Chapter 7
Natalie's POV
I had gotten home before I realized that my ID card was no longer with me. Damn! I must've forgotten it at the basketball court. There's no way I'm going back to look for that one now. I'll just have to get a new one.... Hopefully.
I just finish dressing up after my shower and was getting into my bed when someone knocked and without waiting for my reply, butted in. I should have known it was Jace.
”Hey sis, have you seen my....?”
”For the last time, Jace, stop entering my room without a shirt!!! I'm not your girlfriend!” I yelled at him. It was a joke though; he's always going to keep doing that. I threw a pillow at him.
”Okay, okay... I'm sorry. Have you seen my suspenders?”
”No!”
”Someone sounds feisty.” He noted. I groaned. He's not leaving anytime soon.
”Whatever. “He jumped on the bed, peering at me. “Soo... How was school today?” He asked. I walked to my wardrobe, giving him one of my many oversized shirts. They'll fit him, though. He immediately wore it. I sat opposite him.
”School was fine, just wasn't like Middesville. I just hope I don't get into any fights, although I know it's not happening.... I kinda got into the bad side of the queen bees today.” I answered.
“Aw, you miss home?” I rolled my eyes.
“Like crazy.”
“We all might seem fine here, but I bet we are all waiting for the slightest chance to run all the way Middesville to have barbeque nights as usual. ”Jace said.
“Really?” I was surprised.
”Yeah. We are waiting for dad's health to get better though. Once it does, there's so much havoc I plan to cause.” Jace said, smiling evilly.
”One of them includes flirting with all the pretty girls, isn't it?”
”Maybe, hey... That's a Maddox thing.” He scoffed.
“I'm not denying that.”
“Don't worry, you'll be fine. With all the things we made you go through growing up, living here would be a piece of cake. Okay?”
“Okay...”
“Bush baby.”
“Jerk.. now get of my room! I don't have your suspenders.” I said, kicking him. He stood up, laughing. And eventually walked out and closed the door behind him. I laid on the bed, which felt better.
Okay... Time to get some sleep.
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(Next morning)
Xavier's POV
I casually wore my school uniform, occasionally glancing at Natalie's ID. She attends Ambrose high school; how did she get in? I have to find out.
Xander stayed at the entrance of my room, staring at me.
”You're going to school?” He asked,
”Yes. Why?”
”Nothing. It's just weird” he answered. I didn't look at him as finished with my tie. Then picked up my car keys and her ID as well but made sure Xander didn't see it. I didn't want to take any chances.
Finally I left the house and entered one of the cars opened for me and zoomed off to school.
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Xander's POV
Xavier suddenly goes to school, that's weird. He usually gets dragged by me. I was planning to shrug it off and go to my room, but my phone ring interrupted me. I picked it up, it was one of the many boys who's been trying to befriend me. They usually give me updates on what happened in school.
“Hey Xander.”
“Hi. What's up?” I asked.
“Nothing much. But there's a new girl in school.”
“New girl? How did she get in?” Is she some daughter of some business tycoon or what?”
”Maybe, maybe not. But I figured you should come check her out. She's pretty!”
My thoughts flashed to Natalie. Perhaps she is the one.... She said she just moved...
“Okay. I'll come.”
“Okay. We'll be expecting.”
I hung up and checked the time. Gosh! I'm so late! Guess I better hurry then. Not that they'll punish me anyway, but then..... It's Natalie we're talking about.
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Natalie's POV
I arrived at the school hall and was blessed by stares. Okay, don't these people have better jobs than staring at me. I tried to ignore them as usual and proceed to what I was here for, which was getting my new ID but was met by a surprise.
A bucket of ice-cold water was poured on me, accompanied by flour. I gasped and so did the students as well, but soon they began laughing so hard at me, pointing fingers. The trio even laughed more, it's obvious they planned this. A few even brought their phones and began taping it. Oh my gosh.
I chuckled at myself. Do they call this bullying? Maybe because they've been spoon fed their whole life. From the corner of my eyes I saw Mira looking horrified, but she didn't dare come close to me. Perhaps she was scared. I've been through worse things.
I picked up my bag that had fallen and walked to my locker, even though I was dripping wet and cold. That shut them up quickly. Using a free hand, I cleaned the flour from my eyes and met Mira. She seemed even more shocked at my behavior than at the incident.
“Do you happen to have any spare towel?” I asked.
“Ye.... Ye... Yes,” she stammered.
“I'd like to have it.” She immediately opened her locker and passed it to me. I used it to dry my hair and a few other parts I could reach.
”I have to go to the principal's office. I lost my ID.” I explained.
”Okay...... Aren't you cold?”
”Just a little. But I brought pills just in case.” I said.
“You're not embarrassed, are you?” She asked.
I laughed. “I've been bathed with rotten eggs before.... And that was for fun. This.... Is nothing. I have to go now, meet you in class.” I said and walked to the principal's office.
From the corner of my eyes I saw Xavier. He didn't seem shocked, but his eyes said it all. He couldn't believe what he just saw. I smirked. I know I'm not normal...
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Tricia's POV
“I can't believe it!” I shrieked. “How can she not be affected by it?!'
Celine and Bella tried to calm me down, but I shrugged them off.
”We don't know as well. We all saw it.”
“She could have been slightly embarrassed... Or at least pretended to be! I worked hard for that!”
“I guess we just have to try harder.” Bella pointed out. I glared at her. She recoiled.
This Natalie Maddox is really getting on my nerves.. and Xavier was there to witness the whole thing! It's just a matter of time before Xander finds out and they take an interest in that bitch!!
“What do we do?” Celine asked me.
“I don't know, but I haven't given up yet..... I haven’t.” gritted through my teeth.
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Xander's POV
”Can you believe it!!? She didn't even bat an eyelid!” Arden, one of my many friends, said. They were showing me the video they recorded of Tricia having to prank Natalie and she not reacting. And I was with my brother as well. In school, everyone thought we were really close but we both know it's not true. Right now we're just acting.
”It's no big deal.” I said.
“It's not?” Arden repeated, gawking at me.
”Yeah. I already met her once, and this is how she reacted when she saw me.”
“You did!!” the rest of the boys called at the same time. Xavier turned to me. “You did?” He asked pretty cool. I shrugged.
“Once. At a basketball court. Playing like a professional. I had to confirm she really was a girl. Didn't seem too surprised when she saw me.”
”Wow! Natalie is really something.”
“Isn't she?” I sluggishly said.
“But she went to the principal's office. What's she going to do there? To report us?” Arden asked.
No one knew the answer to that. Until Xavier spoke up.
”Perhaps to get this.” He said, bringing out an ID card. It has Natalie picture.
“She misplaced this one and went to get another one.” He confirmed, staring at me. I snatched it from him.
“Where'd you get this?” I asked.
”I didn't get it. She forgot it in the basketball court where I met her"
I couldn't help but stutter. “You... You've met her?” I gasped, trying hard not to keep calm.
“Yes. Twice.” He answered.
Twice??? What!?
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Xavier's POV
The look on Xander's face is something I could kill for. But he managed to keep his cool.
“Woah!!” Arden exclaimed. ”looks like both brothers have actually met this Natalie of a girl. So what's going to happen now?
“We don't know yet. We still have to give her time. Let her get used to this place.” I answered, staring at Xander.
”How about we invite her to a party... you know, to get to know her better?” Arden suggested.
I glanced at Xander. “Sure. We can do that. But we have to make sure she's up for it.” I said.
”Oh she will be.”
”Great then, let the preparations begin.” Xander said.
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Xander's POV
My head was running a million miles per hour. If truly Xavier had actually met her twice.... All before me, then I had some serious planning to do. And it has got to begin from now.....
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Natalie's POV
The principal was shocked to see me in his office with a wet and stained uniform, but I managed to get what I was there for anyway, which is a new ID. I don't plan on loosing this one anytime soon.
Since I didn't have a spare uniform, I didn't know what to wear after I cleaned up, but Mira helped me out in that aspect.... She had some spare and luckily they were my size. People stopped butting into my business after my reaction this morning, but I still earned bad glares from the trio. Not like I care. They can do whatever they want.
Classes went by quickly and soon it was time for lunch. Mira and I accompanied each other to the cafeteria and ordered our foods, soon we began eating.
“It's strange, you know? “Mira said between bites.
“What's strange?” I asked.
“the Anderson brothers. They were around at that period, but they didn't meet you.”
“Oh...” I said. “I actually saw Xavier.”
“you did!!” Mira squealed. “what did he tell you???”
“nothing. Just stared.”
”Seriously?” She seemed disappointed. “That's strange.”
“Hmm. Whatever.”
“you Don't seem like a fan of these boys are you?' she asked after a while.
“maybe I am, maybe am not. Who cares? "
“I do,” she whispered. We chuckled and continued eating.
Lunch was going on nicely until a group of boys decided it was the perfect time to bully. They began picking on a girl, which from the looks of was very defenseless to her plight. And as usual, the students brought out their phones to tape it.
“who are these guys?” I asked in disgust.
“Who?.. They? They are just a bunch of people who like to mess around when the Andersons aren't here.” She explained.
”so they bully around here too?”
”almost all the time. You have to get used to it.”
I scoffed; I was trying really hard not to get angry.
That wasn't working, though. By now the boys had taken her food and poured it on her. Laughs erupted in the whole of cafeteria. That's it! I can take this anymore!!
I turned, facing them.
”leave the girl alone!!' I yelled. The boys stopped and looked at me. Then burst out in laughter.
“Well... Well.. Well. What do we have here?” One of them said.
“A new girl who thinks she's a superhero.” The other answered, snickering.
“Point of correction, I don't think I'm a superhero. I just need you to leave the girl alone. She hasn't done anything wrong.”
”And what will you do if we don’t.?” One of them said.
I bopped my head to a corner, thinking. “I don't know, kick your ass, or make you kiss the floor before me?”
They all chuckled. They think it's funny.
“Well miss... We aren't stopping and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it! You klutz!” The bully said.
Mira nudged at me. “I think you should leave them alone. They're boys...” but I wasn't listening.
With a deadly glare, I muttered. “Try me....”
One of them charged forward. My tray of food went right across his face, he fell on the floor. Everyone gasped.
Startled, they all stopped. “Anybody else?” I asked.
They all charged this time around. Did I ever tell you I was raised by beasts? I don't think so. Well, I was raised by six of them, my dad included. He didn't think girls should be weak and didn't raise me as so.
Obviously, these guys didn't know that. In minutes there were all on the floor groaning, and I hadn't even broken out in sweat.
”Anybody else? “I asked again. No one moved, not even Mira. “I didn't think so...” I said before walking out of the cafeteria, stunning them again the second time today...
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Xander's POV
News of what Natalie had done in the cafeteria had begun circulating, but I was less concerned about that. I just wanted to see her, to confirm my doubts. I eventually found her in the school's basketball court playing alone.
For someone they said beat boys. She looked pretty cool sitting down there. I walked up to her.
“Hey.” I greeted. She looked up at me.
”Hi” she answered. She was twirling a basketball in her hands.
“Heard what you did in the cafeteria, hard to believe. ”I said further.
“Is it?” She answered back. I nodded. For once I didn't know what to say to her. She kept blocking all chances.
Suddenly, she stood up and began bouncing the ball, throwing it in the loop.
”You play basketball?” she asked.
“Yeah. Kind of...” I answered. She glanced at me, flexing her hands.
“Want to play?” She asked.
“With you?”
“Did you see anyone else in the court?”
Truth be told, there wasn't anyone else, but I still couldn't believe she just asked me to play with her.
”Why? are you scared that I'll beat you?” She asked, peering at me.
”Of course not.... You should be scared instead. "
”Hm. Okay let's make it like this. First person to hit a 20 get to buy the other person a soda.”
”A soda?” That’s ridiculous!
”Are you in or not?” She asked and I scoffed. I can't believe she was asking me this, but I wasn't about to back out either.
”I'm in.”
"Cool.... Time starts now.” She said and threw the ball in the air. We began playing. I have to admit, she was really good, and it was hard to collect the ball from her once she's taken possession of it.
It was just a matter of time before students began filling in and watching us play. A few were even videoing it. What!? Soon it was we were at draw at remaining two points left to get to twenty. I was with the ball. I smirked, slightly exhausted.
”I'm gonna beat you.” I boasted.
”you sure??”
”I'm pretty sure.” I answered.
“ Well... I don't think so.”
“Really?”
”Yes.”
I took the ball and began aiming at her court when she double crossed me and suddenly widened her eyes.
”What? “I found myself asking. She made to close her eyes.
” Your pants are down!”