Slow deterioration

Chapter 2

Josie's POV:

David gave me a big hug and a kiss before he left me and joined his friends giving me, a reassuring wink and beautiful bright smile before he started naturally aura farming again. The thought of him being so different to me compared to other people was kind of funny. I looked at him walk about 3 meters away from me and eventually turned to look at the building in front of me.

The school was buzzing with children running around, popular friend groups gossiping or doing something useless on their phones, the gamer group playing GTA or fortnite and the popular boy groups glazing eachother about their muscles, abs or hot girlfriends. I stood there for a while and sighed deeply before walking in.

As I walked in, the normal set of whispers lingered. At this point i was used to it. All people did was talk (fortunately), so I just kept quite before things could escalate any further. Either way the odds weren't that bad as I was respected and talked to by most people just because of Daniel.

When I got into homeroom class, I sat down and waited for the teacher to attend us. When Ashley came to sit next to me in fast forward.

"Yo! you would never believe what I just saw... and what do you think of my new kicks?"

"uh, hello to you too?"

"since when did friends say hello to eachother? anyways, answer me!"

I started laughing perfusely when I saw her shoes. "yo what are those Ashley?!" I say loudly but quiet enough that the class couldn't hear.

she looks at her shoes trying to stiffle a laugh. She moves her foot left to right showcasing them to me.

"What? I love them... they're beautiful huh? huh?"

Ashley is my best friend from elementary school. We first became friends after she "accidentally" hit me on the head with a ball. She apologized and gave me a very dirty muffin for an apology. Obviously I took it greatfully since I was just a kid and I still do regret it now, only the 'eating a dirty muffin' part, otherwise that was the best day of my life because she has become a sister from another mister to me. Our families are quite...distant, more like can't stand eachother. Why? Well, when I ask my dad he says that Mr. and Mrs. Hollister (Ashley's parents) are very hostile towards them and very mean to them at work. At least that is what I am told. Ashley also told me that her parents do not want her an inch near me or my parents. Even so, that never stopped or hindered our friendship whatsoever. She even comes to my house sometimes and my parents welcome her with open arms, they take her as their own daughter.

We both laugh at her shoes before she remembers that she wanted to tell me something.

"Enough about my Steve Madden shoes now, you will never guess who..."

"Who?"

" I just saw-" as she was about to continue telling me, the teacher interrupted with her peircing voice

"Alright! Enough with gossip now all the knowledge will run out like jerry running away from Tom!" She says as she takes out the register book. "Hey Matthew, wake up! You are sleeping and it's only the beginning of the day, are you pregnant?! Come on, wake up! Jackson! We always talk about this sit up straight, Especially in my class! And Ashley...What are you wearing? Did a pig decide to die on your feet?" The class burst into laughter and so did we. Ashley stood up and did a three sixty and lifted one foot up as the class clapped for her. Matthew who was still half a sleep got a fright and started clapping out of reflex.

"Ma'am, these shoes are Steve Madden's new collection how dont you know such a thing?" She said smirking and shaking her feet.

The teacher shook her head chuckling at the scene in front of her.

"Alright, enough with the fun and games. Sit down Hollister." Ashley bowed and sat down next to me while Ms.Barns continued.

"You all know the drill, I say your name you say present. Okay, Tracey Ackerman?"

"Present!"

"Ryan Anderson?"

"Alive and runnin!"

This went on until the bell rang to go to the next class. As we walked out I saw Taylor walking in the corridors, eyes all over her.

"Ooo,oo,oo, oo, oo! " she says sounding like a monkey and pointed, "that's who! That's who I saw! She's back!"

My heart skipped a beat as I looked at David's goegeous, hot, chearleader ex-girlfriend. She had beautiful long blonde hair that bounced while she walked and hazel eyes that had golden specs in them. She was tanned and had a model figure that many teenage girls dreamed of. She walked closer to me making complete eye contact and not letting go.

"Judas... I didn't think you still existed. I thought your kind got extinct ages ago." She said to me with a mocking smile.

I scoff, "Josie. And I should be saying the same about you, Travis."

"Hey! At least i called you by a girls name!" She says angrily.

"Judas? Girl's name? Your and my definition of boy's names are two different things. In fact yours even defies English in general. "

"Whatever. Is Daniel still pity dating you? Or has he dropped the act already?"

"I would say that he was pity dating you since Josie and him have been together for 2 years more than you and him were." Said Ashley chuckling mockingly.

"Shut up dork, what are you even wearing?"

"Customized shoes inspired by your face. Aren't they pretty?"

"Argh! This isnt over!" She says stomping away angrily. Ashley and I high five eachother and walk away while discussing how epic that was.

...

After school I walk out of my last class looking for Daniel only to see him standing with Taylor, who was clearly flirting with him, by the football field. As if he knew I was standing there, David turned and looked at me with a worried expression. He quickly pushed Taylor away slightly and ran to me.

"Josie, its not what it looks like, I promise I was telling her to leave."

This made me suspect something a bit. Why so quick to defend himself? But maybe I was overthinking it. So I didn't let the thought linger in my head for long. I nodded and looked away, "Its okay, I believe you." I hold out my hand for him to take it, and he indeed does. "Lets go." I say softly, making him smile nervously. The only reason I did this was not to seem as a jelous girlfriend or as if I don't trust him. I was trying to prove, not to him, but myself, that I was not insecure, that Taylor coming back would not move us just after the special moment we had in the morning. Did it work? No, no it didn't. But was I going to try? Yes, yes I was. For him I was going to do anything as one of the only sources of happiness in my life.