Always a Friend

Chapter 53

English class wasn't much better than Math, maybe even a little worse, because Ashton wasn't there to stop Jude and a few of his friends from making snide remarks. Surely Jude must realize the second Ashton finds out what he said to me, he would confront him and kick his ass. Well, that's what I was hoping, anyway. Now, I had to go to the library and more than likely deal with Rhys, but I'd have Chloe and Ava with me. 

"What I'd like to know is how you managed to get Ashton to fall for someone like you?" I stared into my locker, fighting the urge to throw one of my books at her. "Your locker isn't going to help you." She smarted off. 

"What the hell do you want, Claudia?" I slammed my locker shut, pressing my lips together when I turned around to face her. 

"You do realize he's going to come to his senses and dump you, right?" She curled her mouth, eyeing me from head to toe with disgust. "What does he see in you?" She flipped her hair and then placed her hand on her waist, looking to the right at groups of kids as they passed. "What the hell are you looking at?" She screamed at one group of girls as they walked by, staring and talking. 

"While I'd love to stay here and listen to your jealousy. I've got to get to the library for my free period."I knocked her out of the way with my shoulder as I walked past. I didn't look back, giving her the satisfaction, thinking I was worried she was glaring at me or following me to the library. 

I walked into the library and saw Chloe and Ava sitting toward the back of the already crowded space across from one another. I could see Chloe nodding, which told me Ava was gossiping about something, and I had a good idea what it was about. I started walking toward the back of the library, passing by tables, eyes glancing up at me. I had to keep telling myself not to pay attention to them and just hurry up and get to the table. I was a couple of steps away from my friend's table—a couple of steps away from backup to help with unwanted harassment. 

"Can I talk to you for a second?" 

I gritted my teeth, balling my hand into a fist down at my side. "What do you want?" I kept my back to Rhys. 

"I want to apologize, and I thought maybe we could go out sometime." 

"Excuse me?" My eyes narrowed as I stared at him, wondering where on earth he got that stupid ass idea. Before I could say another word, Chloe was up out of her chair and by my side within minutes. "There is no way in hell I'd ever go out with you again." I jabbed my pointer finger in his chest. 

"Bitch, I'd be careful with that finger." He grabbed my finger, twisting it. It felt like he was trying to twist my finger off like a lid to a soda bottle. I wanted to cry out in pain, but I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of knowing he'd hurt me. "Maybe you'll think twice about jabbing someone in the chest with your bony finger next time." He yanked and twisted one last time before letting my finger go. He turned, walked back to his table, grabbed his books, and left. 

Chloe grabbed my hand, not being too gentle with it. "Let me see your finger." I winced, biting my bottom lip so I wouldn't scream in pain in the middle of the library. "Sorry..." She winced right along with me. "Can you move it?" She let go of my finger. 

"Yeah, but it hurts." 

"I don't think he broke it. Thank God. Do you need to go to the nurse?" She glanced down at my hand again. 

"No. I think it will be okay in a little bit." I looked down at the bruise on the side of my knuckle. Deep down, I knew I should be heading to the nurse's office. I knew I'd be heading there later when Ashton saw my finger. Then again, I would probably be too busy keeping him from beating the shit out of Rhys. We sat down, and I winced from hitting my finger on the table.  Chloe and Ava again told me I needed to see the nurse. I told them it would be fine in a little bit; I forced a smile through the throbbing pain. If I had to look on the brighter side of the situation, at least it wasn't my right hand. I had to figure out how to keep it from Ashton because he would go after Rhys the second he found out. 

"Sooo...You going to tell us about the big ole kiss Ashton planted on you earlier this morning?" Chloe asked, leaning in next to me. I glanced at her as she wiggled her eyebrows up and down, smiling. "Well..." She raised an eyebrow. 

"What?" I shrugged, shaking my head slightly like I didn't know what she wanted.

"You know exactly what." She smiled at Ava, who had her pencil eraser pressed against her cheek and was waiting for me to answer. "We going to play this game?" She leaned in the opposite direction, raising both eyebrows at me. I didn't know what to tell them because I didn't fully understand what Ashton and I were. I knew we were friends, but were we more than friends, or were we friends with benefits? Benefits? I winced when I rested my forehead in my left hand, forgetting my finger. 

"You really should go to the nurse for your finger." 

"What about her finger?" 

I raised my head, lowering my hand onto the table. My eyes shifted to Ava, who was sitting there tucking her lips in so she wouldn't say anything. I managed to get her attention and mouthed no before getting caught. Right as I started to turn my head to the left and stare at Chloe, hoping she'd get the hint and not open her big mouth. 

"Gem's finger is hurt." Chloe blurted out, ignoring my death stare. 

I raised my hand, slamming it against my head. My eyes widened as pain shot from my finger up my arm. I was afraid to bite my lip this time, fearing I'd draw blood because of the pain. I turned my head toward Chloe to hide the tears. 

"Gemma, let me see your finger." Ashton insisted, stepping closer to the table. "Gemma..." 

"Why aren't you in class?" I asked, tilting my head enough to see him. He raised an eyebrow and held out his hand. "It's fine." I held up my right hand. "See." 

He raised an eyebrow. "Stop playing around and give me your hand." He held out his hand, wiggling his fingers for me to show him my other hand. "Come on, Gemma." He tilted his head, frowning. 

I sighed, easing my hand around, making sure not to bang it on anything else. "See, it's fine." My eyes wandered to Ava, who was sitting there with her mouth wide open in shock. 

"What the hell happened?" Ashton's taut tone made my head turn to find out what was wrong, and there, cradled in his hand, was my finger, black and blue. 

"Rhys." Ava blurted out. Chloe and I glared at her because we knew what was coming next. 

"Rhys? Rhys did this to your finger?" He let go of my hand, perusing the library for Rhys, but thankfully he'd left earlier. "I'll catch him after school." Ashton ran his hand through his hair. "Come on, I'm taking you to the nurse. You need to have it taped to your other finger." He helped me gather my stuff and then took my books. "This calls for a trip to Sweet Escape after school." He took my good hand and raised it to his lips, kissing the back of it. 

"Hughes! You better watch that girl of yours. She tried to flirt with me earlier." 

Ashton's eyes narrowed. My books slammed on the cream-colored linoleum floor. "I think it was the other way around, and that's when you broke her finger!" Ashton grabbed Rhys's shirt, slamming him against the lockers. Rhys tried to push Ashton away, but it seemed to help tighten Ashton's grip. Ashton pulled Rhys toward him and slammed him again, making sure to hit his head this time. Ashton pressed his forearm into Rhys's neck, pressing all his weight into it. "Maybe you'll think twice before hurting a girl!" 

"Ashton! Let him go!" Mr. King yelled, running up, grabbing Ashton by the arms, and pulling him off Rhys. "What's gotten into you?" 

Ashton gasping for breath. "He broke Gemma's finger." 

"That's a serious accusation. Did you see him do it?" 

"It's true, Mr. King. We saw him do it," Ava said, walking past me. "Gemma, show him your finger." She turned, waving her hand to join her by Mr. King. Chloe bent down, picked up my books for me, and walked with me toward everyone. "See her finger." Ava pointed to my black and blue finger. 

"Ashton, take Gemma to the nurse's office and see if she has a finger splint or tape her fingers together. As for you, Rhys...We're going to the office for your punishment." He held out his hand to the side for Rhys to start walking down the hall to the Principal's office, where, more than likely, he would get suspended for a few days.