Dares with the Boy Who Doesn't Care

Chapter Twenty-Five(Rose POV)

All of the guys have been acting so weird lately, as in even weirder than usual.

Like lifeless zombies who occasionally get their attention draw by baited occurrences. Mark and Leo have been especially on edge today Mark even cursed at a girl who he felt was staring for too long in his direction. Cameron and Noah have been so distant towards everyone, I don't even think I saw Cameron flirt with anyone and Noah has barely spoken a word to me, which of course has left me feeling miserable. I count on him to brighten my day with his kind words of encouragement and support, but if he doesn't say anything I'm left feeling empty.

Jamie. I don't know if it's because I pay the most attention to him or if he actually acted the most out of character. Yes, he usually is very reserved at school. He only talks to the guys, rarely ever me. But today he seemed like he was just floating around, like a ghost. He didn't talk at all and I didn't see him do any work. Some students managed to place gifts, ranging from flowers to stuffed toys to various sweets on and around his desk before he arrived in class. He of course didn't accept them, and instead cleared them out of the way so that he could put his head down. Then, once class was over he left them behind. He wasn't at lunch, and I'm not even sure if he's going to be after school today.

I could tell I wasn't the only one who was affected by the guys's gloomy attitudes. Some students, who I distinctly remember as being hardcore fans of the five guys, were moping around school. I heard more girls crying in the restroom than usual, sometimes the pressure of attending this school becomes too much but even on exam days I don't hear as many as I heard today. I even saw some people crying in public, like in the middle of class.

I could literally feel the gap between myself and every other student here as I remained completely oblivious. I care like all of the Wellsworth students but I don't understand anything just like all of the ex-Lee students. More often than not I find myself floating around in the middle, unable to stick to one particular side.

"Just leave, you worthless bastard!"

"You don't deserve to be here!"

"You should just go ahead and join those leeches from the other high school."

"Who are you again, bankruptcy boy?"

"You're such a waist of space."

I hear these cruel words followed by grunts as I turn on my heel. I'm shocked. What I see makes me want to throw up and/or scream. One guy is on the ground and four other guys are stomping on him. One of the attackers catches sight of me and runs away immediately. The others follow.

I never knew I was so threatening, or they were all just scared of me remembering their faces. Nonetheless I go over to the beaten boy curled up in a ball. His bruises are already forming, I try not to think of what Stephen must've looked like or what he still probably looks like. This is my chance to make up for what I acted powerless to stop before.

I reach in the back of my backpack and pull out a box of band aids. I can't really move around how I'd like because I know I won't be able to get back up on my own, and the guy on the ground doesn't look like he can stand either. Though I don't have to wear crutches anymore my ankle still hasn't healed all of the way and I now have to wear a soft cast as well as a boot.

Oddly enough, the stranger uncurls from his earlier position and quickly sits up straight, giving me a perfect smile.

"Hey Rose."

"You know my name?" I'm so surprised he was able to bounce back from that so quickly, that I'm asking stupid questions.

"Of course I do." He shifts a bit, so that he's not as sprawled out on the floor. "You know, you shouldn't be helping me."