The Secret Life of Emily Blu

Chapter Three

It takes everything in me not to roll my eyes at the girl. Could this get any more dramatic? We aren't in a TV show. There's no need for her to yell at me or call me names.

"This is Emily," Hardy says, his voice light, but when I glance over at him I see a hard glint in his eyes. Perhaps he does know that what his girlfriend is doing is wrong. He glances at me for half a second and I realize that there's some intelligence underneath his jock persona. From one faker to another, I recognize the truth.

Ignoring the girl completely I gather my stuff and rise.

"I'm talking to you," the girl hisses, reaching for me.

Faster than I thought possible Hardy rises and stands between me and his girlfriend, making sure she doesn't touch me. Relief washes through me, and as I pass him, I send him a small half smile. That's all the acknowledgement I'm giving him because if I acknowledge that I'm scared of getting hit, he'll want to know why. Everyone always wants to know why and that's not information I can share. That's information that has to stay locked inside my chest, just another thing I'm drowning in.

"Hardy! What the fuck is going on?" the girl hisses as I pass.

"Bethany, calm down. I was simply introducing myself to the new girl. We have classes together."

"She wants you," Bethany growls. I can feel her eyes on me, and I have to fight the urge to shudder.

I want to tell her I don't, but any interaction I have with her is going to make the whole situation worse. I walk off, leaving Bethany and Hardy to work out their lover's quarrel.

The group of boys who I assume by their sheer size are also football players are all loitering by the doors, watching Hardy and Bethany with varying degrees of interest.

"Excuse me," I mutter, and they part like the Red Sea. I throw out my mostly uneaten lunch as I pass by the trashcan.

When the doors close behind me, I think I'm home free, but the door opens up again and I hear heavy footsteps behind me. I turn and find a giant football player with blond hair tied back in bun at the back of his head following me.

I pause and wait to see if he walks past me, but he doesn't. He stops in front of me and holds out his hand. "I'm Kegan."

I stare at his hand for a moment before slowly reaching out and taking it. "Emily."

"You've got to forgive Hardy. Bethany flies off the handle over the littlest things."

I raise an eyebrow at this. "Sounds like a healthy relationship."

Kegan shrugs. "They've been together since middle school. She used to be nicer, but puberty changes things, you know?"

I stare up at him, unsure of how to respond.

When I don't say anything, Kegan continues. "Don't let Hardy intimidate you. The boy is brilliant, but social skills aren't always his thing. He gets nervous around new people and says stupid things without thinking. When you get to know him better, he'll be better, I promise.

"Get to know him?" I repeat, sure I've heard Kegan wrong.

"Yea?" He seems just as confused as I am.

I swallow. "I'm not planning on getting to know anyone, let alone Hardy."

Kegan leans back slightly, taking me in, his brow scrunched. "But..." he trails off.

"But nothing. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to be left alone now." I turn on my heel and continue down the hall. I have no idea where I'm going, but I know I need to get away from these kids as soon as possible. They are trouble. Bethany, Kegan, and especially Hardy. They are all trouble and if I'm not careful one of them might end up dead. I have enough blood on my hands; I can't have any more. I wouldn't survive the guilt. My therapist is already half convinced I'm not surviving with my current guilt, and she's right.
I wander the halls for the rest of lunch with no place in mind. I don't know where I'm going, and I don't bother looking at the map until the bell rings to go back to class.