Don't Hesitate

Chapter V

Five

"Laura, be mine?"

"Found anybody to take to the dance yet?"

"Looking good!"

"Draw me like one of your french boys!"

That last remark finally made me turn to the person who said it. It was Mark Murphy, posing in a way that made me and others around him slightly uncomfortable. I had to roll my eyes, causing his friends around him to hoot and holler.

"They actually got your attention," Jamie says slyly. I sigh. Lily snickers at her remark and Alessandra smiles irritably. We were making our way to lunch, but a bunch of people just kept getting in the way. I never knew populars had to walk through the halls with this much effort and tolerance for others people. No wonder they were mean.

"Hey babe," someone calls out. We all turn to our right to see Brady Wells leaning against a locker, smirking smugly. Although I've been with the girls for almost the whole school year, I haven't really talked to him before. He's usually found with a girl around his arm. Seeing him alone is a very rare occasion.

He starts walking toward us. Alessandra flashes a smile and takes one step closer to Brady. From what I've heard before, their relationship is always on and off. It made sense, because in a way, Alessandra is a lot like Brady. Everybody wanted them and they got with everybody. They looked cute together though.

So it surprises me as much as the rest of them to see Brady walking to me instead of Alessandra.

"You were really beautiful last week- at the party" He says, eyeing me up and down in a way that made me feel tense. He takes one step closer, our noses almost touching. I cowered at his height, I don't know how this was supposed to make me feel flattered.

"I really like your voice. I didn't know you sang." He breathed. From the corner of my eye, I see Lily, Alessandra and Jamie all give petrified looks. I couldn't move, but the bell signaling for lunch snapped me to my senses, and also made Brady back up.

"I'll see you at lunch, Laura," He smirks and walks away. I hear someone scoff beside me. I turn to see Alessandra, hands on her waist, giving me a glare.

"Look, don't feel so special. He does that to every girl he comes across with." She sneers.

"O... Okay." I say, stunned.

Alessandra shoves me to get to lunch, followed by Lily, running after to her aid. I have no idea why they were mad. Jamie left shortly after them, stopping to look back at me.

"Are you coming?"

I shook my head, feeling very uneasy to be eating with them today. "I have to talk to my art teacher for a project," I lie.

She turned away and joined them, and I watch them go. The last thing I hear was Lily, "Brady wouldn't have come up to her if she was the same loser she was a year ago."

I miss the garden. Ever since I started hanging out with them, I haven't been able to visit it again. I walked quickly toward my sanctuary, and I gave away a breath that I didn't know I was holding. It seemed lonelier than before, maybe because no one has been here other than me. But I was wrong. So very wrong.

A guy was standing over the birdbath, as if examining it. His hands are in his pockets and he was rolling on the balls of his feet, as if waiting for someone nervously. I would never have guessed he would be waiting for me.