Chapter 15: Labels

As soon as my mother was out of sight, I pulled off the oversized T-shirt. I honestly thought this top would be longer than it was. I was regretting wearing it; it could be considered a version of a bra. I considered putting the T-shirt back on, but decided against it. I didn't want Caspian to think I was a dork.

I made my way towards my locker. Feeling exposed, I held my backpack against my stomach.

Caspian waited for me outside my locker. He wore his Stinger hoodie and black jeans. His hands were placed in his pocket, but he removed them when he saw me coming.

"Hey," he smirked, reaching for me.

"Hey, yourself," I replied.

Caspian's eyes widened as he took in my appearance. I wrapped my hands around my waist, squirming in discomfort. Caspian put his hands on my hips and drew me closer. His fingers stroked my bare midriff, giving me goose bumps.

"Would you be embarrassed if I kissed you in school?" Caspian whispered in my ear.

I shook my head and wrapped my arms around his neck. He bent down, but before he could kiss me a shriek sounded from down the passage. A shrill sound that made my eardrums shake.

Amber Arnold walked, well stomped, towards us. "How dare you?" she fumed. She wore a baby pink tank top, that hung way too low off her chest; and her purple hair was coiled on top of her head in two buns. She had a pointed chin that made her look like a pixie; and that also made me jealous.

"Back off, Amber." Caspian held me close to him.

"Stingers date Stingers," she said as she pursed her lips. "That's the way things work."

I looked at Caspian. His face was distorted with anger.

"Is there a Stinger rule book?" Caspian barked.

Amber didn't reply. She twisted a lock of her hair around her ring finger.

"That's what I thought."

"She's beneath you."

"You're beneath everyone is this school," Caspian hissed.

Amber opened her mouth to say something, but wisely shut it. She walked away making a point to click her heels loudly on the floor. I don't know if it was the sound of her heels or her rounded butt that made people stare as she left.

"I should get to class," I stated as I untangled myself from Caspian.

Caspian kissed my cheek.

Usually I was able to concentrate during Algebra, but today my mind swirled with questions. Why had Asher killed Principal Hugh?

Were Caspian and I dating?

Was it possible to hack Asher's phone?

Why was Chrissie squeaking her pencil? I glared at Chrissie annoyed at her for calling my mom and for the ear-rattling sound her pencil was making.

She slipped a small piece of paper towards me. 'Where were you yesterday?'

I wanted to tell her it was none of her business, but I also didn't want to lose my best friend. 'With Caspian,' I wrote back.

She pressed her fountain pen on the back of my hand and drew a heart with a letter 'C' in the middle. I giggled despite myself; I couldn't stay mad at Chrissie.

Later that day Chrissie and I walked into the field to our favourite bench.

"I'm sorry for ringing your mom," Chrissie apologised. "I was just so worried about you."

"Don't sweat it." I sat down and reached into my bag for my peanut-butter and jelly sandwich.

"So, how did this thing between you and the super-hot heartbreaker happen?" Chrissie questioned, in between mouths of food.

I shrugged.

"Some people are made for each other." Chrissie stated, playfully shoving me.

I blushed.

"Can I sit with you?" a male voice asked.

Without waiting for a reply, Caspian sat down by the grass at my feet.

"Of course you can," Chrissie said, after she stopped chewing. She smoothed out a non-existent wrinkle in her cotton dress.

Caspian leaned his back against my legs and I absentmindedly played with his hair.

"And your friends won't mind?" I enquired, worried for his sake. The Stingers were known for blowing things out of proportion.

"No," Caspian replied, taking a swig from his cherry soda before offering it to me.

"Maybe you should sit with them, before Amber claws my face off," I suggested. Amber's long perfectly manicured nails were not only fashionable, but deadly as well.

"I'll protect you from Amber and the rest of the Stingers." Caspian planted a kiss on my palm. "I'll protect you from everyone, the rich and the poor."

"You know what I really hate?" Asher asked me.

I shook my head.

"Labels," he replied.

"Labels?" I repeated.

"Rich and poor," Asher clarified, running his fingers through his long hair. "The world should be fair. There shouldn't be rich or poor."

"There's nothing we can do about it," I told him. "That's just the way things are."

"Robin Hood had the right idea, take from the rich and give to the poor to even out the spectrum. The rich become a little poorer and the poor get a little richer. But in this day and age it is almost impossible to take from the rich. So all the very poor would have to die and so would the very rich, to make things even. Then there would only be the middle class. There would be less people, so the resources wouldn't run out. Everyone would be happy."

"That's it," I exclaimed. "Labels."

"What?" Chrissie asked.

"Nothing," I assured her. I shouldn't have spoken out loud. Asher killed Principal Hugh because he was very poor. He had wanted the world to be rid of labels and that was his start. Everything made sense now, but that still didn't justify Asher's actions. Had he killed other people? And if so, rich or poor? How many? How did he execute his plans?

Please don't forget to vote and comment.