Ride or Die

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"Hey, you're the girl who stood up to Jacob Winston!" I hear a deep, masculine voice say behind me.

I whip around to see a boy I've never associated myself with. I raise an eyebrow.

"And?"

"Geez, I'm sorry. I didn't do anything." The boy says, putting up his hands, giving off the vibe that he doesn't want trouble. I sigh.

"It's okay. I'm in a bit of a mood. And by the way, I have a name. It's Lyla." I smile softly, looking up at him.

"I'm guessing you don't know me. I'm Cole, a loose friend of Jacob's. I have to say, I've never seen someone stand up to him except Lily, who thinks he's obsessed with her because they had a fling a few months ago. "

I nod, processing the information. "Okay. Have the rumors started spreading yet?" I ask, expecting them to start flaring up.

"Honey, they started the instant you bumped into Jacob. I'm surprised you haven't heard anything, or, I'm assuming you haven't." He laughs.

"I have not. I don't normally get myself involved with rumors and shit. I have other things to do." I reply bluntly.

"You're pretty cool, I'm surprised we haven't met before. Want to be friends?" He asks, taking me off guard.

My eyebrows raise slightly, and I consider the situation. Admittedly, it would be nice to make a new friend, talk to more people. But at the same time, starting a friendship with him could open up a spot in social drama with my name engraved in steel.

Oh, what the heck, I'll do it.

"Sure!" I answer enthusiastically, smiling widely, trying to come off as friendly. My interaction with almost anybody has been extremely scarce for a long time, it would be nice to hang out with someone, and even a guy at that.

People have called me a tomboy for a long time. I'm not interested in super girly things, like painting my nails or leggings, and even makeup. Yeah, I wear it, but I don't cake my face with it like some people I've seen. Of course, some people wear that stuff for a reason. Maybe their face got burned or something, and they want to cover it up. I understand that. But some girls, I can clearly tell they're wearing it for sheer entertainment and to look "hot". I wonder if they've ever heard the term 'natural' before.

The bell rings, and the sound of whispers fill the room, and at the corner of my eye I see a manicured finger point straight at me. I follow it to see a girl I was just talking about, one that cakes their makeup just to look "hot". Of course, I've never talked to her before but out of pure guessing, I hypothesize that girl is Lily, the one who is said to have had a fling with Jacob months back.

I look at her straight in the face, and she smiles innocently, and might I add, totally fake. I raise an eyebrow and give her a death stare, then look away.

"Good morning, class." The English instructor, Mr. Fletcher, says to the class. Simultaneously, a string of 'good morning's comes from the class, with quiet groans sounding as well.

None of us are happy to be here, and he knows it. It is a Monday, after all, with all of us wishing we were at home, doing God knows what.

"Today we are starting a seven paragraph research essay. It is due at the end of the week, however, I will be giving you time in class to work on it. Your topic is your choice of an insect, and it is just a research essay. Today we will be researching. When you pick yours, come tell me, and I will approve it so you can start." Mr. Fletcher says, grabbing the attendance sheet.

If there wasn't groaning before, there is now. They vibrated through the whole room, each person groaning in displeasure at least once, including myself.