That's What You Get, Lydia // Hayley Williams

[Chapter Twelve] Backseat Serenade

[Chapter Twelve]

Song: Rather Be Your N.I.G.G.A By Tupac ft Richie Rich

Title Credit: All Time Low.

**********

"Why do you insist on being such a bitch wherever you go, Lydia?" Hayley questioned, her eyebrows furrowed together in anger. Her grip on my arm tightened, the death glare she had set on me never once faltering. Much like Principal James, Hayley was fuming with anger. "Why couldn't you have just let those idiot kids be and continued the assembly without bothering anyone? Do you have any idea how hard Mr. James and Ms. Howard had to work to get the approval from the school board to host something like this? God, no wonder people say the things they do about you," she muttered under her breath, her thin arms folding over her chest.  

I laughed bitterly, taking a step closer to Hayley. She tried to make herself seem taller by standing on the tips of her toes, but it was pointless. I towered over the small girl like a skyscraper, giving me a slight advantage. "Listen, just fuck off, alright? I don't need anyone telling me what I should have done. Especially not someone like you." I spat, glaring at the redhead before storming off towards the entrance of the school.  

I knew I couldn't leave- seeing as my home was about two or three miles away from here. Instead, I walked towards the bus area, smiling slightly once I saw our bus parked in the same spot where we had left it. The bus driver, a tall, chubby man with a gruff beard named Rob, was outside, leaning against the bus with a cigarette hanging loosely from his mouth.  

"Hey, Rob, mind if I bum a smoke?" I asked with hope in my eyes. I ran out of cigarettes last night. This morning I even had to borrow one from Peter but I'm hoping to stop by the market and get another carton. I'm not of legal age to buy cigarettes, but a twenty dollar bill says otherwise. At least, to the stoner clerk at the market it does.  

Rob seemed hesitant at first, but quickly gave in. "You shouldn't be smoking, kid." He advised, shoving the nearly empty carton back inside his pocket. Rob was like an uncle to me. I've ridden his bus ever since middle school. His nickname for me has and always will be 'smartass'. I think it's self explanatory why Rob calls me that. He could get in big trouble for letting a minor smoke, but much like me, Rob doesn't give a shit.  

I shrugged, pulling my Seahawks lighter out from my pocket. I lit the cigarette, inhaling the relaxing smoke into my lungs. "Yeah, well, you shouldn't be giving a 'kid' a cigarette, now should you, Robert?" I smirked, chuckling under my breath as I blew the smoke from my nostrils.  

Rob chuckled loudly. "Same old smartass, I see. Now, what the hell are you doing out here? What did you do this time, Lydia?" He asked, raising a questioning brow. I saw Rob as an uncle and he saw me as the daughter he never wanted. Which also meant that he could be an overprotective son of a bitch at times.  

I sighed, shrugging in response. "Because I defended by friend, Robert, I might get suspended... again. It's bullshit though. He was pouring his heart out to an audience of strangers and a group of fucking bastard were laughing at him! I had no choice but to call them out. It's not okay, what they did. And the fucking bitch teachers didn't do shit about their laughter! They just told them "be quiet". Yeah, because that's going to fucking fix everything." Sighing heavily, I inhaled another long breath of smoke before exhaling the smoke.  

Robby pressed his lips together in a tight line, lines creasing into his forehead. "You sure do have a mouth on you, kid," he finally said, his words causing me to laugh quietly. "but I don't think you did anything particularly wrong. All you did was defend that boy with the awesome name." Chuckling, I nodded in agreement with Rob's words. That's all I intended to do. I didn't think it was right for those idiot kids to make fun of Steve for getting the balls to spill his privacy like that. I never really knew him before, but my respect for him has grown increasingly.