Outcast

5 -Friend

Reference for Bella^^^

I motion for Bella to follow me. She walks beside me as I head to the library.

"So do you like to read?" I ask.

"Oh of course! I absolutely love reading!" She says joyfully.

"Well that's good," I say smiling.

"I assume you also like to read?" She asks.

"Definitely. The feeling of getting lost in a world that could be completely fiction, getting to experience the emotions of the characters, I'm surprised that nobody likes to read anymore," I say.

I realize how dumb that sounds, and slam my hand over my mouth, blushing.

"N-no, sorry. That's stupid," I say.

"No it's not. I feel the exact same way!" Bella says beaming at me.

"R-really?" I ask.

I'm not alone?

"Yeah! What book are you currently reading?" She asks.

"O-oh, Umm, just a book called Symptoms of Being Human," I say shyly.

"I've never heard of that one, what's it about?"

This could either turn out really good, or really bad.

"Well, it's about this person who's gender-fluid. They have to go through life with terrible classmates, and not so understanding parents. I kinda relate to it ya know?" I explain, not realizing that I just practically outed myself in front of this stranger.

"You're gender-fluid?" Bella asks.

"Actually, I'm pretty sure I'm non-binary, but also kinda questioning," I explain.

"Oh cool! I've never met someone like that! Thanks for trusting me with that information though. It must be hard, you know, I'm a Christian school being LGBT. I should know, I'm gay," Bella says.

I'm caught by surprise, and I look over to her.

"Wait, really?" I ask.

"Yep! Gay and single as a Pringle."

"Nice. I didn't really expect that," I say.

"No I get it, we barely know each other. Speaking of which, where are we going?"

"To the place I always eat lunch. The library," I explain.

She plays with her brown, almost orange hair. I push open the library doors, and I lead her to Ms. Lauren.

"Hello again Ms. Lauren!" I say cheerfully.

"Hello Jamie. Who's your friend?" She asks raising an eyebrow.

"This is Isabella. We just met," I say.

"Fun! Why don't you two come inside to eat your lunches," she suggests.

We nod and head to her back office. I pull up a chair for Bella, and Ms. Lauren gets out her books. I see my book on top and grab it. Bella looks through the stack to find one that looks interesting. She grabs the first Harry Potter book.

"What? The first ones is the best," she says.

"Yes. Yes it is."

We read in silence, the only sound coming from our food. I glance over to see Bella's eyes dragging across the page as she eats some Doritos.
All the fun ends when the bell rings.

"Alright, I gotta get to class. Bella, what class do you have now?" I ask.

"Math," She says.

"Dang, I have literature," I say.

"But maybe we'll have other classes together!" She says excitedly.

"Hopefully," I say.

We both walk out and head our separate ways.

———

In my final class with Ashley and her gang, we're allowed to sit wherever we want. I always choose the back, but then I see a familiar girl with reddish hair sit next to me.

"This seat taken?" She asks laughing.

"Of course not Bella," I laugh.

We talk about the books we read during lunch, until class starts. We listen, but mostly just whisper to each other. I get some dirty looks from Ashley, but they end with her smirking.

What is she up to now?

Class ends and I head to my locker. I quickly find out, Bella's locker is in the same row as mine, but much farther over. I give her my number so we can text, and put in the combination for my locker.
I suddenly hear Ashley and her friend's walk out of the classroom, laughing. They're glancing in my direction.

What's happening?

"Hey faggot!" I hear someone from the group yell.

I freeze. That's when I look over to see it.

They aren't yelling at me. They're yelling at-

I gasp and turn my head quickly towards Bella.

But there's no way. She said she only told me. Unless they..overheard. In which case, why aren't they also yelling at me?

Bella looks frozen on the spot. She doesn't turn her head around, and stares at the locker with fury in her eyes.

Damn, I never thought I'd see her this mad ever.

"You heard her fag! Turn around and face us since we're so sexy to you!" Another person yells.

People in the hall are staring now. But I know them. They won't do anything. We're all afraid.

Their group starts to walk over to Bella, Ashley in front.

"Stop!" I hear someone yell. Then I realize, I'm the person that yelled. I stand in front of them, with a newly born confidence.

"Oh, does the freak want to talk now? Step aside, and maybe you won't regret being born," she says, looking down at each from her high heels.

"No! I'm not gonna let you be a jerk to someone who did nothing wron-" I'm stopped my a slap in the face.

It's hard enough that it knocks me to the ground.

"Jamie!" Bella yells.

"Oh, so the outcast has a friend? Might as well mess with the faggot nerd as well," Ashley says.

I touch my stinging face.

That's gonna leave a hand mark.

I feel someone grab the backpack attached to me. The force pulls me up, and I'm running out the school doors with Bella by my side, crying.
We run, until we stop at a small cafe.

"I-I'm so s-sorry! I didn't m-mean to drag you into th-this!" Bella sobs.

I grab her shoulders and pull her into a tight hug.

"No, you didn't do anything. It's my fault. Ashley's been out to get me. But I'm not gonna let her torture my only ever friend," I say, tears gathering in my eyes.

"We'll face her together. But neither of us are safe, since I'm guessing they heard us talking," She says.

"Yeah, we'll need to be much more careful."

"This sucks," Bella says, laughing with tear stains on her face.

"Yeah, haha. But we're okay for now," I say.

"Wanna go get some coffee or something?" Bella says, motioning to the cafe next to us.

"Sure."