Stephanie & Xander

Chapter 7

But, visiting various places is hard when you're only thirteen.

So, I'm still stuck in school. I don't hate school. I'll probably hate school if I don't have a phone. A phone gives you an excuse to not talk with others. I'm the kind of person who rehearses what I'm about to say until I lost the chance.

Talking to random strangers about random topics is Emily's forte. People don't find her red hair beautiful but she can be beautiful once you talk to her and she knows her thing.

Emily is actually just as introverted as me. She's been bullied way worst than I but she made her way out of the puddle. I couldn't. I think it's about our difference of outlook in life. She lived to be accepted because she's alone. We're inversely proportional. When we met, I never cared about anyone anymore. Now, it's actually drilling me.

"Hey..." Bram says, sitting on the chair backwards on front of me. He's that smart kid with chiselled look and dark skin. He actually looks like an Egyptian god more than an African-American, "You're always alone. Don't you have friends?"

Now, that's a shitty thing to say to a person. Lucky for him he's smart and good-looking and has many friends. He can run his mouth all he wants and he'll still have five handfuls of friends.

"I have friend." I say, looking away. I'm not sure anymore.

"I can be your friend." Oh God, he's so cocky.

"I said I have a friend. I have no need for you, fucker." I leave. Gawd, I shouldn't have done that. Everyone's looking. Everyone loves shit shows.

Emily is in the hallway, surrounded by people as usual. She's from Sacramento and I'm from Greenfield but she's here. In my school. I think I kind of know why. She's probably looking for school's to study for senior high and she's checking my school out. I think it is Abby's idea that she should study in a private school.

We kind of met. Of all days... this is the day I felt the shittiest but we met. I sometimes feel there's gravity pulling us together, that maybe she might not be thinking of it, but we're for each other. "Hey, I had a bad day... Emily. Glad you're here."

"You're friends with Stephan, Emily?" a guy from our school, same year as mine but different section, says.

I don't know if it's just me but I didn't like the way he phrased that out. Like there's something wrong if she's friends with me. So, I put my elbow above Emily's shoulders and I say, "Yep. I'm her friend so fuck off."

He grimaces and turns away leaving. That was easy! You had that coming, sucker!

"What the hell did you do?! Why did you do that?!" Emily's furious but still trying to keep her voice down.

"He's trying to get a move on you, can't you see?"

"He's just a friend!" she rolls her eyes.

I laugh sarcastically, "Just a friend? So, you go around befriending anyone you've just met?"

"What's wrong with you? You make befriending sounds like I'm having sex with everyone I've just met! Gawd!"

I blush. I didn't see that one coming. I hate topics about sex because it's too outrageous. I can't even say the word out loud. That totally throws me off; now, I don't know what to say.

"You're unbelievable." She says, raising arms in surrender before walking away. We're gravity. No, I am. I'm her gravity. I'm always pulling her down.

This is Bram's fault! Or that stranger who talked to my precious Emily in the middle of the hallway like he's her boyfriend. Emily's way too good for her. Emily's like a diamond and he's a shit. Or I'm the shit. I'm the stupid shit who makes everything hard for Emily.