I'm Fine

Chapter 17

I was at school early this morning. Harly wasn't there yet so I was roaming around by myself.

I guess I've forgiven Damian. Not like I can hate him forever.

I walk out on the pathways near the field and happen to hear a odd conversation. One voice sounded very familiar.

I peeked around the corner and saw Brody. Brody! Brody?

"Brody!" I called, forgetting he was already in a conversation. He looked around and then his eyes landed on me.

His face lit up and he quickly wrapped up his conversation with one of the P.E teachers.

"Hey!" he called.

"Hi," I replied, my face feeling hot despite the chilly weather.

"What's up? Haven't seen you around school before." He grins and walks with me around the field pathways.

"Yeah. I guess once you meet somebody you start noticing them," I reply. He glances at me with his sharp blue eyes and I melt.

"Hey Imogen!" cries a voice from behind me. I nearly fall to the ground when Harly basically tackles me.

"Whoa! Harly! Get off of me!" I cry laughing.

"Fine," she replies, rolling her eyes.

"Hey, you're crazy girl. Harly, right?" Harly nods.

"Table boy."

"Brody."

Harly's eyes sparkle. She leans in to my ear and whispers, "Brody," really creepily.

I laugh.

The three of us spend some time together before the bell rings. Brody apologizes and says he has to go, but I was too awestruck to really reply anything.

"Sure, sure."

"Thanks. I'll see you around."

"Yeah," I reply dreamily. He runs off towards his other friends and I sigh.

"Ooo my friend, your are in love town!"

"You think so?" I ask, tipping slightly on my feet. Harly chuckles and pushes me back to my normal self.

"Definitely." She smiles at me. Her eyes seem glossed over, fake, but I know Harly, she's not a liar. So why do I have this weird feeling in my gut that she's hiding something from me?

We walk together until the bell rings and then we go our separate ways. The first class I have is Math with the ever dreaded, Miss Laurens. She will do anything to give kids detention. Well, except her favorites. She pats them on the head and sends them on their way with a lollipop. Well, that's what it feels like anyway.

She drones on about something that I already know, so I tune out. It's only been three minutes past the bell, but it seems like an hour!

Finally, after a worksheet and a boring lesson, the bell rings. English with Mr Salvador is so much better.

"Wow. I could not be more bored!" exclaims someone from behind me. I try to ignore it but I get so irritated with that all too familiar squeak yapping on about nonsense that I lose it.

"Shut it!" I cry, loud enough for the whole class and Mr Salvador to hear.

"Ooo, someone lost their temper," Shay teases. I frown at her, glancing to her left.

Ellie gives me a sheepish smile and looks down. I can't believe Ellie would befriend Shay. They're just so...different.

"Is there a problem Miss Green?" Mr Salvador asks.

"No, sir." He nods and continues with the lesson. I am fuming! Shay is a nuisance, she hates me, I hate her. She's wicked! And not in the good way.

"How was class?" Harly asks me in the cafeteria.

"Eh." Harly shrugs and bites into her sandwich.

Suddenly, the temperature in the room drops. I look around to see if anyone else has noticed the change too but everyone is engrossed in their food and conversations.

"Hey look, it's Damian," says Harly, nudging me, although I had already noticed. Trailing behind him was Ellie and Shay.

Damian spied me over at the table and joined me. I scooted over to the left for Damian to sit down, but Harly just up and left me. Well, to go sit on the other side.

"We good right?" he asks. I nod. I forgive him, I mean, he seemed so sincere yesterday.

"Can we sit?" asks a voice that I immediately recognize as Shay's.

Damian glances at me and I give him a cold nod.

"Sure," he answers and Ellie and Shay sit beside each other, with Harly squished on the edge.

"So...?" Ellie starts to say.

"Hey!" someone cries. Ellie, Shay, Harly and Damian all continue eating but I look up.

"Brody!" I exclaim, starting to stand up.

"You can stay sitting." He then looks at the empty space on my left and gives me questioning eyes. I smile and he slides his lunch tray down and sits.

I suddenly feel a strange sensation of hotness tingle my neck. When I turn around, I see Damian glaring at Brody. But his expression melts expertly from a grim frown to a cheery smile.

"What?" he asks innocently.

"You know," I reply, narrowing my eyes. He avoids my gaze and shrugs, continuing with his food. 

Brody tells me about his classes and I listen intently, but the burning feeling on my neck doesn't go away.

When I stand up to throw my stuff out, everyone else stands too. I give them a questioning look.

Ellie, Damian and Brody sit back down and keep eating. Well, okay.

Shay and Brody walk with me, Shay only a half a step behind us.

"You're evil," she mutters under her breath.

"Excuse me?" Brody asks, looking incredulously at her.

"Nothing," she replies, rolling her eyes once Brody turns away.

When we sit back down, Damian and Ellie have already left. Only Harly's still finishing her sandwich.

"Well, I'm full!" she says, patting her stomach. I chuckle. She gets up to throw her stuff away, when Shay calls, "Wait!" in panic and runs to her.

"What?" Harly asks.

"Uh..." Shay's face turns a slightly more redder tone of brown before she continues. "Nothing. Nevermind."

"Okay." Harly nods and gives Shay a strange look before leaving.

Brody stands beside me and I tell him I'll be right back. I go to the bathroom. There's lipstick smears all over the mirrors and I shake my head and sigh.

I start rushing back to the cafeteria, only for my eyes to land on a hushed conversation between - guess who!? - Damian and Brody.

"Do you love her?" asks Damian, his brown eyes having a strong hold on Brody's blue ones.

"Who? Imogen?" replies Brody, stepping back a bit.

"Yeah, who else?" Damian hisses, running a hand through his dark and long hair.

"I mean, I just met her..." He pauses and looks to my hiding place thoughtfully. I duck behind the wall and sigh a breath of relief when he continues to talk. "But from what I know of her know, she's amazing."

Damian says something under his breath. "Cool, cool man. She...uh...yeah. She's pretty amazing." Damian sounds tense.

"Why? You like her?" Brody asks, pausing.

"N...No."

"Good. Because I do."