BRIELLE
"Sup losers," Leo nods towards the two boys sat outside the school smoking a joint. My eyes narrow, I'm jealous.
The two both screw their faces at Leo before turning away, what was once their face was now their backs.
"Idiots," Leo mumbles, hugging his knees.
I copy, placing my bag on the grass before turning towards the boy with a very curly afro.
"Truth be told, your the only person who has talked to me this whole year," Leo admits, rubbing his eyebrow in embarrassment.
My mouth drops, "What? But it's november."
"Yeah, doesn't mean people take their time to talk to me, the popular bitches made up some rumor about me and now I'm the bad guy," He sighs.
He's talking to me like I know everything that's happened in the past three months, it's kinda calming.
It's better than the awkward small talk you make when you first meet someone. It's a lot better.
"What happened?" I ask. The boy takes a deep breath before shaking his head, probably wondering if he should tell some random stranger this.
But I'm a nosy prick, so I'd love to know.
"I dated one of those preppy cheerleaders, she cheated on me with one of the jocks," Leo let's out another deep breath.
"I confronted her, and everything turned on me. Just like it does when you try anything with those girls," He admits again, shaking his head in disgust.
I sigh, "That still happens? I thought people would have grown up by now."
Leo nods, looking into the distance, "Nope. Maddie and Ryan are hated by most people, but nobody dares to go against them."
"Simply because they're whole life will be destroyed in a day."
My eyebrows raise, so they haven't changed one bit. Still the same bitches they've always been. And I hate them.
"Your like my only friend right now," Leo sharply intakes a breath, before blowing it out, the hot air creating small clouds of smoke.
I laugh, "Who said we're friends?"
Leo freezes, looking embarrassed as panic washes over me, only before I laugh it over.
"I was kidding! Course we're friends," I laugh awkwardly before running a hand through my hair.
We stay in silence for a while as Leo stares at the grass, occasionally tearing out little pieces when deep in thought.
"You may think everyone hates you, but I really doubt it," I continue, blowing out into the coldness surrounding us.
"A new note calling me some kind of name is put into my locker everyday. I'm pretty sure they hate me," Leo grumbles.
"Just following a crowd," I admit, fiddling with the ends of my blazer as we sit in silence again.
Suddenly, someone slumps themselves down beside us. She sits on her backpack, just before she gasps about sitting on her book.
Braids fall down her side, as she nods to the music playing from her headphone in one ear. Her nose is small and pointed upwards as she continues to read.
Turning to Leo, he sends me a shrug and eye look as if to say 'I don't know who this is?'. I return the same one, awkwardly.
Her eyes flick up from the book and back to us, she smiles before returns to her book.
What?
An arm elbows my side and I hiss in pain looking towards Leo who waves his head in the girls direction.
I clear my throat, "Hi."
"Smooth," Leo whispers from next to me but I send him a scowl. Which he returns with a fake smile.
"I don't see you doing any better so be quiet," I whisper shout, looking at the girl who's raised her head to us now.
Eyebrows raised and everything as if she didn't just come and sit down next to us, without saying anything.
"Hey," She answers, her voice is light and sweet, not what I was expecting.
I was expecting her to have a deep voice, and have a little attitude in her tone of voice. But she doesn't, it's all soft and sweet.
"Sup," Leo nods, looking back towards me and edging me on to say something again.
"How are you?" I ask, tilting my head to one side, unsure what to do with this random girl in front of me.
Leo grumbles something from next to me, and I scowl at him before turning back to the girl who's currently grinning at us.
"I'm good thank you," The girl smiled, showing her very white teeth. "Thanks for asking, you seem so sweet."
My eyebrows furrow as Leo snorts, I glare at him again before opening my mouth to speak, but he interrupts me.
"Let me do it," He turns to me, gritting his teeth as I try not to laugh. "What's your name baby girl?"
We both snort this time and the girl bursts into laughter before wiping underneath her nose.
"My name is Astrid, and do not call me baby girl or I will be sick all over the grass," She mocks, speaking between laughs.
"Me too," I join in, turning to Leo who currently gapes at us, probably feeling a little humiliated. Bless him.
"I'm Brielle, and this is Leo," I pat the boy who's currently going a little red on the back as she smiles.
"I like your name, it's cool," Astrid nods, closing her book.
"Thanks," Leo answers for me, earning a look from Astrid. He sighs again before resting his head on his knees, but keeping his eyes open so he can see us.
"Leo here, wants to know if you want to become friends?" I question, smiling a little.
Leo's arm hits my side, "No I didn't. I didn't say that, I didn't-"
I cut him off, "So what do you say? Need some new besties?" I joke, smiling at the now gaping Leo who is glaring at me.
He raises his finger to his neck, and drags it across. Symbolising cutting my neck open, how sweet.
Astrid's face lights up, the small freckles on her nose becoming much clearer as her face scrunches up from smiling so hard.
"I would love too!" She gasps, pushing her book in her bag mumbling words like 'finally!' and 'this is exciting'.
"You don't like the popular girls do you?" Leo mumbles hopefully, trying to find some kind of excuse to run away.
Astrid scowls, "No, as much as they're hot, your hotter," She points towards me and I laugh.
Leo scoffs rolling his eyes in response before muttering some unholy words.
"One of the girls pushed me over a few years ago, after that they just humiliated me constantly," She shrugs, seeming some what unbothered.
"How would you feel if you got revenge?" I ask, watching her expression change from looking very happy to semi psychotic.
"What like strangling them?!" Astrid squeals, my eyebrows furrow as Leo turns to me with a shocked expression.
"Not that far," I awkwardly say, hoping to let her down easily on the whole strangling thing.
We wouldn't want an assault case on our backs, let alone a murder case.
"I'm in," Astrid nods, both me and Leo smirk.
~
The canteen is crowded with people as they all swarm in, hiding from the current coldness from outside.
Two empty tables sit in the middle of the canteen, Leo strictly reminded me that those were the 'popular kids table', and we'd be verbally attacked if we sat there.
Maybe even physically attacked.
"What's your problem with Astrid?" I whisper at Leo as we sit down on the table. He looks at me, looks at Astrid then turns back to me.
"I don't know, I just have this gut feeling that it's a bad idea to befriend her," He whispers, looking to make sure she isn't looking.
"Plus I'm one with the universe so I would know, and I nearly tripped over her on the way here. And that's the universe sending me a sign."
My eyes widen a little, shocked at his whole spirituality thing. But I dig it, it's not awful- but kind of funny.
"I haven't been in here for ages!" Astrid whispers from the other side of the table.
I smile watching Leo dab on his afro before putting away his phone. His jaw clenches as the canteen doors swing open again.
Most people fall silent, watching the two crowds walk inside the hall.
Three girls stand at the front, all wearing the red and yellow cheerleading costumes. Funnily enough they all had blonde hair, curled to be precise.
I roll my eyes, if they were in a UK school- they'd be bullied by now. Even by the teachers, just secretly. Because we all know teachers chat shit in the lunch rooms afterschool.
One of the the girls is Kenzie, that girl from earlier on the bleachers. A frown is plastered on her face as she walks with the two girls giggling at the front.
Behind them walks in the football team, I notice my brothers brown hair walking in the middle of them.
I scoff when he laughs at a joke that one bald guy said- well nearly bald dude but it's the same thing. He may as well be.
They all sit at the table, leaving a little space in the middle for some people who obviously haven't arrived yet.
"Good god," Astrid mumbles as she watches the door again.
This time, everyone falls silent as they watch the brunette and blonde walk inside the hall.
"Oh my lord," I say under my breath, completely baffled how everyone just falls silent and stares. If that was me up there I'd want to fall into a hole and die from embarrassment.
Grayson and that other dude walk inside, talking as the blonde pretends to throw something, but the brunette just looks unimpressed with him.
A pair of eyes meet mine as a smirk fills Graysons face as he sits in his seat, which is in clear view from mine by the way.
"If I looked like them, I would never complain again," Leo sighs, staring at the two boys still in deep conversation around the table.
"Get over yourself," I snap, "They're only hot because of standards. If the beauty standard wasn't blonde and being a cheerleader- they wouldn't have the popularity they do."
My brother, is currently sat on the other side of the table with his back turned to me, engrossed in a conversation with some other dude.
"Apparently, Maddie has slept with every one of those boys, except Lucas and Grayson," Leo nods as Astrid's head flicks up.
"Well Maddie's all over Grayson constantly, but seeing as he never looks interested I doubt it. Unless he's embarrassed and trying to hide it."
"Can we stop talking about him? You're making me want to be sick," I grumble, pulling out my phone from my pocket.
My eyes narrow as I watch the blonde push herself against the brunette boy, who's currently talking to Lucas- still.
Astrid's gaze fixes on me as I narrow my eyes, looking back down at my phone. I can still feel her gaze on the side of my face.
"What?" I ask, looking behind me as she continues her stare.
"Sorry, your sexy as fuck, like literally," She says, looking back down at her book because she's just been caught staring.
"I know," I shrug, running a hand through my hair.
Me and Leo get so involved in a conversation I don't even see the two cheerleaders standing in front of our table.
Astrid jumps when she sees them, closing her book frantically before narrowing her eyes at the two blondes.
"Hey," Maddie speaks up looking between me and Leo.
"Hi," I respond crossing my arms across the table, raising my eyebrows at the two.
"So your back," Maddie giggles and I roll my eyes.
"Duh, I'm not a fucking ghost," Astrid snorts, earning a glare from Maddie's little pup next to her.
The blonde takes a little breath before glaring at me, "Listen, go back to where you came from, it would do us all a favour."
Leo gasps before Maddie shakes her head.
"Don't make it racist," Maddie laughs, placing two hands on her hips. "The library or something."
Astrid looks as though she's about to fight someone, from the way her hands are slightly open but her fingers are curled- shows she was not joking about the whole strangling situation.
"Got it," I nod as Leo crosses his arms.
"Go back to your millions of boyfriends beds," Leo remarks, looking pretty chuffed of himself.
The girl next to Maddie snorts, Ryan. "Who invited you to talk?"
"Go back to your little foster home Leonidas," His face drops as he intakes a small breath, shaking his head.
"Just stay away from us, freaks," Maddie adds and Ryan nods linking her arms through the other blondes as they strut away.
"You came up to us," I lift my hand in protest, but shake my head with a small laugh.
My gaze flicks to their table, as they sit down again giggling loudly to something one of the boys sat in a letterman jacket said.
A pair of brown eyes meet mine as Grayson does his trademark smirk, looking at me between the heads in front of him.
I send him a fake smile before turning back to Astrid who looks fuming, and Leo who's sat staring at the table.
"So what's the plan?" Leo chirps up, surprising both me and Astrid.
~
Grayson leans against Ben's car as I head over there, seeing as he gave me a lift this morning and I am not walking home.
I groan when I see Grayson talking to some girl, holding the keys in his hands.
"What do you want?" I ask tilting my head to see the extremely tall boy better.
He scoffs, "Your brother is talking to someone, and I'm coming back to yours."
This time I scoff, "Why?"
"None of your business," Grayson retorts and I roll my eyes, crossing my arms across my chest.
"He's joining my hockey team," He adds, running a hand through his brown hair.
"Didn't ask," I deadpan, watching his face screw up in confusion.
"But you literally just fucking did," Grayson narrows his eyes at me, making me smirk a little.
Staying silent, I stare out into the front of school, praying that Ben will appear any minute now.
"Cold?" He questions as I hug my body gently, attempting to make some kind of warm air pocket.
"Yeah," I mumble, pulling the black blazer over the front of my body.
"Want me to give you a cuddle to warm you up?" Grayson smirks, opening his arm straight out to me.
His muscle flexed from underneath the blazer, goddamit that's stupidly hot.
I scowl, "Gross no I'm fine, thank you."
"Awh shame, your missing out babe, my body heat is amazing right now, nice and warm," He tempts, leaning even closer to me.
"Weren't you like grumpy two minutes ago?" I inquire, digging my heels into the concrete floor.
"Yeah. But now, I'm just trying to help someone in need," Grayson smirks, leaning back against the car and I narrow my eyes at him.
"I am not in need," I snap, "I'm just cold."
"Well when you die from hyperthermia I'll be here to say 'I told you so'," He laughs.
"Ha-ha you're so funny," I say sarcastically, praying that the familiar brown haired boy will come out of the school very soon.
"Thanks," Grayson grins and I groan rolling my head back, tapping my foot on the floor.
My teeth chatter a few times, hopefully Grayson didn't hear that because if he did it would be embarrassing.
I was wrong. "Babe your cold, come give me a hug I'll make sure to keep you warm," I pull a face at him shaking my head.
"I'll pass," I nod as Grayson steps forward again, breaking the distance between us.
"You'll pass out do you mean?" He asks, furrowing his eyebrows down at me.
"Dickhead," I mumble under my breath as he chuckles, his chest was inching from mine and I could practically feel his body heat from here.
He was right, he does have a warm body temperature, but that does not mean I'll give him a 'cuddle' or whatever.
"Why are you so warm it's like freezing," I grit, pulling my blazer tighter across my chest and taking several steps back.
"When you play football in this weather, and play hockey on ice all the time you get used to it," He shrugs.
Hockey?
"Hockey? You play?" I ask, my eyebrows coming closer together as I look up at the smirking boy.
"Well yeah no shit I literally just said your brother is joining my hockey team," Grayson shakes his head in disbelief and I scowl at him.
So what if I forgot? Not my fault my memory is like dory's.
"My brother played hockey in England, he prefers it over football at the moment. He's kinda good at it, but I don't know," I shrug, just as he looks up from the ground.
"Babe," Grayson whispers, biting back a smirk.
"I didn't ask," He smirks, like full on fucking smirks as I scowl at him.
"Oh fuck you," I seethe, turning away and crossing my arms.
"Hold your horse's diner girl, we've only known each other for a few days and you're already saying that?" He laughs, "You might want to slow down."
"Oh shut it," I snap, narrowing my eyes at him.
Yes I know it isn't entirely fair that I'm getting so mad even though I did the same thing to him. But I'm a petty bitch and hold grudges so whatevs.
Grayson smirks again, his eyes lingering on me before looking at someone behind me. Turning around, I see my brother walking over.
Thank god.
"God it's fucking freezing out here! I gave you they keys why didn't you just get in the car?!" Ben exclaims as he reaches us.
My mouth drops, "You had the keys this whole fucking time?!"
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hey guys! thank you for reading this chapter i hope u enjoyed :)
have a good day <3