Chapter 2
School has become more the hastle lately since I became accepted into the "popular group".The group consists of 8 people; Brit, my best friend in the group, also the smartest of us, Dayna, she's sweet but she is probably the most dumbfounded person, Warren is Noah's best friend, as is Raymond. There's also Sam and Becca, who are more invested in eachother than anyone else. And then there's me.
It's a messy group but I manage to hang in there. Noah and I sit on the landing with the rest of the populars, reserved for us every day, and we essentially just gossip and flirt. I was lost at it at first but finally got the hang of it after awhile, I'm actually a decent flirt. Rylie is not considered popular but it's really just because he's not into the games they play, even though he's really good at Panic. It's hard to go without him for the majority of the day when I can only talk to him about things. I'd talk to Brit and trust she wouldn't tell but she only cares about gossiping news.
I look up from my food and put an arm around Noah's shoulder, pulling myself up to kiss him on the cheek. "Hey, babe?"
"Yeah? What's up?" He doesn't even turn to face me, just raises his hand to wave and smile at some girl. I sigh.
"Can we go anywhere just us anymore?" I try to get his attention to no avail. I'm not a hugely jealous person but when my boyfriend flirts with another girl in front of my face, I'm not just going to let it pass by.
He turns in his seat with a sigh, resting his forearm against the table, and smiles. "Of course. I'm sorry, we can tonight? I have a few ideas."
Something sinister flashes across his eyes but disappears just as quick and it makes me think it's just my imagination. Innocence is something the populars don't have; it's also something I'm full of. I've been through a lot but that's one thing i haven't lost, I don't plan on losing it anytime soon. I will see the best in a situation and blindly follow it, and that's what that twinge is that I feel now. It's that moment where something's telling you that this is wrong, but you go with it anyway, because all it is is a twinge to you.
"Okay, where do you want to meet?"
"We could grab some dinner at Ricky's first, if you want?" I smile up at him, quickly leaning in a kissing him. Kissing Noah was also dangerous, he has a thing for making a kiss last longer and go harder than comfort. Which is what I got now. And when we part, he gives half a glance backward before looking back at me with a smirk.
"I love you," He smiles back. My heart actually flutters. I think my problem with him is that I'm oblivious. He distracts me with good looks and charm while he acts like a total jerk, and I take it because he loves me. First love blindness, I guess, but I can't help but go head first into it.
"I love you too," I peck his cheek this time as the bell blares throughout the lunchroom, giving the cue for everyone to get up at once. I don't think I know, honestly, what love is. I think I do. I feel like I do, mostly because I haven't felt this strongly before. I say it because he does, because a feeling this strong has to be real, right?
"See you tonight, alright?" I nod. "Alright." before he wanders off with Raymond and Warren and I'm left to deal with Brit and Dayna as they gush over how cute we are.
•
Actually walking through the hallways at school were another thing. I got glares, I got stares, I got randomly hit on. Guys tended to flirt with me relentlessly, even after I kindly brushed them bad. Mostly because these guys that are asking me out are ones that I know a little too much about and I honestly don't want to get them into trouble. Not only was Noah a threat to gang up on anyone who hit on me, but dad was an officer. You typically don't mess with the deputies daughter.
I didn't take the asks to heart, they don't mean anything. It was sweet to think they viewed me as attractive, unlike some of the past populars that now hate everyone and everything that now are popular. They used to be my bullies in middle school and it kind've carried over into highschool, and it hasn't changed with my social status. They dissect every part of me just so they can tear me down, fake compliments just to pick out something new, just to make me self concious. All for their own pleasure.
I didn't understand it, it makes no sense. But I manage to shrug it off, spend time with Rylie as much as I can when I'm not with Brit or Noah. Noah tended to stray a lot though, take the long route to his classes, leave to use the bathroom in class rather than between classes, cutting a class all together. He couldn't cut many though because of volleyball, that and his guys were the center of his life. Sometimes it seemed that he liked them better than me.
I try and ignore it, rethink it and defend him from Rylie. I don't know why I do, it just seems to be the right thing to do, defending your boyfriend, that is.
