Chapter 14: Lunchtime Quarrels
I leaned against her locker fondling her beautiful brown locks as she collects her books for her morning classes. Today was going to be the best day ever. Due to some test the sophomores have to take, the schedule has been changed and we all get to go home three hours earlier than usual. And I get to spend the rest of this sunny day with my best friend. Ally and I are going to Melody Diner as soon as school lets out.
She whips her head around making me release my fingers from her hair. We share a happy smile as she turns to face me.
"What are you smiling about Goldilocks?" She teased me leaning into her locker caged under me.
"I get to spend the day with my best friend."
"Oh, that sounds cool. Let me know how it goes."
"Alright." I laugh casually.
I notice a tall dude with tan brown skin and dark messy hair glaring at us. Probably another guy wondering if the rumors are true. Another nosy outsider peering into our business.
When Ally notices him, her face grows worried. A small sigh escapes her mouth. He shakes his head at her in what looks like disdain, and reverts his eyes. He relaxes his hands back into his pockets and walks along. Ally slowly takes a step towards his direction.
"That was Ethan." She informs me. I nod simply. "I can't imagine what he's thinking now. Especially seeing us together."
"You think he's still mad? About the rumors?"
"I don't think he's mad anymore. Just disappointed. I would be too if I thought my boyfriend had been cheating on me for two months. I just wish I could explain everything to him. He's probably heartbroken. He's probably thinking about it all the time."
"I don't know, Ally I think you might be stretching this a bit. I don't think he's heartbroken, I mean how long did you guys date?"
"9 months."
9 months? She's been dating him for 9 months?
"Wow, that's a long time." My mind drifts back to the previous month and I begin to wonder if she was dating him during all those rough nights we shared. From the night I left my house to avoid my angry parents, to the night I hid myself in the dressing room at my concert.
"So... were you guys together when I... slept over your house that night and we..."
"No!" She exclaimed "That was after we broke up "
"Good, cause if not, then it technically would have been-"
"I know." She roughly cut me off. "Why would you even mention that night?"
"I didn't know it was a secret." I shrugged casually.
"Yeah, well it's not necessarily topic of the day, either."
She shut her locker and began to walk. I followed her close behind.
It's lunch time and Ally, Raven, and Bella and I are sitting at what I guess is the usual table. In the corner of the cafeteria, next to the window. You can feel the hot autumn air pushing up against the glass. If you sit here long enough, it visibly tans you. We all have our lunch except Ally, because she wanted to work on her Math homework. I gave her a hard time about doing school, during lunch. I just had to.
"You sure you don't want to do that later, like I don't know, at home?"
She seemed to be deeply engulfed in the problem she was working on, so I gave her a nudge.
"Oh! Umm I would love to do my homework at home, but I have rehearsals all day tomorrow, so I won't have time for this." Ally told me, before looking through her backpack for her calculator.
"I still can't figure out why you're still in high school Ally. if I had a career that was making me money, I'd be long gone from this Hell hole." Bella exclaimed rolling her blue eyes to the ceiling.
"Well, I actually like learning. So for me, it's not a hell hole, it's paradise!"
Ally smiles brightly. Her smile quickly turns into a frown as a red headed girl strolls past our table.
"Aww such a cute couple, such a dirty past." the girl with bright hair snickers as she locks eyes with Ally. Her eyes, skin and style look familiar. I realize, this girl must be Nia.
I watch as she stares daggers into Ally's eyes, and neglects to look at me or the other girls. Ally breaks the contact, rolling her eyes, in what looks like an effort to brush off what's been said.
"Still a paradise?" Bella comments.
"Ally, she's just jealous, trust me." Raven assures Ally. She nods her head as if agreeing with herself as she twists her blond hair between her fingers.
"Yeah, She's had the biggest crush on Austin since forever." Bella adds nonchalantly.
Ally runs quick and rough hands through her brown hair sighing tiredly. After putting away her math work, she looks up at the line, but then down in defeat.
"Gosh! I just can't right now." Ally exclaims in frustration.
"Do you want me to get your lunch for you." I ask her while while attempting to lift up her head from her hands.
She nods with eyes full of gratitude.
"You know Ally, Nia's the one who lost. She doesn't have a sweet boyfriend like you."
Raven smiles.
Ally chuckles lightly as a smile graces her lips.
"We're just friends." I smile.
She seems incredulous. She lifts her eyebrows and her and Bella ask in unison.
"Really?"
Ally and I both share a silent nod while I rise from the bench.
Bella, I take being a rather blunt and straightforward girl asks the daring question that nearly knocks me off my feet.
"You guys aren't dating. Why not?"
Ally and I share a quick, uncomfortable glance. What kind of question is that? You can't just ask two people why they aren't together. Ally and I both ignore the question.
"Umm I'll be back in a few." I say breaking the silence that Bella has brought upon the table.
I walk over to the lunch line and quickly spot her. Nia is standing a couple of feet in front of me. I study her face. Her red hair and her thin eye brows. The freckles that sporadically spotted her face. Ally was much prettier than her. She wasn't ugly, but not that pretty either. I swear, It's always the mediocre girls that start drama.
"Did you see them together? I guess he goes to this school now?"
"Yeah, She's ridiculous. She cheated on the one guy who liked her, and now she's moved on to her him? I guarantee Austin doesn't like her, and is just using her, to write more songs for him."
I hate gossip. More than anything in the world. Especially when it's about people I care about. Nia is running her ignorant mouth to her friends and I know she's talking about Ally. It makes me angry, and I have to say something. She is now about three people ahead of me in the line, but I don't care. I finish packing my tray with food I think Ally will like, while keeping my eye on Nia making sure she doesn't leave. If I don't say something now, it will be too late.
"You're right!" I speak up making Nia and her friend shoot towards me along with a few others who are around us.
"I don't like her, I love her. So stop talking crap about us."
She hands the lunch lady her money and quickly makes her way out of the line avoiding my gaze. I follow her out as quickly as possible. I call out her name as I am released. To my surprise, she stops and turns around to look at me. Her friend has stayed close behind watching. Her face is tight and mean. She has the typical mean girl stare. It may work on girls, but it does not intimidate me. She holds her head up high leaning on her hip.
"I'm serious. I want you, and all your gossip obsessed friends, to leave Ally alone."
I take another step towards her allowing only three inches between us. I stand four inches taller than her. Despite the obvious height difference, she still holds her mean glare and looks me straight in the eyes. I'm impressed, although I do notice her hands are clenched tighter than usual around her tray, and she is swallowing out of nervousness. She was intimidated, instead of being the intimidating one.
She shook her head pursing her lips.
"I don't-"
I quickly cut her off, letting her know I was not kidding, and was not trying to have this conversation again.
"And if you find my request difficult Nia, you let me know, and I can make sure there's more than just freckles scarring your pale skin. Understand?"
I give her a threatening smile which she responds to with pouting lips. I can tell she's angry because she knows she can't do anything. That's another great thing about being six feet tall. I begin a casual stroll back to the table leaving a scared teenage girl behind me.
Over my shoulder I hear a disturbed whisper.
"Did he just threaten me?"
"Sure did." I whisper under my breath.