Finding Beauty

[25] - Chapter Twenty-Five

Coming to school the next day was nerve wracking; there was no telling on what could happen now. Sighing, I pulled my ponytail and into a messy bun before I entered my worst nightmare. Closing the doors behind me, I walked to my locker, unlocked it, and loaded my materials inside.

As soon as I locked up my locker, I turned to look for Dean and see if he was okay. Suddenly however, I felt someone wrap their arms around me from behind as soon as I was about let out a surprised scream; I felt a hand slap over my mouth. The person ran with me in their arms and strangely people were too occupied to even notice.

Once we made it to the Janitor’s closet, the person opened the door and threw me inside. I fell onto the floor with a shocked grunt and immediately picked myself up. Once I was standing, I was surprised to see it was Scott who had brought me here since I thought he just sat and wrongly watch the drama happen instead of stirring it up. “Scott?”

“McKenzie, I’m sorry for taking you like this but we need to talk,” Scott said to me as he crossed his arms and leaned against the door.

“No we don’t!” I snapped at him. “Now, please let me leave.”

“No, not until you hear what I have to say.” Scott insisted.

“Why would I?” I asked him as I crossed my arms. “You let Dean get beat up by your friends.”

“You really like him don’t you?” Scott wondered with a sigh.

“What?”

“McKenzie, you have feelings for him! I see the way he looks at you and the way you look at him, he was never that happy at least before—anyway, what I’m trying to say is, you need to stay away from him. I know you make him happy and all, but that needs to stop,” Scott snapped as he rolled his eyes. “I’m trying to protect you.”

“I don’t have feelings for him,” I denied even though something was stirring up inside of me, “and I’m not going to give up my friendship with him just because you cannot control your easily angered friends.”

“You have too McKenzie, Austen and Kale believe that he’s choosing you over us. Just let him have his friends back, ignore what you feel about him,” He retorted.

“I don’t…” But something was stopping me from continuing and I didn’t know what, blushing I glanced at the floor.

“Please McKenzie!” Scott urged. “If you really care about him, you’d do what’s best for him.”

Scott was wrong, letting Dean go back to his friends who’d probably end up shooting him if he angered them enough was a ridiculous idea. I’d never forgive myself if I let him actually do that; I love him too much—wait a second, did I--?

Suddenly, the door busted open and Scott immediately jumped away from the door. Caroline leaned against the door and raised her eyebrow, “What’s going on in here?”

Scott suddenly blushed, “I was uh—

“Come on McKenzie, let’s get you out here,” Caroline said to me as she pulled me out of the closet and slammed the door behind her. “Are you okay?”

Suddenly, the bell rung before I could reply and she continued, “I have to go, later McKenzie.” And with that, she departed. Sighing, I ran my fingers through my hair, collected my materials that were near my locker, and ran to Chemistry class.

As soon as I opened the door, Mrs. Rial was teaching something and she immediately stopped when she saw me. The whole class noticed this and turned towards me while I flushed. “You’re late,” My teacher pointed out with an irritated frown. “Why?” Some students must have realized that Mrs. Rial wasn’t an irritated person so now they were looking at her with puzzled eyes.