Cruel Sanctuary

Chapter 3

"So you're telling me that you're the one with detention because of what they did in the cafeteria?" Emma asks me as I strut down the hallway with her at the end of the school day attempting to ignore the comments sneered at me when we pass. 

Owen and Clara really did it to me this time. 

I nod halfheartedly, "It's an hour as well! And I have to find a way to pay that kid back for his food!" I sigh when we reach my tiny locker, "And you're actually going to go?" She continues as I open my locker and take out a textbook I left in there, "I have to, Em. I don't want to but I have to," I huff out and slam my locker shut, gaining the attention of our strict headteacher as she walks past, "That'll be an extra fifteen minutes after school, Miss Greene."

"Well, that sucks," Emma sighs and I turn to her, shooting daggers at her unsuspecting face, "Don't you think I know?" I rush out harshly before turning into the main hall to meet my detention 'mates'. I stumble into the eyeshot of the teacher in charge of detention tonight and he grunts, "Nice of you to join us, Miss Greene. Sit two seats away from Garcia, please."

I oblige, rolling my eyes as I shuffle towards Noah Garcia, purposely sitting only one seat away from him as I murmur, "Jokes on you, you're the one who has to stay with us." 

However, much to my dismay, the teacher's ears pick up at my sarcasm and he raises his head from his boring looking book, "What was that, Miss Greene?" 

For the second time in our interaction, I roll my eyes, "Get a hearing aid," I shoot back, the attention I am gaining from Noah Garcia giving me a confidence boost, "Detention for half an hour tomorrow," The teacher seethes and Noah bursts into laughter, "Think that's funny, Garcia?" He exclaims and Noah makes a feeble attempt to quieten down, "You can join Skylar for another half an hour tomorrow, too." 

In response, Noah shrugs and slumps back in his chair, "I said two seats, Skylar!" The teacher booms as he notices my positioning and I cuss under my breath, "How did he even realise?" I breathe out and move a seat away from Noah, "He has eyes everywhere," A voice coming from the boy two seats away from me whispers and I chuckle quietly, "You got that right," I reply, quietly and the teacher drops his book on the desk as three more students join us and sit on the row of seats two in front of us. 

"Shut up!" The teacher growls and we sigh, leaning back into our chairs. 

***

Fifteen long, boring and slow minutes have passed and I groan to myself when I realise that I am going to have to find my own way to my new apartment with Owen. I notice a pair of dark eyes on me, "What's up?" Noah asks, he seems to have slid over to the seat beside mine and I check to see if Mr Moody over there has noticed but I realise that he is asleep with his book resting on his face. 

"It doesn't matter," I sigh and continue to sit in silence and Noah remains beside me. The trouble with Owen Anstey is that he is supposedly unbothered by everything and everyone but the thing with Noah Garcia is that he is the only person who can possibly drive Owen around the bend. Owen is the cliché image of a popular 'golden' boy and Noah is the mysterious 'bad' boy. Both are two stereotypes that just do not get along in any story or film or ending whatsoever and that is no different here; they despise each other. 

Owen used to have the student body wrapped around his little finger but, in year nine, Noah joined our school and took everything from him. Owen was the captain of the football team and he had every girl fawning over him and every boy wanting to be his friend, all of the teachers loved him. Instead, Noah is now the captain of the football team and Owen is left as the captain of the rugby team. Every person in this ridiculous student body is either a 'Noah' or an 'Owen'. All of the teachers are scared of Noah, which is not what Owen wants because Noah has not only part of the student body wrapped around his pinky but the majority of staff, too.