The Life I'm Running From

15\ Who's Weirder? It's a Tie Between Peter and Harley

"Hey. McKinnley."

                I glanced back. The guy behind me nodded to the folded piece of paper on the front of his desk. Mr. Bluffe was preoccupied with a student's question at the front, so I took the note and subtly unfolded it in my lap.

sit with us at lunch ?

-harley

                I knocked my pencil off my desk "accidentally". As I bent over to pick it up, I gave Harley a thumbs-up where he was a few rows back. Harley grinned. I watched him elbow Carter, and whisper the news. Carter looked over at me and gave me a "cool, bro" nod.

                "McKinnley Bradden," Mr. Bluffe said, his voice shockingly close. I whipped my head around, finding my teacher standing in front of my desk. Whoops. "I do wish you'd pay attention in my class, Miss Bradden. Maybe you'd get better grades."

                Someone in the back of the classroom said, "Ooh, burn!" But I rolled my eyes as soon as the teacher turned his back. I didn't need good grades. My C was perfectly fine for me.

                The bell rang, and I tucked my notebook—the page still empty of notes—into my backpack. Harley came up and sat on the desk beside mine, watching me struggle to zip up my bag. My hoodie was taking up too much room.

                "You need help with that?" Harley smirked. He ran a free hand through his curls, which were more defined than usual.

                I tugged on the zipper, finally closing it. "Got it. Don't you want to catch up with Carter?"

                "Nah." He stood up, watching me swing my bag over one shoulder. "I'd thought I'd walk with you today."

                "Stalker."

                We walked out of the classroom into the busy hallway. A bunch of guys sprinted past us, and as we moved to the side, Harley shielded me with his arm. I raised an eyebrow at him but he looked away and dropped his arm. We continued down the hallway, and nearly everyone said hi to Harley.

                "You know," I said after the hundredth person waved hello, "you're almost popular."

                He grinned and looked over at me. "Just a little. Are you jealous?"

                I put on a thoughtful face. "Well, it would be nice to have everyone at my beck and call..."

                He laughed. We arrived at my locker and I started to take out my textbooks. He leaned against the locker next to mine, staring at me. "So, if you were popular, what would you have people do for you?"

                I pondered that. What would it be nice to not have to do? After I shoved in my textbooks for the afternoon, I picked up my backpack again. "Probably have someone carry my backpack around for me. It's too heavy."

                "Okay then." Harley took my backpack from me and slung the strap over one shoulder.

                I stared at him for a second. Then I shrugged. "Alright. Let's go to lunch then."

                A few people glanced at him as we walked past, probably questioning whose backpack he had on, and who the random girl was walking with him. If they were smart, they would've connected the two oddities.

                "How was your weekend?" I asked him as we got to the staircase.

                "Pretty boring. Devin, Carter and me hit up Ruben Topley. You been there before?"