Storm {A Light Novel}

. 4

R

"You need to spill, Ryleigh, spill your secrets so you can help me get more followers." Maya points an accusatory fry at me. When I don't give in, she resorts to a pout, sticking her chin up at me.

Maya is absolutely my favorite Latina beauty, and not just among my friends. With lips like the moon and a tiny nose to simp for, admittedly, she's eye candy I'd rather keep to myself. No one's prettier than me though, of course. Haha, let's pretend that didn't sound as self-absorbed as it did. It's just the facts, what can I say?

"In that case, you might as well just ask her to give you a shoutout. That's your only hope, if you ask me."

"Hey! That was so mean," Maya giggles, throwing a fry Paige's way. "I have more followers than you, smart one."

"Well, I don't know about smart but at least I'm the pretty one." Paige flips her imaginary long hair. Like me, she has her hair black as ebony cut short, hovering above her shoulders. Aside from the half-and-half icy blue fringe covering her forehead, she's pretty basic. Those icy eyes to match turn to me and I shiver. "You're badmouthing me right now, aren't you?"

"Of course not." I smirk, taking a sip of my milkshake, aka my lunch. Oreo, of course. If you don't like cookies n creme, the door is there.

"Look at her, conniving little-- she's lying. She's totally lying," Paige expresses, her gaze bobbing back and forth between me, Maya, and her mop-headed boyfriend next to me, who only laughs.

"C'mon babe. What bad could she possibly have to say about you?" He reaches a hand towards her which she smacks away before he even gets close.

"Shut up, Kyle."

Maya guffaws, "Ouch," earning a glare from Kyle.

"Shut up, Maya," he says.

I interject, "Wow, see this is why you guys are just perfect for each other. Listen, if I'm not the first person on your wedding guestlist, I'm suing." I bite the maraschino cherry I'd been saving for last and toss the stem at Paige. She rolls her eyes, but I know it's at what I said and not the assault since she pops the stem into her mouth.

"You know what, just for that," Paige speaks as Kyle is already making a smooth travel from my side to hers, clearly on the same wavelength as her.

"Maya, get her. I know she is not about to--" But of course, she is. Her face connects with Kyle's and before I know it, they're in an all-out brawl, smashing faces right in front of us. Geez.

"Way to make us feel included, Paige. Real smooth," Maya remarks, rolling her eyes, picking at her fries. "Fries before guys my foot."

I watch Paige's neon green acrylics go from Kyle's hair to poking into his neck, causing a sound in him I did not ask to hear, more than likely just to spite Maya.

"I want a boyfriend, Ryleigh," Maya whines. "Can't you set me up with someone? Literally the whole school is after you."

"You're--"

"And don't say I'm exaggerating because you know it's true," Maya interrupts, taking the words right out of my mouth, while jabbing a fry in my direction.

The bell rings just as Paige and Kyle allow an inch for breathing, pulling my precious cherry stem into a knot with their teeth.

Maya tosses her lunch into the trash bin and her face pinches. "You guys are gross."

I laugh. "I could have sworn someone was just asking me a minute ago to find them a boyfriend."

"Uh, yeah! A boyfriend, not someone to suck my face off mid-sentence. I'm an intelligent woman, thank you."

As we're making our way down the hall from the cafeteria, I spot a familiar face half concealed by a glossy black locker door.

"So, you want me to introduce you to someone? Okay," I say, all perky.

We make our way closer to the hall intersection and I call out, "Hey loser."

Elijah turns his head, and as if it was ever possible, his face falls (further) when he sees me.

"Who's that?" Maya asks, sounding a little disgusted.

"What do you mean?" I laugh. "You asked me to introduce you to--"

A locker slams shut, and I'm watching Elijah's back grow smaller and smaller until people pass us by, blocking my vision.

"Whatever. I hope you weren't about to say what I think you were. He's totally not my type. Anyway, let's get to class, we're gonna be late. And I do not want to sit another detention with your pathetic boyfriend."

I snap out of it. "Oh my gosh, how many times do I have to tell you? Liam is not my boyfriend!"

"Fine! Ex. Your annoying ex-boyfriend," she corrects and I huff, walking ahead.

9:27 pm. It's been a whole half and hour and he hasn't said a word other than "Is it fine if I take out the graphic on the last slide to make room for more words?" Stupid nerd. That's not what I want to hear.

I tap my desk, breaking my neck to stare at the ceiling. Attempting to fill the silence, I state, "You weren't in class today."

I hear a mumbled "yeah" from the other end of the phone, and for some reason that annoys me.

"I saw you earlier, though... Did you go home?"

Another quiet response.

"Are you not gonna tell me why?" I drag out. To no surprise, he doesn't answer.

"What's wrong with you? Why aren't you saying anything? I'm talking to you," I raise my voice.

Elijah lets out a deep sigh and his eyes sever the virtual barrier between us.

"Because, what is it to you? You made it clear our relationship only goes as far as this project, that I'll be doing all of it, and to never talk to you. And even after you make me think we can at least act human towards each other by acting nice, you throw that away whenever we're at school where there's people to see," he rants with a nothing-to-lose attitude.

I try to get my two cents in because it seems like he will continue, but it is to no avail. "Of course I care! Who's going to do our project if you're not he--"

"You want to know why I wasn't in class? Fine. I spent half the day at the nurse's because I got slammed in dodgeball by a bunch of jerks. But that's normal, right? Gang up on the quiet kid 'cause what's he gonna say, right? Right?" He grabs at his hair and his face, messing up his appearance, before dragging in a long breath. It is now I realize he was wiping tears. Was he getting... bullied?

His confession mixed with the state he is in fills me with shame to the point I turn off my camera. I regret this move, though, when he shares a heartbroken expression through a smile

And ends the call.