Disguised In Lavender

Part 23

What felt like hours later wasn't even a minute as Lauren pulled out the second book and flipped it open towards Ann. A map of the cross country course was sketched in smudged pencil even across the crease. "You're really set on this aren't you?" The trainer glanced up from the page as the clattering door echoed through the high ceiling halls of books. Lauren looked from Ann to the door and instantly straightened up with a sly smile, sweeping her hair back. A tall boy with a low crop top that only barely showed off the band of his Calvin Klein strode towards them. He had oiled black hair that was combed neatly out of the way of his eyes which were shaded by reflective sunglasses.

"Hey, Mami." The thick spanish accent made Ann quirk an eyebrow and jealously shot a glare at Lauren who ignored her. "Hi, have a seat." The rider ignored the blonde all together and shifted sideways on the couch to make room for the boy. He quickly took a seat, slumping back slightly and crossed his arms over his broad chest. "Who's this?" Ann couldn't hide how upset she was, tilting her head pointedly at Lauren and pushing her tongue against her cheek viciously. Seeing what she'd done, the older girl swallowed nervously and her eyes softened as her posture crumbled slightly. "This is Justin Kilmer, we call him JK, he's dating Tae." Ann smoothly slid her gaze to the boy who felt the tension and slowly lowered his glasses with a shy smile, showing off a boyish bunny smile.

The trio fell into calm chatter, Ann protectively laying her foot on the seat beside Lauren who sheepishly placed her hand on her calf. It only took a minute for JK to spot the books they were working on and lean forward with a tilt of his head. "Can you make a swooping turn on this angle?" He asked slowly, glancing up at Ann across from him then turning to Lauren before sitting back in his seat. The trainer pulled his leg back and propped herself up to glance where JK pointed, Lauren did the same. "Yeah, the box jump is too parallel to the oxer. What's the regulation, again?" She asked, snapping her fingers as if it would jog her memory and letting her eyes rest on the older girl's hopefully. "Something like twenty strides for a cross country course and maybe an even five for show jumping. Could be wrong though." Lauren handed a red pen to Ann who instantly circled the angle and pointed the tip at JK seriously. "You're in my business class, aren't you? Didn't you tell me about Dalla and Lareun's fight a week ago?" The boy glanced over at Lauren who avoided his stare to check the ticking grandfather clock. He nodded without opening his mouth like a child who had been scolded by their mother for stealing a candy. "Sweet, good to finally thank you in person." Lauren blushed guiltily, catching Ann's eye and standing from the couch with her books under one arm.

Shouts of laughter met Lauren as she strode confidently into the school building a little after six O'clock. Even though her first class started in an hour, she had a mission that couldn't be interrupted by an approaching schedule. Dalla spotted her from her locker, lifting her head and slamming the grimy metal door shut with a clang. The laughter stopped for a moment but Lauren ignored it, holding a breath in her chest and trying not to pay any attention to the hot stares. Days ago this wouldn't ever happen, she knew right away that something was wrong and she lowered her eyes.

Tae brushed against her and elbowed her sideways into an empty janitor's closet and pulled the chain to turn on the dim lights. "You're in deep shit, Lauren." He didn't waste a second and pressed his hands against his ears, pacing against the door. "I don't get it, what?" Tae paused and rubbed his temples in exasperation as Lauren obliviously spread out her arms and lifted her eyebrows. "Dalla spread a rumor." Scoffing at the news, the rider crossed her arms and tapped her foot but still didn't interrupt her friend. "You aren't really seeing Ann, are you? Like, like that? It was just a joke when I said you two would be cute." The pleading in his tone froze Lauren where she stood and her eyes widened, tears threatening to fall. "Are you serious?" The janitor's closet wasn't tight and it was generally empty but her breath felt stifled and sweat beaded on her forehead.

How did Dalla know? Lauren kept her head down as Tae stepped aside and quickly shadowed after her. It didn't even make her mad that her rival had told everyone, she could care less but it was the fact that she'd outed her in the process. No one cared who Lauren was seeing, they cared because now the famed rider was that predatory girl after everyone. That simply wasn't true, it never had been, but no one would understand that, too caught in the moment. Lauren's mind was spinning and before she knew it she was running full speed up the steel fire escape steps to the roof. The echoing panting behind her told her that Tae was still following persistently so she didn't have to be alone.

Shoving all of the weight in her shoulder against the door, a blast of freezing wind blew back at her from the stories high platform. A shuddering breath later Tae bounded up beside her and bent over with his hands on his knees. "I can't even be mad." Lauren huffed, sweeping back her hair and dropping into a criss cross position on the uneven concrete. Tae glanced down at her skeptically and sat in front of her, leaning his back on the brick door house. "God she gets on my nerves though." Covering her face in her hands, the rider tried hard to keep from crying, blasted with deja vu.

Burly hands and a wide shouldered man almost three times her height grabbed a past Lauren by the arm and pulled her up from her bed. She was sobbing uncontrollably and clutching a plush horse in her slender arms, watching the man lift her mattress. Beneath it was an old Macbook with an open browser tab with the glowing image of gorgeous Emma Stone. He knew, he held up the computer with just one hand covering the camera and shoved it at her. "Get out! You dirty f**get." His booming voice was ringing in Lauren's ears as she lifted her head with a sniff and dabbed at the tears on her cheeks. "I don't think Ann knows yet, I'm really sorry about this. I think," Tae paused, fumbling with his phone and taking a slow breath, "I think somehow I might have let something slip." Lauren shook her head and forced a laugh, laying a hand on her best friend's leg and scrunching her nose playfully.

"It's not your fault. Dalla caught us together in the barn and neither of us were exactly discrete. You're fine." The tension slowly fizzled away but Lauren couldn't shake the internalized disgust at herself. Memories would never really go away, she'd run away physically but everyday was ruled by him. "Tae, can you do something for me?" The younger boy lifted his head from his phone and handed it to her, the screen showing an open chat between him and Tae. "Well this was exactly it, thanks." Lauren let out a laugh of relief seeing her friend asking his boyfriend to bring Ann up to them.