Interdependent (Book 2 in EBTWOG series)

Chapter 11

When lunch eventually arrives, I'm exhausted. The emotional trauma mixed with the lack of sleep means that by the time I'm sitting down in the cafeteria, I'm a living and breathing zombie. Ashton met me outside of English, and I nearly fell right into his arms. I'm glad that I have the excuse of Sophie to get me out of the rest of the day. My head falls down onto the table in front of me, and it seems that I blackout, because the next thing I'm aware of is a tray being placed down in front of me, unaware of Ashton leaving to get it, or Jinx and Sam arriving. It takes me a moment to return to reality, and realise where I am, and what I'm doing.

I stare at the tray in front of me, vacantly, reaching forward for the apple, not particularly feeling hungry, but knowing I should eat something. I twist the stalk off as I watch Trystan and Colton join us. Colton falls into the seat next to me, flicking his curly hair out of his eyes as he turns to me.

"Alright?" he asks, a pearly white smile stretching his face. I can't help myself and smile back. He leans into me, his shoulder bumping mine. He sees my tray and points to it.

"You eating your Jell-O?"

"She hasn't even got there yet," Trystan exclaims.

"You can have my jelly," I offer, passing it to Colton.

"Jelly," Colton says as if amazed by the word. He then repeats it, trying to do an English accent. "Say it again," he pleads.

"Jelly?" I say, more like a question, wondering why.

"Jelly," he says, his English accent getting better slightly. "Again." I laugh and say it again, glad to have a sort of distraction. It continues until Brody, Jesse, Ryder, and Storm arrive. By that time, Colton's English accent saying the word Jelly is quite good.

"Jelly," Colton says testing it out, before aiming an "Alright governor" at Brody who looks just as confused as I am. It didn't even sound like an accent I know. Colton's English accent is solely for the word jelly.

"What the fuck was that?" Brody asks as Jinx nearly spits her water across the table at me. Sam begins to pat her on the back, quite hard, as Jinx starts coughing. A perfectly breathing Jinx shoos Sam away.

"Oh, can I only say jelly?" he asks, disheartened. I nod, trying to hold back a laugh. "Oh, well, if you ever can't answer in homeroom, I'll just say jelly."

I laugh and nod. "Because I say that all the time."

"Yeah, I mean you just said it like fifteen times." I laugh a little louder.

"I love a bit of jelly," an English accent says, and when I whip around, I find Ryder talking. "That good? he asks in his normal American one.

"Yeah," I admit. "Bit posh, and generic, but yeah. How?" I ask, wondering if this is part of his talent.

"Just like doing it," he admits shrugging his shoulders. I wonder if it is part of it. He is good at languages.

"You have to teach me your ways," Colton says in awe, as Ryder sits down in the seat next to him.

"Not teachable, mate, just born with it," Ryder says in the English accent, going slightly Cockney whether that be intentionally, and winks in my direction.

I finally bring the apple up to my lips and take a bite. It's tarter than I expect and I pull a face, which Sam assumedly mirrors because he twists his face into a weird expression. He sticks his tongue out through his lips, and it almost reminds me of a fish.

Storm groans, his focus over my shoulder, and rather than being obvious, I look to him for clarification. I get my answer soon enough.

"Boys," a female voice greets, and when I look over my shoulder, I recognise her to be Sarah, the friend of Tanner. The same glasses and the same strawberry-blond hair.

"Sarah," Trystan greets in return.

"Girls," she greets again, and rather than answer her, Jinx and I stare at each other, wondering if she wants us to answer her.

"Sarah," Sam greets for us, trying to emulate how Trystan said it. I smother a giggle, not knowing how Sarah will take it if I laugh. Is she still in contact with Tanner? Our last interaction suggested she isn't. Brody snickers, a laugh blurting out of his lips, and Colton has his head on the table, his shoulders shaking with silent laughter.

"Very funny," Sarah answers, but it doesn't sound as she's found the amusement in the situation. "Anyway, thought I'd come and check in on you all, see how your weeks have been."

"That's nice of you, I guess..." Jinx says, not sounding sure in herself.

"Bambi," she says abruptly, as if remembering, but from her body language it looks to be the sole reason she's come over. "How was your date with Tanner last night? He told me all about it."There a clatter on the table behind me, and I turn to find Storm's hand clenched on the table. His eyes are dark, and the most ferocious I've ever seen them. Colton who was laughing only minutes ago is now looking at me, not moving a muscle. Most of the other guys around the table are similar in appearance.

"I don't know what he's told you, Sarah, but Tanner is..."

"Where is he? You've seen him?" Storm asks, standing up, his Italian accent thick. Sarah backs up a step, but her voice is as strong as ever.

"No, just text." My hand goes to my phone in my pocket instinctively. I have his number. Should I tell the guys now?

"What's his number?" he asks, leaning on the table in front of him. "I'm going to show that little cagna..."

"But Bambi has it, don't you? He's been sending you love messages," she says, spitting out the last two words. Anger rises in me at the fact that she's taking the ability to tell them in my own time out of my hands.

"I do-" I start, wanting to explain myself, but the bell cuts me off, and Sarah walks away with a smile and a flick of her hair. Storm wants to run after her, but Jesse puts a hand on his arm. I roll the apple between my hands, only having taken one bite out of it, but I'm not hungry anymore so I just stare at it. I expect the questioning to start at any minute, but Ryder speaks up before anyone can.

"Bamb, I'll drive you to get Sophie. We're not talking about this right now." I stand up, too tired to argue or think of anything else to do, and follow Ryder. As I walk, I remember that I have nowhere to take Sophie, because I'm sure as hell not going back to the apartment. I just have to trust that Ryder will sort it out.

Hi guys! I thought that this chapter was way longer when I finished it, as a lot happened, and am surprised to only find it about 1000 words (just over). Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it! Ryder calling her Bamb is meant to be Bamb, just so no one gets confused and thinks I missed an 'I'. The next update will be up in another week, on the 27th. I'm really loving where this is going! It's one of my favourite (if not my favourite) books to write, so shhh don't tell anyone. I love all my books equally, but this means a bit more to me.

I also laughed out loud when I wrote Sam saying "Sarah"!

Can any of you do any other accents other than your own? I don't think I can, I attempt them but probably butcher them. In the nicest way, I probably got it from my mum, because whenever my mum attempts to do one, she sounds Jamaican most of the time, no matter the accent. So, actually, she can do a great Jamaican one! My mum will hate me for telling you this! I won't tell her if you won't! ;) Love you, mum!

What did you think of the update?

Is Sarah on Tanner's side?

What do you think will happen next?

How will the guys react, and will Bambi be 100% honest with them? Because of past experiences, she hasn't always.

Thank you for reading, voting, commenting, sharing, and following!

CC ;)