Outliers

Chapter 12: Jennifer and Austin

Jennifer's POV:

Jennifer couldn't believe it was honestly that easy for her to bring Bridget to her knees. Jennifer could've sworn that a gun to her head and hands tied behind her back, wouldn't have done such an intimidating job as that.

It reminded Jennifer on how similar the two of them were; then she shivered, at the thought of her and the popular girl having much of anything in relation. Reasons behind her thinking of Bridget were that of she kept passing Bridget in the halls, and everything was short of normal.

The first time that Jennifer had passed Bridget and made eye contact, there was a pleading in those dark blue eyes that Jennifer had only seen that first time. As soon as Jennifer shook her bangs into her face to avoid further time staring into those cold irises, Chantal Bowmen had come up and slapped Jennifer's books out of her hands. 

Chantal had screamed at her, "'The hell you think you lookin' at?" Jennifer wanted to cry, and scream back with overpowering vocals - but she didn't.

Second time around, Bridget had held a formal composure. She'd glanced at Jennifer once, but this time with a heinous look in her eyes. Jennifer only gave the same expression back through the outskirts of her peripheral vision, and kept walking. Her posse remained trouble, though, as this time Isaac and Adam had caught her toxic glares, and not Bridget's.

Then, Isaac had tripped her and snatched up her phone. Jennifer rolled her eyes, and picked herself up off of the retched, filthy floor. What came next was a surprise - Bridget and Adam walked back over to Jennifer, and Adam delicately dropped Jennifer's phone back into her hand.

"Thanks," Jennifer had mumbled, barely audible for them to hear. Then Adam - clearly satisfied - sulked off to earn an earful from Isaac. But Bridget stayed back, and Jennifer pondered for a moment. "Why are you walking with me? I thought I was the dyslexic loser?"

Bridget seemed appalled by Jennifer's low self-esteem; as though Bridget had not been the only implying that Jennifer was such a loser as she thought. "Um, actually... You're not." This left Jennifer speechless, for more than one reason.

So with a sarcastic snip, Jennifer spoke, "Oh! So, you mean I'm not the dysfunctional maid you've labelled me as for 3 years? You mean to say, that I'm no longer a wench in your eyes just because I withhold your little secret? Oh sorry, I guess it's not little. It's a huge secret. And because your future is held in my hands, I'm suddenly your best friend?" Before Bridget could slip in a reply, Jennifer stormed down the hall.

Now would be a good time for Austin to show up, because he was one of few people that Jennifer didn't feel like crap around.

Luckily for her, as though her thoughts could condemn him - Austin appeared by her side. Jennifer gave him a huge, humble smile as he was slowing down to her pace and bending down little to see her better.

"Hey, hey, hey... Jennifer, what's wrong?" Austin cooed, and Jennifer was glad to have a persistent friend who didn't want to see the tears that were forming in her eyes; even though, a smile was plastered on her face. But for the first few moments, she didn't reply, trying to bite down and hold her composure in.

"Oh, um..." Jennifer took a deep, shaky breath; should she tell Austin about Bridget's secret? Looking into those soft, light green eyes, Jennifer decided for later to tell him - wanting him to remain innocent.

"It's nothing... Nothing, really. I just - it's just that someone knows that I know something, and is trying to be nice after all of this immoral nonsense and..." Jennifer trailed off, keeping her eyes locked on Austin's as she saw deep confusion written on his face.