Auroras Academy

Chapter 2

Max Grefford has been tormenting me from day one. Which was kindergarten if you were wondering. Everyday my hair was pulled, I was shoved in puddles, my shoes tied together, cut in line, made fun at recess, and picked last in PE.

All. Because. Of. Him.

Everyday I would come home covered in bruises and I would lie to my parents and teachers.

Until middle school when it was taken to another level. I was behind in developing from my other peers and being a flat chested scraggly four eyed girl I got every nickname in the book. However, words I can handle, it was when Max was graduating middle school that set me over the edge. Afterwards, I was homeschooled for three years. Until my Aunt convinced me to go to private school a month ago. It was naive to hope I had escaped him.

The blood drained from my face as we locked eyes across the narrow hallway of the office. He stared blankly back at me, until the recognition kicked in. I wanted to crawl back to my bedroom and curl up in a nice safe ball where Max Grefford didn’t exist.

“Tit-less?” Max called out. I flinched at the distant but familiar nickname. Something I was hoping to never hear again. But look how far hope gets you. “Ha, that is you! Do you have a tampon in your nose?” He burst out laughing before raising his phone and a quick flash blinded me.

The flash jumped me out of my stunned state. Quickly, I yanked the tampon from my nose. No, I was not letting him ruin my one chance at a normal life. I had to stop his harassment and show him I’m not the same timid girl he knew in middle school. But it sure felt like I was the same timid girl. Before I could let the panic set it I raced up to the window lunging for the phone. Max was quicker and longer, easily keeping the phone from my reach.

“Delete that photo right now!” I said through gritted teeth. My blush turned a deep crimson out of anger. I felt like a tea kettle puffing steam as I leaped against the window counter.

“Wow, certainly not tit-less anymore.” Max shamelessly gaped at my boobs. I gasped astonished at his blatant form of s****l harassment. Suddenly, I felt the urgent need to block myself with my hands even with a bra, tank top, white button-up, and jacket as a four layered shield.

“Mr. Grefford! You will stop talking about Mrs.Carol in such a way and delete that photo immediately.” A large male authoritative voice boomed around us.

“In what way? I was just giving her sizable assets a complement. And besides I was just taking a selfie.” Max shrugged, his guilty smirk spreading across his face. That smirk made it impossible to tell if he was getting ready to fold or lay down his game winning hand.

“This school has a no phone policy. Or do I need to remind you are already on thin ice. Do you really want to start the new school year with in-school suspension?” The large man gestured to the sign with a crossed out flip phone. The smile fell off Max's face as he and who I assume is the principal glared daggers at each other. A beat passed before Max opened his mouth.

“Okay. I’ll delete the photo. And I’ll try not to make Mrs.Carol’s assets a distraction.” Max’s smirk came back as my blush spread down my cheeks leaving me in a dreadful mixture of embarrassment and astonishment. Instead of fighting the principal he clicked into his phone, deleting the photo. Then held the screen up, showing his empty camera roll.

“And I’ll be confiscating that phone Max.” The principal sniffed, sending Max a piercing glare.

“What phone?” Max bluffed, holding up empty hands. I didn’t even see him move. In fact, I could have sworn his phone was just in his hand. He took off down the hall as the principal nostrils flared in fury.

“Max Grefford! You come back here.” The principal sighed, going back to his office, grumbling under his breath; “these damn kids…”

Now the tears were back and they were even harder to combat as I realized that my principal and Max just had an entire conversation about my boobs. Even worse, right in front of the crazy hot boy who was quietly writing a tardy slip during the entire exchange.

This can’t be real. This has to be some horrible show up to school naked type dream. Right? There is no way he’s here. I pinched the inside of my arm as if having a locker slammed into my nose wasn’t enough. Nope this is very real. Oh so very real…

“Are you okay?” The boy touched my arm and I quickly pulled away, tucking my hands in my pockets.

“Oh yeah. Ha I’m used to Max by now.” I nervously laugh. Watching my dreams of dating him go down the drain.

“Max is a dick.” The boy scowled down the hall where Max disappeared down and I chuckled, wholeheartedly agreeing with his statement. For a moment his eyes darken before shaking his head. I couldn’t help feeling there was something more behind the venom in his eyes. “What he said was wrong.”

“I know... I’ll probably never see him again so it’s okay. Large school and all.” That’s a lie. I know he’ll seek me out, but it doesn’t matter, there is nothing I can do to stop it. And I definitely don’t want this boy to know about the relentless bullying I had to endure like I was some damsel that needed rescuing. I take a step back towards the office entrance. And my escape.

“Hey, are you okay?” Lauren asks, grabbing my shoulder. I fight the urge to shrug her off. She’s just trying to be nice, I repeat in my head to soothe the burning ache to run. Though I could sense the underlying pity seeping through her words. I’ve had enough pity to last a lifetime. Hell, I'm an orphan! I’m well acquainted with the corresponding states and guilty looks when people hear about my past. Like it was somehow their fault my parents didn't want me. It’s best not to talk about it.

“Of course, I’m fine.” I reassuringly grinned. Laurens eyes narrowed as she saw through my overzealous grin. To my surprise she let it drop. And for a second I wonder maybe she knows what it feels like to hide your past from people.

“Okay, let me walk you to class at least. I did hit you with a locker.” She joked, trying to lighten the mood. I forced myself to laugh touching my nose, the pain had lessened to a dull throb.

“Yeah, how can I forget.” She giggles, opening the office door for me. We are halfway down the hall when the boy calls out to us.

“Hey, I never got your name?” He flashed a wide straight-toothed smile. Urging me to become a dentist just so I can stare at his white teeth all day.

“W-what?” I ask, the question completely going over my head.

“Your name?” he repeats as I blush furiously.

“Just Lynn.” Another lie. Only my Aunt has ever called me Lynn. But it's so much better than some British last name for a name. The boy smiles, reaching out his hand. I hesitantly take it.

“Clarke.” He replies as I gasp his hand. I swear I feel tingles shooting up my arm. I lock eyes with his dark blue ones, sending my heartbeat through the roof. A slight smile plays at his lips.

“Hey,” Lauren breaks our eye contact with a hand waving between us. She shoots an accusatory glare at Clarke. “Stay away from my friends.”

“Friends? You hit her with a locker.” Clarke crosses his arms over his chest in defiance.

“An-nd” Lauren slings an arm over my shoulder. “She is going to let me walk her to her class to make it up to her. Isn’t that right Lynn?”

“Umm, yes?” I nervously smile up at her. She's so much taller than me my head barely reaches past her shoulder. Similarly, Clarke towers over me reaching at least 6 ‘3. A silent battle went on over my head as they glared back and forth at each other, ending with Clarke rolling his eyes and stomping back to his boring office job.

“Is your nose feeling better?” Lauren whips us around blocking my view of Clarke, a triumphant glow emanating from her.

“Kinda,” I carefully checked the bridge of my nose for bumps in it, wincing when I reached the slight swoop of it. Thankfully, I don’t, just some tenderness along the right side of the nostril.

“Great! What’s your first period?” She asked as she shooed me down the hall. I sneak a glance back to see Clarke staring at us with a mixture of concern and disappointment wearing over his features. He conclease his look and gives a slight wave. I wave back and with one last shove Lauren gets me around the corner and out of view.

Lauren begins guiding me to my first class; Honors US History in the east wing. I tried to memorize how to get there but I’m quickly lost and end up just focusing on keeping up with Lauren’s quick pace. Midway there the questioning begins.

“So new here? What grade are you in?”

“I’m a Fresh-“

She abruptly stops, spinning around to face me. I narrowly miss slamming into her chest. She pins me with a sympathetic stare, her hands coming to rest on her hips. Which I’m beginning to recognize as a common, nonetheless imitating, pose for her.

“Stay away from Clarke Davis.” She states plainly, no fluff softening the blow. My mouth gapes open and close like a fish. Was I that obvious? God, what did he think when he noticed! “He’s already taken. And this school will eat up every ounce of gossip if you try to get with him.”

“Oh… you two are dating.” I say trying to not let the disappointment seep into my voice. A slight blush raises on my cheeks at not realizing sooner. She bursts out laughing.

“No. Absolutely not. He is my uh… academic rival.” she winks, looking up to the ceiling, deep in thought. “Since, well forever. And as such I know his every weakness.” An evil grin spreads across her lips and I stifle the urge to mutter ‘creepy’. “One is pretty, naive, freshman who don’t know about his evil ex.” She lists off each characteristic on a finger then pointedly stares at me, as if I didn’t get what she was insinuating.

“You’re serious?” I quirk a mocking brow.

What a cliché.

“I’m just saving you for a whole lot of pain. Especially now that we’re friends.” Her tone turns joyful, returning to walking and I struggle to keep up. She takes the stairs two steps at a time and I practically have to sprint to stay remotely close to her. She turns a corner haunting in front of a blue door.

“And here we are! Mrs. Lowfield’s U.S. History. Beware the first row we call it the s***h zone for a reason.” She states as if she’s a gameshow model showing off the grand prize.

“Ha, okay. Thanks for showing me here I wouldn’t have found it without you.” I give her a brief smile.

“No problem. Meet here at lunch? I’ll show you to the cafeteria too.” She turns away before I can reply. From anyone else it would have felt rude, instead it felt like a direct order and there was no need for a reply. I choose to ignore her odd behavior and push the blue door open.