Popularity Rules

Chapter XII

I know this is really short, but I figured since I would post again this week, I'd just leave the chapters as is without joining them. Thanks for sticking with me, it means a lot. Also, you may realise that some things are linked closely to previous chapters, so you may have the answer to everything already, and haven't pieced the puzzle together. Keep the theories coming though, they make me smile.

P.S. I'm graduating next week, I feel so old! But I'm happy to have reached this point in my life. If any of you are reaching a milestone soon please don't hesitate to tell me, I'd be happy to listen.

P.P.S. Thank you all again, it makes me so happy to be able to post this.

Chapter XII

        I wiped my forehead and smelled the sweat rising from my skin that was an accomplishment for the long jog around the block I’d just done. Now that I didn’t have to practice as hard for swimming again, I had more free time to exercise otherwise.

        School was back to normal to say the least. Everyone got over the fact that a new girl with weirdly dark hair was at the school. They’d still flinch every time she walked by but no one was willing to call her out like I did. I still had yet to learn anything remotely new about her. And to top it off I never had a chance to be around her without Dylan nuzzling her neck or whispering something to her.

         They were now a full blown couple, even though they had been dating for only two weeks. I intended not to make it affect me by staying in Gina’s hospital room every day, giving her homework help. She was due back at school this week and as horrible as I’d sound I was happy for a distraction from Dylan and Avery’s ludicrous relationship.

        A cool wind rippled through the air and I took a swig of my water. There were sounds of laughing and talking behind me. I almost choked on the water as I noticed the star couple of the week strolling, hand in hand. I frowned as I remembered Dylan lived a block away from me. It wasn’t as if I enjoyed seeing them, on the contrary; I hated it. I just still wasn’t able to fully comprehend why Avery suddenly decided to show interest in a member of the opposite sex; as far as I understood, she hated everyone.

        I plugged my ear-phones out completely and crouched behind the shrubbery. I rolled my eyes at some sweet thing he was saying. The thing I didn’t understand was why Dylan chose Avery. He was the type of person who chose squeaky clean girls, not aspiring murderers. After a moment of upsetting snogging sounds they walked on. I exhaled deeply and continued on my way home, as much as I tried to ignore it, I was horribly jealous.

        My relaxing shower was interrupted by a pounding on the door. The person didn’t seem to be giving up. I hurriedly hung a towel around my waist and hassled down the stairs – two at a time. I slipped numerous times as my feet hit the wooden staircase. Throughout all the chaos the pounding on the door hadn’t ceased once. I was out of breath as I opened the door. My eyes widened as I saw Avery standing there, her hands poised to continue the raucous pounding. Before I could react she pushed me aside and slammed the door behind her. She pushed me against it and tried to control her fast-paced breaths.

        I was beyond bewildered at how frantic her eyes looked and at how tightly she was gripping my arm. After a moment she calmed down and her eyes focused, finally seeing me.

        “Why are you wet…?” she asked, letting me go and stepping back.

        I scratched the back of my neck uneasily. “Well, I was taking a shower.”