Outliers

Chapter 3: Austin ((Again))

~~~ Sorry, I would have combined this chapter with the other one, but I was really tired !! It was like, 10 at night. So, it's gounna be Austin's POV for another chapter! Sorry guys!!!! ~~~

Bridget came back around into his view, a big smirk on her soft, pink lips.

"There, much better. Now he is what he eats." It was hard to hear her over a thunderclap of amusements ringing like echoes over the cafeteria. But he heard enough to feel the painful shards of words digging itno his skin. Austin wanted to cry, he wanted to scream at everyone. But he didn't; instead he stares desperately, and wit hebgging in his deep, dark green eyes.

"Come on, guys, let's leave lardo here to deal with the mess he caused." Tristen snarked.

"Next time, I'd get water. Not because it's not sticky, because there's no calories." Isaac winked at him, patted his stomach, got up and left. But not before popping his gum, too. Bridget walked with them, a bounce in her step - the kind of step only popular girls have.

The noise had died down, but only because the teachers were calming everyone down. What's terrible is that they had stepped out in time for Bridget to do her work.

Austin got up and slipped out the emergency exit door next to his table. This door opened to the hall. Austin started walking a little faster, the draft making him shiver after being soaked in orange juice. He turned a corner and shoved open the boys' bathroom.

Austin stuck his head under a faucet and turned it on. He heard the boys' bathroom door squeak and groan, and knew someone was coming in. In his haste to get his head out he knocked into the knob with the back of his head.

A foot started around the door, and Austin slammed the door closed behind him in a stall. He stood on the toilet and peeked ever so slightly over the side to see who was there.

It was a girl, with the prettiest bright, blue eyes and raven colored, long hair. Slightly overgrown bangs gave her an even sadder look than she had on. Pale hands grppied the sin, and Austin got back down. The foot steps of him getting down echoed, and a feeling in the air changed.

"Who's there?" She called out, hostililty heavy in her voice.

"You're, uh, in the dudes' bathroom. You would've noticed if you were planning to go to the bathroom anyways." Austin stayed in the stall though, because he didn't want her to see him - orange juice was drying his hair in clumps.

The girl laughed bitterly. "Why don't you come out of the stall; I'm not going to embarrass you. In fact, I'm the one who should be embarrassed."

Austin wasn't sure whether or not to come out, but from the glances at her, he knew she wouldn't be mean. The door creeped opened, whining in protest. His big, clumsy, awkward foot inched towards the sinks, his eyes focused on the ground. Slowly, he raised his vision and as soon as he saw the girl's face, he nearly looked down again. But he hadn't. 

"Oh. Whoa." She said, and his heart sank. She was disappointed, he guessed. It wasn't neccessarily the first time. "Your hair..."

"Yeah, long story." Austin mumbled. It wasn't, but he didn't want her to know - because, it's really embarrassing.

"Ha! Actually, it's not. I saw it, sorry to say." She gave him a sympathetic smirk, and then winked.

Something of a liquid trickled slowly behind his ear, causing him to shiver.

"Are you cold?" The girl questioned, her icey blue eyes seeming to warm Austin's heart. He shivered again with goosebumps, answering her question although it was for different reasoning.

"Here, take my jack - oh my God." She held one hand over her mouth, the other holding out a red jacket - definitely three sizes small.

"What is it?" Austin was freaking out. What could be so bad? The girl touched a light, delicate finger to the spot where Austin had felt a tickle earlier. It hurt when she touched it, and her finger came back covered in red, slippery blood. Austin couldn't believe it. The wound started to throb, sting and burn, mostly because he was now conscious of it.

"I'm... I'm going to go to the nurse." Austin stammered, and pushed the bathroom door opened. He stumbled out, and the girl followed on light footsteps.

"At least let me come with you," She had the slightest bit of desperation in her voice. "I have science right now and I do not want to go." Austin nodded at her with his eyes closed in pain, and a grimace on his face. His head was seriously throbbing.

They walked to the nurse, Austin holding a sweaty hand to his wound for compression. The nurse saw them coming and scurried Austin in - although she was 5 foot tall and 40 pounds lighter.

"Oh! By the way, my name is Jennifer!" The girl's voice slipped through the closing, heavy door.

"Austin!" He called back, not sure whether or not she caught it. The nurse yanked him back into her office roughly, and he stumbled once more.