R O S E S

Chapter 5

After lunch, the four had realized they all shared the same next class- it was a foreign language class...Russian to be exact. Rose thought that the class would be easy for her to take since her parents were both Russian and she spoke it quite fluently. Besides, she didn't know what other elective to take other than something she was already familiar with. it would still count on her transcript and look good though. They also learned that they had the same gym together which made them really excited. Sammy and Austin had already grown familiar with Rose and treated her as if they had known each other for years and years.

Once they had gotten to the gym, Sammy and Paris had led Rose to the locker room. Their gym teacher was in the office working on something before class started. Rose was supposed to talk to the gym teacher in order to get her uniform and locker which the teacher should both have. Rose hesitantly walked into the office and waited for the teacher to look up. When they did, the teacher scanned Rose before squinting.

"Rose, right?" The teacher, whose name was Mrs. Win, spoke in a slightly dull voice. It was the last class of the day and so Rose naturally thought the teacher would be worn out by then. Mrs. Win stood up and went over to a shelf where a pair of gym shorts, a shirt, and a lock with the combination where placed. The teacher took it down and handed it to Rose. "I don't care what locker you pick, these are your gym clothes and you have proper shoes...right?" She asked and Rose nodded her head. "Alright, go get changed."

Rose left the office and went over to where Sammy and Paris were. She claimed a locker that didn't have a lock on it and unlocked it for the first time. She needed to get used to the combination so she could memorize it. It wasn't that complicated though. Rose set her backpack down on the ground along with the Sammy and Paris's bags. Rose slid off her shoes and put them in the locker before grabbing her gym shoes in her bag. She had been carrying those around all day and was glad to finally get rid of them. 

Everything seemed to be going fine. Although, that was until Ashley Garza walked through the door with two of her girls. Rose had taken off her shirt and was only in a bra when they had entered. Rose had to look over in that direction considering the girls made such an entrance coming into the locker room. Even Paris and Sammy had looked. Of course, Ashley's eyes fixated on Rose. Rose quickly looked away and slid her gym shirt on before quickly undoing her jeans and sliding on the short gym shorts. 

She put all of her clothes into the locker along with her phone and locked it up. Rose then slid on her gym shoes and quickly tied them. Sammy and Paris had waited until Rose was done. The three of them then left the locker room and went over to the general area their teacher sat around. 

"Yeah...we forgot to mention that Ashley has gym this period too..." Paris said nervously as she rubbed the back of her neck. "I'm sorry, but this is usually the class she'll beat people up or shove them while they're running..." 

"I feel like I'm a prime target..." Rose rubs the bridge of her nose and sighs. "I just have to ignore her, right? Not fuel the fire?" 

"Eh..." Sammy shrugged as she crossed her arms. "You could try that, but I highly don't advise that...I've seen what she does to kids who ignore her- no one ignores Ashley Garza and gets away with it." 

The teacher then blew the whistle and everyone went to sit down somewhere within the teacher's range. The girls sat in the back, but Rose knew she would have to introduce herself again. Mrs. Win made her way over to where they were and stood at the front, setting her eyes on Rose before motioning her to the front of the group. Rose stood up and went over. 

"Alright everyone, we have a new student- I know...rare..." Mrs. Win said. "Introduce yourself." 

Rose introduced herself for the sixth time before going back and sitting down with her friends in the back of the group.

"Alright...today it's the Juniors and Seniors turn to run around the track four times to make a mile...wonderful..." Mrs. Win said with enthusiasm. 

Some kids groaned at the thought. Rose didn't particularly mind it, she just wasn't all that athletic. Rose was more of an artistic person than anything else. Rose liked to run though, she had been on the track team at one of her previous schools. 

"Quit your whining and get out there. If you get a worse time then your last then you will lose points..." Mrs. Win shooed the students outside. 

Paris, Sammy, and Rose walked to the track together. Paris and Sammy kept explaining how much they disliked Mrs. Win and the mile, they said they were equal to each other. When they arrived at the track, they hung in the back with each other. Then the Seniors joined them. Rose had noticed Ashley and did her best to not be noticed, but how could Rose not be noticed? She had pink hair unlike anything anyone had ever seen before. 

Ashley sauntered over to Rose with smirk across her face. Her friends were right next to her with the same smirk plastered across their lips. "So, you have gym too?" Ashley smirked. "I'll have fun alright..."

"Leave her alone, Ashley..." Austin came out of nowhere and stood slightly in front of Rose. "She's done nothing to you so you don't need to torment her or play with her like she's some sort of prey for you..." 

"That's where you're wrong, Austin...she is my prey and you're just getting in my way- I won't hesitate to take you down." Ashley and Austin came face to face with each other. Austin was only slightly taller. "Back off Kime." She slightly shoved Austin before turning forward again.

It made Rose understand how Ashley usually acted with people. It was unusual how she acted with Rose. What made Rose any different than anyone else? Rose shook the thought off. She turned forward and prepared for the whistle to be blown. 

Once it was blown, everyone began running. Sammy and Paris ran beside each other with Austin running ahead of them. Rose kind of ran by herself as she kept a steady pace with Paris and Samantha. Rose thought she would have a nice time running by herself, but that was until Ashley began running next to Rose with her own friends talking to each other.

"You know..." Ashley breathed with a smirk. "You looked hot without a shirt on." Rose's face instantly turned red and she looked away. "That's adorable..." Ashley chuckled. Rose was going to protest against Ashley but couldn't say anything. "What? Cat's got your tongue? I mean...I know I will later," Ashley winked and Rose's entire face lit up. Ashley laughed. "I know you would like that-"

"No I would not!" Rose snapped

"Oh? Finally found courage to speak?" Ashley snickered. "How brave of you, mouse..." 

"I'm not a mouse, I'm not adorable, and I definitely wouldn't like getting kissed by you!" Rose stated firmly which only caused Ashley to laugh even more.

"So you would like getting kissed by...I don't know...some other dude? Is it because I'm a girl?" Ashley asked, her tone turning more serious as she glared at Rose.

"Of course it's not because of that! I just wouldn't want to kiss you or anyone!" Rose growled, getting a bit annoyed at Ashley.

"Sure you would, I bet you haven't even felt it before..." Ashley chuckled before running ahead. 

The rest of the way, Rose ran faster and more determined. She was angry. Usually running was a way for her to calm down, it didn't always work though. Rose had finished and she angrily went up to the bleachers and sat down. Austin had joined her next and soon Sammy and Paris did. They had arrived just in time for Mrs. Win to tell everyone to head back to the gym. 

The four of them made their way back to the locker room, Austin deviating from the group of girls and heading to the boy's locker room. Rose was a bit distant as they walked though. She kept thinking about Ashley and how she acted. What was she trying to get at? Rose shook her head which caused Sammy and Paris to give her an odd look.

"Are you alright?" Paris asks as they enter the locker room. "It's Ashley, isn't it? I saw her talking to you...what did she say?"

"She kept making flirtatious comments...specifically about kissing me..." Rose whispered in a low tone. "I just...I don't know...I'm thinking..." Rose sighed as she changed back into her normal clothes.

Samantha and Paris already knew not to push at Rose. She needed to think and so they would give her that space to think. Rose was confused though. She really didn't understand what Ashley was doing. Rose knew she should've have been any different than someone else...what made Rose Ashley's prime target?