The Cliche Gone Wrong

Chapter Twenty-seven

Oh my god I can't believe I'm actually on time for once.

I walk down the hallway toward my first period as other students are still wandering the halls, hanging out with their friends before the bell rings. I smile giddily, practically skipping up to some of my friends that are hanging out near the door that leads to the one of the other buildings on campus.

"Hey y'all!" I laugh happily, slinging an arm around Asha as I join the group.

Michael stops talking midsentence, a curious smile on his face as he leans against a wall next to Femi. "Wow, I'm surprised you aren't with your new boyfriend."

My entire face scrunches up as I look around the small group, making eye contact with each of the 5 people clustered there.

"You know damn well that I don't have a boyfriend," I laugh suspiciously as I try to figure out what's going on.

"Well from all the rumors going around and what we heard from Asha," Femi butts in, "I don't think we do."

Asha punches Femi roughly on the shoulder as I remove my arm from around Asha, turning to glare at her.

"Rumors?" I ask, venom in my tone.

Her brown eyes widen apologetically. "I swear it wasn't m—"

I don't even wait for her to finish her sentence, turning on my heel and walking back down the hallway to my first period. I stop at my locker briefly to grab my books I normally get after class, ignoring my friends calling from the end of the hallway for me to come back.

See, this is why I never show up on time. People stay tryna to test me.

I throw open the door to my classroom just as the first bell rings, so I walk to my desk and plop down, ignoring all of the other students that enter the room after me. It isn't until 15 minutes into Mrs. Baez's lesson that I realize Shills' seat remains empty. I glance curiously at the empty desk, and then eavesdrop on the conversations of his friends, trying to see if they are talking about his absence. But his name doesn't come up once, although a few of them do take the time to give me a dirty glare out of nowhere.

The rest of class passes by uneventfully, and I'm thankful the bell to rings, letting us leave. I'm out the door before Mrs. Baez can even think to stop me, walking down the hall in the opposite direction of my locker since I'm not in the mood to walk with Asha or Femi after what happened this morning.

As I'm walking down the hall I feel like everyone is staring at me. I look around as I walk toward the south staircase and meet the stares of nearly ever person standing there. A particularly bold group of freshman don't even pretend to look away as they glare at me, douchey smirks on each one of the boys' faces.

"Can I fucking help you?" I finally spit out, my eyes narrowing as I stop and glare at the scrawny freshman in front.

His smile disappears immediately as his friends' mouths drop open. They stand there in nervous silence waiting to see what I'm going to do. I flip them off before walk up the south staircase that will take me to the other side of the second floor, the south of where I normally end up. As soon as I step onto the second floor I see the crowd of "popular" kids lounging against the lockers outside of one of the classrooms. Most members of all the sports teams intermingle there, with the scantily-clad cheerleaders fluttering in between them.

Before I can start to walk around them the captain of the basketball team steps in front of me, as if he was waiting for me. The hatred from his gaze makes me take a hesitant step backward, as I try to glare up at him. Alan's much more intimidating than Shills ever was, the guy's height paired with his scowl making me wish I had just walked to class the normal way.

"Come with me." He grabs my arm before I can say anything and drags me back into the open stairwell.

I try to push off his hand, but his grip only tightens as he pushes me against the wall in the stairwell. His hands brace themselves against the wall on either side of me, boxing me in so I can't go anywhere. All of the students that walk by look at us with wide eyes and curious whispers but none of them stop, trying to get to their classes on time.

"Listen, I don't know what the hell you're doing to him, but you need to stop."

"What and who the hell are you talking about?" I spit out, pissed that he had the audacity to put his hands on me. I swear to fuck I will knee him in his ballsack if he doesn't back the fuck up.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about!" He bites back, his tone dangerous as he towers over me, one of his hands braced on either side of me. "Jude has been acting weird ever since he started talking to you. I don't know what you're doing to him, but you need back the fuck off, okay?"

"First of all, if you ever grab me like that again you won't be able to have kids of your own." I laugh in his face as my head cocks to the side. "And second, Shills is a big boy. He can do whatever the fuck he wants."

I push him roughly away, sending him stumbling into some students walking slowly past, trying to listen in on our heated conversation. "And maybe Shills is avoiding you because you and the rest of those assholes are some toxic ass friends. Stop trying to blame me for your own fucking problems, Alan."

I walk back into the hall without another word, pushing roughly through the throng of popular kids clumped together at the end. I ignore their cries as they stumble into each other, and roll my eyes as one of the assholes exaggeratedly sweeps some kids out of my way as he cries out in fake terror.

I make it to class without another incident, sitting in my assigned seat and keeping my head down even though the bell hasn't rung yet. But my phone starts to vibrate over and over again. I pull it out of the back pocket of my jeans, looking at the screen to see Shills is calling me.

"What?" I answer gruffly, my mood clear in my tone.

"Let's go get lunch right now." His voice is soft, almost fragile.

"It's 9 in the morning," I grunt back, unable to coddle his feelings at the moment.

"Breakfast then." He corrects, his tone just as soft. "Whatever. Just come over."

I sigh heavily, the bell ringing just then. Students start to file into the classroom, somehow their eyes all finding me before they turn back to their friends and start whispering again. I grab my backpack and the books off of my desk as I stand up and walk to the door, still not answering Shills. My Calc teacher doesn't even notice me leave as I push some of my classmates out of the way and walk back into the hallway.

Instead of walking past the jocks again I take the main staircase back to the second floor, sending a silent prayer up that I don't see any of my friends. But the whole time my phone is held to my ear, Shills' soft breathing echoing into my ear. I finally push my way outside of the main building, exiting closest to the parking lot of the school. It's much more quiet out here, although a couple of students are scrambling to make it to their classes on time.

I walk to my van and get inside, the silence welcoming me as I relax back into my seat. "Where should I meet you?"

"Come to my house."

I nod, turning on my car and backing out of the parking spot. "I'll be there soon."

A/N Okay so I know literally two days ago I told y'all if I ever post before midnight you should be worried, but I have to be up early tomorrow so I have to go to bed early tonight.....which sucks ass. So I have to go to bed early. Which sucks even more. But i posted you chapter for you!

What'd you think? What rumors do you think are going on around the school? And why do y'all Shills isn't at school? I guess y'all will just have to wait until tomorrow to find out!

Until then, comment, like and follow me!

Much Love,

Naomi