Nobodies [ a. irwin ]

eleven

My eyes immediately widened when I realized what I had just said.

Oh shit.

Ashton opened his mouth to say something but was suddenly interrupted by two people plotting down on the chairs right next to Ashton and me.

I teared my gaze away from Ashton's eyes and looked at the two.

I heard Ashton almost choke in front of me.

The two people were none other than Michael Clifford, school's bad boy with bright red colored hair that drove girls insane, and Calum Hood, the school's most popular jock who supposedly had a body worth dying for.

You've got to be kidding me, I thought, mentally face-palming myself.

''This day couldn't have gotten better.'' I muttered grumpily, ironically and very very silently so no one heard me.

If talking to Luke had attracted attention, I could only imagine what would happen now that I was talking to the other two of the most desired boys in this school.

I almost laughed at how fucked I was. Almost.

''Well, hey there. Ashton and Emma, right?'' Calum spoke from beside Ashton, making the poor boy freeze in his seat and tense up, his eyes wider than mine.

''Yes, that's us.'' I managed to choke out, deciding to take the reigns of this situation before something tragic happened. I was surprised to hear my voice sounded more confident than I thought it would.

Ashton seemed to snap back to reality at the sound of my voice and he looked straight at me, looking like a deer in the headlights.

''We heard a lot about you two. Especially about Emma here.'' Michael spoke from beside me, with his oh so famous smirk, and a wiggle of his eyebrows that would make me crack up, weren't I in such an anxious situation.

''Why?'' Ashton muttered confusedly, frowning.

''Why not, right?'' Michael said confidently, slinging his arm behind me on my chair, making me feel even more uncomfortable.

Calum laughed, rolling his eyes at Michael. ''We heard you were Luke's new friend and Luke's amigo is mi amigo.'' He said with a Spanish accent and an amused grin.

I shook my head. ''We only talked twice.'' Luke and I weren't friends. Do you become somebody's friend after two talks? I'm pretty sure you don't. We were acquaintances in the best case scenario.

Calum waved me off and shrugged, slumping back on his chair and crossing his arms against his chest. ''Doesn't matter.''

Everyone got quiet after that. In a very awkward silence too may I add.

''So, Emma Bourne. By what I heard you're quite the genius.'' Calum said, breaking the awkward silence. ''Straight A's, only attends AP classes, I have to say, I'm quite impressed.''

I shrugged. ''It's not that hard really.''

Michael chuckled. ''Are you fucking kidding me? I can barely pass my normal classes and you manage to get straight A's at the fucking AP ones. You're a genius, to say the least. Just admit it.''

''Oh boo fucking hoo, Michael. Just because you're stupid doesn't mean everybody else is.'' Calum mocked the boy jokingly, rolling his eyes again.

Michael chuckled. ''Shut up, Hood. You're not much smarter than me.''

Calum snickered and said something back to Michael, but my attention wasn't on them anymore. That's because I realized Ashton had been strangely quiet throughout the conversation.

I directed my attention to him and found him frowning slightly, his eyes looking unfocused and his head hung low. He looked deep in thought. I wondered what he was thinking about.

I leaned forward and gently touched his shoulder, whispering quietly so that it didn't attract Calum's or Michael's attention, who were both now discussing some random subject. ''Ash.''

His head immediately snapped up and his eyes widened slightly, as if he had been caught doing something wrong.

''Are you okay?'' I asked in the same quiet tone.

His lips turned upwards into a fake grin. He nodded. ''I'm fine.''

I frowned.

//

As I walked through the hallways heading towards my Math classroom, the only thought that seemed to occupy my mind was why would he lie?

After the bell rang, Michael and Calum left, Michael sending me a wink that was more playful than flirty in the way, but even then Ashton remained silent and with his head hung low, that same deep-in-thought expression on his face.

When the time came for us to part ways, Ashton just waved me goodbye and walked off. Leaving me with all these freaking questions in my head driving me absolutely insane.

Maybe I was freaking out for no reason, I knew that, but it was just so unlike him. No smiles, no 'don't miss me too much, Bourne' jokes, nothing. Something had happened and I had no clue what it was.

Was it Michael and Calum? I mean, it had to be. One second he was all giggly and happy and the other he was acting damn weird.

I didn't even notice I had gotten to my Math classroom until I was face-to-face with the door.

I was late, I was well-aware of that part, and even though I knew the teacher could give me a detention pass or the students could give me weird looks, I was too frustrated to care.

I twisted the doorknob and walked inside.

Just as expected, everyone's eyes snapped up towards my figure standing by the door. Including Mrs. Walker's, the teacher's, who stopped talking and writing some equation on the whiteboard all together at my interruption.

I cleared my throat. ''I'm sorry, I'm late.''

Fortunately for me, Mrs. Walker was one of the sweetest teachers in the school. She just flashed me a kind smile and motioned for me to take a seat. ''That's okay, Emma. Come in and sit down.''

I gratefully did as she told me to, skillfully avoiding all the student's curious glares before plotting down on the first empty seat I laid my eyes on.

After a few minutes passed, someone poked my back softly and I confusedly turned around. The girl who was sitting behind me sent me a small smile, extending her hand and passing me a small folded paper.

I nodded, returning her small smile and then turned back to my previous position, facing the front of the classroom.

I unfolded the paper and read the note that was written in a beautiful, but also kind of careless, handwriting.

I'm sorry about Calum and Michael today. I had no clue they would do that. I hope they haven't been their usual asshole-ish selves with you. If they have just let me know and I'll kick their asses anytime :-) -Luke

I covered my mouth with my hand, stifling a laugh.

I looked around the classroom until my eyes met a pair of bright blue ones. Luke was sitting on the back of the room, on the far opposite side of the classroom from me.

I mouthed, They weren't that bad.

He rolled his eyes, shaking his head. Are you sure we're talking about the same people?

I had never been good at deciphering what people were saying when they mouthed things to me, but fortunately I understood Luke.

I'm afraid so. I mouthed back.

He laughed silently and I turned back towards the teacher, hearing the teacher speak until the bell rang again.