Under The Umbrella

Chapter 2

Meg
New kid on the block
October 31 2019
Don't get caught.
That's all that goes through my head.
Don't. Get. Caught.
No one can know.
It's already been one month since the first day. But I can't shake the worry that follows me like a shadow.
So instead, I run the second the bell rings for lunch and head to the group table.
My eyes move to Katie for a split second, then she looks away.
Beside her, are our friends Vicky (dirty blonde with blue eyes), and Sasha (blonde with light blue eyes).
I sit down beside Sasha.
I find myself looking back at Katie, her purple glasses framing her large blue, gray, green eyes.
Sasha grabs my arm,
"Hey, you okay? You didn't even answer Vicky's question."
I shift my sight towards Vicky.
"Sorry, what was the question again?"
"I just asked if you were settling in okay, you know, from the move."
Shit.
"Oh, fine. Yeah, my mom got started at her new job, I unpacked my room, and we got a new cat. We're doing pretty good."
I don't look up from my lunch, but I can practically hear Katie's eye roll.
I know she never believes me, but I don't know why.
One day I'll ask her why.
I stick the mental note at the very back of my brain and continue eating my lunch.

The rest of the day goes by in a blur. With me bumping into friends occasionally, and sometimes forgetting to acknowledge their existence.
But at the end of the day, I'm talking with Sasha, when Vicky wispers in her ear and they walk away.
Strange.
I'm starting the process of imagining what they could be talking about, when a certain brunette walks up to me and gives me a harsh glare.
"Why do you keep lying to my friends? Stop trying to get them to leave me for you."
She looks upset, like she wants to cry. I don't understand, until it finally clicks.
I turn to leave but before I go, Katie grabs my sweater and pulls me close, whispering in my ear,
"Stay away from my friends."
I leave the hallway and walk out the door.
I'll never forget the look in her eyes.
It was fear.
Fear for loosing her friends, because they might like me better.
I mull over the idea in my head, and come to the conclusion that, maybe if I show Katie that all I want is to all be friends, then maybe, just maybe, she'd accept me.
My new plan was simple.
Try to trust her more and show her that I'm not a threat.
And hopefully her mindset will change.

The next day I walk to my locker and put my books away. Katie walks up after me and clicks open her locker. I open my mouth to speak to her, but she slams the locker shut and walks away.
Why is she like that? I just want to be friends.
I grab my books and run after her to home room.
"Katie wait!"
She stops just before entering homeroom.
"What?" She says it like she's really annoyed.
"I just want us to be friends."
"If you want us to be friends, then stop trying to ruin my life!"
She walks away and leaves me alone in the hall.
So much for my big plan.