The Scholarship Girl

CHAPTER5

Raising my head up, to look up at my audience, my eyes locked with a set of seductive blue ones; eyes sharp, intense, challenging.

Fucking hell.

My stomach lurched. Anger, humiliation, and the memory of the math lab came rushing back.

I quickly averted my gaze and they landed on Belle's. She gave me a sign to go on.

Clearing my throat, I said: "I... I'm Elora Brown. I'm a scholarship student. I... hope to learn alongside all of you."

The words felt hollow in my ears. I glanced at Belle; her disappointment was subtle but noticeable.

She had hoped for a more confident introduction. But that sounds more like a 'Belle Problem'. I had been lost, distracted, and overwhelmed.

I stepped down, heart pounding. The hall remained a blur of eyes and faces, whispers and movements, and the sharp pulse of tension in the air. Every step back to my seat felt stretched in time.

"Girl... what was that?" Belle asked, her voice exasperated.

"Belle... not now, please," I muttered, still disoriented.

I could barely make out what Mr. Greg was saying. I believe at some point the principal came up the podium to say something which I don't think I heard.

He probably wasn't audible enough.

Or maybe I was just lost in thought. Again.

My mind swirled: the hall, Mr. Greg, The rude blue eyed boy, Joseph's calm confidence, the weight of hundreds of students' eyes, the lingering shame of my words. I was still lost, drifting in thoughts.

And I had a feeling this first day had only begun testing me, my patience, my courage, and maybe even my sanity.

I felt Belle tap me and I realized assembly is over and everyone was scurrying to their classes.

"Girl, what was that?"

I ignored her.

“What the f**k was that? You embarrassed me!”

She continued to rant the moment we stepped out of the hall, and I knew for a fact that Belle was trouble.

She doesn't even wait until we're fully out of the hall. The words are already flying before the door swings shut behind us, loud enough that a few people turn to look.

I keep walking, eyes forward, jaw tight, like I'm not the reason a girl is having a full breakdown in the middle of a hallway.

“I embarrassed you?” I turned to look at her. “Didn’t know you were me. I thought I embarrassed myself only,” I shot back sarcastically.

Great.

Belle’s attitude is beginning to rub off on me.

That was quick.

“Now’s not the time to be witty, lost puppy.” Belle rolled her eyes. I was starting to notice, it’s something she does often. Very often.

“You’re not trying to turn that into a nickname, are you?” I could feel my irritation rising.

“Well, not until you stop acting lost and start acting like you belong here.”

I feel the words land somewhere soft. I don't let it show.

“What? Am I that obvious?”

She looks at me. Really looks at me, head to toe, one slow sweep and says, "Girl, yes," like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

“Well… thanks.” I continued walking forward, like her words didn't hit a nerve.

“For speaking the truth? My pleasure.” She rolled her eyes again. Yep. Definitely a habit.

We start walking again. Around us, the hallway buzzes, lockers slamming, heels clicking on polished tile and all. A group of girls in matching scrunchies glance at me as I pass. I look straight ahead.

That was one hell of an introduction, scholarship girl.” I heard a male voice behind me.

Warm, unhurried, with just enough amusement in it that I already know who it is before I turn around.

Josh.

I turned to see him jogging slightly to catch up with us.

“Well, thanks for calling me to order, scholarship boy.”

We both couldn’t help but laugh, and I felt something loosen in my chest. My guard.

“How rude of you to walk into a conversation uninvited, and most definitely without permission.” Belle’s voice cut in, sharp and cold.

I turn to find her stopped in the middle of the hallway, arms folded, looking at Josh like he's personally come to ruin her day. The irritation on her face was impossible to miss.

“Oh! My apologies, ladies,” Josh said with a smile, winking at Belle.

I liked his confidence.

The apology hangs in the air for half a second. Josh starts to turn, already stepping back, retreating gracefully, and then Belle opens her mouth.

“Get out of my face, you, mannerless countryside animal. Y’all are never beating the allegations.”

Josh pauses. There was a change in his countenance and just like speed lightning, it's gone.

Turning back slowly, with a smile on his face, that same easy, unbothered smile, and somehow that seems to make it worse, he replied,

“That’s not a very nice thing to say. Well, as you can see, I'm on my way out of your hair.” He raised both hands in a mock surrender. Then he looked Belle in the eye and said “See you around, Bella.”

With a wink, he was gone, swallowed into the crowd.

The silence he leaves behind lasts approximately one second.

“It’s Belle, not Bella, you illiterate!” she yelled, stomping her foot in annoyance.

She said it loud enough for nearby students to turn and stare.

The hallway stutters — conversations pause, heads turn, someone lets out a low oooh from somewhere behind me.

Josh doesn't turn back. But I had a feeling, a very strong feeling, he was smiling.

He’s always smiling.

The foot traffic slowly picks back up around us. I wait a beat before I speak.

“That was unnecessary and rude, you know?”

“Well, who the f**k does he think he is? Interrupting women's conversation uninvited is rude. He started it." She falls back into step beside me, her heels striking the floor with more force than necessary.

“Girl, chill. He just wanted to say hi.”

“I don’t give a f**k. I dislike him already.”

“Aww” I press my lips together to keep from smiling. “Sad thing is, I like him. He has to be my best friend. Just so I can see you all riled up over a ‘hi'.”

I laughed, so hard.

“I’m not riled up. He’s not worth it. Stop laughing!” She rolled her eyes again.

At this point, I was convinced Belle could roll her eyes sixty times in a minute.

“You do realize you’re overreacting, yeah? It’s not that deep. Let it go already.”

“How are you not pissed? His attitude was unacceptable.”

“I agree, but he’s a cool guy.”

“You’re starting to talk too much. You could barely speak five minutes ago.”

I smiled.

“Well, guess what? Two minutes ago, someone told me to act like I belong. So here I am!”

She rolled her eyes and started toward the class. I laughed and hurried after her.

“So, according to the timetable, we have Math first. Ugh, I hate Math,” Belle said as we walked down the hallway.

“Girl, what?” I sounded genuinely surprised.

“Tell me you hate Math too, Elora.”

“Well… sorry to burst your bubble, Bella.”

“Don’t do that.” I could practically feel her eyes roll.

I smirked.