Wrong Number

Chapter 3: Aftereffects of Sassing the Bad Boy

About ten minutes into English I am still trying to comprehend what just happened. Apparently so are my classmates since I keep getting wide eyed glances from most people. Usually English is my favorite class, but currently I am not hearing a word that Ms. Jenkins is saying.

I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket, and thinking it is Harper checking up on me, I subtly pull it out under the desk.

From: Batman
Woah, you're a feisty little one... I didn't even expect you to follow through. Haha, good work ;) What did Hayden say to you?

To: Batman
Uh, hello to you too... That's the weird part... He acted like he was going to kiss me for a second there, and then he told me thanks for the shirt and that he liked that I was fiery... Super random thing to push someone into the lockers and whisper in their ear....

From: Batman
Yeah, that is weird. Maybe it was his way of calling a truce or something?

To: Batman
Maybe... He didn't say anything about watching my back. Honestly, that's what I thought he was going to say when he pushed me against the lockers.

From: Batman
Hahaha, nice. Don'tcha know that your life isn't a cliché movie or book? Things like that only happen in books and movies ;)

To: Batman
Haha. You're funny. Now I need to concentrate on school for now, so talk later?

From: Batman
Such a nerd. Haha okay, bye cupcake ;)

As soon as I put my phone back away and looked up the bell rang. Whoops. I just zoned out and texted for a whole class period. I guess I am going through shock. I gathered up my stuff and went about my day.

Before I knew it, lunchtime arrived. I've been dreading lunchtime. I slowly make my way down the hallway towards the lunchroom, dragging my feet. I'm looking down at my feet and shuffling along when abruptly I am knocked back onto my butt. I look up and see Isabella and a few of her followers glaring down at me.

Isabella's face suddenly shifts from a glare to an evil smirk. "oops... sorry... I totally didn't see you there." Her words drip with sarcasm. Then she draws her foot back and swings it forward sending a kick into my ribs. The other girls start kicking me as well and I feel all air leave my lungs in a rush. She stops the other girls from kicking me by leaning down and picking me up using a handful of my hair. I yelp in pain, and she draws her fist back, about to punch me.

"What the actual hell is going on here?"

I can't see who is talking because of the angle at which I have to hold my head in order to loosen the pressure on my head and not lose a clump of hair. Suddenly she drops my hair and pushes me away from her as if I burned her. Then she turns around. "Hayden! This is nothing! Absolutely nothing! She started it!" Her voice squeaks in panic. "It's not what it looks like!"

Then Hayden cuts in, and I am surprised by the hostility in his voice. "Sure it isn't. Here I am, minding my business, going to my locker to get some stuff, I turn the corner, and what do I see? I see you push her over and then I see you start kicking her. There is never a good excuse for gang assault like this. It was five against one! For no reason at all!"

He glances towards me curled on the floor and his eyes soften for a moment before he turns his focus back to Isabella. "Leave. All of you. Get out of here NOW!" He snarls towards them. "GO!"

Isabella and her followers scurry off down the hallway as fast as their legs can carry them.

Hayden turns back towards me and bends down, scooping me up in his arms. I squeak in surprise and then I wince. It hurts to move, it hurts to make noise, and it even hurts to breathe. At this point I also become aware of a throbbing in my head and blurriness in my vision. Huh, that must have been disguised by adrenaline.