When I reached my locker the next morning, I was expecting the still emptiness I was usually greeted with, not with my books splayed across the floor as Gina stood with her arms crossed and glaring at Link clearly having nagged him to stop, but he simply grabbed another book and tossed it to the side. I rushed to my locker and stared wide-eyed at them.

"What are you doing?" I half yell and half exasperated.

Link turns around to spare me a glance before returning to his search and speaks up from the locker, "I'm looking for a Chemistry book."

"Will you stop that already?" Ginna says, clearly irritated. "She doesn't take regular Chemistry."

"How do you know?" Link retorts, stopping his search briefly.

"I don't take regular Chemistry, Link," I tell him.

"See-" Gina starts.

Link abandons his search completely and closes the locker to stare at me, "then what do you take?"

I bent down to start picking up my books and stacking them together. "I take AP Chemistry."

"Oh- just like Gina," Link says and starts picking up my books as I look up as if a blaring alarm just went off inside my head.

"I didn't know you were in AP Chemistry Gina."

Gina looks at me sheepishly before hitting the locker 3 times, effectively opening it, which answered my unasked question on how they got in. She watched as Link stuffed the books back in my locker but then gave me a shy smile that I never thought Gina would wear. This was a girl who was wearing combat cargo shorts and a green crop top that reached just below her ribs. She had on her leather jacket and high heels that would make anyone wince in wonderment at how she managed to last long in them. In her mouth, she had a green lollipop which now rested between her two fingers.

Her fingers started twirling the lollipop as she spoke, "I'm actually in your class."

My eyes widen as my mouth stares at her agape. How could I be so dumb? "Gina- I'm so sorry-" I start but Gina quickly waves her arms and says, "don't feel bad. I usually sit in the back row with Matt and well Matt's pretty quiet."

"Still- I should have looked up instead of keeping my nose inside a book."

Gina shrugs as Link finishes putting all my books back in place. "We came to invite you to Matt's photography exhibit on Friday, a couple of weeks from now."

"Matt does photography?" I ask as I begin getting my books out for the day. I see a streak of blonde hair and Lynett's wide-rimmed glasses appear before marching along in the other direction, away from us. I scrunch my eyes in confusion but carry on grabbing my stuff.

"Yea. I think it's great" Gina says, "he seems to express himself through photos just like Link does with art."

"You draw Link?" I ask. I was learning so much about people that just yesterday I found intimidating.

Link shrugs, "I just goof around." That earns an eye roll from Gina. I see Link's eyes brighten up, "maybe I can show you some of my paintings sometime."

I give him a wide smile, "I would love that." I didn't know it was possible for Link's face to brighten even more but somehow it did which only made me smile wider. I stop my movement as I see that something has caught Gina's attention behind me. I turn to see Abacus approaching our direction. Gina hooks her arm with Link's and looks at me, "we'll see you later then?"

I bite my bottom lip as I nod wordlessly, staring at their retreating figures. "Hey, Amelia" Abacus' voice says behind me. Even though I knew he was approaching, I couldn't help but jump a little at the sound.

I try leaning against the locker and look up at him, nodding my head a little bit in greeting, "Abacus."

He gives me a smile as I abandon my approach and un-lean from the locker. "I just wanted to ask if you had English around 5th period today?"

"I do," I responded, pretending to get something from my locker. "Why? Did something happen?"

"Well-" he gives me a sheepish grin, "the coach just finished telling us that some of us are moving our schedules a bit and now I'm in 5th period English on these days." At his words, I cling to my book tighter.

"Does that mean I should save you a seat next to me so we can gossip about who's the cutest boy in school," I feel an arm drape over my shoulders and the familiar smell of fabric softener infiltrates my nostrils, "excluding me of course since I'm the sexiest and not including you since- well- your the ugliest."

I can see Abacus grind his teeth at Grayson who gives him a giant smile. Abacus gives a hollow laugh, "cleaver. You know Archer, I'm surprised you're here today- I swear I saw the news talking about a criminal who robbed a bank yesterday. They haven't caught you yet?"

The smile faded off Grayson quicker than an ice cream melting on a hot summer day. Now, Grayson grinds his teeth before retorting, "I wonder where you were Golden boy, did you have to wash your cape, is that why you couldn't make it to defend the world?"

They both stare at each other before I hear another voice pop up from behind them. "Hi," Sienna's voice comes as sweet as honey that I can't help but feel a slight pang on how I wish mine was as magnetic as hers. She gives us a sweet smile before offering a plate of cupcakes. "I made these for the bake sale yesterday, we had these left over and thought I'd offer some to you guys."

Thankful at this new distraction, I manage to wiggle myself out from between the boys and go stand next to Sienna. Accepting a cupcake I smile at her and say, "thanks, Sienna." I look over at the boys and wave at them, with the intention to dash my way out, "well- I should be heading off to first period."

I swerve my way through the crowded halls and sigh in relief at the sight of my World History class but before I can make it inside, I am yanked to the side and pushed to the wall. "What in the world-" I start and look up to see my group of friends. Lynett's hand is still on my wrist as I lock eyes with her, anger imminent in her stance. She releases me and crosses her arms as Carter blinks repeatedly, in shock at something.

"Why didn't you tell me, us?" Lynett speaks.

I rub my wrist as I stand up a bit straighter, "About what?"

"Maybe about the fact that you cussed at a teacher yesterday?" Carter says.

"What were you doing with Gina and Link this morning too?"

"We saw you at the bleachers yesterday and not in detention," Lily adds. Olivia is the only one not bothering to care about what was happening and I wished they wouldn't either. The girls kept talking about what would have happened and bombarded me with questions that my mind felt it would explode until finally, Olivia spoke up.

"Would you guys let her talk then?" She says in a huff. "Honestly- asking her a billion questions but never letting the girl get a word in," she rolls her eyes and walks away from them.

The girls turn to Lily with raised eyebrows and amusement, "what's with her?" Carter asks.

Lily thinks for a moment, "well- she's right isn't she," she turns her attention to me, "what happened."

"Well-" I finally get the chance to speak even though all I want to do is run inside my classroom and sit at my desk with the open History book. "I didn't cuss at the teacher," I look away at the next part, "I cussed at Grayson." I hear them gasp. "I met Gina and Link in detention and they've become my friends," more gasps.

"Did detention affect your brain?" Lynett asks incredulously, "They're not the type of people you want to befriend, Amelia."

"Yes, they are. You don't even know them," I say defensively.

"And you do?" She says as we stare at each other then shakes her head and shrugs, "whatever." With that, Lynett walks away. I watch her retreating figure as the other girls look in shock before brushing it off and heading their own ways. Taking a bite of the cupcake, I scrunch my eyebrows in confusion at what had just happened but decide to ignore it. There were more pressing matters to attend to like the fact that Abacus and Grayson would both be transferring to my 5th-period English class. 

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Normally my chapters are longer, Im trying to split them into pieces. So you might see some that say, Chapter 7 part 2 or I might just do it all at once. Let me know how you guys like them. Longer chapters or split? 

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