They Just Don't Know You

Chapter 9

Perrie's POV

Thursday, September 19

"What's up, loser?" I tense a split second before Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's shoulder rams into mine, so I stumble but don't crash against the locker bay. "Your dickhead brother still in town?"

"Fuck you, Ox." It's my standard response to Alex, no matter the situation, and it's never not applicable. 

Alex's jaw twitches as Andre smirks beside him. I used to get involved with sports with both of them in elementary school, back when my Dad was still hoping I'd turn into a Jonnie 2.0. We weren't friends then, but we didn't actively hate one another. That started in middle school. "He'd better stay the hell away from my sister," Alex spits.

"Jonnie couldn't care less about your sister," I say. It's true, and 90% of the reason Alex can't stand me. He scowls, edging closer, and I curl my right hand into a fist. 

"Perrie, hey." A voice sounds behind me as a hand tugs at my sleeve. I turn to see Jade leaning against a locker, her head tilted, holding one of those Echo Ridge High Month-at-a-Glance calendars that most people recycle instantly. Her expression is preoccupied, and I'd almost believe she didn't notice she was interrupting a near fight if her eyes didn't linger on Alex a few seconds too long. "Do you mind showing me where the auditorium is? I know we have assembly now, but I can't remember where to go."

"I can give you a hint," Alex sneers. "Away from this loser."

I flush with anger, but Jade just gives him a distracted nod. "Oh, hi Alex. Did you know your zipper's down?"

Alex's eyes drop automatically to his pants. "No it's not," he complains, adjusting it anyway as Andre snorts out a laugh. 

"Move along boys." Coach Dunlop comes up behind us, clapping Alex and Andre on the shoulder. "You don't want to be late for assembly." First period is cancelled today, so the entire school can be herded into the auditorium for rah-rah speeches about football season and the homecoming court announcements. In other words, it's the Alex-and-Andre Show.

They follow Coach Dunlop down the hall. I turn towards Jade, who's absorbed in her calendar again. I'm both impressed that she stopped Alex in his tracks so easily and embarrassed that she thought she had to. Her eyes flick up, such a deep brown, framed by thick lashes. When a pink tinge works its way on to her cheeks, I realise I'm staring. Again. "You didn't need to do that," I say. "I can handle those guys."

God, I sound like some puffed-up little kid trying to act tough. Alex is right. I am a loser. 

Jade does me the favour if acting like she didn't hear. "Every time I see Alex, he's being a dick to someone," she says, stuffing the calendar into her bag and hoisting it higher over her shoulder. "I don't understand why he's such a big deal around here. What does Ellie even see in him?"

It's an obvious change of subject, but a fair question. "Hell if I know."

We enter the stream of students heading down the hallway towards the auditorium. "What was he saying about his sister?" Jade asks. "Does she go here?"

"No, she's older. Samantha was in Jonnie's class. They went out for like three months when they were sophomores, and she was kind of obsessed with him. He broke up with her for Caitlin."

"Ah." Jade nods. "I'm guessing she didn't take that well?"

"That's an understatement." We push through the auditorium's double doors, and I lead Jade towards the farthest corner of the stands, where Kamille and I always sit. Jade and Karl have been eating lunch with us since last week, and we've been doing the standard getting-to-know-you stuff: talking about music, movies, and the differences between the UK and the US. This is the first time I've been alone with Jade since I saw her with her suitcase, and just like then, we've skipped past being polite and gone straight for the dark stuff. I'm not sure why but I tell her, "Samantha stopped going to school for a while, and ended up having to repeat. It took her two extra years to graduate."