Confident

16- One Of Us

When Brooklyn returned home later that day she glanced awkwardly into Brandon's room as she walked past. "Hey!" He called and Brooklyn stopped.

"Yes?"

"Sorry for getting annoyed at you," Brandon sighed. "It's just that they really annoy the hell out of me."

"I know the feeling," Brooklyn muttered.

"Stay away from him," Brandon pleaded.

Brooklyn sighed and nodded. "I'm going to try."

*

"Step one, complete," Sasha said as Brooklyn climbed into her car Monday morning.

"You've got a long day ahead of you, girl," Brooklyn chuckled and buckled her seatbelt.

"We've got this," Sasha shrugged and started her car, driving away from Brooklyn's house.

"I hope so," Brooklyn said.

"Do you like him?" Sasha wondered randomly.

"No."

"That was a very quick answer," Sasha commented.

"He..."

"Spill," Sasha demanded.

"I don't know," Brooklyn sighed. "He makes me feel... weird. I don't get close to guys, Sash. It's a personal thing and it just doesn't happen."

"But you've gotten very close to him," Sasha observed.

"And I don't know why! There's just something about him! He annoys the hell out of me but he just makes me feel... weird!" Brooklyn groaned. "I don't want to get close to him, but I can't help it! I'm screwed."

"No you're not," Sasha said. "We're your bodyguards and we will not let him near you."

"You've known me a week and you are all being so nice," Brooklyn said and Sasha grinned.

"Us girls gotta stick together," she said. "Some people just click. You're one of us now, Brooke."

*

"Okay, he's here. He's with Greyson at his locker," Violet said.

"But my locker is next to his!" Brooklyn gasped. "How am I meant to get my books-"

"Queen Alice has saved the day!" Alice declared and stalked towards Brooklyn with a pile of books in her hands.

"Oh gosh, you're the best!" Brooklyn gushed.

"You owe me a milkshake," Alice said. "I had to talk to them. Talk to them! I managed to get away before Kal turned up."

"I'll buy you two- heck three!" Brooklyn laughed and shoved the books in her bag. "What did you talk about?"

"You," Alice shrugged.

"Me?"

"Harry didn't seem pleased," Alice said. "I told him an awesome lie about you having extreme girl problems and how Sasha picked you up in the morning to help and that you were in the girls toilets with Sash and Violet trying to handle all the blood that was pouring out of you like lava and it wouldn't stop gushing out and out and out! But he gave me this look... a rather threatening look, may I add. And I don't think he quite believed me."

Brooklyn shared a look with Sasha and Violet and they all glanced at Alice in silence.

"Um..." Violet said.

"What?" Alice asked.

"Shall we go to class, girls?" Sasha coughed, giving Alice a weird look.

"Fantastic idea," Brooklyn said eagerly.