting for him to say, 'Fine. Go.' Then drive away. I made this easier for him. I didn't want a chase. Not from him anyway, because I'm done with him.

I found my locker after five minutes of endless walking and crouching in effort to hide myself as much as I can. I put in the combination that I memorized last night and took my bag off, getting my schedule, a notebook, and a pen out of it before stuffing it in my locker. I didn't plan on doing anything today but it wouldn't hurt to take something. It's my day off. I smiled to myself and closed my locker.

You're so crazy, girl.

I turn to start going to class, then I'm backed up against my locker, making my eyes widen in shock.

"John," I gasped his name.  What is he doing!

His body was pressed against mine very inappropriately. He never does anything like this in public. It's weird. "What are you doing?" I whisper shout at him.

I look around briefly, my face getting hot when I caught the eyes of some of the kids who either looked away right after as if they didn't see anything, or laughed lowly before they looked away to whisper something to whoever they were standing next to.

His brown eyes stare into mine with longing and desperation. "Grace please. I'm sorry."

I shake my head at him. I want him. I really do, but I can't. He blew it for himself, who knows what he'll do to me in the future. I'm not willing to take that chance. "Grace..." He whispers and I have to look away to hide the tears in my eyes.

"No, John." I push him away, enough to give me room to leave.

As I walk away, a loud bang sounded, like something hitting the lockers and I knew he punched it. Either he really liked me or he just hates the feeling of rejection... and I know it's the latter.

**~**

For the rest of the morning, the only thing that happened in classes were introductions. As per usual on first days.

The teachers introduced themselves, what we should and should not do in their class, gave out those papers with expectations and all that jazz along with the ones we have to have signed by our parents/guardian to bring back. By third period, I had at least 15 sheets of paper tucked between the pages of my notebook, and heavy textbooks in my arms.

Then their was the time when my teachers did attendance. When my name came up and I raised my hand and everyone would gape at me. In every single class. I wanted to run every time that happened.

It was honestly the most dramatic and unnecessary thing ever. Though I think I'll be getting a lot of those looks for maybe a couple of days. Some teenagers just don't know how to let something go. I even got stares in between classes, which was the absolute worst and rude, considering some of them were even pointing. I swear they know nothing about being subtle. I didn't even know what the big deal was. I'm not wearing sweats anymore, whatever.

My morning classes were Honors English, AP Calculus, and Physics and John felt the need to be a part of two of them. All through Calculus and Physics, he kept staring. Of course, I didn't stare back, but I felt it. It felt like he was trying to drill a hole in the side of my face with his mind and at some point, it felt like it was happening. I had to reach up and rub my temple a couple times to make sure he wasn't using more brain power than the average human and was actually doing construction on my face. It was uncomfortable.

He even tried talking to me in the halls at times, but I told him to leave me alone. I simply can't have him thinking that he can just come back into my life. I won't allow that to happen. I didn't want to talk because there was nothing to talk about, and that might lead to him worming his way back somehow.

"Darn teachers." I mumbled as I shove the bunch of papers and textbooks into my locker. I got a textbook for Physics and another one for Calculus, then I got a novel for English that I have to read the first five chapters and summarize. These people are crazy! But I have to do it anyway. I did choose advanced classes and no one can blame me, academic is boring.

"Grace?" I turn to see one of John's friends—Tim, or something like that. He was the first friend John made when we started high school; one of the main ones who'd make fun of me.

He was smiling at me as he looked me up and down.

"You look nice." He sounded sincere but I was ready for him to turn it around like he usually does and turn it into an insult.

He didn't. He just kept smiling.

So, I hesitantly said, "Thank you." I don't know why, but I'm still waiting for it. It's just something I'm used to.

"Would you like to sit with me at lunch?"

What?

I honestly don't know what to make of this. His... niceness. I've never witnessed it before and it's scaring me.

Then it hit me.

"Is this a prank?" I asked bluntly. It has to be a prank.

He blinks at me, then starts to shake his head vigorously, "No! God, Grace." He ran his hand through his sandy, blonde hair.

"Well actually it's 'Good grace'." I couldn't help it.

He chuckled and dropped his hand from his hair. "So?" He looks at me with hopeful eyes.

"Oh... I think I'm gonna pass. But thanks though." I smiled as sincere as I could.

It doesn't feel right. Him being nice to me. It feels so wrong, after all these years of his verbal abuse and he wants to be friendly now? It just feels wrong. I'm not holding a grudge or anything, I'm just not fit for his crowd and he is John's friend. Best friend even, and John loves to jump to assumptions. So I rather not walk into that cafeteria with him.

His face fell a little, but he recovered quickly and cleared his throat, "Um... okay. You can always find me though... If you change your mind." He said.

I nodded, watching him closely. "Cool." I smiled at him and he returned it.

I let out a sigh when he walks away. I don't understand why they're acting like this. First John wants to make a spectacle out of me breaking up with him. Now Tom wants to act like we're life-long friends. I'm sure John must've told him that I broke up with him. Or maybe not, since John has a thing for his pride and status. He's well-known in this school, while everyone else only saw me as, 'John's fat girlfriend'. Not many of them knew my name.

"Hey, Grace." A voice echoed close to my ear, along with a pair of arms wrapping around my torso.

Frozen in spot, I manage to squeak out, "Hi, excuse me, what are you doing?" I take in a much needed  breath of air mixed with cologne. A cologne that smells so good, that I let out a sigh when I exhaled. I might not know who it is, but I can at least appreciate the smell.

He let out a low chuckle, sending hot breath down my neck and over my chest, "You sniffing me?"

It's then I realize the voice and stopped breathing altogether. I haven't talked to him in the years he's been here but I have heard him talking to his friends before. Sometimes I even mentality swoon when I see him. With his dark hair, and chocolate brown eyes. Oh and that killer smile. Then there are those studs in his ears and that lip ring that I wanted to take between my teeth and- wait, what am I even thinking?

"Uh... Arthur?" I said, confused.

"Hmm." I feel like I could die when he start moving his lips along my ear.

I feel heat rush to my face when he squeezed his arms tighter around me, bringing my back flush against him. I wanted to tell him to let me go but I couldn't. The feeling's... nice.

I'm pathetic.

His arms squeezed around me gently, making an involuntary shiver run down my spine and I reached for his arms, "Okay, let's just..." I pushed them away as gently as I could, only for him to place them on the lockers on either side of me.

Really, dude?

"You're so gorgeous, Grace." He mumbled next to my ear.

A nervous laugh spilled from me. "I mean, I know that." Even if I do know, it still made my heart beat faster and my palms all sweaty, "You know I can charge you for harassment right? You don't just walk up to people and do that. Especially in school. They have cameras y'know, you just lost a whole case and got a couple years in jail." I was babbling. And I had to press my lips together to stop from keep going.

He snickered. "I was willing to risk it, and I don't... do this to random people."

"Is this about this morning?" I asked, making a face, "I wouldn't be surprised if all you see is me in my underwear right now."

I could tell he was laughing by the sound of it, then he moved from behind me and leaned against the locker next to mine, giving me a good look at him. He was smiling humorously, "C'mon, gorgeous, do I look like that kind of guy?"

Arthur was a cocky son of a gun I'll tell you that. He walked around like he owned the place, with his twinkling eyes, beautiful smile, and incredible body that's toned by his place on the school's basketball team. And onto the cliche part, he was a total ladies man. No one knows how many times I've had to close my window and balcony door to get rid of the sounds coming from his room at least once a week for the past two-or-so years. It didn't bother me until it messed up my beauty sleep, but I never judged him for it. It's really none of my business what he does and with whom he does it.

"Every guy is that type of guy." I replied, turning to him slightly. I was silently wondering why he was so touchy all of a sudden. He's lucky I always liked him, or he would've caught a lawsuit.

"Well," He started, looking away briefly while making a face. My eyebrows raised. He looked back to as he finished with: "Why don't you get to know me then?" He leaned away from the locker, taking a step closer.

Another nervous laugh from me, "I'll really have to think about it. And considering your rep around here, it'll be a while before I get back to you. Is it worth it?" I relaxed a little when his eyes moved above my head, staring at something for a moment, before he looked back at me with a smirk.

"I think so. My sister wants me to get hit by a car though." He shrugged. I burst out laughing, then bring a hand up to cover my mouth quickly, snickering behind it.

"Your sister, I'd like to know." I smile. I didn't dare to look around, because the hall was too quiet and I could feel the stares of disapproval.

I've seen her around, and honestly, she's scarier than Arthur. She doesn't talk to people like her brother does, but one look from her and you'd know to either shut up or keep going. She mostly hangs out with older people who I see pick her up a couple of nights a week. I assume she's a party animal.

He chuckled. "You have to know me first." He took my hand and I looked down at it, then back up at him. He smiled, running his thumb over the back of my hand, making my heart do that thing. "But I'll give you time, gorgeous."

My face heats up again, his hand slipping from mine as he walked around me. I listened to his fading footsteps, fighting a smile.

"Arthur, you hittin that?!" Was shouted from somewhere, and a cold sweat broke out across my skin. That made all traces of happiness vanish.

"How about you mind ya damn business and go get a STD test, Baydin!" Arthur responded and my jaw dropped along with multiple sounds echoing throughout the hallway, "I'm bettin 50 to everyone in this hall, you caught somethin fuckin around with Sid's nasty ass."

"Oh my..." I was just as shocked as everyone else who was hearing this and I turned to see him walking down the hall easily.

"That was foul, bro," was all the boy could say, and I noticed he subtly dropped his arm from around a brunette's shoulder who leaned forward to hide her face with her thick hair.

"Fuck you." He said it so nonchalantly, and raised his hand to flip the guy off without a care in the world.

I know as I was still gaping at his retreating form along with everyone else.

He has no heart.

A guy came up to him then, holding his arms out and giving him a 'really' look. I think that was his closest friend. He was pale with a low cut and the same height as Arthur. Arthur didn't care much and just wrapped his arm around his friend aggressively, pulling him with him as he struggled to get out of his hold.

"No one's safe!" Arthur said loudly, something I've heard him say a couple times before. But then he turned around, walking backward and pointed at me. My heart did that thing again, and his friend turned to look over his shoulder at what he was pointing at. "Except you."

I placed a hand on my chest. He grinned and nodded.

"Okay." I muttered to myself, looking down with a laugh. I couldn't stop the blush in my cheeks at all the eyes that turned to me.

"Don't come for her!" He said loudly.

"Arthur, go to class," a teacher came out of a classroom, leaning against the doorjamb and crossing his arms.

"That's what I'm doing Mr. D." Arthur said but made his way over to the teacher and did that handshake that all guys do.

Laughing lowly to myself, I turn back to my locker and closed it, so I could go to lunch.

I'm not gonna let whatever that was take over my conscience, because while I wouldn't mind someone to talk to, I wasn't set on getting into anything with Arthur. I can never hope too much about a future with him that's for sure. He doesn't do relationships. I've heard it from multiple people when they're talking about him, and I'm not interested in being another hook up for him. So, friends I'll do. Anything more than that would be questioned a longer time.