Lennox conversed with Faith in one day more than she'd conversed with the entire school in a year. They had nearly every class together, and Lennox had to be the one to help the mute girl. Some teachers who knew she knew sign language forced her to help Faith. At the end of the day, the red-head found herself immensely annoyed. She all but slammed her locker shut, anger practically radiating off her in waves.

She walked towards her car, checking her phone for messages. She smiled slightly as she read a message from Nora. It stated that Nora had grabbed a ride home from her new boyfriend. Lennox slipped her phone into her pocket, frowning as she passed a particular group of girls. Her stomach twisted as she realized she knew those girls. They used to be her 'friends', and she loathed them with every part of her being.

They were crowded around Faith. All four of them, boyfriends in tow. They towered over the short mute,  who was signing some rude things their way. Lennox smirked, then focused her attention on the leader off the group. She'd always hated the raven haired girl, even when she wasn't so cynical. Isla had always hated her back, but popular girls were always fake. Now, as Isla's on and off boyfriend of a few years stepped up to Faith, Lennox moved forward. She didn't like Faith, she told herself. She just hated Isla with a passion.

Lennox stood in front of Faith and held up a hand.

Isla rolled her eyes. "Don't act like you care about anyone but yourself, Lennox."

Lennox smirked, then took a step forward. Isla's boyfriend moved towards her, but he didn't scare her. He was barely taller than Lennox, and she knew that his tough boy façade was all for show. She grabbed a fist full of his shirt and shoved him away. He lost his balance and fell to the floor. Isla's eyes narrowed as Lennox walked up to her. Lennox easily towered over her, and she took Isla's designer shirt in her fist.

"You just bully people to feel better about yourself. Now, leave her alone, or else."

Isla had gone pale, and they'd gained an audience.

"Who are you to threaten me?"

Lennox turned as she felt a tap on her shoulder.

Translate this, Faith smirked.

Lennox nodded, amused, as Faith turned to Isla and rapidly sighed. The red-head let go of Isla's shirt and laughed.

Isla fumed. "What did she just say to me?"

Lennox smirked. "She said to go eff yourself and to leave her alone."

Isla tried to slap Faith, but Lennox punched her in the face.

"Lennox!" The principal roared.

Lennox rolled her eyes and turned to the man who just yelled her name. "Keep your daughter in check, or I'll do it for you."

The middle-age man fumed. "My office! Now!"

Faith shook her head. She signed to Lennox, Tell him it's not your fault. Tell him what a bully Isla is, and what she was doing to me!

Lennox shook her head. "People only hear what they want to hear. Nothing I say will change that."

Faith fumed. She pointed to Isla with anger written across her face. 'Bully' she mouthed.

"I won't allow my daughter to be bullied!" The principle hissed, his green eyes spitting fire.

Lennox waved a hand at him, grabbed Faith's arm, and exited the building. No one tried to stop her. They knew better than that. The principle was left to fume as Isla played the innocent game. She always did that, and Lennox hated it. She hated everyone at that school. Then, she halted in her steps and let go of Faith's arm. The mute smiled up at her, and Lennox realized that maybe she didn't hate everyone.

Thank you, Faith signed. You didn't have to do that.

Lennox shrugged, glancing toward her car. "I did, because no one deserves that treatment. Isla is a bully, and someone had to put her in her place. No one wants to lose their reputation, but I don't have one to lose. I don't have anything to lose, really."

Faith smiled. Lennox.

The girl nodded. "Yeah, that's my name."

I like it.

"Ehh, it's okay," Lennox laughed. She hadn't laughed to someone else in a while. "I'm surprise you didn't hate me for being so rude."

Faith grimaced. I know it's a defense mechanism. I know what it's like to be hurt, Lennox. But hurt people need to stand together. I don't have anything to lose either, and I'd love to have a friend at this school.

Lennox sighed, weighing her options. Then, she shook her head. "I don't do friends." Faith's face fell. "But, I'll help you out in class if you need me to. Just because I like the way you signed to Isla."

Faith smiled at this. Acquaintances?

Lennox fished her keys out of her bag. "Not quite, but I'll sit with you in class, okay?" She didn't want to admit it, but pushing people away kind of made her lonely.

Faith's smile grew as she nodded. Then, she waved, walking in the opposite direction. Lennox let out a breath before unlocking her car, walking to it, and hopping in it. She couldn't help but smile at herself. Sure, she'd sworn off people. Sure, she wouldn't call Faith a friend, let alone let her get close. However, it was nice to have someone on her side for once.

🤘

When Lennox arrived home, no one was there. Her mother was working at the elementary school as a teacher, and her dad was busy with his jewelry line. No, it didn't generate enough income to make them rich, but it did give them a nicer house than most. Lennox didn't really care. All her dad's business made her think about was the way Isla used her for free jewelry, and the way her dad made her model for him until he could hire someone else. It made her think about the way other people thought about her, and she hated it.

Lennox went straight up to her room, shutting the door and opening up her laptop. She liked her laptop, because it was there she was finally free. She liked to write stories. No, she could never find the patience to write a novel. She liked to write short stories about whatever came to her head.

She leaned back against her headboard, making herself comfortable as her laptop booted up. It didn't take long since her dad had gifted her the latest thousand dollar laptop. She didn't mind it, but only because it worked well. She stretched her fingers, then opened a document. Lennox decided to work on a story she started yesterday about a werewolf and an apple. Her brain was weird, but she embraced it.

Her room was pretty big, and she enjoyed the space. She enjoyed her huge window overlooking a neighborhood park, and the soft purple carpet that cradled her feet. In fact, she had to admit that she liked her walk in closet and her clothes, her desk, and makeup collection. She had started wearing it again, but only for herself. Other people wouldn't dictate her life any longer.

She wrote for a while, constantly sweeping her short hair behind her ears. However, her brain couldn't stop wandering back to the school day, to Faith. Many times, she'd questioned her choice to shun people, but she'd never had a reason to want a friend.

After a while, she closed her laptop with a sigh. Lennox didn't feel like thinking anymore. She felt like eating. Yes, she was rather skinny, but it was only her metabolism. Once upon a time she cared what she ate. She even went as far as to count calories. But, her baby fat melted off, and she realized that people's opinion shouldn't matter. Besides, she had a naturally fast metabolism. She ate what she wanted, and, especially now, didn't care what other people thought.

Lennox rummaged through open the fridge and grabbed the first thing she spotted: a container of sushi from the grocery store. Grinning, she ripped off the lid and sat herself at the kitchen island. Using her hands, she stuffed her face with the sushi.

Soon, the front door opened. She heard the giggles of Nora and her current boyfriend. Lennox simply rolled her eyes, threw away her empty sushi container, and stormed into the living room. She cleared her throat and Nora broke away from the boy.

"Go do that at his house."

Nora rolled her eyes, which were the same as her sister's. However, that's where the similarities ended. Nora had long blonde hair and a smaller nose, along with a scattering of freckles. Guys found both of them attractive, but only one of them cared about that.

"I live here, too. I can do what I want!" Nora huffed.

Lennox rolled her eyes. She was still annoyed about that morning, and every morning. "If you don't take your lust somewhere else, I'm calling mom."

Nora huffed. "You don't always do this. Just let us be his time!"

Lennox's gaze hardened. "You never let me be, so get out."

Surprisingly, her sister obeyed, taking her shocked boyfriend with her. After the door slammed shut,
Lennox rolled her eyes and walked away. Back to writing, then finally homework, then to sleep. She and a feeling the next day would drain her.

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Thank you guys for the support on this already, and to Authoritative  for the cover and title! I love both! I like this story, so I think I'll be writing it. I already have some plans, so yay. However, I start school and driver's ed tomorrow, so I'll be a bit busy. However, I'll try to write when I can! Feel free to point out any mistakes and comment your thoughts!

-Sarah