Well...Not Anymore: Chapter 4

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Why does he now feel like it's okay to openly look at me, to talk to me? Does he just somehow feel like these past two years haven't happened?

I give him a pointed look from across the classroom, showing him that it's not okay for him to look at me after everything's he's done. Ignoring the look of hurt that flashes across his face, I bend down towards my book sack and start to pull my things out. "Hey, are you new?" a deep, unfamiliar voice says from next to me, startling the crap out of me.

Just a tad bit proud with myself because I didn't jump in surprise like I usually do, I turn away from my book sack and come face to face with a pair of deep brown eyes that I've never had the chance to see up close. But seeing as how they belong to Lucas' best friend, yet another conceited football player who believes he's above everyone else, I find myself getting irritated. Drew Price and I have had the same math class since eighth grade. That's four years now and he still can't tell who I am when I dress just a bit differently?

"No Drew," I say in a sadistic tone, "I'm not. You can go now." Maybe I am being rude and maybe, just maybe, I'm ruining my one chance at a social life here at this school, but I'm not willing to sacrifice my dignity in order to get one. I'll be out of here in eight months--I'm sure I can survive. Besides, this is probably my only chance to knock down one of the most popular guy's egos.

I hear him mutter something underneath his breath that coincidentally rhymes with "witch", but honestly, that just makes the somewhat evil smile on my lips grow tenfold.

Hearing chuckling come from the other side of the classroom and feeling that it's aimed my way, I turn my head over my shoulder and see that Lucas has his fist pressed into his mouth as if he's trying to control his laughter before his friend gets pissed. Feeling that once familiar urge to smile at him proudly because I've made him laugh rise up in me, I bite down on my lip and then turn back towards the front of the classroom.

It's been two years.

Why can't I remember that?

oOoOo

Once detention is over later that afternoon, I gather up my things and then start on my walk towards the book store. Above my head dark clouds are starting to cluster together, letting me know that I have about ten minutes to get there unless I want to get completely drenched. Luckily, though, the cloud cover makes the outdoors a lot less warm and keeps me comfortable.

The streets are also just a bit less congested than normal due to the oncoming storm, so about two minutes quicker than normal, I walk in through the front door of the book shop, hearing the chiming of the bell above my head. Zara isn't anywhere towards the front of the store and after checking over my shoulder to make sure no one's in the parking lot, I call out, "Zara?"

"Back here!" she calls back, but the moment after she does I hear another deep voice accompanying hers. Thinking that maybe it's a customer who's as fortunate as me in the whole car situation, I go and sit on the chair by the cash register so that Zara won't have to do it. Since I'm two hours late due to the detention I just got out of, I figure I can be just a bit more diligent than I usually am. Normally I just sit on the floor somewhere reading a book and when I hear Zara approach I'll quickly gather up something and make it look like I'm working.

When the voices start getting closer to the front of the store, I realize with a sinking stomach that the deep voice is all too familiar. What the hell? Why is Lucas here? Didn't Zara understand me that afternoon when I showed her his yearbook picture and told her never to allow him in the store? What ever happened to having a friend's back?

Even though I already figured it was Lucas due to just the mere sound of his voice, I still can't help but feel a little squeeze in my chest when I see him walk out of one of the aisles, laughing. Ignoring how stupidly nice his smile really is, I look past him and see Zara walking behind him, laughing right along with him. God, what happened to friendship?! The moment her eyes land on mine, though, the smile disappears from her face and she shoots me a look that tells me to stay quiet and not argue with her in front of him.

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