Everyone But Us

Eleven // Gabe

Gabe (School player)

That's something I never thought I would hear; freakshow talking on the bus. It was the first thing I'd heard her say since Theo and her quit trying to make the whole friends thing work. I nearly fell off my chair.

"So you can talk," Nicole drawled, crossing her long, tanned legs. She was fucking hot, but I wouldn't go there again.

The nerd didn't say anything so I leaned over the seat to make sure she hadn't died or something. She hadn't, but her cheeks were red as a firetruck.

"Who knew," I said, trying to bug her by getting inside her personal space. Would she talk again?

She didn't have to. "Leave her alone, Gabe." It was the guy who made her speak in the first place; Jarrah.

"What's your deal, man?"

"What do you mean what's my deal?"

I rolled my eyes, sitting back in my seat. "Why are you so persistent with this chick?"

"It's called being a nice human being."

I pretended to think about this. "Hmm. Nah, I don't think that's really my thing."

"No?" He asked, tapping his hands against the seat. Stupid musicians. "Me neither."

Fuckwit. I wanted to lay into him but it's not like he was lying, he just made me look bad in front of the whole bus. At the same time, I wasn't tryin' to impress anyone.

"What I don't understand is why she talked to you, of all people," I said instead, as it was a question rattling my brain. From what I knew - which wasn't a lot - they had never spoken before. I thought she was this nerd who had zero social skills and no friends. Other than that Sophia chick. Damn, she was hot. But I thought Aspen had his eyes on her so I'd backed away. I may have been an asshole but I wasn't about to fuck up something for one of my friends. Plus, she was probably too intellectual for my intentions. I hated it when they had opinions.

"Just shut up, Gabe," Theo jumped in. It was the word he'd said this morning and he was so jumpy. Jesus.

"What's your problem?" I asked, looking across the aisle. He looked pretty dead beat, like he couldn't keep his eyes open if there were a million bucks in front of him.

"You. Now shut the fuck up and leave everyone alone, will you?"

I knew better than to argue with Theo. He was twice my size in muscle, not including how much taller he was. Plus, he did boxing so if I crossed him, he'd beat me within an inch of my life with ease.

I shut my trap 'til we got to school.

A certain Trina Arts crossed my path and struck up a conversation when I hopped off the bus, her dress way too short for the school's standards, but not for mine. I decided in that moment that I'd be going after her on Saturday night at Eli and Jacob's bonfire. She was hot, and seemed to be able to do the no-strings thing.

When I was done with the conversation I headed off to the guys, but not before seeing Jarrah with the not-so-mute girl at her locker. Talking.

What the hell was going on between them?