The beauty of chapters Saved

Chapter 10

I grab the only two books I’m going to use for the day from my locker. I really need to tidy things up a bit in here. Crunched up papers are scattered all over my stuffs and pens and pencils
are everywhere.

“Layla.” A female voice I don’t recognise calls my name and I turn to the unexpected. Larissa stands a few feet away from me, her bitch face plastered on with a mean pout. Her eyes are cold and hard. It’s only now that I notice she’s a few inches shorter than me. Her makeup free face
looks young and juvenile compared to the other times I’ve seen her. My expression remains the same, unsure of what I’m supposed to do.

“Look I’m gonna be straight forward.” She raises her thick eyebrows. Her tone is all business like with no room for games. “I don’t like you, I’m not interested in being friends with you nor
getting to know you.” She talks in bullet points, every word comes out sharper than the last. “I honestly have no idea to what Michael sees in you but…”

“Well this is a surprise.” We both turn to Jackson striding down the hallway towards us. He’s tied his hair up today, the elastic band struggling to hold the front hair together. “Were you guys
forced to talk to each other or something?” he reaches us and hooks his thumb around the strap of his backpack. A cheerful smile on his lips.

Larissa and I share a not so polite look and she fakes a smile at Jackson, so see-through like glass. Jackson smiles back genuinely, ignoring her bad mood. “What’s up?” he looks at me though the question is directed to the both of us.

“Nothing.” I shut my locker.

“The little Tasmanian devil isn’t bothering you, is she?” he makes sure to indicate who he’s referring to and stays completely unbothered by her angry, piercing glare. I don’t respond. I
don’t know how to. “I’ll see you around?” he concludes. This time I nod with a tight smile. Jackson seems like a very genuine person who is easy to like – when there isn’t an evil presence
among you. She doesn’t look happy at all when Jackson gestures for her to walk first. “Layla and I are not done talking.”

“It seem that you are.” He pushes her by the shoulder before she can say anything else. I watch as they disappear down the hall in the crowd of students.

She doesn’t like me. As if I needed confirmation. She’s such a bitch man. What does it concern me if she doesn’t like me? That’s her problem not mine. She just wants problem, she wants to
make a scene and I won’t allow her. No one seemed to have seen or over heard anything. There’s a bitter taste in my mouth. What was the point of coming to tell me? What did she achieved other
than ruining my day? I didn’t even do anything to her.

I dawdle over to my next class. The girls are already seated in their spot when I get there. They must’ve not spent too much time at the bench today.

“I thought you weren’t gonna show up.”

“I missed the bus.” I tell Bianca, taking my seat.

“Must’ve had a good time last night with the Goths. I saw you get in his car yesterday.” Bryana explains with zero emotions after seeing my surprised face. Weird how she’s not showing any
resentment since she doesn’t like Michael. I guess he and I are on the same boat then. Both of us have a friend that doesn’t like the other.

“We were working on the essay.” I say mildly.

“How is he? Character wise. Is he the typical bad boy?” I’m taken aback by the sudden curiosity with no sign of judgment lurking behind her tone.

“Not really. He’s actually the opposite. He’s nice.” and there it is, the look of disinterest and boredom. Why did I think she actually had a change of heart? I just shut up and take out my
notes. The teacher walks in at the exact moment. Why can’t I just have one good day? My eyes droops over to Bryana again and she’s busy writing down something. The look on her face
almost similar to that of Larissa. I smile softly to the pain. It is what it is.