Raven

/6/ Sudden Changes

"I wanted you to sit with us." He replied simply. I looked around at the table; there were three boys and two girls, not including Nick and I.

It's embarrassing enough that the school thinks I like my past-crush (which faded like four years ago) but is even worse when he starts to interact with you, feeding the school with more rumors. I literally can't stand being around my past-crush, I need to get them to stop dragging me in this ugly mess.

"Why? I thought I told you I don't want to get involved with you anymore. What's so interesting about me anyway?"

"My friends were eager to meet you after the fiasco yesterday." He rolled his eyes. "Don't worry, though, Olivia is absent today so you won't have to deal with her." He added.

"You guys are already more than enough to deal with," I muttered under my breath.

"Hey! I'm Josh," The boy I recognized from chemistry excitedly leaned forward with his elbows on the table, anticipating for my answer.

"Um, scoot, I'm a human that needs to breathe too." I respond, backing my torso away from the table, causing everyone at the table to laugh. I still don't get why they find me amusing. Every time I'm trying to just talk people start bursting with laughter. Like, what the frick is so funny? Care to let me know as well?

"Anyway, I'm Ethan, and that nerd doodling on a napkin is Andrew." The boy with dark red hair (presumably the boy from the bus) cut off Josh, and pointed to supposedly Andrew, who had black hair just like mine.

"So about--" Josh started but was quickly interrupted when a used crumpled napkin was thrown at his face.

"Were you going to leave us out? You blockhead." A girl with short blonde curls spat at Josh but quickly turned to me, with a smile thrown over her angry expression from a few seconds ago. "I'm Aimee, and she's Charlotte." She pointed at the girl next to her, who was petite with extremely long brown hair.

"Okay, great seeing all of your comely countenances and learning the terms mammals call you by which I will probably not recall knowing tomorrow because I don't care and I've told you countless times I don't want to get involved with people not my league." I sighed exasperatedly.

"No, you're not out of our league at all, girl! In fact, we think you're wayyy cooler than us. Olivia's stupid rumors are absurd," Charlotte stuffed her face with a spoonful of pasta. Wait, they had pasta? Darn it, I'm stuck with icky sticky mashed potatoes. I shook off the nonsense thoughts and replied.

"No, you're not in my league. I don't want to be hanging out with cliché 'cool kids' like in the movies and look like a wannabe cool kid like you guys." Hopefully that'll make them leave me alone. I don't even care if they're offended, I just want to scram because I hate getting involved, like I said forty times already.

"Pshh, you're funny." Nick snorted.

"Your face is funnier."

--☆--

Little did I know, that that conversation led us to be the closest ever of friends. I know, I'm shocked too. Apparently I realized they weren't so bad, and they weren't the wannabe cool kids let alone cool kids, it was mainly Olivia. It has already been two weeks and we've been hanging out almost everyday, chatting about nonsense, until Olivia caught on.

The cafeteria was packed with students and the smell of gross meatloaf filled the air. I strolled over to where Nick and his friends sat like always. Surprisingly we got along really well; they were really nice and fun guys. You might think, wow, isn't it stressful sitting with the ''attractive guys'' when you're a ''nerd''?

Well everyone in the school thought the bet was still going on due to Olivia's blabbermouth, except Nick and his friends. Olivia had no idea. It was hilarious seeing people in the hallways snort to contain their laughter because the thought I was stupid for believing I was friends with them, but really the joke was on them.

"Ahem. So," Olivia started, glaring at me. "How long will she be sitting here? It's almost two weeks of eating with a dead rat next to me."

"I could say the same about you." I rolled my eyes, playing with my food with a fork.

"She's not that bad, 'livia, once you get to know her. Just give it a chance." Aimee stated as she stuffed her face with a large slice of meatloaf.

"So, what? You fell in love after prejudice?" Josh scoffed.

"Maybe," She teased, as she and I exchanged glances, wiggling our eyebrows teasingly.

"Ugh, you guys are annoying." Olivia stood up."Raven, you're following me."

"Of course, I'll follow your demands and orders because I respect you." I said sarcastically, but I tag along anyway.

"You better not pull each other's hair out!" Nick called out after us.

We stopped in the isolated hallway, which only consisted of two students since everyone was eating lunch. The weather was still unbearably hot, and the school's AC sucked so I fanned my face while I walked over to her.

"You know it was only a bet, right Raven? He's only friends with you to steal a smooch to earn some measly twenty bucks." She smirked, but immediately stared back at me confused because my reaction was extremely different than what she expected.

"I know, Captain obvious."

"Then just kiss him and get this stupid bet done!" She stomped her foot like an immature toddler throwing a fit.

"Where's the fun in that?" I teased, turning to leave.

"Wait! Do you know how tiring it is for my boo to be acting around you 24/7? You keep clinging!"

"He's not acting, nor is he your boo." I smirked and walked back to the cafeteria.

"She knows," I rolled my eyes as I plopped down in my seat to finish my meal.

"What, that the bet is fake?" Andrew looked up from his sketchbook. I nod in response.

"Finally. She's so oblivious and stupid. Like who would believe Nick would be that dedicated into a stupid bet? Of course it's fake." Charlotte said loudly, munching on her salad.

"I agree, but God, keep it down, will you?!" I hissed, nudging her sharply.

"Oh my god. I ship it." Aimee squealed.

"I have a date already, guys." I rolled my eyes and Nick remained silent, focused on his phone. I could tell the past few days Nick had enjoyed being shipped with me, almost as if he liked me and I feel bad for laughing. But Austin was on my mind more than Nick, strangely. We talked over the phone frequently and the more we talked the more familiar he seemed.

"Too bad Nick is going to the Back to School Dance with Olivia tomorrow."

"I'd still ship them though." Charlotte shrugged while stabbing a bunch of lettuce aggressively.

"Girls and their shipping habits." Ethan muttered, rolling his eyes.

Olivia stormed in shortly, probably back from a visit to the bathroom, and aggressively slid next to Nick while slamming her phone face-down on the table. Yikes, I feel bad for her phone.

"Your friendship is real with this twat?" She spat, stabbing her finger in my direction.

"I have a name," I called out, sipping out of my juice box.

"Shush, nerd bird. Now's not the time to throw sass." Nick turned back to Olivia.

"Yeah, and you got a problem with that? I'm friends with Aimee and Charlotte, what's different about Raven?"

"She likes you! She's going to steal you away from me!" She whined.

"Honey, she never liked the butt face in the first place,"Josh butted in.

"EXACTLY." I clapped loudly, gaining a few stares from Aimee and Andrew.

"Ray Ray likes someone else." He continued. I looked at him in confusion. Who is he even talking about? His eyes seemed to communicate with mine assuring me to play along.