standing a few feet away. She was petite, with a slim frame, and medium-length brown hair. She had ordinary features, but she was still quite pretty. She was holding a couple of books in her hand and no doubt looking for more.
I recognized her immediately as the girl Bennett had just started seeing: Hadie Swinton. They’d started dating over the weekend but hadn’t made much of a splash on the gossip radar because of me. I seemed to be the most popular topic of discussion for all the wrong reasons.
“Are you talking to me?” I was surprised that she’d acknowledged me, especially when Bennett had refused to side with me.
Hadie took a tentative step towards me and nodded. “Yes, I thought you looked lonely. I mean, unless you want to be left alone, then I can go.”
“Oh.” She seemed genuine, at least. I’d been worried that she’d start making fun of me. “Should you be talking to me?”
Hadie frowned and switched her books over to the other hand. “I don’t let people influence me. I talk to whoever I want.”
I liked her already. “But you’re dating Bennett…”
“I’m dating him because, well, I’ve liked him forever and he finally asked me out. I don’t hang out with him or his friends, so it doesn’t matter to me what they think.” She blinked rapidly, as if she was seeing me properly. “No offense. I mean, you’re one of his friends, or you were, but um…I’ll just be quiet now.”
I laughed, wondering how such a nice girl like her could go out with Bennett. He didn’t deserve her. I mean, he’d always been a nice guy—caring, kind, considerate—but high school had slowly changed him. He was more focused on his reputation and being cool. He was like me.
“Oh, it’s alright. I guess he isn’t my friend anymore.”
“I’m sorry about that. They can be the meanest sometimes.” Hadie tilted her head to the side and then cleared her throat. “Well, I better get going. I have an assignment due in a few days and our teacher insists that we use books for research.” She rolled her eyes.
“That’s what the internet is for.”
“Exactly what I told him.” she said. “Oh, well, I’ll see you around, Ashton.”
With a wave, she headed back down the aisle and out of sight. I watched her go, amazed by the resolve she showed. She didn’t let anyone tell her what to do. She just did it. Maybe not everyone would treat me the same as my ex-friends. Maybe there were still people out there who would talk to me. I’d have to weed them out from the people I’d made fun of in the past, but there had to be a few people who didn’t completely hate me.
Right?
No one else approached me during lunch, and when I walked into History thirty minutes later, I was feeling slightly more confident about being in the same room as Kance. I’d already made up my mind that I would talk to her no matter what. Kance thought that she’d lowered my spirits, but there was still some kick left in me. Ashton Summers didn’t roll over and die.
Kance was already sitting at the back table with Ciara and Francine—both cheerleaders—and Gabe who was on the football team with Oliver. They began whispering as I approached them, and Francine burst into a large fit of giggles.
My stomach sank. Obviously I was the highlight of their conversation.
“Hey, are you going to make some room for me?” I asked with a smile.
A hush fell over the room and, without looking around, I knew that all eyes were on me. The last thing I needed was an audience to witness my potential humiliation, but I had to act like everything was fine if I wanted to regain my popularity.
It all came down to how Kance treated me.
Kance looked me up and down in disdain. “Hmm…how about no?”
“But I always sit here.”
“Not anymore. Find someone on your own level to sit with,” Kance shot me a snide look. “I bet even the losers won’t have you. After all, they have standards too.”
And there it was. I’d been publicly
I recognized her immediately as the girl Bennett had just started seeing: Hadie Swinton. They’d started dating over the weekend but hadn’t made much of a splash on the gossip radar because of me. I seemed to be the most popular topic of discussion for all the wrong reasons.
“Are you talking to me?” I was surprised that she’d acknowledged me, especially when Bennett had refused to side with me.
Hadie took a tentative step towards me and nodded. “Yes, I thought you looked lonely. I mean, unless you want to be left alone, then I can go.”
“Oh.” She seemed genuine, at least. I’d been worried that she’d start making fun of me. “Should you be talking to me?”
Hadie frowned and switched her books over to the other hand. “I don’t let people influence me. I talk to whoever I want.”
I liked her already. “But you’re dating Bennett…”
“I’m dating him because, well, I’ve liked him forever and he finally asked me out. I don’t hang out with him or his friends, so it doesn’t matter to me what they think.” She blinked rapidly, as if she was seeing me properly. “No offense. I mean, you’re one of his friends, or you were, but um…I’ll just be quiet now.”
I laughed, wondering how such a nice girl like her could go out with Bennett. He didn’t deserve her. I mean, he’d always been a nice guy—caring, kind, considerate—but high school had slowly changed him. He was more focused on his reputation and being cool. He was like me.
“Oh, it’s alright. I guess he isn’t my friend anymore.”
“I’m sorry about that. They can be the meanest sometimes.” Hadie tilted her head to the side and then cleared her throat. “Well, I better get going. I have an assignment due in a few days and our teacher insists that we use books for research.” She rolled her eyes.
“That’s what the internet is for.”
“Exactly what I told him.” she said. “Oh, well, I’ll see you around, Ashton.”
With a wave, she headed back down the aisle and out of sight. I watched her go, amazed by the resolve she showed. She didn’t let anyone tell her what to do. She just did it. Maybe not everyone would treat me the same as my ex-friends. Maybe there were still people out there who would talk to me. I’d have to weed them out from the people I’d made fun of in the past, but there had to be a few people who didn’t completely hate me.
Right?
No one else approached me during lunch, and when I walked into History thirty minutes later, I was feeling slightly more confident about being in the same room as Kance. I’d already made up my mind that I would talk to her no matter what. Kance thought that she’d lowered my spirits, but there was still some kick left in me. Ashton Summers didn’t roll over and die.
Kance was already sitting at the back table with Ciara and Francine—both cheerleaders—and Gabe who was on the football team with Oliver. They began whispering as I approached them, and Francine burst into a large fit of giggles.
My stomach sank. Obviously I was the highlight of their conversation.
“Hey, are you going to make some room for me?” I asked with a smile.
A hush fell over the room and, without looking around, I knew that all eyes were on me. The last thing I needed was an audience to witness my potential humiliation, but I had to act like everything was fine if I wanted to regain my popularity.
It all came down to how Kance treated me.
Kance looked me up and down in disdain. “Hmm…how about no?”
“But I always sit here.”
“Not anymore. Find someone on your own level to sit with,” Kance shot me a snide look. “I bet even the losers won’t have you. After all, they have standards too.”
And there it was. I’d been publicly
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