Avoiding August (ONGOING)

Chapter 14

School days passed with more and more food trays being set down in front of me by August, or his friends. They all treated me as if I was one of their own, which I cringed at.

Each of them asked me if I wanted anything else, to which I always answered with a firm "no".

I constantly watched out to see if August tried to hurt my friends, but true to his word, he did not touch them. However, he continued on with his arrogance and was constantly looking at them smugly as he made the occasional snide remark directed at them.

Every practical lesson for our music class, he went straight over to me and we practiced and rehearsed our songs over and over. He barked for others to go away and make noise elsewhere whenever another group came too close to our for his liking.

He was to play violin for two songs and guitar for our third, while I played piano for all three of the songs.

On Friday, I had Orchestra class before lunch with August and Louis, and we were having a rehearsal for the school performance showcase.

Louis was sharing my music stand, playing the cello while I played the violin. We were going through the song together as the rest of the class prepared to rehearse the symphony.

Once Louis and I had gone over it, August approached, and I could feel the sudden tensing up of Louis' shoulders and the frustrated downturn to his lips as he noticed the arrogant boy sauntering towards us.

"Hey, Quinn." He greeted with a blank face, as usual not showing much emotion. His eyes skipped over Louis purposefully, ignoring him completely.

Louis huffed as he fiddled with the cello resting against his left shoulder.

"... Hi." I replied flatly.

Undeterred, August looked down at Louis. "Miss Rupert says she wants to place you over on the other side of the strings section." A hint of his usual smugness shone through as Louis took his music sheets with him to where Miss Rupert was urging him to take a seat.

Looking quite pleased, he took up the space Louis had vacated. "She also said she wanted me to share a stand with you."

Before I could say anything in reply, the teacher strode out in front of us and began to take up position before us to conduct the orchestra.

I sighed and looked over at him. "Can you turn the pages for our stand? I'm not
quick enough."

He grinned. "As you wish, Quinn."

We spent the rest of the class with no more words exchanged between us as we concentrated on our violins, the conductor and the music we played.

Orchestra class came to a close, and as we put our instruments away, August and I placing them into their cases, August spoke to me again, his self-assured voice filling my ears as he closed his violin case carefully.

"Go on another date with me this weekend."

"Why should I?" I asked, not sparing him anything but a quick glance in his direction.

He smirked at me almost cruelly. "If you know what is good for your friends, you will do it."

I scowled. "What day are you free?"

His eyes landed on Louis, who was approaching me to walk over to the cafeteria. "Don't worry about it right now. I'll text you."

I took note of how he made sure that Louis heard what he said, and frowned disapprovingly at his back as he left the orchestra room. My mind wondered back to our kiss, about how much time he had thought about me. I wondered if I liked him back.

Louis wrapped his arm around my shoulders as we walked outside and into the sun to head over to the cafeteria building. "Let's go, Quinn." I could see the down turned corners of his lips.

Gabriel and Thandiwe were already there, dressed in their sport uniforms, in the school's colours, black, white and sky blue. They both smiled at us, Thandiwe leaning against Gabriel.

We all relaxed as we talked away, resting our arms against the cold table. Today was especially warm, and we were doing just about anything we could to cool off.

As part of the routine now, August stalked toward our table. Thandiwe barely acknowledged the roguish boy. Gabriel tensed and scrunched his nose up, displaying his disgust toward the rebellious student. Louis grunted as he leaned against me.

August slid into the spot next to me and set a tray in front of me. He ignored everyone at the table who wasn't me as he nonchalantly pulled a bright red apple out of his bag and began munching on it.

"So, how was your day?" He asked with his mouth full.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Don't talk with your mouth full."

The insolent boy rolled his eyes and ignored my words as he continued to eat his apple, lounging on the silver seat.

A few of his friends sauntered over, and I felt tension rise at the table. I  shifted uncomfortably and looked over to August. He was chatting away with the diamond boy of his pack, Xavier.

"Can you take your friends and leave?" I asked, though the way I said it sounded more like a demand than anything else.

"Why?" August smirked. "Don't you want me here with you, kitten?"

He reached for my hand to hold it in his own, but Louis suddenly spoke up, slapping the boy's hand away from me. "No, she doesn't want you here, August, because she doesn't like you!" He ground out, fists clenched tight. It looked painful.

The look August had on his face was dangerous.

Murder flashed in his dark brown eyes, a silent fire crackling from within. I was taken aback at the sudden rage in him that caught alight. He dropped his apple onto the floor carelessly and looked from his hand, to me, and finally to Louis.

He regarded him with unbridled hatred.

"Excuse me?"

I could feel the threat, the bite behind his words. I could feel Matthew -dubbed to be August's hound by Louis- coiled tight, tense and ready to pounce.

"You heard me. She doesn't like you, she doesn't want you. So get it through your thick head already." Louis growled.

August stood up, towering above myself and Louis.

A long moment of stillness passed.

All of a sudden, I felt August's firm hand pulling me aside as he rushed forward and punched Louis right in the face. Blood streamed from the blonde boy's now-crooked nose. All I could see was red as I watched the arrogant boy make my friend fall to the ground, hands covering his head in an attempt to protect himself.

Gabriel leapt up immediately, Thandiwe stopping him from pouncing onto August and getting him to help Louis up.

I turned to August, stunned.

"What on earth was that?!" I yelled, feeling my temper rising.

Gabriel quickly grabbed me by the hand and led me away, and I sagged into his touch, feeling his presence ground me. Thandiwe half-carried Louis to the bathroom to clean him up.

August wiped the blood off his knuckles and watched as the four friends walked away from him.