Him & I

- CHAPTER 2 -

-  N E W B O Y  -
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Olivia
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I don't mind school. But I think I would like it much more if I had a proper friend. I mean, sure I have acquaintances and people I sit next to in lessons and at lunch but that doesn't mean anything, does it? We talk about superficial stuff like the latest television programmes and what new clothes we should wear, more specifically what I should wear. Apparently my so-called friends don't approve of the way Hamish dresses me. But I do; I love the clothes that Hamish buys me, and personally that's all that matters, so I don't really care.

I guess that makes them bad 'friends', doesn't it? If they don't accept me for who I am?

Walking into my science lesson, I placed my prep sheet on Mr. Duncan's desk at the front and drifted over to my desk. I really like science. It's fun, interesting and I also don't share a desk with anyone so I can spread my books out and do my experiments alone, without being distracted by anybody.

A knock distracts me from my thoughts and the whole class perks up to look at the door. An average-sized boy walks in with his hood pulled up over his head, so I wasn't able get a closer look at his eyes.

"Mr. Smith, we take hoods off in this school" Mr. Duncan's baritone voice reverberated off the walls.

I watched as the boy whipped the hood off of his head immediately and looked down at the ground. I still couldn't see his eyes; thanks to the tortoise shell glasses perched on the tip of his nose. Ugh. But I did manage to study the rest of his face, lightly peppered with freckles along the bridge of his nose and his chocolate mop of hair, flopped on top his head.

"Would you please introduce yourself, Mr. Smith" Mr. Duncan said.

"Er...Hi, I'm, um, Robert" He said nervously.

"But you can call me Bobby." He then went on to add rapidly.

"Right, thank you, Robert. You can go and take a seat next to..."

Not me. Not me. Not me.

"Olivia. She's the only one sitting alone. I'm sure you can find your seat by yourself, Robert." Mr. Duncan added.

Gosh darn it.

I can no longer spread my belongings. I can't do my experiments alone anymore. I can't have my special science time anymore. And it's all his fault. Robert Smith.

*Cough cough*

"Er, hi, Olivia. Can I sit?" Smith asked me, shuffling around on his feet.

"It's Ollie" I replied bluntly, moving my bag from his new chair, onto the floor.

I heard him sigh deeply and slide onto the chair, placing a pad of paper and a pen on the desk beside me.

"Sorry, Ollie" I heard him say quietly, almost as if it were to himself.

Do I feel bad? Maybe a little. Smith actually looked sort-of sweet. Not at all like most of the cocky boys in my year. Do I think we could have been friends? Possibly. Do I care? No. He has taken my only ounce of solitude that I have at school. That is an unforgivable act.

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I was zoning out of today's lunchtime conversations. They really were boring. It was just 'Gossip Girl' this and 'Vampire Diaries' that. Ugh. I am really not interested in those series. Maybe when I'm like 15 or something. But not now. I started to look around the dining hall at all the tables scattered around. There was Patrick and all his popular friends at their usual table and then there was Charlotte's table; she and the popular girls were right next to Patrick.

Shutting out all conversations of how hot Chuck Bass is, my eyes finally landed on a table that was usually empty. Smith was there; he was sitting all alone. He didn't look lonely though; he looked surprisingly at peace, a book in his hand. Huh, so he's a book worm. Now the glasses make sense. I wanted to go over and talk to him. But then again, I also didn't want to draw any attention to myself.

A sudden commotion caught my eye and I saw Patrick, egged on by all his friends, processing towards Smith's table.

"What are you doing, Patrick?" I whispered to myself.

I couldn't quite catch their conversation, but it didn't look fun to be at Smith's end. I was watching closely. Smith looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Terrified and fearing for his life. I stood up abruptly before a high-pitched, squeaky voice interrupted me.

"Olivia -

It's Ollie

"- what are you doing?! Sit down!" Bella demanded.

I couldn't be bothered to argue, but as I sat down, still looking at Smith, I saw him glance at me - and as I stared at him in the eyes, his stunning amber orbs, I saw pure sadness and misery. He looked me in the eyes almost begging me to intervene, but I did nothing. I was too stubborn and hung-up on the stupid desk thing to do something. Before anything else could happen, I watched as Smith fled from the dining hall, leaving behind Patrick and his friends, laughing hysterically. Stupid Patrick.

I didn't see Smith for the rest of the day. I hoped he was all right. I need to find him tomorrow. However as my final lesson of the day ended, Smith wasn't at the forefront of my mind. I just wanted to get my ride in the police car.

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"Hey, Squeak! How was school?" Drew called from the front passenger seat as climbed into the back.

"Hi, Drew, it was okay. Hi Bubba."

"Hey, Sweetpea. Did swimming work out?" Hamish asked with a gentle smile forming on his face.

Oh. When did swimming happen?

"Why you confused, Goose?" Drew, the goofy said.

"I-I don't remember swimming happening." I replied slowly.

"But you went to the library, didn't you?" Hamish asked, looking at me through the rear mirror.

"Ohhhh. Yeah - I did!" I said, finally remembering how I sat in the library...thinking about what happened at lunchtime.

"So what's got you all distracted, Squeak?" Drew asked

"Er...nothing?"

"Who are you trying to convince here?" He said again, holding back his laughter.

I saw Hamish look at me in the mirror and I knew he was going to talk to me about it at home, without Drew being his usual silly self. I swear, he doesn't act like he's twenty-six.

After that little scene in the car I just sat back, listening to goofy Drew singing like a star. They say time flies when you're having fun and we did indeed seem to get to the police station very quickly. Either that or Hamish was speeding. He was probably trying to get away from the singing.

As soon as I closed the door to Hamish's car, the interrogation started.

"Talk."

▸ ◂  END OF CHAPTER 2 ▸ ◂