TWENTY THREE

School had resumed a whole month ago and she hadn’t even bothered to clean out the mess that had been in her locker the previous school session. She definitely couldn’t care so much about that. All she wanted was to meet up classes and made sure she at least got a C in all subject. That was the most she could offer and her mother would have to do with that. 

She didn’t care about good grades.

She didn’t care about school even.

She didn’t care about ever considering filling in college applications. 

She didn’t care about college at all. 

But she couldn’t say the same about her bestfriend. Also sorting out books for the day, Cameron ranted on and on about the colleges he was looking forward to getting into without ends but Laura wasn’t interested in listening so she zoned him out. Their lockers were luckily next to each other but Laura suspected Cam had done something about it and manipulated the lockers placement in whatever way that was possible. It was a Monday morning, so most students pretended to be a little serious with their academic lives. Everyone were roaming the hallways in preparation for their first classes. Lockers were slamming, metals grating against metals. Voices were talking over each other. Girls were giggling while boys were discussing about games of the weekend, guffawing and laughing over one another.

Her first class was English and as Laura was grabbing her English textbook and writing materials, a sudden continuous scream of her name had gotten attention. “Laura! Laura! Laura!” 

Laura’s heart gave a sudden lurch and her book’s simultaneously dropped from her hands. The scream was coming from the corner of the hallway which led to the front entrance to the school building. As Laura bent down to scoop her books up, over her hunched form, Cameron closed her locker before her head could slam against it. Afterwards he pocketed his hands and leaned against the metal with a cool stance, he was grinning boyishly at the mad frown Laura’s earlier resting face had contorted into. 

She spoke through gritted teeth. “How many times have I told her not to scream my name like she’s been chased by demons?” 

Cam shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, his grin had widened and soon he was going to be laughing. Laura looked like she was set to kill and the looks of that always seemed amusing to him. She was just a little tall and a lot frail. Height didn’t determine the ability to win a fight. You needed body and stamina, none of which Laura possessed. She couldn’t survive in a fight even if she tried to. And though she always dressed in clothing twice her size, it was still plain and obvious that she was small, undernourished, probably not eating enough or purposely starving. 

Megan Hudson appeared down the hallway, a lot breathless and exhausted. Cold sweat laced her forehead and her clothes were dampened at the armpits. Her small form glided past people with such speed and agility you wouldn’t believe she possessed. She ignored the look of anger and disgust some of her school mates threw her way for screaming too loud and disrupting their morning peace, and continued in her destination. 

Amid-st the sea of high schoolers crowding up the hallway, Laura spotted the ginger head girl. Her skin was as white as snow, quite literally. Even more as she had an ethereal glow to herself that could be picked up from miles away. Freckles decorated her nose and cheekbones and her lips were reddish pink. Though short and small, her hair and skin had caused her to stick out like a full moon in the night sky. She had on a simple black vest, a matching blue denim jeans and jacket, and a pair of vans. 

When she was almost in range, Cameron knew she’d lose her balance. She always did. He began a countdown in his head instantly. Five. Four. Three... Her running hadn’t halted yet and in anticipation, he leaned away from the locker and stood in the direction she’d come. Two. He was way taller, and bigger than either of the girls, and at that point, he was his friends volunteer bodyguard. He braced himself up for the impact of the oncoming hit, holding his breath in the process of waiting. 

One. 

Though her hands stretched out to stop her fall, Megan still crashed harshly against Cam’s chest. He gave a stifled grunt at the impact of her head which caused him to stagger back a few steps, almost loosing his balance in the process. He gripped her shoulders and held her in place, chuckling while he watched her gasp for breath. “What’s up, Snow flakes?”

Megan gave a thumbs up in response.  

He had come up with that nickname ever since they became friends in the ninth grade and soon it’d caught on and everybody in school called her that.

Megan’s head remained on his chest for a few seconds longer as she struggled to catch her breaths. Her forehead had dampened his shirt with sweat and, though it made no difference, she tried to wipe it away with her hands. She then turned to look Laura who was staring daggers into her head. “Lau—”

As expected, she was cut off by the blonde girl. “The next time you yell my name—”

“Grayson Cortez comes to our school now!” Megan announced cheerfully. She had gotten a few surprised look from some people in close range, including Laura and Cameron. “He’s outside right now and the first person he asked to see is Laura Moore! Girl, you never told me you knew the mighty Grayson in person...” She stamped her foot into the floor playfully, almost child-like, feigning betrayed. “I’m so hurt.”

Over Megan’s head, Laura and Cameron shared a knowing look. She’d never, not in a million years, expect Gray to take things so far.