Walking With The Outcast

Chapter 6 - Ace

Don't do it, Ace. Don't do it. Lucilia would not like it.

The pest follows me into the boys' locker room, humming softly. I clench my fist to keep from socking him. That would shut him up. I unclench my hand, then repeat the process a couple of times. Tightening and loosening. Deep breaths, Ace.

"So...Lucilia's pretty cute." His annoying voice sounds behind me.

She'll forgive me for this.

I swing around, grab his shirt, and slam him into the lockers. "Leave her alone." I growl. Ethan's eyes widen at the deep timber of my voice, but he quickly masks the surprise.

"So you do speak?" He raises in eyebrow questioningly.

"No, moron. This isn't me talking." I apply more pressure, pushing him uncomfortably into a locker handle.

"Oh, good. Because if you were talking, it would make Lucilia a liar."

"Leave us alone. Go be friends with Mindy and her group," I snarl.

He adopts a serious look and declares calmly and determinedly, "I do not want to be friends with them."

"Why?" I tighten my grip on his shirt, wrinkling it.

"I'm a good judge of character." Ethan shrugs. At least he's smart enough to realize that Mindy puts on a nice girl facade.

I push off of him, the force causing him to grunt. "Just because you don't want to be friends with them, doesn't mean that I want to be friends with you," I state.

The nuisance smirks. "Oh, I know. You don't want me to be friends with Lucilia either, huh?" Choosing to ignore him, I traverse the short distance to my locker. "I figured that out the moment I started talking to her. Ya' know, when you looked like you were planning murder?"

He goes to his locker and grabs his gym clothes. "Are you two dating? I mean, it's obvious you both like each other. After hearing the guys-flirting-randomly-with-Lucilia story and seeing you glare at me over her shoulder, my guess is that all those guys ran off because you scared them. You gonna tell me I'm wrong?"

I glare at the locker in front of me, debating the pros and cons of answering. I sigh and roll my shoulders. "The first guy to talk to her was only doing it to mess with her and me. He had no real interest in her. Once I scared him off, he came to the conclusion that I put some type of claim on her, so he spread rumors. That's why all of the other guys started; they were testing my reaction to them talking with Lucilia."

"Ah. So, do you?" He raises his eyebrow inquisitively.

"Do I what?"

Ethan rolls his eye, as if I am faking my confusion. "Do you like her?"

I stiffen at the question. "She's my friend. Of course I like her."

"That's not what I meant, and you know it. Everyone can tell you two like each other. I mean, seriously, you looked like you wanted to put me six feet under earlier, and all I was doing was going to my locker." He chuckles, which turns into a snort. "Acting like you don't have feelings for her. How pathetic."

My back tightens, the muscles coiling in preparation for a fight. "What right do you have to judge me, new kid? I've known Lucilia a lot longer than you. So what if I don't act on the supposed feelings I have for her? It is not any of your business."

Ethan raises his hands in surrender. "I'm not trying to start a fight, okay? I'm just saying that it's obvious you like her, and she likes you. The point I'm trying to make is that one day a guy is going to come along, develop feelings for Lucilia, and isn't going to run away when you try to scare him. He'll fight for her. What will—"