Finding a friend

Sometimes, life is just unfair. There are times it gets unbelievably unfair. I wonder if you realise that so far my life has been unbelievably unfair, always.

I want to sit here and weep until I die! Is that possible? There are more than a thousand student in this school, Dean picked only me to play his crazy games with!

Why not Tracy? Wouldn't she love to be in my shoes? Getting Dean's attention she desires so much? I wonder how she and the rest of the girls would react if someone told them he is a crazy psycho.

I burry my face between my knees and concentrate on figuring out my next move. Should I walk to class and pretend nothing happened? What if Dean attacks me again?

I hear footsteps and immediately look up, not embarrassed to show my tears. There is no worst kind if shame I haven't gone through already. So to hell with dignity! I just want to survive.

I see Richards look around the place as if searching for something. Then he sees me and gets an expression on his face that I rarely get from anyone. The kind of expression that reflects concern.

I must be hallucinating. The only thing Richards is concerned about is finding a reason to report Dean to the principal. Apparently, I keep on being that reason.

"Walker!" He exclaims rushing by my side. "What happened to you?" he asks checking my sore neck.

If he is faking this, which I am certain he is, he must be a really good actor.

"Was It Dean? Did he do this to you?" He demands, seemingly seething.

"Yeah. But don't report it. The Principal thinks I'm the one stalking him and she swore to suspended me if she hears I even looked at him." I say and Richards groans in anger.

"So he got the right to harm you the way he wants? I'll kill that son of a bitch, I swear!" He punches the wall behind me with his bare fist. Good actor!

But he better not try picking a fight with Dean, that guy is as inhumanly strong as he is inhumanly goodlooking. Simply put, he isn't human.

"Someone told me he sent Tracy and her group of vixens to do something nasty to you. But I didn't know what or when they would do whatever they planned. I'm sorry I came too late!" He says sounding way too genuine. Since I need a friend, I'll pretend to believe him for now.

"That's okay. I only suffered a classic embarrassment and a few bruises. I'll live." I say and he chuckles.

"I always knew you were the best!" Tracy is pissed because since you took off your glasses, you look ten times prettier than her and she can't find any make-up that will give her eyes like yours." He says and I smile despite the current situation.

"How about you stick with me? We be together all the time so that if Dean attempts another cowardly act, I'll be there to kick his ass." Richards suggest, giving me a charming smile.

The offer is good. Not that I think he can kick Dean's ass, that impossible considering the fact that there is a strength of a tanker hiding within Dean's lean body.

"Okay, I really can use a friend right now." I agree and he gives me the best smile I've ever seen.

Richards used to be the hottest guy in school before Dean came and scooped up the title. Richards has a great smile, one that can lure a fish out of water.

"Good. I promise not to let you down." He says taking off his jumper and starts using it to wipe the water off my hair. I jump back. What does he think he's doing?

"Come on, Walker! Relax. I'm not hurting you. I'm not Dean, remember?" His tone his sweet, like we have been best friends for a decade.

"I'm just not used to people touching me." I explain.

"Sorry!" He apologizes and hands me the jumper. I quickly dry my face and hair, then use the wet jumper to wipe off the stains of chocolate liquor on my shirt.

"Where is your bag?" Richards asks.

"I think I left it in the hallway where Tracy attacked me. I couldn't see with that thing allover my eyes so I must have dropped it." I reply. I hand him back his jumper which he ties around his broad shoulders.

"We'll make Tracy pay for that. But let's get your bag first." He helps me get back on my feet.

"Your hair is more glossy than anything I have ever seen!" He comment and I'm reminded of my hair bud. Where did it go? "Tracy will kill you once she sees it." He adds jokingly.

"I think I lost my hair bud." I say looking around.

"You want to put those strands back into those that messy ponytail you're always rocking? Hell no!" He says, using my arm to drag me out of the washroom area.

"Why do you hide all your beautiful features?" Richards asks after pulling me all the way from the washrooms and back into the hallway.

"Because I don't want to give people more reasons to bully me." I answer.

I see my backpack sitting on the floor not far away from us. Richards points at it too.

I notice people gawking at us as we head it. More like gawking at my hair. Richards puts a hand around my back and pulls me closer to him in a gesture of possessiveness.

I don't feel comfortable being so close to a man, but he's the only person by my side right now, so I let him have his way.

"Is that her real hair?" I hear a girl ask her counterparts as we bypass them.

"Looks that way. I would love to have her hair and eyes. They are strange but lovely!" One of her counterparts answers.

Richards picks up my backpack when we reach it. He then proceeds to takes hold of my unjured wrist and pull me towards my first class, maths.

"You know I can carry my backpack, right? And do you have to guide me to class?" I ask, being careful not to anger my newly earned friend.

"We're supposed to be together, remember?" He answers. Not convincing at all.

"I want that, yes, but you're doing too much. You're acting like I'm a child." I point out and I'm surprised when I see him smile.

"Don't you like it?" He asks. I'm too shy to look him in the eye and admit that I like the fact that he's helping me. So I find the ground under my feet and stare at it. He chuckles and pulls me into the class with him.

Once again, I'm being stared at and glared at at the same time. Dean sits with Eric, watching us as well. Unlike others that stare at me in astonishment or glare with hatred, Dean's has a blank expression.

Richards gives Tracy the finger when he catches her glaring at us. I make my way to my seat and and Richards follows me. He takes the seat beside me that no one ever seats on.

I see Gina leave Tracy's side and saunter towards us. I avoid looking at her as she approaches. The slaps me on the shoulder yo get my attention. I feel like punching her, but is it worth getting in another fight for?

"Your hair bud broke too? You better not be doing this for Dean!" She utters the warning.

"May be I should tell him about the fight!" I threaten and her eyebrows shoot up.

"You're such a bitch this days!" She says turning to leave.

Richards sneaks a leg out. Gina trips on it and goes down. She falls flat in her belly and a groan escapes her lips. Laughter erupts all around us.

Glaring at Richards, she pulls herself to her feet. "You fucked up jerk!" She roars at him. He smirks, making her feel even more humiliated. She shakes her head in frustration, turns and takes long, not very lady-like steps back to her seat.

Mr. Kim walks into the class, carrying bunch of assignment papers. After saying his morning greetings, he hands the papers to a girl named Fiona and she distributes the papers to respective owners.

They are mathematics assignment papers. I never submitted my mine since I went to hide in the library instead of attending the class.

"You're looking beautiful today, Walker!" He comments and I shyly look down as all eyes turn towards me. "Beautiful enough to remind me you didn't attend my class yesterday. Neither did you submit your assignment." He adds and I know his next words will mean I'm in for detention.

But seems life isn't done surprising me. "Do you have a viable reason why you didn't attend my class?" He asks.

No I don't. But I'm at least going to say something. "I'm having a very difficult week, sir." I say and everyone bursts out laughing, including Mr. Kim.

"Make sure you bring the assignment to my office by the end of today. I'll forget you failed to attend my class. But only because you seem to be finding your way out of self-effacement and I know you've a lot potential in you." He says and my heart is both relieved and comforted.

Richards lightly squeezes my shoulder. I look at him and he smiles in a manner that shows he is proud of me. I smile back.

The lesson begins and I manage to focus on absorbing everything taught. At least until I hear Dean say my name.

I take a brief glance at him and see that he and Eric are talking.

"How long has Walker been here?" He asks Eric.

"As long as I can remember." Eric answers.

"How much do you know her?" Dean asks another question. What is he exactly seeking?

"Only what everyone knows. Gina and Racheal are her stepsisters. No one knows her real father. Her mother and stepfather kind of dislikes her." Eric informs. Thank God that's all he knows.

"Racheal and Gina are her stepsisters?" Dean asks sounding surprised.

"Yeah. And just as you may have noticed, they don't like her either." Eric answers. When did he get so talkative?

Dean leans back on his seat, appearing thoughtful. I must admit, he looks even more incredibly perfect rocking a serious expression.

I shift my gave back to Mr.Kim but I fail to concentrate for the rest of the lesson.