“Abs, wait. We want to talk to you.”
I turn around, forcing my face into a curious expression. Standing in front of me are Sam and Fazi. The class is empty. I’ve been expecting this. “Yes, boys?” I ask cheerily.
“We heard rumors,” Sam begins. He seems to be the instigator in this conversation. “About you,” he clarifies. “Just wondering – is it true?”
Fazi shifts uncomfortably from foot to foot. Sam has probably bullied him into sitting into this. I put on a big show of swallowing hard, and then play with my fingers so that I look nervous. Thank you, Pretty Little Liars. “It depends on what you’ve heard,” I reply shortly.
“You know what I mean,” Sam states. I do. I don’t blame him, though. He’s a boy – he doesn’t want to bring it up.
I’m surprised when Fazi speaks. He mentions it, the whole issue. The word. The words. “Is it true?” he asks timidly.
I look at him in amusement, and bite back a smile. He would have been a good friend. I force myself to look away. “Yeah. It is.”
A moment passes, and then suddenly Sam’s engulfing me in a bone crushing hug, and Fazi is staring at me curiously. I hug Sam back, trying to get rid of the doubt I think I saw on Fazi’s face. He’ll understand eventually – they all will.
“I’m sorry,” Sam whispers. Fazi nods.
“I know,” I say.
--
The next day is Monday. Alister and I walk to school as we usually do. I’m still fueled with dull ecstasy from my ‘play-date’ with Jasper yesterday – it was the first outing I’ve had with someone my age in nearly three years. I think my enthusiasm is justified.
“You’re literally hopping,” Alister comments drily as we approach Newton’s High. “Stop before I die of embarrassment.”
I grin. “Now would that necessarily be a bad thing?”
He ignores my cheeky smile. “So, I’ve heard you’re joining a Club? Thought you’re not the meetings-and-discussions sort of girl?”
“It’s just one meeting,” I validate. Today, I’m attending an English Club meeting. I decided to just give it a shot. I’m hoping the outline Jasper and I decided for the newspaper will be approved by our principal – and I’m also hoping I can dish out most of the articles to other members. I don’t quite fancy handling the complete workload. In fact, I’m not too keen on taking up a regular article at all.
Teacher Rose – my English teacher – is delighted when I tell her the news after my last period English class. “You’ll bring some life to our club, I’m telling you,” she comments with a kind smile. “I’ll see you later at four, I presume?”
She walks out jovially, putting me into a rather good mood. However, the moment I step out of class, the sight that greets me puts an end to my frame of mind. Sam is leaning against the lockers to my left, his arms crossed decisively across his chest. His long black bangs are pushed back angrily. Standing in front of him is Jasper who looks incredibly frustrated. They’re having such a heated discussion that they don’t even spot me standing but a few feet away.
“He’s asking too many questions,” a voice states. I jump, and turn around. Fazi Ahmad is standing behind me. His face is void of emotions and yet his eyebrows are raised. Immediately my heartbeat spikes. Fazi was one of the first to call me out re The Incident. Him, and Kel. I’ve always thought they were made for each other.
YOU ARE READING
Finding Abby
Teen FictionAbby Mae has been a half-time 'model', half-time 'scholar', and full-time... liar? Trust is a big thing at Newton's High, so what has Abby done to lose it? Three years back, she was the It Girl; now, she's avoiding the cafeteria, is shunned by the g...
