A Not-So Cinderella

Chapter 4

THE twins turned their glares to her, but Jace only said, “Come on.” Avery left them at their class with their books, and then ran to her own, barely making it before the teacher came in. She looked up in surprise as a girl approached her.

She was shorter than Avery, with curly brown hair, and was obviously frightened. She kept glancing to the back, where a large group of girls was watching her. “Uh, a-are you the girl in the video th-the Clark brothers sent?” She stammered fearfully.

Avery sighed. The Clark brothers. Her cousins, Jayden, Jace and Jamie Clark. “Yes.” She muttered, sitting down in the second row. “O-oh.” The girl stammered, scurrying to the back, saying something to the group of girls, who burst out laughing.

Avery sighed again as the teacher came in finally, beginning his lesson.

The rest of the day until lunch was pretty much the same. The news of her being the girl in the video had spread like wildfire, so she was openly mocked and laughed at wherever she went. Plus, she had to run around all day, being at her cousins’ class right after the bell to take their books, leave them at their next class, and run to her own.

Finally the bell for lunch rang, and the boys and girls leaped up, chattering excitedly. Avery, however, ran to the twins’ class. She waited at the door, a few people sending her quizzical looks as they walked out.

The twins were they last people to come out, and they dumped their books on her without looking, turning around to talk to someone behind them. Okay, not the last people out. “Lucas, just give it a chance.”

Lucas looked highly irritated. When shoving ahead of them, his eyes fell on Avery’s light brown ones. His expression shifted as his eyes narrowed in…confusion? Was that it? But he turned ahead and stormed off.

“Put these books in our locker and join us at lunch.” Jayden snarled as they walked off, too. Avery sighed and walked briskly to their lockers, dumping the books inside and finally running to lunch.

She entered the crowded cafeteria quietly and stood in a corner, looking for her cousins. She finally spotted them, sitting near the middle. She went there, finally sitting in front of her cousins. Her eyes flicked past them to the table next to them, where Lucas and four other boys were talking.

“Avery!” She snapped to attention, looking at Jace. “Pay attention when we’re talking.” Jace grumbled.

“What?” She asked.

“Go get us food.” Jayden said.

Avery raised an eyebrow but didn’t push it. “Fine. What do you want?”

“We all want a burger. Hurry up.” Jace ordered.

“Getting it.” Avery grumbled as she walked to the lunch ladies. “Can I have two plates with burgers?” She asked. The lunch lady nodded and gave them to her.

“Thank you, Ms…” Avery waited for her to fill in the blank while taking the trays.

“Willows.” She said, a flash of surprise passing through her eyes.

Avery smiled. “Thank you, Ms. Willows.” She took the two trays and walked back to the table. “I’ll get the last one.”

“Oh, no, Ave.” Jace said before she had the chance to go.

Avery sighed with irritation. She was getting hungry. “What?” She snapped.

“Watch your tone.” Jayden shot back.

Avery took a deep breath. “What?” She asked in a more controlled manner.

“You have to get all three plates at the same time.” Jayden ordered.

Jamie’s head whipped to the side as he stared at them incredulously. “How is she supposed to do that?”

Jace shrugged. “Don’t know and don’t care. Just do it. Oh, and take these plates back too. You have to bring all three at once.”

Avery gave them a horrible glare, which they returned.

“Do it or tomorrow will be worse than what we did to you today morning.” Jayden warned. Avery huffed and picked up the two plates, walking back.

“Hi, Ms. Willows, can I have one more plate?” She asked.

The lady nodded. “Sure, honey.” Ms. Willows gave her another.

Avery looked at the three plates and sighed. How was she supposed to carry them?

She tried putting one on top of the other, but that was no use. They merely slipped off. And that probably wouldn’t go down well with the twins. She gave a low grumble, finally putting one of the plates on top of her head and holding the other two.

She began walking, slowly and carefully, trying not to let them fall. Jayden caught sight of her, and he grinned, saying something to his brothers.

Jace stood up suddenly. “Hey, everyone, look at the circus freak!” He yelled, catching everyone’s attention as he pointed at Avery.

Everyone looked at her and began laughing. Heat rushed over Avery’s skin. So this was their plan. She pressed her lips together. She wasn’t going to give them the satisfaction of seeing her embarrassed.

She kept her eyes trained on them in a glare as she carefully stepped to the table, tuning out all the laughter. She set the plates down in front of them. They were looking quite displeased at her not showing more emotion. Jamie looked distraught.

“Enjoy, Your Highnesses.” She spat, before turning around to get her own food.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Jayden asked.

“To get my food.” She said, turning around.

Jace snorted. “You aren’t getting it, cousin dearie.”

Avery’s stomach dropped. “What do you mean?”

“You’re not getting lunch, as a result of your behavior.” Jayden said, matter-of-factly.

“What?” Jamie said, the word bursting out of his mouth. “No.”

Avery looked around. Everyone was still watching them. She took in a breath, keeping her voice low as she asked, “What behavior?”

“Oh, that glare, that little ‘Highnesses’ comment...” Jace said.

“But—”

Jayden cut her off. “If you keep arguing, you are going to regret it.” He warned, his voice dangerously low.

“No,” Jamie said again, his eyes wide. “You can’t do that.”

Jayden gave him a cruel look. “We can do anything we want.”

Avery gave Jamie a quelling look. “Fine.” She huffed, and sat down, dropping her head onto the table.

“Oh no, eyes up here, Ave dear.” Jace said. She groaned and looked up.

“Keep watching.” Jayden said as he took a bite of the burger in slow-motion. Avery ignored the pinching in her stomach and met his eyes evenly.

She smiled internally as he dropped his eyes, evidently disturbed. While the boys were eating, she looked around. Everybody had gone back to their own food now, luckily. Except Jamie, who seemed to be not eating as well, in some sort of silent protest. She turned her head to the side, her eyes falling on Lucas’s table. 

He was watching her, him and his g**g. As soon as her eyes connected with Lucas’s, they all looked away and started talking about soccer. Avery watched them with narrowed eyes. They had been talking about her. She was sure of it.