Outcasts [PUBLISHED]

Four

Questions raced through my mind as I approached my house. Why were Ryan and Aiden together at the park? They're the last two people I would expect to see with one another.

"What took you so long?" My mom asked me as I entered through the front door. I let Sassy off her leash and looked up at my mom.

"I lost track of time at the park." I lied. I didn't feel like explaining to her that I had ran into some people from school.

She opened her mouth to say something but shut it and went into the kitchen. I climbed the stairs up to my room and locked myself inside. I just wanted to relax now. I plugged my iPod into the speakers and picked the song New Slang by The Shins. I sprawled onto my bed and softly sang along.

I took in the light breeze and chills coursed through my body. Late August mornings are probably the best thing around here. Continuing down the sidewalk, I listened to my iPod as I walked to school. As I was walking, I heard something from one of the houses near me. Glancing to my left, I noticed one of the front doors opening and someone stumbled out. And that someone was Aiden Callaway.

He was a wreck. His clothes were lopsided and his hair was sticking up in different directions. He was focused on something in the house. "I don't fucking care! I'm outta here anyway!" Someone slammed the door from inside and Aiden walked ferociously down his driveway. His gaze met mine and I panicked. Deciding to ignore what I just witnessed, I made my way down the sidewalk just a bit quicker.

"Hey!" Aiden called out behind me. I heard his footsteps behind me and I closed my eyes.

My shoulder was grabbed and my body was turned so I was facing Aiden now. "I didn't see or hear anything! I was just passing by!" I blurted out. "Please don't hurt me!"

"I'm not going to hurt you." He said, backing up.

A sigh escaped my lips and I put my hand over my heart. "Oh, fabulous." I start walking again and Aiden falls into step with me.

"Have you always lived on this street?" Aiden asks me as he adjusts the strap of his backpack.

I nodded. "Since I was in the first grade." How could I have not known that Aiden Callaway lived on the same street as me?

"Have you always walked to school?"

Once again, I nodded. "My mom tells me I should take the bus, but I like walking better. What's the point in taking the bus anyway? We only live seven minutes down the road, you know?"

He raises an eyebrow. "Right." He drawls out.

The school comes into view and I look at the time on my phone to make sure we won't be late. There was silence between Aiden and I. "Why were you yelling when you came out of your house?" I stupidly ask. "I'm sorry. You don't have to answer that."

Aiden sighs. "There's just a lot of shit going on right now at my house."

"It can't be that bad."

He looks at me with a strange expression but it quickly fades away. "Yeah, well it is." He glances around. "Listen, this is where I split. I've decided not to go to first period today."

"Okay." I say. There's no point in trying to convince him not to skip. Aiden and I parted ways and I was still curious about earlier. But it was not my business, so I'd have to stay curious.

When lunch rolled around, I saw Aiden saunter down the hallway with his head held high out of confidence. Sometimes I wish I could hold my head high, but then I noticed how people were looking at him as he passed by. Some looked at him with envy, some with hatred, and some with frightened expressions.

I'd rather be left alone and not be noticed at all. I didn't acquire the attention-seeking quality.

Aiden made a bee line in the hallway, clearly on a mission. He stopped in front of Ryan and the two shared some words. Ryan looked annoyed but amused at the same time while Aiden held no expression. Aiden had the final word and stalked off. Ryan's eyes met with mine and my cheeks burned with embarrassment from being caught watching them. Ryan offered me a small smile and I turned away. I continued down the hallway and turned down another. There, Aiden was walking in my direction. As I glanced at him, he gave me a nod of acknowledgement.

Things are getting slightly stranger by the second, leaving me to wonder where this will lead to.

Edited as of 7/14/15