I'll Sing For Me

9.

Once the bell rang to let everyone know that lunch was over, Mr Richards finally let us leave. I had a free pass to study hall and after walking ten metres, I noticed Dean was next to me.

"Why are you following me?" I asked him.

"I'm not walking behind you, so I'm not following you." Dean barked back at me. "I'm heading to the hall."

I paused midstep, a realisation dawning on me and it must have happened to Dean too.

"Why are you in so many of my classes?" We both asked each other.

Dean was the first to answer with a shrug and I could handle that. What I couldn't handle were the words that followed his shrug. "Maybe you need a guardian angel after what happened the other afternoon."

Then I saw red. My jaw set and I tried not to snarl like a rabid dog. "I don't need a guardian angel or a knight in shining armour or a prince charming! I just want to be left the fuck alone!" Then I stormed away, heading to the hall.

I got there before Dean after my little spat and went inside. I assessed the place to see if Steph was there but the only other person I knew was Tommy and I've only met him recently.

I went to a corner, away from everyone else and tentatively, I sat, aware of my bruised butt and took out my English book.

I watched Dean at the entrance, glaring at him, daring him to try me, but instead, he went to his friend and for the next fifty minutes, I was blissfully alone.

***

The bell rang to let us all know that school was finished for the day. I left my music class room and met up with Steph where we always do in the afternoons.

But as I got closer to the meeting point, someone beat me to my friend. That someone was Tommy Diaz. And where there is Tommy, Dean Stevens was bound to be near.

By the time I got to the lovey dovey couple, they were sucking faces and I couldn't help but roll my eyes and pretended to dry reach as I walked past them. It was enough of a reaction for them to finally pull apart, holding each other's hands as we set off.

"Aww, look at the cute couple!" I heard someone mock them and we all turned to see Dean behind us.

"Shut up." Tommy pushed at his mate as they laughed. Dean brushed it off, smirking. I somehow managed to catch his attention and in that instant, I pulled a face and turned my back to him.

"Oh, shit. Beth, I forgot." Steph gasped dramatically.

"Beth?" Both Tommy and Dean repeated but I ignored them.

"I'm hanging out with Tommy tomorrow. Did you wanna tag along?"

And be the third wheel? No thanks. But before I could speak, Dean beat me to the punch.

"Dude! We were gonna jam tomorrow." He smacked Tommy in the shoulder.

"Ouch!"

"Pussy."

"Why don't you hang with Dean?" Steph asked me, her eyes big and sparkling. She looked excited and I knew what she was trying to plan in her head.

But I couldn't say no and trust me, I wanted to. I didn't want to go home and I also didn't want to hang around Steph's place all by myself.

"Jam?" I asked innocently. "What instruments do you both play?" Now I was just avoiding Steph's question and she knew it by the look on her face. She wasn't annoyed, more, impressed if anything.

"Guitar." They both answered together.

"Oh! Beth likes music. She can play!" Steph pointed out and suddenly, the spotlight was back on me. Uh oh, I didn't like attention.