Chapter 13 - Unwanted Attention
1219 Words
The weekend came, and Lena tried to bury herself in homework, headphones, and the safety of her room. But silence didn’t erase the sting of Jessica’s words echoing in her head, or the way the cheerleaders’ laughter seemed to follow her even when she was alone.
She thought about telling Nate she almost did, once, when he knocked on her door to ask if she wanted takeout. But the look in his eyes was tired, like he’d had his own battles that day, and she didn’t want to add hers to the pile.
Instead, she smiled, said she was fine, and let him leave with his usual half-grunt of acknowledgment.
By Monday morning, the pit in her stomach had returned. She walked into school with her shoulders squared, like armor, determined not to let anyone see how much the whispers were getting to her.
It didn’t take long for the first strike.
When she opened her locker, a folded piece of paper fluttered out. She bent to pick it up, and her throat tightened as she read the words scrawled in thick black marker:
“Go back where you came from.”
Her fingers trembled as she crushed the paper into a ball. She didn’t need to guess who had left it.
“Everything okay?”
The voice startled her. She looked up to see Riley Carter leaning casually against the locker beside hers, arms crossed, blue eyes glinting with something that looked far too interesting.
“Yeah,” Lena said quickly, shoving the note deep into her backpack.
“You sure?” Riley tilted his head, studying her. “You look… tense.”
“I’m fine.”
He smiled, slow and practiced. “You know, you don’t have to keep pretending. People here can be… rough.”
Her jaw tightened. “Thanks for the observation.”
He chuckled softly, as if amused by her defensiveness. “I’m just saying if you need someone in your corner, I’ve got your back. I’ve got to pull around here too, you know.”
She gave him a tight smile, not answering. Something about his tone felt less like an offer and more like a transaction.
“Think about it,” he said, pushing off the locker. As he walked away, his gaze lingered on her longer than it should have.
Lena exhaled slowly, pressing her forehead to the cool metal of her locker. Between Jessica’s games and Riley’s too-slick attention, school was starting to feel like a minefield.
The rest of the day blurred by in fragments teachers’ voices that didn’t stick, notes half-scribbled, and the constant weight of eyes on her back.
By the time the final bell rang, she just wanted to disappear.
But life had other plans.
As she crossed the parking lot, she heard her name.
“Lena!”
She turned. Nate was leaning against his truck, sweaty from practice, water bottle in hand.
“Get in. I’ll give you a ride.”
“I can walk,” she said automatically.
His brows lifted. “In this heat? Don’t be stubborn.”
Reluctantly, she slid into the passenger seat. The cab smelled faintly of leather and his cologne, sharp and grounding.
They drove in silence for a while, the radio humming low. Nate glanced at her once, then twice, before finally speaking.
“You’ve been quiet.”
“I’m always quiet.”
“Quieter than usual.”
She looked out the window. “Just tired.”
“Bullshit,” he muttered.
Her head snapped toward him. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me.” His grip tightened on the steering wheel. “You think I don’t notice when something’s wrong? You’ve been jumpy all week.”
She bit her lip, weighing her words. “It’s nothing I can’t handle.”
“Jessica?” he pressed.
Her silence was answer enough.
Nate exhaled through his nose, sharp and annoyed. “I told her to back off.”
“Yeah, well, maybe she didn’t get the memo.”
His jaw clenched. “I’ll make her get it.”
“No!” Lena said quickly, turning in her seat. “Don’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because it’ll just make things worse.”
Nate finally looked at her, eyes dark, unreadable. “Worse for who? For you, or for them?”
“For me,” she admitted quietly. “If you step in again, they’ll know I can’t fight my own battles. I’ll look weak.”
His expression softened barely but enough. He didn’t argue, just shifted his gaze back to the road.
“Fine,” he said eventually. “But if they cross a line…” His knuckles whitened against the wheel. “I’m not sitting on the sidelines.”
Lena’s chest tightened, a strange mix of frustration and gratitude tangling inside her. She didn’t want him to fight her battles but knowing he would, without hesitation, made her feel safer than she wanted to admit.
They pulled into the driveway, and for a moment neither of them moved. The hum of the engine filled the silence.
Finally, Lena reached for the door handle. “Thanks for the ride.”
She started to climb out, but his voice stopped her.
“Lena.”
She turned back.
Nate’s gaze locked with hers, steady and unwavering. “Don’t let them get in your head. You’re stronger than they are.”
The words lingered long after she shut the door and walked inside.
That night, lying awake in bed, Lena replayed them over and over. She wasn’t sure if she believed him. But she wanted to.
---
Tuesday came with another small war.
At lunch, Lena found her usual seat already taken by Jessica.
The queen bee smiled sweetly when Lena froze in the aisle. “Oh, did you want this spot? Sorry, didn’t see your name on it.”
The table around her erupted in laughter.
Lena’s stomach knotted, but she forced herself to lift her chin. “That’s okay,” she said evenly, scanning the cafeteria. “There are plenty of seats.”
She spotted an empty one two tables over and started walking. But halfway there, her foot snagged. She stumbled, tray clattering, food spilling across the floor.
The laughter was instant, loud, merciless.
Lena’s cheeks burned as she crouched to gather her things. Her hands shook, but she didn’t cry. She wouldn’t give them that.
A pair of sneakers stopped in front of her.
“Here,” a voice said.
She looked up. Nate.
He crouched down, helping her pick up the scattered books and tray. His expression was unreadable, but his presence was enough to silence half the cafeteria.
When they stood, he didn’t look at Jessica. Didn’t say a word to anyone. He just handed Lena her things and walked with her to a different table, sitting down beside her like it was the most natural thing in the world.
The cafeteria buzzed with whispers, but nobody laughed anymore.
Lena’s throat tightened. She didn’t say thank you not out of ingratitude, but because the words felt too small for what he’d just done.
Nate didn’t expect them anyway. He just ate his lunch in silence, as if he hadn’t just thrown the entire school off balance.
But Lena knew.
And so did everyone else.
- Writer
