Wingless {Clifford A.U}

Chapter Sixteen

A/N: So this chapter starts at the next day at school after chapter fifteen and I apologize if it sucks because I was only half sober while writing this.

"You didn't have to come back with me you know, I'd understand if you didn't want to come and you could've just waited at home." she said,getting books out of her locker, and he shook his head.

"No way, what if something happened while you were coming home? It's better if I just stay here with you, and if I need to I'll just watch from a distance, but I'm not leaving you." he said and she nodded.

"Okay, well then lets go to first period then." she said, shutting her locker and walking to first period. She didn't run into the track girls, so that was one good thing, though Ashton was in her first period, and that was what had her nerves on edge.

She was the first one in class again and took her seat in the back and waited for her teacher and the rest of the students as they slowly filed in. When Ashton walked in with his friends she felt her heart drop a little and she bit the inside of her cheek when he looked over at her. She quickly looked at her desk to avoid his gaze.

"You alright?" Michael asked, resting his hand on her shoulder, sensing that she was uncomfortable.

"Yeah, I'm fine." she whispered to avoid odd looks from her classmates. The bell rang a few minutes later and her teacher walked in and everyone went silent as he started lecturing them on whatever they were learning about, Astrid wasn't really paying much attention, she couldn't focus. Halfway through the lecture, her teacher got called to the office and had to leave the class, leaving the students unattended.

She just focused on finishing her notes, instead of paying attention to the others around her, that was until she felt something hit her arm.

"Damn I missed." One boy in her class, a senior named James who was friends with Ashton, said and his friends laughed. She just rolled her eyes and got back to what she was doing until it happened again followed by more laughing. She gripped the edge of her desk tightly, causing her knuckles to turn white.

"Real mature James, real mature." She muttered sarcastically. She turned around trying to ignore the boys' obnoxious laughter and finished her notes and stood up to turn them in, but halfway up there James stuck his foot out causing her to trip and fall.

"Ow, what the hell is wrong with you?!" She practically screamed.

"Not as many things as you that's for sure." James said. Astrid almost stood up, but Michael shook his head.

"I got this." He whispered and she nodded while the four boys howled with laughter. James looked as if he was about to flop out of his desk, and that's exactly what happened when Michael tipped the desk over, causing James to fall onto the floor and his desk to be on its side.

This caused the rest of the class to laugh, including Astrid, until the rest of them realized that James had hit his head on the desk beside him and had a large bruise forming on his forehead. Michael settled back next to Astrid and shook his head in slight amusement.

"The bastard deserved it." He muttered and she nodded in agreement and the bell rang signaling the end of first period. She left the class quickly and went on to her next class.

She had trouble paying attention in the rest of her classes, so she didn't get much done. During lunch she sat outside because she didn't want to sit near Lauren, even if she was alone which she wasn't. Astrid was still mad at Lauren for taking Ashton's side during their argument, if only Lauren knew what her boyfriend was capable of, but as long as she avoided Lauren, she could avoid Ashton as well. Though towards the end of the day as the last bell rang, Lauren and Ashton were waiting by her locker.

Astrid inwardly groaned but plastered a fake smile on her face.

"Hey Lauren, Ashton." she said, avoiding making eye contact with either of them.

"Hey Astrid, I haven't talked to you all day, where've you been?" Lauren asked and Astrid shrugged.

"Just been around." she replied boredly.

"Oh, well you never called or texted after your little episode." Lauren said and this caught Astrid's attention and she shut her locker.

"Excuse me, what the hell are you talking about?" she asked and before Lauren could answer Ashton cut her off.

"Remember, you had a little episode in the kitchen and you were too freaked out to stay, a panic attack, that's all." he said looking directly into her eyes making her uncomfortable.

"Oh really? So that's the story you decided to go with?" she replied almost venomously. He narrowed his eyes at her and shook his head at her as a sort of warning, but Lauren didn't notice.

"Of course, it's what happened, but maybe you should be a little more careful." he said coldly and she got the message that she had gone too far. Tension filled the air between the three of them and Lauren shifted awkwardly.

"Well, we should get going, see you around I guess." Lauren said grabbing Ashton's hand and lacing their fingers together but before they left Ashton mouthed 'watch yourself' to Astrid, causing her to shudder.

As soon as the hall was empty she turned to Michael who had been watching silently beside her, having to restrain himself from either leaving or dragging Astrid out himself. "Jesus" she breathed out in slight relief that they were gone. "Let's go." She mumbled starting towards the double doors that lead to the outside of the school.

A/N: And that's chapter 16 sorry that it took so long, I've been having some personal problems lately and when I wrote the first half of this I wasn't exactly sober like I am now so sorry if it sucked or didn't make any sense. I'm going to go back and edit it after I finish the story so yeah. Thanks for almost 400 reads that's really exciting! Love you guys.
- Xx E.J