Loving Leighton ✔

01

THE PEOPLE IN THE HALLS WERE SILENT. Some, like Peyton Li and June Montry, had their hands on their phones, capturing everything. This isn't unusual, but to see even the popular ones standing silently beside his fellow rejects made Cade wonder why. After all, this was high school, their high school, and almost everything about the popular kids mixed with the ones they always picked on sounded strange. He never cared much for issues, seeing as he pretty much vowed to remain apathetic as he always was, but curiosity got the best of him. Surely, he thought, if all of them were silent, then they must have agreed on one thing. A rare occasion, indeed.

As he got closer, he caught sight of the 'thing' they're all staring at in utter, complete silence. It was a girl. She had shiny blonde hair that went up to her mid back. Her mustard colored sweater had blotches of red, so did her overalls. Her sneakers had brown patches and slight holes in them. At first he thought they spilled some ketchup or even lip cream on her sweater. Well, at least it could have been ketchup. Hopefully. Blinking twice, he saw that it was blood- her blood. He looked closely at her. It was Leighton Scott...the Leighton Scott. She was once the school's golden girl until her best friend died and turned her pretty much into a mess. That much Cade knew, but he felt bothered by the hand that was clamped on her shoulder.

The hand belonged to Parker Raymond. Cade's pace quickened as he tried to do anything, anything to stop Parker from doing anything to her. He really shouldn't care, but one look at the girl he has always been silently stealing glances at since sixth grade sent a surge of adrenaline course through him. But before he could even react, Parker swung his fist straight to her jaw. He clearly gasped. Leighton, however, didn't seem too shocked. There was no trace of surprise that Parker hit her, nor fear in her eyes. All he saw was exhaustion, like she was tired of the same thing everyday. For a second, their gazes locked and her eyes pleaded with him. It only seemed to last for a second, though, because she tore her gaze away from him.

Just before Parker Raymond could swing his fist on the other side of her face, Cade rushed to the scene and kept his fist in the air. His jaw was clenched as he was furious. No girl, even a girl who wasn't Leighton, deserved to be hit. Parker, however, didn't seem fazed as he shot Cade an irritated expression, as if annoyed that the latter had stopped him from hitting the girl again.

"Let me go, Morris." said Parker, sighing. But he was far from afraid. Cade was like that, seemingly never afraid. You would think that he's all silent and seemingly emotionless, and more often than not, he was. A furious Cade, however, was a different story. A furious Cade never backed down, not until he was satisfied. He still held Parker's fist that he caught mid air with a raised eyebrow, challenging him to do something about it now that he didn't want to let go of it.

Parker shook his head once in anger, but before he could even dare to punch Cade, his own face collided with the Cade's fist. "What the hell is your problem?" he yelled. Everyone was stunned. Leighton, who was now on the floor massaging her jaw, seemed quite surprised that anyone would dare to provoke Parker. Parker was the most surprised one. He got used to the special treatment, to people bowing down to him, and doing everything he wanted them to do. This has never happened before. However, all it did was stir even more anger inside of him.

"You son of a b-" Parker tried to say, but Cade's fist once more cut him off guard. "Dare hurt her again, and I swear, Parker, you'll see a side of me that's even worse." he said with every ounce of venom laced in his voice, while Parker massaged his bloody cheek. It was not just a threat, though. It was a promise. People started backing away from them. Peyton and June, the ones who were recording everything earlier, left the scene quickly. The 'rejects' most definitely left, probably out of fear. Even the rest of the football team backed away.

"We're not done, you fucking asshole." said Parker while wiping the blood trickling from his mouth. Cade smirked. "Suit yourself." he said. Parker started walking away to the opposite direction while glaring coldly at Cade. "Is little Parker afraid?" he taunted, but Parker ignored him and went on his way.

Cade turned around, only to find that Leighton was now out of the scene. Leighton has always been a childhood acquaintance, mostly because of their parents, but social statuses and their contrasting personalities kept them apart. He sighed, muttering to himself that he had to go visit Leighton sometime. Just because her parents were-are-dead, it doesn't mean that he and his family had to cut ties with her, too.

*

Cade, still not over what happened earlier that day, sat on his usual spot in the cafeteria. He sat on the far end of the cafeteria to ignore all the senseless commotion that happens every day. You know, the usual 'oh-I-want-to-suck-my-girlfriend's-face-in-front-of-the-whole-school' or the 'who-farts-the-loudest' competition, which was common among those in the football team. He preferred his own solitude than mingling with the idiots that he disliked the moment he got into that school, and probably always will dislike.

He always wanted personal space. Pretty much like a loner, but he had his reasons. He took his food tray of an apple, a bottle of Beet juice, and some mushy substance that they call lasagna. He sat down on his seat and stared at his food in horror. He ditched it anyway and ate the apple instead. He also left his Beet juice and just grabbed a coke from the vending machine.

He headed for the bleachers. The bleachers on the vast, lush field was his hideaway. Every time he would feel anything but 'fine' he would go there, and it certainly helps his mood. He liked it for the peace it brings. It's like a secret haven where no one can disturb you or bother you.

He didn't head for the bleachers itself. In reality, his haven is right behind it. There are dandelions and other small flowers behind the bleachers. He usually heads there during lunch to get away from everything, and anything.

Sometimes, he would even break into the school at night and go there. With him would be a flashlight or a lamp, a blanket, and occasionally, a small pillow. No one really knows about that place except him, to his advantage.

Today, he felt intrigued. He wondered at how fast she was able to disappear. He also wondered why she didn't say anything about Parker punching her, or the student body staring uselessly at her, or even a simple 'thank you' to him for defending her.

Pondering on those thoughts, he started walking to his spot. Before he could even get there he saw the same Leighton Scott from earlier, who was not looking any better, seated on the ground, holding a dandelion in her hand.

She was a few feet away from him, and he saw her eyes. They were shut, but her moment of peace was cut off when she opened her eyes to blow the petals of the dandelion in her hand. She didn't see him, he thought, but she most definitely felt his presence because she quickly stood up and brushed the bits of grass off her jeans. She took her things and sped off.

Before he knew it, Leighton Scott had gone again.