Falling In Love With You | cth

xi

xi |  keep up

I tried avoiding Michael and Luke constantly, but they knew my every move. I would have to wear my new hoodies so they wouldn't recognize me or take different routes to my classes. This has been going on for a week. God, I wish they would stop following me. I would even go to the counselor's office to avoid them during the passing period and I would go to class late. But as if I care about class. It sucks that I even have some classes with them, especially in my third and sixth periods is where I have classes with them including Calum.

As always, I just listen to music and not pay attention in class. I was silently tapping my fingertips on the desk. I watched as the teacher tried to remain calm around Luke and Michael's bickering around in the front during Literature class and Calum was flirting with girls behind him. 

Usually, his friends would throw crumpled paper balls at me in class, but today wasn't that day. Not only in this class, but all of my other classes. Ever since the incident from a week ago, people have been acting weird. They would look at Calum and I, but that's all. I don't get what's going on.

The bell rings out of nowhere, everyone gets up and runs out of the class, class is over and it's lunch.

"Miss Winters!"

I jumped and looked around. Mr. Belleperche gesturing me to go to his desk. Michael and Luke were the last ones to leave as well, I assume they were waiting for me but left once they notice I was going to talk with our Literature teacher. I take off my headphones and walk to his desk. 

"Yes, Mr. Belleperche?" I asked as I got closer to his desk.

"Miss Winters, what happened?" Mr. B asked me.

"Um, what do you mean?"

"Miss Winters, you, my dear, was one of our top students here, in this school. But last year and this year, you have become a...um, different."

"Well, isn't being different okay?" I asked Mr. B

"Yes, it is, but your different isn't. Miss Winters, have D's and F's in all your classes. If you don't start bringing up your grades, the principal will have to call your parents."

"What? No-"

Mr. B signals me to stop my sentence, gets up from his seat and walks his desk. He puts his hand on my shoulder. He grabs a huge pile of papers that laid on his desk since the class started and gives it to me. It had a note on top of it, "Miss Cassidy Winters' missing assignments".

"Then I suppose you start bringing up your grades. If you want your parents to not know of this, start to keep up with your classes. It's your junior year, colleges will be looking into your grades. You can't keep avoiding this, next year you will be a senior and you'll be an adult, you will no longer be a child. I suggest to meet with all of your teachers, ask for help and missing assignments and meet with your counselor to discuss plans. I believe in you, Cassidy."

I've had Mr. B since my freshmen year up to now, he's witnessed my breakdowns and my frustration. I nodded and mumbled a "Thank you, I'll try my best," before I grabbed the pile of work and quickly got out of the classroom. I saw Calum with his group of friends, Michael and Luke was there. I quickly turned my heels and walked the opposite side. I stuffed my assignments in my bookbag.

I put on my headphones and played a random playlist, putting the volume to full blast. It was the Cheshire Cat by Blink-182. I felt an earphone popped out. I turned to see Luke bending down to my height and having the other earphone in his right ear. He's too close.

"You like Blink-182?" Luke asked me, I responded with a nod.

"She likes Blink-182?" squealed a voice.

I jumped, I turned to see Michael next to me. He was smiling, widely. He grabs the other headphones and puts it in his left ear. Luke and Michael started to dance in front of me as they pulled me with my phone to walk down the hallway. People were looking at them oddly but they didn't mind, they were having the time of their lives. Smiling and laughing away, it looked like they were genuinely happy but I was not, I was too embarrassed with all the stares that they weren't acknowledging. So I take out my phone and stop the music, the two tall boys both mid-stop their dances before they turn to frown at me.

"Meanie," mumbled Luke.

"Thank you," I replied sarcastically.

"Guys, I want pizza but look!" whined Michael.

I didn't even realize that we were in front of the cafeteria. From afar, the food was sloppy joes, it's not the good kind.

"What are we gonna do!" whined Michael.

"Why don't you guys call Ash and take you guys somewhere," I told them.

"Oh, right!- Wait, Cassie, you mean us. Not you guys. You're coming with us." said Luke

"Um, what?" I asked Luke, he still remembered?

"Look, it's still lunch, plus your stomach was grumbling on the way here. You're coming with us."

"Luke, please stop being nice-"

"Cassie, Michael and I want to be friends with you!" Luke told me, smiling.

I was gonna respond but then Ashton answered the call and Luke started to talk and Michael was playing a game on his phone.

"You guys want to be friends with me?"