A week into the new school year and she was all too aware of everyone talking about her. First day of school she'd told anyone who talked to her or addressed her as Cole or a boy not to. Second day of school Nathan Prescott tried to make a big deal out of it and refused to call her a girl or Chloe in the middle of English when the teacher called her name in roll.
Chloe made a bigger deal out of it, whipping around and decking him in the face, "My name's Chloe, asshole!"
The teacher had promptly sent her to the office where she ended up with 3 days in-school suspension for fighting.
As school started the following week, Chloe noticed a new girl sitting in her desk in English and the seat which was previously Nathan's empty. Walking to take Nathan's old seat, the new girl smiled brightly at Chloe as she passed. Chloe could've sworn her heart stopped, the feeling faded fast as she realized this girl probably knew about the ordeal last week already. Everyone already seemed accustomed to her so she had to have come in in the 3 days Chloe was absent, giving everyone plenty of time to gossip to her about Chloe.
The girl turned around, still smiling, "I'm Rachel Amber."
"I'm Chloe," Chloe tried to put extra emphasis on her name.
"You're the girl who got in a fight with Nathan!"
"Yeah?"
The girl turned around and started scribbling on some scrap paper. The bell rang and everyone turned attention to the front of the class as the teacher started roll. Rachel handed the small paper to Chloe. Chloe looked at the small folded scrap suspiciously before opening it.
Everyone says you're kind of a bitch for punching Nathan but I just got here Thursday and he's kinda an asshole we should hang out later here's my number
Chloe smiled and folded the paper back up before slipping it in her pocket. She tore the corner off of one of her sheets and wrote a response on it. She tried to subtlety pas it to Rachel but the teacher called her name, "Chloe?"
Chloe dropped the scrap, "I'm here!"
The teacher frowned, "I can see that,was there anything important on that paper slip you were passing to Miss Amber?"
"Well, yeah it was important. But I mean if calling our names is more important, I guess it could wait."
A few students snickered, the teacher stood, "No no, do continue. In fact why don't you read it out loud to the class?"
Chloe rolled her eyes and sighed as she grabbed the slip and stood up. Rachel stood up with her, "I was the one passing the note to Chloe, ma'am."
The class stared at Rachel before the teacher sighed, "Rachel, please take your seat. Chloe was the one passing the note to you. Now, Chloe, please continue."
Chloe went to speak up again but this time Rachel took the paper from her, "It's my fault, . I asked Chloe for her number."
A few kids snickered and some gasped melodramatically as if Rachel had just pleaded guilty in a murder trial. sighed again, "Rachel Amber, I'd like to see you after class."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Chloe, Rachel, please take your seats now," Chloe and Rachel sat back down as finished roll.
Chloe leaned over her desk to whisper to Rachel, "Hey, thanks for that save. Not that it matters I totally could've read my note, dude."
"And I could've totally acted embarrassed to have any contact with you. I wanted people to know I didn't care and you to know that I do."
"We literally just met," Rachel turned halfway in her seat, "And you literally were just in suspension for 3 days because you stood up for yourself."
"I get that, I'm like, pretty rad and stuff, but I could've "defended myself" again. You obviously already have a pretty reputation, why the fuck are you trying to trash it?"
"I'm not "trashing" it. I'm making it into something I can be proud of, and besides if they wanna hate me, they can hate me. If you wanna hate me, you can hate me. It doesn't change what I already did, Chloe," the teacher cleared her throat, "Chloe Price, do I need to speak to you as well after class?"
"Well, if you think you should, go ahead. I make no promises I'll hold up."
The teacher sighed and began her lesson on the board. Chloe leaned over her desk again, "I'll wait outside at the water fountains for you."
"The ones across the hall or around the left corner?"
"Across the hall," Rachel nodded in acknowledgment.
Chloe leaned against the lockers next to the water fountains, occasionally glancing at the door to 's class. Heavy footsteps turned the corner and stopped beside her. Coach Wright stood towering above her, arms crossed over his chest, "Price."
"Wright," Chloe mocked him, copying his stance and his voice.
"Students are not allowed within the halls without a pass once the bell's rang. Do you actually have a pass this time?"
The door across the hall opened before Chloe could answer. Rachel smiled up at Coach Wright as she walked over to the two, "Thanks for waiting, Chloe."
"Yeah, no problem."
Coach Wright glared at Chloe, "There's no need to defend him, Amber. He does this sort of blatant rule-breaking often."
"I'm not "defending" her. I asked Chloe to wait for me while held me after class," Rachel's smile had faltered when the coach had referred to Chloe as a boy, but hadn't completely faded.
Coach Wright groaned, "Fine, kid. But he has to get in the least an infraction for breaking the rules."
"Yeah whatever. It's for "loitering" again, right? Don't even give me the slip just put it on my "record." You're gonna do that anyways and I already know what it's for," the coach glared at Chloe again as he tore out a paper from the small notepad he'd retrieved from his jacket, "Your mother still has to sign, Price."
"Yeah, thanks for the pink slip, Coach," the coach grumbled as he walked away.
When they stared walking down the hall, Rachel grabbed Chloe's hand before they'd even turned the corner. Chloe stared down at their hands after she tossed the pink slip at a trash can across the hall.
Rachel Pulled Chloe to a halt, "Hey, if you're not okay with holding hands, that's cool. I probably should've asked first, but I mean like if you don't like it you can just like, yank your hand away."
"No, it's chill. It's just...odd, I guess. Max always kinda had this like thing against a lot of touching without a reason behind it. I don't mind," Chloe tugged on Rachel's arm as she took a few steps forward.
Rachel showed off another bright smile as she started walking alongside Chloe again, "So...Max? Friend? Ex? Weird cousin?"
"Friend. Best Pirate Friend."
Rachel chuckled, "Best...Pirate Friend?"
"Oh yeah, me and Max we're the best pirates to ever walk through some woods! Yeah, she moved to Seattle over the summer."
"Sounds like that might've been rough."
"Very rough. My cat Bongo got hit by a car last year, then my dad died like a month before Max left, and I haven't heard from her since. And my mom's starting dating this like drill sergeant? He's the security guard here, David Madsen? The guy's a fucking tool, dude!"
"I ran into him my first day here? They had that like fire drill and I had gone to the bathroom before it even went off. And when I was leaving to go outside he like chewed my ass out for "hiding something" like I was guilty of doing drugs in the stalls or something," Rachel let out a huff as they finally exited the school's main building.
"He acts like he's gathering some goddamn enemy intelligence twenty/four seven," Chloe stopped as she realized she had no idea where they were going now.
Rachel stopped a few paces ahead, "You alright?"
"Yeah, I just...where're we headed? Like is there somewhere specific you wanna go and hang out, or like..."
Rachel looked thoughtfully at the ground, "There's some big lighthouse here isn't there?"
"Hell yeah, that place is like the coolest."
"Then why don't we go there?"
Chloe grinned ear to ear, "Anywhere that's not here or home sounds fucking perfect."