Isolation (Book #1 of the Taylor Series)

Ten

"Okay, first of all, it's none of your business what your friends do for me. That's between me and them, not between me, them, and you. Got it?" Right about now I kind of regret writing Stella's essay. Especially without Sienna's permission that I didn't even know that I needed.

Graham looks annoyed as he leans up against his locker, scratching the back of his head. Tense eyebrows and tight lips as he looks between them.

"No, I don't 'got it'," Sienna uses air quotes, and it's obvious that they're both getting heated, "You taking advantage of my friend just because you're too stupid and lazy to do it by yourself is my business!" Sienna complains.

Stella rolls her eyes and looks at me for a moment. The look in her eyes makes me think that she's wondering whose side I'm on. Do you think that she could tell by the look in my heterogeneous eyes that I'm Switzerland in this conversation? I highly doubt it. I'm sure, though, that Graham can easily spot the annoyance growing deep inside me, as he clearly feels the same way.

"If she didn't want to write my essay, she didn't have to. Nobody put a gun to her head. Besides, she's her own person with her own rights in a free country; she can do whatever she wants, Sienna." Stella argues back.

I keep my deep-rooted groan to myself, even though something tells me that if I voiced my opinion this entire argument could diffuse in a matter of minutes.But I don't, maybe it's because I'm tired and didn't get any sleep last night. What Lauren said kept me up for hours and whenever I was actually ready to get to sleep, Gavin started crying. Of course, I then heard Julie get up and start singing to him because Mom was just entirely too exhausted.

"Well, maybe she feels obligated to write your essay because you're Graham's girlfriend," She glances back at me for a moment before turning back to her, "Maybe she feels like she has to say yes just so you won't get pissed at her and take Graham away." Her voice cracks.

Stella snorts and looks at Graham, "I would not have gotten pissed at her, and even if I had, I have no right to take Graham away. He can hang out with whoever he wants." Stella says. Graham smiles and kisses her on the head, he doesn't say a word though, which is extremely unlike him.

"Yeah, well..." Sienna looks back and forth between Graham and me, probably asking for back up. When we don't say anything she groans, looks at the ground and stomps her foot. "Whatever."

"Finally," Graham pushes himself off of the locker, and wraps his arm around Stella's neck, "We've got a class to get to, Puwit Mukha."

They brush past us, and we watch them leave. Before they turn the corner, Graham turns his head towards us and waves us a dramatic goodbye. I turn back to Sienna who I'm shocked to see has an intense glare with her gaze set on me.

"Thanks a lot, Eve, genuinely thank you. What would I do without you?" The tone in her voice takes me off guard, pushing my annoyance further.

"What are you talking about?" I ask sharply.

"Don't play dumb, 'Miss At The Top of Her Class.' I'm talking about you being my best friend and not having my back, especially around that Corndog!" She exaggerates her hand movements before crossing her hands.

I snort and roll my eyes, "That wasn't my fight, Sienna. You're literally the only one who hates her enough to start fights about everything." I laugh and attempt to intertwine our arms. She pushes me away with a huff and narrows her dark brown eyes at me. I can feel my face fall into a prominent frown before I mimic her and cross my arms too.

"That's not the point," She looks around the hallway, "If you were really my friend, you'd have my back through everything and against anybody else."

Her tone cuts me like glass.