she's mine.

3

"You want to go to the diner with Lea and I?" Jake was leaning against the locker next to mine as I grabbed my back pack. I had made it threw the first day- barely. Kaitlyn had stormed off with tears in her eyes after my threat, she knew it was no bluff. At least not reeeeeeally.. I definitely would fight her, but I wouldn't give her the opportunity to put me in jail. I would have to do it off campus.

For the rest of the day I had either Lea or Jake by my side. They tried to act nonchalant about it, but I think it was half because they felt like they owed me a thank you, and half because they didn't want Kaitlyn to catch me alone and be able to sink her claws into me. But I was almost positive Kaitlyn had been locked up the rest of the day in the nurse's office. But I knew they were probably smart to be on the look out, girls like Kaitlyn didn't let things like getting embarrassed in front of the whole cafeteria go easy.

"No one has ever stood up to Kaitlyn like that," Jake had said as he walked me to class after lunch.

"Well no one should ever talk to Lea like that."

When he didn't say anything I looked up, he was staring at me.

"What?" we stopped walking to face each other.

"No one has ever had her back like that either," he looked stunned and in awe.

"Well nobody should ever say those things no matter the person, but especially not to Lea. She seems so," I struggled to find the word. "Sweet and innocent I guess." She was like the little sister I always wanted.

"She is," he looked down. "I hope to keep it that way." He smiled, but it didn't quite hit his eyes.

Lea had filled me in on how she and Kaitlyn had been close when they were young, but as soon as they got into high school Kaitlyn fell into the popularity and Lea fell into her academics. Jake said his little sister had wanted to be a doctor, now she doesn't know what she wants.

I thought about what I would do if I were her, what I would want. I wouldn't know either. I was glad she had Jake though. I couldn't imagine abruptly losing both of my parents and feeling completely alone.

"It's our turn to get dinner tonight," Jake pulled me out of my own head.

"What diner?" Not that I would really know even when he told me. Everything was still fairly new, but I wanted to give myself a minute to make sure I didn't have to be home tonight. I remembered mom saying she was working a double, and Jonny wouldn't be back until Friday from his trip.

"It's only a few minutes away, the GC Cafe," we started walking down the hall to the parking lot. Lea met us at the front doors.

"Yeah, that should be fine. I'll just text my mom and let her know i'll be home late," I pulled out my phone and shot my mom a text.

"What should be fine?" Lea joined the conversation.

"Raina said she would come with us to the diner," Jake smiled and threw his arm over my shoulders.

"Cool, okay," Lea looked down as she smiled. She seemed to never want anyone to see her smile, or even be happy. "You should tell Eli we'll meet him there soon, with food."

"Tell Eli?" I looked at both of them confused. I pulled out from Jake's arm to face both of them. "Eli, as in the jerk from this morning Eli? The 'I'm so high and mighty, I rule the school' Eli?" I said mockingly.

Jake and Lea shared a look of amusement and suddenly I felt like I was on the outside of an private joke. I took a step back wards off the side walk and onto the pavement of the parking lot. I crossed my arms waiting to be filled in on why we would be meeting this guy.