𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫, 𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘀

𝟎𝟔𝟎

"𝙱𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚎"
ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ
𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘱 𝘢𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘺
𝕥𝕙𝕦𝕣𝕤𝕕𝕒𝕪 𝕒𝕗𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕟𝕠𝕠𝕟

     "SEE YOU AT LUNCH?" Jess asks as she stops in front of the door of her next class.

"Of course," Noah beams and walks off to her own class.

As she turns the corner, she smiles to herself.  She stops at her locker on the way to drop off some of her textbooks.  As she unlocks the door, she can feel the girls standing near her staring at her.  She ignores the feeling and puts her books away.  The teen closes her locker and resets the numbers on her lock.

"Bitch," A boy mumbles as he passes Noah.

"Why don't you say it to my face?" Noah asks and turns to face the boy.

"Huh?" The boy asks as he turns to see Noah glaring at him.

Noah recognizes the boy — Jacob Howard.  He is one of the football players and they have crossed paths at many parties.

"You wanna call me a bitch, be my guest." Noah says as she steps up to the boy, "But have the balls to say it to my face."

"Alright," Jacob agrees and drops his bookbag, "Bitch," He states and everyone around them giggles and whispers to their friends.

"That make you feel better?" Noah sarcastically asks with a small smile.

"Look, I'm not the one you gotta talk to. I'm just simply calling you out." He says and throws his hands up in defense.

"I'm glad you find joy in that," Noah shakes her head and goes to walk away.

"Hey, don't fight the messenger," Jacob calls after her.

"Why? I'm not in the best mood and my patience is just so thin right now." Noah snaps as Jacob takes a step closer to her.  The closer he gets, the more he seems to tower over her.

"Look, I don't fight girls—"

"You're too weak? Think I'll bruise your ego?" Noah asks with sarcastic innocence.

"You gotta lotta nerve—" Jacob grits, his anger rising.

"I take that as a compliment," Noah says, her own anger bubbling.

"Well, how about this.  You can fool Reef, but you're not fooling anyone else." Jacob says as he gestures to everyone in the hallway watching them, "When you gonna make blondie your girlfriend?"

A feeling of ice cold anger strikes Noah's body.  Her hands ball into fists as the hallway goes silent.

Striking like quick lightning, Noah punches the boy.

He backs up from the impact.  People that were passing by stop and stare in disbelief. Jacob stands and viciously pushes Noah against the lockers. The brunette gains her balance and pushes him back, sending him to the ground.

"Noah, chill!" A voice shouts.  Strong arms pull her back and hold her away from the boy.

"What the hell are you doing?" The voice asks as he turns Noah around — it is Clay who held her back.

"He—I—" Noah stutters as she looks around at everyone's scared and shocked expressions, "I don't know." She chokes out and pushes by Clay to walk down the hallway.

As she wanders down the hallway, the warning bell rings.  Suddenly, the crowded hallways are becoming empty.

"Noah—" Clay shouts down the hall.