Broken

Chapter 25 (Claire)

First hour was torture. I saw Sam, but I didn't have time to talk to him. He looked hurt and looked away almost immediately. But after class, I went over to him and locked my arms around him, and he leaned into me. "I'm sorry Sammy," I murmur into his hair.

"No, you shouldn't be sorry. It should be me. I was a complete jerk. I am so sorry."

We stay there, clinging to each other for a while, and then we slowly pull away when we hear a small voice clear her throat and we turn to see Meg and Blake. Blake has this goofy smile plastered over his face and it's hard not to smile back. He looks so happy. He probably is.

"Sam, I'm going to help Blake to class. See you there?"
"Of course." He grins and ruffles my hair, so I stick my tongue out at him.

"Stop acting like an annoying child. Oh wait, you are!"

Rolling my eyes, I punch his arm and he laughs even more. "Oh shut up Sam." I then look at Blake and smile softly. "Let's go."

I get his books from Meg and we leave, fighting through the crowds of people, earning us some stares. But we didn't care. Well, I know I didn't. "So you and Sam made up?"

"Yeah. I'm glad. I mean, he hurt me, but he's my best friend. I can't let him go just because he hurt me once. I hurt him too, you know?"

Blake nods and then a low noise comes from his throat. "Let's go a different way."

"If we go a different way, we'll both be late Blake."

"Well, look at this. The slut and the broken football player."

Emily.

That's why Blake wanted to go another way. And when I see her, I see Chase.

"Are you free tonight Claire?" Chase's eyes go over my body and I feel my face burn red. I am going to kill him.

"You leave her alone. If you don't want to, I will make you. Do not doubt me." Blake looks like he is about to beat one of them-or both-with his crutches.

"Blake, honey, why do you even like her? What do you see in that mutt?"

"Some of the cutest dogs are mutts. And let me tell you Emily, not all purebreds are cute."

I couldn't help but laugh. Emily looked like she was about to kill someone. Chase was still looking me over, but Blake and I start walking again. "Nice metaphor back there. But do you really see me as a mutt?"

"Not really. But you're definitely better than Emily in every way."

That can't be true. She's prettier than me, definitely. But her personality kind of sticks. I would have said so had we not gotten to Blake's class just then.

"See you later," he murmurs softly as I put his stuff down on his table.

"Yeah. I'll have Meg and Sam save you a seat." I turn to walk away, but Blake stops me, just to kiss me on the cheek.

"Bye Claire. And don't let Emily get to you."

"Alright. I won't. Bye Blake."

Of course she's going to get to me. She's probably trying to get everyone to turn against me. I feel eyes watching me as I walk down the hallway, so all I do is look at my feet.

I finally get into my first hour and slide into the only empty seat-the one between Chase and Emily. Wonderful.

It only takes two minutes before one of them passes a note in front of me. It was Emily passing it to Chase. "Here Chase. Take it."

"You're not supposed to pass notes in class, you know that right?" I growl at Chase as he takes the note. He reads it and then looks at me, nods, and writes a message back passing it right in front of me. And what else? The little ass is smirking as he looks at me from the corner of his eye.

This goes on the whole hour. I watch as they pass a note-no doubt it has something horrible about me on it-back and forth the whole class.

I didn't know what it said, but at some point, the note was going around the classroom. I could tell who had it by the smile and the approving nods. Soon, I stop watching them. Then the bell rings and I dart out the door. I have to find Blake.