We arrived just in time for my first period: American history 2.  By the time we ate and changed from swimming, it was nearing the start of school. Carl and Shell wished us farewell as they headed home for homeschooling and Carson drove Vienna and I to school. That led me to where I was, sitting beside a chattering Tala and a heartbroken Asher.

Cara was chatting with Tala, trying to steal her attention every moment she could. I guess she wanted Tala all for herself, to be her best friend. In all honesty, Cara was nothing but one of those mean popular girls you read about in books. She was the opposite of Tala, who was a people's person and as sweet and candy. Cara was petty, manipulative, and didn't wave to everyone in the halls like Tala, but rather made fun of them.

J sat in front of me and he turned to talk with Asher and I. He had asked how I was, and had noticed a change in his friend Asher. His girlfriend sat beside him shooting glares at me. I learned her name was Lexus. Lexus had long, wavy blonde hair, freckles dotting her face, and deep blue eyes. She was striking, but she was the definition of a stereotypical catty brat in a way. Except, gasp, she was actually smart. The 'popular group' was made of J, Tala, Asher, Cara, Lexus, me now, and whichever of Lexus' friends that decided to join us. She was someone I had difficulty figuring out, and was the only person of the main group left disliking me.

She had an orange-haired girl to her right and a raven-haired one in front of her. They were her friends, and that's all I knew about them. I didn't know why Lexus had such a problem with me, or why I couldn't be friends with her boyfriend. She was annoying, and it was very difficult to keep my mouth shut as she directed her boyfriend's attention back to her.

Finally, I turned my own attention to my friend. I could see in his eyes how broken he was, and that sadness rubbed off on me. A few minutes prior, I had been filled with joy thanks to the midnight swim. A bit tired, sure, but happy nonetheless. Now, the sadness in his eyes brought back memories of the day prior, of the way Amara broke his heart.

I didn't have the audacity to ask if he was okay when he obviously wasn't. Instead, I whispered, "For what it's worth, a lot of people have bad relationships. It's supposed to strengthen you along the road to finding the perfect someone, and along the road of maturing and become who you're supposed to be."

He raised an eyebrow. "That's very wise, Lemonaide."

I smacked his arm, and his lip tilted upwards ever so slightly. I sighed. "Fine, call me that if it makes you happier. A grumpy Asher sucks. I remember the first day I met you."

He grimaced slightly. "I guess I'm kinda guarded. She earned my trust. Finally. I thought she was different."

"Does she go to this school?" If she did, God would need to help her.

He shook his head. "She's homeschooled."

"You've been hurt before." It was a statement, not a question. He nodded, affirming what I already figured. Why else would someone be as guarded as he was when I first met him? He liked his group the way it was because he was familiar with it, knew that these people wouldn't hurt him. I was yet another threat. Well, until he trusted me. "Why did you trust me enough to help you with Amara?"

"Because you proved yourself a good person. Tala, even if we're not as close anymore, is someone I grew up with, someone I trust. And, you saved her from herself. You saved her from Drew that night. You saved your sister from Drew another night. Tala made us respect you because she did. Because you helped her respect herself. If all that doesn't scream 'good person', I'm not sure what does."

My head spun, and as much as I wanted to scream back all the bad about me, I felt honored; honored that I helped people and was seen in a positive light because of it. But I didn't do it because of that; I did it because I wanted to help people, even when I was falling apart myself. But, maybe I helped save myself in the process.

"You saved two people from toxic relationships, and now three. I saw what you did for Tala and your half-sister and thought I'd ask you to help me. Because, I kinda knew. I always kinda know."

Heavy silence hung between us for a few seconds. So much unsaid, but so much that didn't need to be.

"All of this from a girl who was tossed out by her own family." My eyes widened slightly. Of course, everyone knew by that point. It shouldn't have been a surprise. "Newcomers aren't that welcome here, especially ones that aren't from rich beginnings. But, I see a friend in you now, and I see something I can't quite figure out." He smiled slightly, but it soon turned into a grimace. "I'm sorry I was a jerk to you, but I can't help it."

I didn't blame him. He should've ran far away from me. I was a fraud, here to use him and the others like they feared- for popularity. To become someone important like I had always wanted. Yet, I knew that's not why I stayed with these people, why I defended Tala or helped beat up Drew. Even before I knew Tala, I helped her because my heart told me to. And at that moment, I realized everything had become all too real. Tala was my friend, so was Asher, and even J. Carl and Shell weren't part of the plan, but they were my friends, too. Vienna and Carson were my siblings, and I felt as close to them as I felt to Amelia.

"Ada?"

I glanced at Asher, into his eyes, and something broke inside me. The walls I had build, the personality I had tried to force myself to take on. I shook my head. That was for another time. I couldn't face that there, in that room. Instead, I smiled, turning back to the worksheet on my desk, which I had already completed in my barely legible writing.

"You've shared a part of yourself with me yet again. Thanks, for being- my friend." I took a deep breath, glancing around us. No one was listening. Lexus had J pretty- occupied. "A few years ago- I wasn't the same person. I partied because people only liked me when I was intoxicated. I dated guys who just used me, liked the 'party-girl' vibe, or maybe the cliché idea of blondes." I kept my voice low, and Asher stared at me with wide eyes.

"Maybe, I kinda knew how Tala felt. I mean, not on the more intimate level, but on the level of letting yourself be used by people. My sister was my true friend, really. I always did her makeup for dates and hoped she found true love, while I eventually pushed guys away. Why? After I got busted for underage drinking, they didn't want anything to do with me, anyways. One, I got caught. Two, I was trying to be as good as possible to make my parents less angry, so I couldn't date and wasn't very interesting as I focused on grades. Three, I ruined that party. I drunk-dialed my mom and it went to hell from there. She never liked me much anyways. I've known since I was seven, known about her affair with my birth father, known that the man I called 'dad' wasn't really that to me. But, he was the best father I could ask for and it crushed me when he found out, when he left." I finally glanced up from the floor, which I had just realized I had been staring at, with tears in my eyes. "And-" Should I tell him?

"When I came here, all I wanted was for people to like the sober me, to become popular and not shunned. My step mother told me a motto: Fake It 'Til You Make It. But, what happens when it's not longer fake, Asher?" My voice was barely above a whisper.

Instead of yelling at me, of calling me a fake, he shook his head. "No fake person in their right mind would do what you did. They wouldn't care enough to save people."

It was my turn to shake my head. "I broke your trust, didn't I? I didn't deserve you trust." My vision was now blurred as tears fell down my face. I swiped my hand across my back of my eyes, trying to not draw attention to myself. I hated crying in front of people. I hated looking weak.

"Everyone makes mistakes, and while I'm a little disappointed, I know that, in your heart, you're not fake. Your friendships aren't, your words aren't. We're all a little broken, and I choose to trust you because no matter how broken you are, you haven't let it turn you into a monster." He jerked his thumb in Lexus' direction. "She's fake. She's rude. But you? I let Amara break me because I thought I needed her. I pretended to be whatever people wanted for the longest time. You're not alone in wanting to pretend you're someone else, but you don't need to, as I finally realized. But, especially not you, because who you really are is pretty cool."

I smiled softly as the bell rang. Asher did his best to shield me from our peers as I kept my head down. "Will you be okay?" I sniffed as we exited the classroom. People, thankfully, parted for the populars. "I mean, Amara-"

He laughed softly, gripping my arm and stopping me from crashing into the lockers. "See? Even now you're worried about me rather than you. But, I saw it coming for a while. Of course I'm heartbroken, but I'll get over it. I'm just glad that relationship is over and that I learned the truth before it was too late, and before I broke to the point of no return. Actually, I probably would have broken up with her."

I headed into the girl's bathroom after whispering my thanks, telling him I'd met him at my locker. A few girls were at the mirrors fixing their makeup, but I payed them no mind. I hid in a stall and sniffed, wadding up some toilet paper and breaking it off so I could soak up my tears. Once the door shut and the bathroom was silent, I allowed myself to stand in front of the mirror. I wiped off any smeared mascara and stare at my puffy, dark eyes. Shaking my head at myself, I chucked the ball of toilet paper into the trash. I no longer cared how I looked or who saw. All eyes weren't always on me. It wasn't like most of the students accepted me, anyways. Not as a popular alongside Tala and Asher. Not as the unwanted daughter of some rich guy that resided in their town, that originally lived middle-class, not rich. Not like them.

I exited the bathroom and met Asher at my locker. He was holding my bag that I vaguely remembered thrusting at him.

"I already threw your Spanish notebook in there."

He held it out to me and I thanked him, slinging my bag over my shoulder. "How'd you know which one it was?"

"Ehh, I've watched you throw it in there enough to know."

I rolled my eyes, and as I turned, I noticed Lexus behind me.

"Um, can I help you?"

Looking back at Asher, I saw a fire in his eyes. A fire of rage, because he hated people like her, people like me. Only, somehow, I was different. Maybe, kindness and hatred really make a difference whether you're fake or not.

Cara appeared beside the girl, who was slightly taller than her.

Asher stood beside me with his arms folded like the good friend that he was.

"What's your deal?" Lexus asked me. "Why are you in our group?"

"Why are you?" Asher shot back for me.

"Tala is my friend. not yours. Actually, my best friend." Cara completely ignored Asher.

"And J is my boyfriend, and you're not going to be his friend. And, Asher," Lexus looked at my friend beside me, "is also our friend, and part of our group. Respect that. Your mother didn't want you and this town doesn't either."

I didn't cry. I didn't run. I laughed in Lexus' face. "If you think you faze me, you're wrong. Your words are just petty. I'll be friends with who I want and same for Tala and Asher."

"I'm definitely not friends with you-"

I cut Asher off before he could cuss them out. "Why can't we all be friends?"

"Because, you ruin everything," Cara spoke. "Everything was fine before you came along."

I scoffed, and so did Asher.

"It wasn't, and she'll help us make it right."

Um, I would? Yes, I would!

Lexus huffed, stomping her boot on the ground. "You made Asher break up with my best friend!"

I glanced at Asher, who looked like he wanted to incinerate her.

"Well, she cheated, she got what she deserved." I didn't miss a beat as anger rose inside me, and not just for my sake.

"Yeah, guess who introduced me to her," Asher said under his breath. "The wicked witches of Richbrooke."

I snorted, and Cara's glare seemed like it could kill.

"Stop defending her!"

"No," Asher huffed. "Ada is my friend, and you two are horrible people messing with my other friend. With this school. You bully people like they're inferior to you. They're not. Stop it."

"Make us," Lexus challenged.

I stepped forward. "Okay."

Asher placed a hand on my shoulder and pulled me back to his side. "In due time, although I don't prefer to hit ladies."

"So we'll be more creative," I added.

"Ada, we were looking for you!" Chris and his band of friends smiled at me from behind the girls, who huffed and walked away.

"Man, they're hot," Logan smirked, and I cringed.

"Ada, let's get to-"

"Spanish," Chris finished.

I looked between the two and sighed. Chris was still my friend. "I'll see you after class, Asher."

He smiled faintly and walked away.

"What happened?" Chris asked me as we walked, the warning bell ringing and, well, warning us that we had a minute to get to class.

"Cara and Lexus were being rude."

"Why?"Nathan asked sincerely.

"Because they don't like me."

"Why not?" Chris asked from my left, while Nathan asked the same on my right.

I shrug. "They're brats."

"I told you not to hang out with Tala's crowd. Asher included. Did you hear the news of his breakup?"

The way he said it struck a chord in me. "I'm the reason it happened."

The group of males flocking me stopped short.

"What? Amara-"

"She was a cheater, and Asher deserved better." I glanced Logan with my gaze. I was on my last nerve.

"Ada, just- you don't understand-"

"Richbrooke, right?" I snapped at Chris. "I think I do, and so many things aren't right. Asher is my friend and so is Tala. Nothing you say will change that!"

Chris held up his hands in surrender, and that's when I started realizing what he was trying to do. "You just want to steal me away my Tala! I thought you were my friend. But I guess I was wrong."

"Ada, no, I-I like you. Really."

"But, why? Why pull me away from my friends?"

"They're not your friends," he deadpanned.

"Yeah. Join us, Ada," Logan said.

Justin nodded his approval.

Nathan shook his head. "Stop. She can be friends with whoever she wants. Ada, it's just a popularity contest with Crisanto. He wants to keep his bad boy reputation and use you for that, for the popular girl everyone can see you're fighting to be."

He was right. These people just liked me for my popularity, not for the real me. My palm made contact with Chris's face and he held a hand to his cheek, eyes wide.

"You could've been so much more! Lexus and Cara hate you. Good luck. And, once everyone knows what you did to Amara- just know that a lot of people like her. When they know what you did to me, you'll be sorry."

I scoffed. "Learn how to make real, good friends because right now, Nathan is the only good one you have." I smiled stiffly at Nathan. "You deserve better friends. Thank you for standing up for what's right."

With that, I walked off, my head spinning to process all that had just occurred.

______

I have to post this in a rush. I'm going to Barnes and Noble to read some things I wrote at the writer's camp I attended this week and will also attend next week. That's why I didn't update this week, it was long and I was tired every day. Also, look at me, updating at a normal hour. Also, sorry for any Chrada shippers, this had to happen and was planned. Not exactly like this but characters surprise you. I don't know if it was all too much in one chapter- thoughts? Also, I don't have time to edit so point out any mistakes! 12.3k? THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALL THE SUPPORT OH MY GOSH! Welp, I got to go so leave lots of comment for me to come back to!

-Sarah