𝚍𝚛𝚞𝚐𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚖𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚢 | 𝚝𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚠𝚘𝚕𝚏 [1]

defending scott

Her brow raises, "Isaac, that's an optometrist." She tells him in the nicest voice she can muster. Last thing she wanted to do was laugh at or make fun of him. Everyone had their subjects they were bad in, and his just do happened to be English, hell she was terrible at Math. Then again, she recalled learning the definition of optimism in fifth grade.

They were sophomores now.

"Dammit." He whispers to himself, running a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry. English isn't my best—"

"It's okay." She quickly reassures, "It's fine. You can copy off me if you want."

Her eyes suggested that she was being serious but not pushy. She didn't understand the work they had been given.

"Thank you." He whispers with a small smile.

She smiles back, focusing her attention on the second sheet of paper she had yet to finish.

—

Everyone was in class when Austin made his way to his locker. He asked the teacher if he could leave for a few, seeing as he forgot his textbook in his locker.

As he's walking, he can't help but listen in when a large slam is heard. He didn't want to be nosy but they were far from quiet.

"All right, little man. How 'bout you tell me where you're getting your juice." A voice says, the person seemingly extremely upset.

"What?" A smaller one says, he can tell the person was slightly scared as he made his way towards them.

"Where are you getting your juice?"

"My mom does all the grocery shopping."

Austin pauses in his tracks when he spots Jackson Whittemore and Scott McCall. The long haired boy being pressed up against the lockers.

"Now, listen, McCall - You're gonna tell me exactly what it is and who you're buying it from, because there's no way in hell you're out there kicking ass on the field like that without some sort of chemical boost."

Scott nods his head in understanding, "Oh, you mean steroids. Are you on steroids?"

"What the hell is going on with you, McCall?" Austin takes another step forward when Jackson slams him again.

"What's going on with me? You really wanna know? Well, so would I! Because I can see, hear, and smell things that I shouldn't be able to see, hear, and smell. I do things that should be impossible, I'm sleepwalking three miles into the middle of the woods, and I'm pretty much convinced that I'm totally out of my freaking mind!"

Jackson chuckles sadistically, "You think you're funny - Don't you, McCall? I know you're hiding something. I'm gonna find out what it is. I don't care how long it takes."

"Hey!"

The two boys turn.

Scott let's out a sigh of relief at the sight of him.

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing, man." Jackson tells him, turning to adjust Scott's jacket before facing Austin. "Just having a chat."

"Well, don't chat anymore. I don't think Scott really enjoys your presence."

Jackson scoffs, "Listen, man—"

"No, you listen." Scott's eyes widen. What the hell possessed him to talk back to him? "You need to leave him alone. And while you're at it, you can tell your girlfriend to leave Ryder alone too."

The McCall's eyes widen. He was friends with Ryder?

The answer was no. Ryder didn't see Austin as a friend, not even in the slightest bit. But Austin had heard quite a lot from the strawberry blonde, even when Ryder wasn't near. It seemed like she was Lydia's favorite topic of discussion.

And he couldn't stand it.

As far as he's concerned, Ryder did absolutely nothing wrong. So why the hell do these kids constantly disrespect her?

"And if I don't?"

Austin shrugs, "Then you'll finally find out why I got expelled from my last school." His voice was oddly deep, scaring not only himself, but the two boys also.

Jackson inhales. He sends a small glance to Scott, the boy looking down at the floor, "Whatever."

The two watch as the lacrosse player leaves, Austin turning to face him.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, i'm fine. Thank you." Scott says, "You didn't have to defend me like that."

"It's no problem." He brushes it off, "We should probably get to class."

"Yeah." Scott nods.

The two boys leave in opposite directions.

Austin going to his locker to actually grab his book, and Scott going to whatever class he was in.

Little did they know, this moment would be considered the reason they became friends in the first place.