The Outlaw

18

He frowned. "Shut up."

*

"Don't tell me you're about to go all Lindsay Lohan in Mean Girls and eat your lunch in the toilet. Because that's just downright disgusting,"

I turned to face Scarlett—my tray in my hands, my eyes wide as a deer caught in headlights—and then answered with much dignity as I could. "No. I wasn't going to do that."

She crossed her arms and shot me a look.

"I was opting for the library, actually," I admitted.

Her face fell with sympathy, her arms dropping back to her sides. "He's not in the cafeteria, Maddie."

I winced. "I know, it's not that." My eyes cut to the horde bustling behind the doors of the cafeteria. "It's just...people are going to be talking, and... you know I'm not good with confrontation."

It was just as well that right when speculation died about Travis and me, it started back up again. It had only been a couple of days since I ended things with Travis, and although we hadn't made a public service announcement, we weren't exactly subtle about our sudden break-off. I didn't blame them for their curiosity—Travis and I went from being stuck at the hip to skirting around each other in the matter of days.

A small part of me wished that despite our inevitable separation, we could have stayed friends. I wasn't expecting Travis to give me the cold shoulder—but when he'd passed by me without so much of a glance, it was clear Travis wanted nothing to do with me.

Although I didn't blame him for that either—considering I'd pretty much stomped on his heart—I'd be lying if I said it didn't hurt.

Scarlett threw me a sad smile. "That's what you have me for." Stepping beside me, she looped her arm through mine. "Anyone says a word? I'm going to kick their ass from one end of the cafeteria to the other. And they better take a look around—because it's a big-ass cafeteria."

Despite how miserable I felt, I laughed loudly, grateful for Scarlett's need to be overly solicitous. She could get me smiling through tears.

"Stand down, Scar. I would hate for you to break a nail on my account."

"Funny." She stuck her tongue out at me as we pushed through the double doors. I bumped her shoulder playfully in response.

Upon entering the dining hall, my smile fled as we garnered the attention of many who paused long enough to register the absence of a certain someone beside me. Fixed with her best glare, Scarlett propelled me forward and I kept my head down until we reached our unassigned table.

Sitting down warily at the end of the table, acknowledging a number of Travis' friends that had become welcoming additions to the group, I steeled myself for the likelihood onslaught of questions. Much to my surprise, any mention of Travis was deliberately averted.

Visibly relaxing, my eyes fell on Oliver. He winked. I smiled back in gratitude, knowing he had something to do with it. For a long moment, I took the time to appreciate my friends. They never asked for an explanation after the fact, only stood by my decision.

As we discussed the impending doom that was our finals before winter break, accompanied by groans all round like a wave at a football game, my head came up exactly when Travis ambled to the table.