Lone [MATURE HS]

Chapter 11.

My facial expression doesn't change. "That wasn't funny."

"I think his dick was so far up your shit you lost some of your brain function, because that was funny," Charlie remarks haughtily.

A curve forms on my lips before I start to laugh. He looks at me and shakes his head, muttering about how stupid I am as I continue to giggle. "What?" I breathe, "That was funny."

Charlie glances at me again from his phone, leaning back onto his chair when he looks behind me and frowns. He sits up and coughs, "Dude...weird guy who asked for your number."

I furrow my eyebrows in confusion for a moment before I hear my name being called softly. Keth's pale face is what I see next, turned downward to gaze at me. His thin lips are parted as he inhales deeply, ready to say something. I feel bad instantly considering I blocked his number without even giving the guy a chance. Harry did warn me, however. And I chose to believe him. Which makes me responsible for this confrontation.

My lips form a sour smile as Keth shakily says, "H-Hey, Tara."

Charlie sits back silently, looking between us as I mutter, "Hi..."

I see him take a distracted gaze onto my body before things get too quiet too quickly. I look away towards Charlie for help, but he snickers and shrugs, looking down at his phone. My eyes flicker back to Keth where he stares up into space. No longer looking at me.

"Are you....having lunch here?" He questions, still not looking down at me. His long fingers fiddle with the hem of his old, baggy tee. He looks so thin and fragile. A nervous, shaky looking guy. I somewhat feel bad for choosing to believe Harry, although I'm conflicted. I do not judge a book by it's covers, literally. I read whatever, whenever.

This fragile looking guy does not appear to be about beating girlfriends and doing incredibly strange things. And neither does Harry look like a liar, pathetically in my glazed eyes. I do not blame anyone but myself for choosing a side. I know Harry not as much as I would want right now. But I chose a side.

My eyes follow his sight out of curiosity, which aims right at a car where four guys dressed in dirty baseball uniforms shut the doors. One of them is Harry, wearing a hat backwards that covers his freshly cut hair. I remember the way he reacted and what he said if he'd ever see Keth near me. Or in this particular case as it seems to apply, talking to me.

I find myself annoyed by the whole situation as it creates conflict inside of me. I'm not about to be afraid. Nor should I feel afraid. I do not back down, and I remind myself that. I turn to Keth and smile. "Excuse me. I'm going to go grab some water. You can chat with Charlie for a while."

The sound Charlie makes is pained and hissing, but he covers it up with a cough and says, "What's up, man?"

As I leave, I know that Keth sits down across from Charlie. I know that the guys in the baseball uniforms are heading towards the same in and out I'm desperately looking for an escape in. Am I running away from Harry? I like to say I've assessed the situation and now I don't want to deal with it because it's too much work.

I go inside the AC room and go to a small fridge that I take a water from, realizing I'll have to form a line again for this one bottle. I sigh to myself and head towards the line when a ruckus grabs my attention. It's the baseball guys laughing and being the sexy, egotistical bastards they are. Athletes like them are the ones you see on TV. All except Harry, who does not notice me and heads towards the fridge I was just at. The four boys follow the line behind me.