New friends

Chapter 14

Katie started to make her way out of the classroom to meet Hunk and Lance for her second period. As she stepped out of the door she felt a hand grab her wrist. "Oh. Hey Zoey." She said. She was slightly confused because they'd barely even spoken before. What could she want? "Hey girl! I have my next class with you! Come walk with me!" She bubbly said. "Um, okay." She said uncertainly. This was weird but she didn't question it. "But we have to wait for my friends before we go. I was going to meet them first." Katie added. "Sure girl! Whatever you want!" She said with a smile that was almost too wide.

Lance and Hunk came down the hallway and saw Katie talking with... Zoey?! "Is that Zoey?" Lance whispered. "yeah. That's weird." Hunk replied. They knew who she was. They also knew that she would be the last person to talk to someone like Katie. Something had to be up. She was practically Amber's drone. Amber was always trying to get with Shiro, even when he made it very clear that he wasn't interested. They agreed to question Katie later.

Katie was relieved to see Lance and Hunk coming down the hallway. The small talk with Zoey had gotten awkward. The group headed to their English class.

All throughout the class Zoey was practically hovering over Katie. She was trying to start conversations and always butting into conversations between Lance, Hunk, and Katie.

"So! What do you like?" Zoey asked Katie. "Science, space, math, engineering..." she listed. "Omg! That's so awesome!" She exclaimed. "I love math! It's so... cool..." she ended with uncertainty.

Katie tried to be nice but the group got sort of annoyed and ended up ignoring her comments for the rest of class.

Katie and Lance got up to head for Spanish. "Hey Katie!" Zoey called out. Katie turned around taking a deep breath. "Since we're friends now, here's my number so we can talk like, all the time!" Zoey said giving her a piece of paper. "Ooh. Thaaanks." Katie said with a forced smile and quickly walked out with Lance.

"What was that?" Lance asked. "I didn't know you were friends with Zoey.." he said. "I'm not really, we just started speaking this morning." She said. "Well, more like she started speaking to me. She seems...nice." She said. "Um, I don't know if nice is the word. She's the one that does all of Amber's dirty work." He warned. "Yeah. I figured, but she seems okay. Maybe we should give her a chance." Katie said. "I don't know. Something seems off." Lance said thinking.

Katie thought about how she wanted to have friends before she met the gang and tried to give her the benefit of the doubt. "I think I'll give her a chance." She decided. "Okay." Lance just said. He'd make sure to keep a watch out for bad news. Drama was always the worst. Especially high school drama. Switching the subject he said "time for Spanish with my favorite boyfriend." They laughed and met with Keith for third period.

"There's my favorite boy!" Lance said hugging Keith. "Whatever dork." Keith said hugging him back. The conversation picked up until the class had whizzed by. She ended up talking to a lot more people. They were all really nice and kept complimenting her outfit, "thanks Allura." She thought. Spanish wasn't her best subject, but she did fairly well in the class and was invested in trying her best. Having Lance there helped a great deal too. Now she wasn't alone and he could assist her when she needed help.

Katie said goodbye and walked to fourth hour. She sat down in her normal spot when who would walk up, but Amber followed by Zoey. "Hi there!" Amber grinned flipping her red hair. "Hi." Katie said looking up. Amber gave the freshmen sitting next to Katie a death glare and took their seat. Zoey sat in front of Amber. "So how's everything? I love your top! It's so cute. Where'd you get it?" Amber continued. "Uh, I'm fine. My friend picked it out for me." Katie said, slightly overwhelmed with the tidal wave of questions. "Awesome! Which friend?" Zoey added. "Allura." she said before going back to her work. "I LOVE Allura! We do cheer together!" Zoey exclaimed. "We're practically besties! Kind of like the three of us!" She said. "Well that's a bit of a stretch considering I just met you guys this morning.." Katie thought silently. "Haha yeaaahhh.." was all she said.

Katie kept trying to focus on her work, but Amber and Zoey kept trying to revive a long dead conversation. After what felt like days, the final bell rang for lunch.

".. and then I told that dimwit sales woman to get me the shoes in black! She kept going on and on about how they were out of stock but that's just what they always say! She was just being lazy. If anything, I taught her how to be better at her job. Eventually she brought out the manager who FINALLY ordered me the damn shoes! Took her long enough. They should be thankful I was  even giving them the time of day! Can you believe it?!.." Amber rattled on about her 'traumatizing experience'. When she finally took another breath from the story, Katie took her chance and  got up. "Wow, that's crazy! I-uh really have to go now though. Bye!" She said and started to exit the rows of desks.

"Uh, where do yo thing your going?!" Amber got up. "Uh, lunch?" Katie stared in question. "Are you sitting with anyone?" Amber pressed though she already knew the answer. "Yeah, just a couple friends." Katie tried to avoid the topic. " Great! Wait up for us!" Amber was already grabbing her hand and dragging her towards the lunchroom. "Uh, you don't have to it's alright.." Katie didn't want to be rude and not let her sit with them. "It's not a problem. How could I-We not sit with our new best friend?" Amber replied.

They entered the lunch room. "So? Lead the way!" Amber ordered. Katie just kept walking until she spotted the group where they said they'd be. It was a rectangle table and everyone had their spots. Hunk, Shay, Allura and Matt on one side, and Keith, Lance, and Shiro on the other side. There was an empty spot reserved for Katie next to Shiro. She thankfully spotted them. As she was heading to sit down, Amber pushed passed in her 5 inch stilettos and threw herself around Shiro.

"Oh my gosh! It's so funny to run into you guys! Katie didn't tell me that she sat with you!" Amber exclaimed. She plopped herself down next to Shiro. "Uh. Hey Amber.." they all grumbled. "Sorry. That's someone's spot." Keith plainly said with a bored look on his face. "I don't see her sitting here." She said dryly and she tried to cuddle into Shiro. "She was just about to before you pushed passed her." Lance pointed out heavily nodding his head towards Katie standing eerily still by the side.

She flipped her hair and faced Shiro with a pout. "Are you really going to let hem speak to me like that?" She whined. "Sorry Amber." Shiro said prying her hands off himself. "This seat is already taken." Shiro said. "Yeah. By his girlfriend." Shay helpfully added with a hint of bitterness. Amber winced at the word. "But she doesn't mind, right? As a best friend she should let me sit here. It's the right thing to do." Amber batted her fake ass eyelashes at Katie.

Katie was frozen. She didn't know what to do. What if Amber and Shiro were good friends and she just didn't know. Maybe she should let her sit there. Watching the scene play out in front of her made her feel sick. He was supposed to be her boyfriend. If she said no would Shiro get upset for her being a bad friend and not letting Amber sit there? She felt so unwanted and alone. Her anxiety was building up. Seeing Amber's perfectly manicured nails wrapped around Shiro like that churned her insides. She couldn't stand to watch, but she couldn't move either.

Now everyone was looking to her for an answer. "Well?!" Amber demanded. "I-um." Her eyes started to tear up. "I have to go." She rushed out of the cafeteria straight to the bathroom. She cried out all her emotions. Why was this such a big deal? Who was she kidding! She didn't belong. If anything Amber was the one who belonged with Shiro. She was so much prettier and she obviously liked him. She could've stopped all this, but...she was so afraid. There were too many variables in the situation. Too many people watching; she didn't want to cause a scene. Shiro didn't even look hurt when Amber took her spot.

Shiro watched Katie run out. He glared at Amber. She could do whatever she wanted to him, but no one makes his girlfriend upset. Not his Katie. Everyone got up to run after her including him. "Where are you going?!" Amber asked innocently. "To get my girlfriend." He couldn't even look at her.