After what felt like years, the school bell had rung. Quickly, I grabbed all my items and shoved them into my side bag. This class was filled with so much awkward tension. I felt Landon staring at me in the corner of my eyes, that crazy smirk of his never leaving his lips. I stood up and tried to leave the class as quickly as possible. I was not trying to see this so-called Landon guy ever again; even though I knew that was impossible.
"Hey!" a voice called out from behind me. I tried my best to ignore the voice behind me, assuming that it was Landon's.
"Aubrey!" I sighed in defeat. There's no turning back when someone calls your name and knows you heard it. I turned around slowly. To my surprise, the brown haired, black bomber jacket boy was out of sight. Instead, a fit boy with blonde hair approached me instead. He held his hand out and introduced himself, "I'm Colton."
I smiled and shook his hand as he continued, "This may be kind of weird, but I'm the class president. And my duty is kind of, uh, to make new kids feel welcomed. I was just wondering if you'd want a tour of the school or something? Uh, maybe during lunch?" he questionably finished his introduction while rubbing the back of his neck.
I couldn't help but laugh at how awkward his introduction was. I let go of his hand and replied, "Sure."
- - -
The rest of my classes before lunch came across fine. I didn't talk to anyone, but I didn't run into anyone rude either. Chills went down my spine as the thought of the incident from morning came across my mind.
As lunch time approached, I found my way towards the cafeteria. People were standing in line with trays, accepting their desired food in an assembly line. It looked like a prison. The lunch ladies looked mean; they looked like they hated their lives. They stood there lifelessly as they throw a bunch of half cooked food onto the silver trays.
Although I wasn't very hungry, I grabbed a tray anyways. I followed everyone else and followed the assembly line of serving food. In the end, I had lumpy mashed potatoes, under cooked chicken wings, and a side of fruits. I cringed as I looked at my tray of food. Coming from a really nice looking school, their food looked like trash.
I peered across the cafeteria. There was only one empty table, in the corner next to the trash bins. I shrugged. Considering that I had nothing to lose, I went and sat on the empty table. I laid my tray of horror down as I pulled out my sketchbook from my bag. I grabbed a pencil from the pockets and started sketching.
Art has been a big part of my life ever since I was a baby. Baby pictures of me always had me showing my artwork proudly to the camera. Art has always put me at ease.
"Is this seat taken?" a voice asked me.
I looked up towards the voice and it was the class president boy, Colton. I smiled at him and shook my head as he took a seat across from me. "What are you drawing there?" he asked me as he nibbled on the mash potatoes, quickly making a disgusted face afterwards.
I laughed at his reaction and glance back down at my sketchbook. "Well, right now it looks like a potato," I stated, "but it'll look like a beautiful girl in no time."
"I mean it doesn't totally look like a potato," He chuckled as he picked up the chicken wings from his tray.
"I wouldn't eat that if I were you!" I exclaimed quietly as I looked at the red meat sticking out of the chicken wings.
He took a second glance at the chicken wings and quickly dropped it back on his tray, "Jesus, why do they even bother?" he groaned.
I smiled at his reaction.
He was funny. Geeky, but funny.
"Anyways how do you like it here so far?" he asked me as he put both of his elbows on the table, full attention drawn to me.
"It's alright," I started. However, I felt uneasy by the fact that I was already being picked on, on the first day of school. "You know that guy in our math class?" I asked him.
"The one that kicked your chair?" he asked casually as he bit into the apple.
"Yeah! Who is he? And why was he being so rude?" I furrowed my eyebrows as I laid my pencil back down onto my sketch book.
"His name is Landon. Landon Carthy," Colton started, "He messes with a lot of people, especially girls. Word on the street is that his dad is extremely rich and can afford to pay for every discipline that he gets during school. His dad also donated half of this school's funding, so he rarely gets in trouble for anything he causes. He's just a really mean, privileged guy." Colton says as he shakes his head back and forth, "A mean, mean, privileged guy."
I scoffed sarcastically as I heard how Colton described him.
"I heard about what happened to you this morning," Colton began again, "If I were you, I wouldn't worry too much about it. People will forget about it sooner or later. He hops around girls and mess around with them like that . . . Although, girls usually give in and follow his commands. Everyone was quite surprised when he let you go simply like that."
"What do you mean?"
He shrugged. "He just let you walk away. Usually he'll harass the girl until they give in."
"But he kicked my chair during class today?" I questionably mentioned.
Colton hummed and leaned back against his chair, crossing his arms. "Maybe that was your punishment?"
I shrugged as I glanced at my unneatened food.
"Are you still down to show me around?" I asked Colton.
He nodded and quickly stood up, "Sure."
We both picked up out tray and tossed it into the trash bins.
Colton showed me around campus and it was entertaining to know about all the different cliques in the school. There were the student body group, the skaters, the cheerleaders, jocks, popular kids, the list went on and on.
The bell rung shortly after as me and Colton parted ways.
"It was nice hanging with you!" he said as he waved goodbye. I waved back at him and nodded 'same' before heading to my next class. Possibly my favorite class. Art class.
I smiled to myself as I entered the art class. There were two rows canvases, perfectly aligned with wooden stools. My heart fluttered as I sat down in one of the seats and brushed my fingers along the paint brushes that were resting on the shelf.
Class started shortly as everyone started to paint freely on their canvases. The teacher was willing to let the class paint freely, as long as it follows the rubric assigned to the assignment. My canvas had strokes of blue and purple. The colors were well blended. As time flew by, more definition my artwork had gained. I was painting the galaxy, with stars, beautiful colors of black, blue and purple, hints of pinks. Suddenly the door busted open as I slightly jumped from my seat, surprised.
"Landon," the teacher greeted unhappily, "half an hour late to class, eh?"
I looked up towards the door once I heard his name. He ruthlessly ignored the teacher and walked towards an empty seat. Suddenly, his eyes caught a glance of mine and he stopped his track.
Shit.
I quickly looked back down on my canvas, and hid my face behind it. Luckily it was set up high enough to cover my face. I tried my best to focus back on the painting, however I couldn't help but to glance back in his direction. My bully was in the same room as me, again.
"Looking for me, Princess?" a voice came from behind me. My breathing quickly stopped as turned my head towards my right. His face was over my shoulder, almost close enough for him to rest his chin on it.
I cleared my throat and proceeded to paint, trying to ignore his haunting presence. I grabbed the paint brush and softly stroked it against the canvas. I felt a sudden push beneath my elbow, and before I knew it, the brush created a long streak across my painting. I bit my lower lip and dropped the brush. I looked up at him as he maintained the hideous smirk on his face.
My heart was beating quickly, and as expected, the teacher didn't do anything. Instead, she acted as if she was ignoring the situation on purpose.
My whole body tensed as I feel the heat rushing through my body. I clenched my teeth as I stared at my piece of artwork. My beautiful piece of artwork, with a random white streak in the middle of it.
"Damn," I can hear one of the students from behind me whispered quietly.
I breathed heavily as I continued to stare at my painting.
"Oops, sorry love," he whispered in my ear.
I pressed my lips together as I did what first came to my mind. I clenched my fist and swiftly elbowed him in the stomach. "Jerk," I mumbled.
As I picked up my bag and stomped towards the door, I heard a couple of kids laughing behind my back. I turned my head back around to look at the jerk, as he was hovering over with his hand on top of his stomach. I felt a sudden guilt rushing down my body, as I stood at the door. He straightened up and looked up at me, pouting slightly.
His looks of attractiveness didn't deny the fact that he was an absolute dick.
"Aubrey?" I heard the teacher question before I left the classroom.
- - -
"How was class?" Austin asked as we were heading back home from school.
"It was okay, just class," I laughed a little, not wanting to get into detail about what happened in school. Austin is extremely protective, telling him about Landon would just make him angry, and Angry Austin never looks back.
"Yeah? Well my classes were just class too." He dumbly responded to his own question.
I made a face at his comment and shook my head.
- - -
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