One and Only

Chapter One - Sven

"Why were you talking to Sven?"

I stared back at my old 'friends', knowing full well how much they hated me, and knowing why. They were jealous.

My blonde curls swung over my shoulder as I whirled to look at Sven, then back at the girls. Jenna and Chloe. Girls I had known since my freshman year, trying to be kind to them while they bullied and backstabbed me.

"That's none of your business," I replied as politely as I could manage, then moved towards my locker.

"Well, sor-ry," Jenna snapped, and they followed me over. "We just didn't know you even knew Sven."

They were lying. They knew I met Sven, the charismastic new guy, at a bowling party on the weekend. He was a friendly guy and so we had hit it off well, but we weren't anything more than friends. Still, I was a threat to Jenna and Chloe. If a boy merely glanced at me it was enough to make them gossip and steam.

"I'm going to have my lunch now," I told them, silently pleading with them to leave me alone. I slammed my locker shut. "Excuse me."

"Um, who are you going to sit with?" Chloe asked as I walked off.

Turning around, I forced a smile. "My friends." And then I moved as fast as I could into the cafeteria.

Ever since I realized Jenna and Chloe give a scrap about me, I began sitting with other people. It was confusing to my whole grade. People would constantly ask why I wasn't with Jenna and Chloe, and I never knew what to say. But it didn't matter. It was nobody's business but mine.

Of course, I had other friends too. I wasn't a mean person, and I did exchange smiles and conversations with other people, so when I stopped hanging out with Jenna and Chloe, I was free to choose from everyone else.

A table in the centre of the room, overflowing with laughing guys and girls, beckoned me. I knew them all. Some more than others, but I knew them. They were fun and respectful of my privacy. They never asked questions - only welcomed me whenever I joined them.

That was where I sat.

"Hey Ruby!"

"Oh, hi Ruby!"

"Ruby's here!"

That was my greeting, and I took it warmly. "Hey," I smiled.

Across from me sat David. He smiled at me and winked.

I assure you, when David winks, hugs, blows a kiss, or puts his arm around a girl, it carries no meaning. He is a flirty, affectionate guy with a girlfriend whom he absolutely adores. He is simply very friendly... in a physical sort of way.

"Hello David," I laughed. "How've you been?"

He ignored my question. He had been great. "What are you doing this afternoon, Ruby?"

Homework. "Nothing much," I smiled, knowing this was the beginning of an invitation. "Why?"

"You should come over to my house. Everyone's coming."

I accepted the invitation for a number of reasons. The first: to have a reason to procrastinate my homework. Second: to get out of the house. My sister was moving out of home, and she and my mum argued constantly. Every. Day.

As David informed everyone that I would be joining them that afternoon, I felt a tap on my shoulder. Looking up, I saw Sven, his long hair swept to the side. He looked confused.

"What's up, Sven?" I asked with deep concern. He crouched beside me, his face screwing up in bewilderment.

"Do you know a Jenna and Chloe?"

My heart beat grew rapid and my ears burned. Yes, I knew them. And judging by Sven's face, he had just met them.

"Yeah, why?"

"They just came up to me and grilled me - asking me all these questions about you."

"What kind of questions?"

Sven opened his mouth to reply, but as he looked over my shoulder, his eyes flew wide open and he tapped me on the arm. "Ssh! They're coming."

I looked around and saw them marching over, lips pursed and eyes filled with hate and envy. When they were towering over me, they stopped and smiling evilly at each other before Jenna said, "These are you friends, are they?"

Chloe snorted meanly at me, looking me up and down as though I was some sort of insect. "You look like you're having fun with all your friends here."

"Do they always make you sit on the edge of the table while they openly ignore you?" Jenna added.

Sven moved awkwardly away, unsure of what to do. I was alone. No one else knew how to handle these girls. I was just learning. They looked down their fat noses at me, hands on hips or crossed over their flat chests.

"Please don't talk to me," I replied evenly, giving them both powerful stares before turning back around and going red in the face.

I heard Chloe laugh in shock, as if she couldn't believe I had the guts to turn my back on them. "You really don't like people talking to you, do you?"

Jenna laughed, egging her on. "Are you just sitting here because you have no friends outside of us?"

You are NOT my friends.

And then, just when I thought I would burst into tears or turn around and scratch their eyes out, I heard a kind, booming voice.

Sariah.

She was the tallest girl in the school, and possibly the heaviest. She was not in anyway obese, but her Italian descent gave her a large shape, and no matter how much she would ever diet or exercise, she would always be bigger than the average girl her age. I think it made her more beautiful. It was as though all that weight was her goodness.

Her intimidating large brown eyes stared down at Jenna and Chloe. One day, she would be an angel of a mother. But for now, she was my guardian angel. Her hands sat on her hips, her eyes said everything: Admit it. You can't bully anyone when I'm staring at you like this.

"Pardon me?" She asked them firmly.

Chloe looked away and shrunk behind Jenna, who was trying her best to look tough and intimidate Sariah - but no one on the face of the earth could intimidate Sariah. She was a hero.

"What's your problem?" Sariah asked.

"Nothing," Jenna spat. "We're just talking to Ruby if you don't mind."

Sariah looked at me, her expression instantly softening. "Ruby, are they being mean to you?"

I nodded, "Yes."

Jenna scoffed. "Don't be a hussy. We were not being mean to you."

Sariah cleared her throat, and she was silenced. "You can leave her alone now."

As they left, Jenna cussed under her breath, and though I wasn't sure if it was directed at me or Sariah, my guardian angel didn't seem to care.

She stepped forward. "If they ever bother you like that, don't let them. They're just really mean girls with nothing better to do. You're stronger than they are, Ruby."

And before I could thank her, she was gone.