Chapter 9
Clarice offered me and Alex a ride to school the next morning. I took her up on the offer, but Alex simply shook his head, and told us that he was going to go to school late today.
I walked beside Clarice as we entered the school together, heads of our fellow classmates turning towards us. I didn’t know whether everyone was whispering about the fact that Daniel told everyone that Clarice was pregnant, or that I was actually side by side with her.
We ignored all the whispers and stares, as Clarice dropped her head low. “This is horrible.” Clarice whispered beside me. “I just want to go home.”
I gave her a look. “Be strong, Clarice, for you and your baby.”
Clarice sighed, as we walked down the hallway, making our way to our first period class that we had together.
“So, it’s really true, isn’t it?” a voice snarled from us behind.
Clarice and I stopped in our tracks, as we turned around to face Aubrey Small and her followers. Aubrey snickered at the both of us, rolling her eyes. “Oh, isn’t this sweet? Aerial Mason and Clarice Adams are having a reunion!”
“Aubrey, leave us alone.” Clarice said boldly to the red head.
Aubrey rolled her eyes, holding up her perfectly manicured fingers to Clarice’s face. “Shut up, Clarice.” She snapped, glaring at her. “You know, all this time, I thought we were best friends. But, no. The first person you go running to when you’re knocked up is some bitch who you left.”
Clarice’s face was full of pain, as she stared at Aubrey with a frown. I could tell that Clarice was beginning to crack under the pressure. “Aubs-“
“Don’t call me that, you slut!” Aubrey spat at Clarice.
I bit my lip, as I held onto Clarice’s arm protectively. “Don’t be hypocritical here, Aubrey.” I finally set off, snapping at Aubrey. “Aren’t you the one who sleeps around with every guy in this school?”
Aubrey looked startled at my sudden outburst, as she bit her lip, staring down at me as if she was better than me. “Mason, you have no place here. Got it?” She raised an eyebrow at me. “I suggest you leave this to Clarice and I, before things get ugly.”
I clenched my fists by my side, as Clarice whispered in my ear. “Leave her, Aerial. She’s not worth it.”
I ignored Clarice, feeling all of the anger that I’ve kept in for Aubrey suddenly starting to explode like a firecracker. “You actually think you’re better than me, don’t you?” I asked, clenching my jaw.
Aubrey rolled her eyes. “That’s because I am, honey.” She examined her fingernails, before darting her poison ivy green eyes back up to me. “I’m actually known at this school. You’re nothing here.”
“I’d rather be known as nothing, than be known as the school slut like you.” I spat, making everyone that was gathered around us gasp.
Aubrey’s face went blank, as she opened her mouth to speak. She couldn’t have looked more of a bigger idiot when nothing came out of her mouth.
“Nothing to say?” I asked, taunting her. “Good, because my business is done here.”
Pulling Clarice’s arm with me, we strutted out of the crowd, pushing past anyone that was in our way. As soon as we escaped to our classroom, Clarice burst into a misfit of laughter. “You totally won that one, Aerial!” Clarice paused, taking a break as she gasped for air. “Holy, you should’ve seen her face! It was priceless!”
I blushed. “Shut up, Clarice.”
Clarice shook her head, still giggling, as the teacher entered the class.
*
“I’m so proud of my little Aerial.” Hayden chuckled, throwing an arm around me, as we all gathered in Alex’s house later that night. “You completely embarrassed the shit out of Aubrey this morning.”
Alex’s head turned towards me, as his face turned into a frown. He ended up just skipping school today. His excuse to us was that he was just too tired and slept in for the entire morning. “You did what?”
Hayden laughed, taking a beer, and gulping it down. “Man, you should’ve seen the whole thing. Aerial was on a roll, and Aubrey was fucking fuming, steam coming out of her ears and all.”
I let out a soft laugh, staring up at Hayden with an amused expression across my face. “Whatever, Hayden, it was no big deal.” I shrugged.
Hayden ruffled my hair, as Alex stared at the two of us with his eyebrows raised. “Why did you suddenly flip your shit out on Aubrey anyway?” Alex asked. “You’ve always been the quiet girl who stayed out of crap like this.”
I blushed, shrugging. “Someone had to stick up for Clarice.”
Hayden choked on his beer, as he sat up straight. “Wait, isn’t she pregnant now?”
I nodded, feeling a bit of guilt for telling Hayden and Alex behind Clarice’s back. But, it wasn’t a big deal, I guess, because Aubrey and Daniel pretty much told everyone they knew.
“Damn. What’s the history between you two, anyway?” Hayden asked, as Alex took a seat on the couch, stuffing his face with some chips.
“Shut up, Hayden.” Alex muffled, munching on chips. He swallowed, as his eyes turned to me. “She doesn’t have to tell you about her past if she doesn’t want to.”
Hayden rolled his eyes at his best friend. “She already has.”
Immediately, Hayden’s eyes widened, as he slowly stared at me with regret and guilt in his eyes. I clenched my jaw, as I turned away from Hayden, cursing under my breath.
Alex stared between Hayden and I with a curious frown. “What the hell does that mean?” he asked.
Hayden cleared his throat, as he took a sip from his can of beer. “S-she told me about the time she was eight.” Hayden paused, looking nervous and sweaty. “And she got on a tree and fell. Like really, really badly and all.”
I wanted to smack him for his beyond horrible attempt of lying. I didn’t know if it was possible for anyone to be worse than that.
Alex glared at Hayden, knowing that everything that just spilled out of his mouth was a bunch of utter bullshit.
He turned back to me with a blank stare in his eyes, as if he was trying to read my face for any clues.
When he couldn’t find what he was looking for, he let out an obnoxious groan. “Whatever.” He mumbled, turning away from me, as he turned on the television.
As Alex’s eyes were glued to the television, I turned to Hayden with a glare. “What the hell?” I mouthed to him.
His eyes were apologetic, as he mouthed, “I’m sorry.”
I sighed, nodding. Hayden’s lips stretched into a wide grin, as he pulled me in, arm around my shoulder.
An hour later, the doorbell rang, as Alex got up to get the door. Immediately, I heard a loud rumble of hoots, as Damian and Ashton huddled in the living room with us. I noticed Chinese takeout bags in Ashton’s hand, while Damian had three stacks of pizza boxes in his arms.
“Why are you guys here?” Alex asked with a low grunt, crossing his arms.
Hayden jolted up from the couch, running over to where Damian sat down the pizza. “Who gives a shit, Alex?” Hayden beamed, grinning like a child. “They bought food for us!”
Ashton and Damian gave Alex a smirk, before they started ripping open the boxes of food. Damian turned to me with a smile, offering me a plate. “Come on, help yourself.”
I took the plate, giving him a smile, as I got up from my seat. “Thanks.” I said, pulling a cheesy slice of pizza onto my plate.
“You better hurry if you want some of those noodles, though.” Damian said, gesturing over to the box of Chinese noodles that were already half gone. “Hayden and Alex fight over them like animals.”
I chuckled, as I took a fork, pulling up a good amount of the noodles onto my plate. Alex came back from the kitchen, holding four beers in his hands, and a can of soda. He tossed everyone a can of alcohol, but me. His eyes lingered on me, before throwing me the can of soda.
“So, when are you planning to invite Natalia and Phoebe over?” Ashton asked Alex.
Alex grumbled something under his breath, sticking some fried rice in his mouth. “Never.”
I bit back a smile from his response, as I poked at my noodles that were scattered all over my paper plate.
“Dude, seriously? She gives us free weed.” Damian huffed, slouching back in his seat.
Alex glared at Damian. “If you want her weed so badly, why don’t you just date her?” Alex snapped at Damian. Alex sounded challenging, but everyone in the room knew that Alex didn’t mean it. Everyone knew that Alex would beat the crap out of Damian for going for his ex-girlfriend, who he might still have feelings for.
The tension was thick, and no one dared to say a word.
It was finally Hayden who broke the ice.
“Let’s watch a movie.” Hayden said, getting up, and searching over Alex’s rack of DVD's. “The Ring, anyone?”
“I’ve seen that already.” Ashton said, popping open his can of beer.
“Same here.” Damian asked, frowning at Ashton. “Didn’t we watch it together, when we were double dating with those hot Fletcher twins?”
Ashton smirked, nodding his blonde head of hair proudly. “Damn, I still remember the good old times with Emily Fletcher. She was sweet and innocent on the outside, but she’s a feisty one in-“
“Okay!” I said, cutting Ashton off from finishing his statement. “We get it.”
“The Grudge?” Hayden asked, pulling out a DVD out of the rack.
“I’m fine with it.” Alex said, kicking his feet up on the coffee table, as Ashton and Damian nodded.
Hayden turned to me, raising an eyebrow. “Aerial? You alright with the Grudge?”
I gulped, nodding quickly. I wasn’t going to tell them that horror movies made me piss my pants. They would think my skin wasn’t thick enough or that I was too weak to hang around them.
*
“Poke her.” Someone chuckled lightly, as I felt a finger being jabbed against my cheek.
“Is she a heavy sleeper or not?” a different voice asked, as I felt someone pulling on my hair. “Alex? Yes or no?”
I heard an irritated grumble above me, assuming it was Alex. “Move.” I heard Alex’s deep voice command everyone. I felt who arms pick me up from the couch, as my eyes attempted to open. “A-Alex?” I mumbled, feeling my eyes close.
“Go back to sleep, Aerial.” Alex said, placing me on a bed, throwing a blanket over my body.