Why Me | Book 1

Chapter 2

I feel him wrap his arm around my shoulder, fully bringing his body weight on my side, making me lose my balance and grip his upper arm to steady myself.

"Morning, Snoopy." He greets me and kisses my cheek. I turn my head to meet his chocolate brown eyes and smile up at him when I see his bright smile on his face that lights up my darkness.

"Morning, Peanut." I grin up at him and his smile drops. "Stop calling me that." His tone is warning and I bite my bottom lip to hold back my giggle. I turn to face Ben and see his irritated face. In the corner of my eye I see that my best friend does the same. Ben looks back and forth between me and him.

"Well, Ben, I do have friends. Even if it's just the one right here."

"Hey, I'm Troy." Peanut introduces himself and Ben nods. "Nice to meet you. I'm Ben. You two seem close." He states and I smile again. "We know each other since primary school." Troy explains and I nod.

"Well, that's a long time. Emily and I just met." Ben replies and I roll my eyes which Troy notices and holds up his finger to signal Ben to wait a minute, before he pulls me away a few feet. "Who is he?" he asks carefully. "Someone who broke Jason's fucking nose when he pushed me against the wall." Troy's eyes go wide and he looks over to Ben who eyes us skeptically.

"Can we trust him?"

I shrug my shoulders. "I don't know, he seems kinda nice and somehow like a lost puppy. I don't know him for that long either, you genius." I answer his question and he nods. "Okay, let's give him a chance, but if he turns out as an asshole, I'll be the first one to kick ass."

I grin up at him in mischief and wiggle my eyebrows. "I'll be the first one, sorry Pea-" he cuts me off by smacking my arm, which actually hurts. I rub my arm, laughing. "You asshole hit a muscle!" I chuckle and he does too. "Sorry, Snoops, wasn't on purpose."

We turn our attention back to Ben and I smile.

"Everything cool?"

We both nod and Troy reaches out for his arm, pulling him up next to him and slings an arm around my waist, making both of us follow him to our next class.

"You're one of us now." Troy states and my head shoots up to look at him. I give him a 'what the fuck are you doing' look and he shrugs. "I mean, you saved Emy and you're alone. Having someone to go to is better than having no one."

I narrow my eyes at him and he smirks down at me. "I'm going to kill you." I whisper and he nudges my side.

"Well, thanks." Ben says with a smile and I force one too.

"Will you come with me after school?" my eyes meet Troy's and I shake my head annoyed. "Tucker's going to pick me up. He still doesn't trust me."

Peanut nods and gives me a peck on the cheek before he leaves for his class, leaving me alone with Ben again. I walk into the classroom and sit in the back. Ben hesitates before he follows me to the back as well and sits down next to me. "I hate chemistry." Ben sighs and I smile. "Same," I say and he smiles too.

"I have to apologize."

"For what?"

"That I was so rude. I don't like it when someone helps me, usually everyone hates me."

Ben's eyebrows draw together and he shrugs. "Am I everyone?"

I shake my head, looking down. "You just don't know who I am yet, you probably will hate me after a while too."

"Miss Clare, would you please listen?" my eyes shoot up to Mr. Gerro's and I huff in annoyance. "She was probably talking about her drug dealer." Kat's voice appears from the front and she is followed by giggles from Trina and Shirley.

"Actually, we've been talking about that huge pimple on your back which is blinding us back here." Ben suddenly says with the most serious expression and the room falls silent. Alright, Ben is a little package of trouble, I like that.

Kat gasps and turns around in her chair to face us. "This can't be true!" she squeaks and turns her back to her two friends. "There is nothing, Kitty. Calm down." Trina soothes her and I bite my bottom lip to keep myself from laughing.

"Mister Gerro, he deserves detention for that!" Shirley says and crosses her arms over her chest, pushing her boobs up in the process. Mr. Gerro rolls his eyes and turns back around to the board. "Mister Gerro!" Kat whines and I hear him huff.

"Would you three just get over it now. Miss Clare is the victim here, you're talking to her like that everyday and now there is someone who stands up for her because she doesn't care about your comments and he should get detention for that? Absolutely not!"

My mouth stands open. I'm the victim? Great.

"But-" Trina starts and slams her pen down on the table.

Mr. Gerro suddenly jerks around, slamming his hands down on the desk, making all of us jump. This man is scary as hell when he gets mad and he is really, really pissed right now. "I said drop it!"

Shirley is about to open her mouth but he interrupts her. "Detention for all three of you!"

I did not see that coming. "What?"

"You understood me." He mumbles and turns back around.

I hear Kat whisper something and see Trina and Shirley nod. Normally, I would be curious if it was about me, but today I don't care at all.

After chemistry is over, I shove my stuff into my bag and wait for Ben to get ready.

"When my brother finds out about you, he's going to either love you and your attitude or will try to get rid of you." I say and grin while we walk down the hall. I knew his reaction would be the shocked puppy again.

"And I guess your brother is the one you mentioned earlier when Troy asked you to come with him after school?" I nod in reply and he shrugs. "Brothers love me." He jokes and I smile.

"Yeah, Tucker is probably one of those brothers who hates everyone around his little sister."

When we reach Troy at the end of the hallway, Ben turns to me. Fully giving me his attention. When I also turn to him, he gives me a questioning look.

"Why is your brother not trusting you?" I freeze at his question and shake my head. "Doesn't matter. Let's just say I wasn't and still am not the easiest sister."

Everything I dragged dad and him through over the past years pops up in my head and I bite the inside of my cheek.

I turn away from Ben as I feel tears pool in my eyes and blink a few times before I look up to Troy, who gives me a knowing but small smile and opens his arms.

I snuggle my head into his chest and take a deep breath.

"She doesn't like to talk about it, but maybe she'll tell you some day. She just has to get to know you better." Troy says to Ben, running his hands through my hair.

"He will probably find out anyway, either this or next week. And it will not be me who tells him." I turn my head, not moving away from Troy and let my eyes run over Ben for the first time today.

His dark blue jeans hang low on his hips, the red lumberjack shirt that he tied around his waist makes him look like a hipster. To round off his look, he has a plain black t shirt on and a braided leather bracelet on his right wrist.

"Such a stoner." I state and grin when his face falls.

"How do you...?" I shrug. "You're style."

I feel Troy chuckle and turn back around to Ben, making Troy loosen his grip around me. He doesn't fully let go though, he lets his arms hang over my shoulders and interlocks his fingers, pulling me back against him. He always was a cuddly friend, but never that clingy.

"My brother better not find out." I lightly laugh when he swallows loudly.

"You will be dead when he finds out that you smoke weed." Troy laughs softly and Ben swallows again. Making both of us laugh a little more. "Is that why he doesn't trust you?" Ben carefully asks and I grin. Well, he does drugs too, it would not be the whole truth and story about me to tell him and it wouldn't be a lie on the other hand, so I nod.

"Yep, that is one reason why he doesn't trust me."