French Connection

Chapter 6

So the day summer ended and they had to go back to school, a rumor went around about a new kid from California.
Nonetheless, it was the one and only Kaiden Black. He had absolutely black hair and light green eyes, which almost looked hazel.
In a few weeks, he was named the player of the school. Unlike his behavior now, he laughed and played around. He had tons of girls around him, actually flocked around.

Flashback
(Ashley's POV)

I stood in front of my locker, quietly reading the book I bought recently, 'Catcher in the Rye' . I was immensely engrossed in the book I had been reading, I didn't quite realize how Cheyenne my best friend, not exactly my best girl because all she did was talk about the school's gossip.
She was pretty much by my side all the time which made me grateful to have her.
Usually nobody stood by my side, everyone wanted to get popular here. Hit on guys, party every weekend, gossip around and be all fashionable at school. We didn't have dress codes here so all girls wore was their green and black cheerleading uniform or pink colored clothing.
And me? All I wore was black and dull colors which me look even boring and ugly than before. I had been working on myself but it takes time.
We the 'outcasts' as used by the popular girls at school shouldn't be here. We should get cooped up in a corner of a room and all do was listen to emo music.
Pretty much everyone at my school was popular, even Cheyenne. She was the gossiper of the school, and a rumor never got unnoticed by her.
But sometimes I felt so different, so alone from this ambience of this school. It was really hard to survive here.
But somehow, after Kaiden Black took an admission to our school, school was somewhat bearable. He was a crush, and it was real. I thought this was real love, I could feel it. But I didn't tell Cheyenne about it, otherwise everyone would make fun of me and
this rumor will go around school
and humiliate me even more than I already get due to my existence .

Suddenly I heard a chorus of laughter coming from the other side of the hallway, and I could see Kaiden and Tatiana, the main whore of our school flocking around him. They laughed and walked around with their 'popular group' which caused me to look up and catch a glimpse of him.
Finally when I saw his face where he was grinning wildly which caused his eye to twitch and crinkles beside his eyes. His mouth opened fully showing a perfectly white set of teeth.
All I could do was sigh.

And I did

Loudly.

Loud enough for Cheyenne to hear.

She looked at me and then at Kaiden.
She was looking between us.
'Crap!' I thought. She caught me staring and sighing.
Trust me, sighing while you look at a boy in this grade matters a lot, you're literally giving a proof that you like this boy.

"Oh my gosh, ASHH." She said in a high pitched voice which caused everyone to look at her.
And by everyone, I mean the popular group as well.

"You are totally are in LOVE with KAIDEN!"
There. She said it.

I could feel a thousand pair of eyes on me, while a cold chill ran through my spine, which caused nervous sweating on the back of my neck.
I looked up to meet everyone's eyes and I saw Kaiden come to me with a smile on his face. He halted when he came to me and put his hand forward.

"Hi I'm Kaiden."

And I swore I was on the seventh cloud at that time. He freaking introduced himself to me, he is putting his hand forward.

I slowly put my hand forward for a hand shake to which he flinches at the contact of our skin. I frowned.

"And you are? Miss Freaky Fashionista?" Kaiden said laughing.
I can swear the whole hallway rioted.
I was sweating with nervousness.
My heart sank deeply. And I opened my mouth to say something when Kaiden cut me off.

"Seriously, can you speak? I thought you were mute! And you're so weird, I don't want you having a crush on me. Am I that unlucky? This freak has a crush on me! And dude look!," he said looking over to his friend "who wears neon green braces now?" He said laughing and walking away with his friends.
My heart sank deeper when I saw Cheyenne giggling while Kaiden insulted me, damaging my pride badly.
I was so hurt and vulnerable at the moment that even tears didn't reach my eyes. I turned around and walked on my heels to hide myself in an abandoned classroom and locked myself right there. No one came to fetch me, not that I was expecting anyone to.
I cried my eyes out and my heartstrings broke every time I thought of the miserable condition back there.

But one thing was certain.

I hate Kaiden Black.
More than anyone else.

And they kept bullying me for a while, until I broke down and stopped going to school.
And after all of that, I convinced my mom to get me home schooled for the rest of the semester. She agreed, to which I thought she'd never.

Next year, I had removed my glasses and improved my eyesight so that I didn't need them anymore. My braces were removed. Regular visits to the beautician that had been hired for me improved my acne and I treated my skin. I toned myself, and gave myself a spa day every month, ate healthy and took care of my body.
While academics were taken care of, I treated myself right and saw a sudden change in my confidence level. I was always happy and finally joined Bridgewood High.
People did not recognize me at all, though later I got to know that ChMom what the hell!" She shouted as the two figures came to stand beside then Cheyenne and Tatiana became best of friends. Of course, the queen whore and the gossiper would be friends.

Starting with my school right away, I befriended Sophia Hastings, the sweetest and the most amiable friend ever. I could actually rely on her. She'd listen to everything I had to say and didn't judge me.
And that's when I thought coming out as a celebrity kid would not harm at all.

And that's how it all started. Now everyone knows me and everyone is running behind me.
Kaiden Black goes to the same school as me, but he is quieter than usual. He'd say less and mostly be on his phone. I don't know what has gotten into him this summer, but definitely it's for good. He should be shutting that ugly mouth of his which speaks shit.

That's how much I dislike him.

Author's POV-

And now I stand beside him in my room, thinking of all the things that have happened in the past. It's long gone now,
I have loads of guys flocking around me.

And now, I'm famous, fit and free. From everything. And boys gush after me and I've only dated the celebrities.
But everyone time I see Kaiden, an unknowing pain wrenches me apart.
But I wouldn't let him know.
I just know that I hate him to pieces.

And I saw his hazel-light green eyes piercing into mine, sending me chills throughout my body.
And why was it difficult to breathe?

"You'll know soon." I said with a smirk.
"I want to know now!"

"You really do?" I said

"Yes! Hell yeah."

"So listen up. You remember when you were the new kid in eighth grade? And you apparently 'bullied' a girl named Ash?"

"Yeah, I do. She was pretty dumb though." He said nonchalantly. As if it didn't matter to him at all.

"That was me. Ash.
   Ashley Hale."

And I walked away.

While I saw him standing with a pained expression on his face. Revelation can hurt sometimes,
But I'm burning bridges to say away from him.