Her Guarded Heart

Chapter 3 - Lockers

"Anyways...my day so far has been pretty boring," Chase chimed in out of no where.

"Nobody even asked you," I replied, popping a carrot into my mouth. We always tease each other like brother and sister.

He rolled his eyes and stuffed his face back in his physics book.

"Pfft. Such a nerd," I teased him.

He looked up at me, the tips of his ears turning red and his glasses slid to the tip of his nose. "I'm not a nerd! I'm just...bored?"

Bored. Yeah, very convincing.

"Chase, not even the true nerds read at lunch...especially on the first day of school."

Slamming his book shut, he scooted back and stood up. "I'm going to read this book in peace."

"Alright, see ya later geek," Ian waved him a goodbye as I giggled.

"I'm not-'' he realized his retorts weren't getting him anywhere so he stopped mid-sentence and walked away.

I laughed. "I'm definetly calling him a geek from now on, just to piss him off."

Without turning back, Chase flipped me off.

When he exited the cafeteria, Cassidy shook her head in disappointment. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk. You guys are so mean to him."

"Oh please, we were going easy on the fella. It's only the first day of school, I reduced my teasing by eighty percent." I laughed.

"He's the 'bullied' one of our group. It's his role," Ian told Cassidy while doing finger quotes around 'bullied'.

The only reason Cassidy doesn't tease Chase is because she likes him. Obviously. All damn summer all she talked about was asking him to hangout. And when we did hangout, she hid behind me like a scared kid, even though we all are close friends.

I smirked. Too bad her feelings got the best of her. That will never happen to me.

"Plus, he knows we're just screwing with him. We all love him," I included.

Ian looked at me wide-eyed like I just said the most shocking thing he's ever heard.

"She means as a brother. She loves him as a brother, Ian. Wake up! They've been friends for eight years," Cassidy exclaimed as Ian continued to stare at me.

"Oh," Ian scratched the back of his neck, "obviously that's what you meant."

"Yeah...but one of us is really in love with him. Isn't that right, Cassidy?" I laughed and wiggled my eyebrows at her. Her cheeks blushed a bright pink.

"N-No! I only like him as a friend!" And the lies keep flowing.

"Mhm sure sweetie. I'll believe you when pigs fly."

Ian grabbed the rest of my carrots and ate them.

Cassidy eyed him curiously, as if she was studying his actions.

"Why the hell did you take mine? You have a pack of carrots on your tray!" I whined.

"What can I say," he mumbled in between chews. "I'm a growing boy. I need it."

Trying to be sly about it, Ian scooted closer to me, the side of our thighs touched.

I eyed him with a confused expression, but he acted like nothing was wrong and went on his phone.

Cassidy started observing him again. Why was she doing that?

"Scarlett, do you- um...why is 'The James Crawford' staring right at you?" Cassidy's mouth dropped open, saying his name like he was a celebrity.