Notice Me! (A Conor Maynard AU Fan Fiction)

Chapter 14 - Spreading Rumours

Beth’s POV

I woke up in the morning feeling particularly cheerful. I smiled to myself as I got out of bed and headed for the shower, quickly washing my hair and using shower gel before jumping out and drying myself as quickly as I could. I pulled my hair up into a French plait and left it to dry naturally. I applied my usual amount of makeup – enough to hide the flaws and show off the good bits – and walked over to my wardrobe. I automatically reached over to a pair of jeans, but remembering what Sam and Conor had said I slowly moved my hand over to my few dresses and picked a black dress with a colourful stripe pattern on the skirt. I know it’s not as great as my dress from yesterday, but it’ll do! I paired it with a pair of black ballet pumps and walked down the stairs happily.

“Who are you all dressed up for?” My mum winked at me as she put my lunch in front of me. I put the lunch in my bag and smiled.

“Thank you, mum! Oh no one really, just trying something different!” I lied as I grabbed a smoothie bottle, kissing my mum on the cheek as I walked out to get to school. It was quite an easy journey, just a couple of long straight roads. It takes about fifteen minutes but I don’t mind, it gives me the chance to think and reflect. Now I can walk to school thinking about yesterday and how strange it was in comparison to my normal boring days…

“Beth!” I heard from behind me. Well it looks like I’m not thinking to myself for long! I turned around and saw Sam running to catch up with me. I couldn’t help but smile. The most popular guy in school called my name and is running up to me.

“Hey Sam!” I attempted to greet him in a cool fashion to make it seem like it was nothing to me. “You alright?” He let out a smile and walked alongside me.

“I’m great thanks! Hey, look, sorry I had to just run out yesterday… Peter is a loudmouth and I didn’t want him getting the wrong idea. It’s nothing against you!” He looked hurt and sorry and he rubbed the back of his neck as he looked down at the floor.

“Sam, its fine! I get it! I’m the girl that you didn’t know, you can hardly justify being at my house with Conor!” Still the question of what had happened between those two niggled in the back of my head. Why did none of them want to tell me about it? What was so bad?

“So what happened after I left?” Sam questioned and I felt my stomach begin to knot. How much do I tell him? I laughed nervously and looked at the ground. I looked down the road on the right and saw Zack walking up the road.

“Are you and Zack friends? I mean you and Conor despise each other but what about Zack?” I suddenly changed the subject. Sam caught on quickly and instantly followed my eyeline down the road where he saw Zack walking, talking on his mobile phone.

“Zack’s the worst one. He always tries to start fights even if it’s nothing to do with him. I’ve been held back from hitting him quite a few times…” Sam answered honestly. I couldn’t help but wonder how many people were caught up in this web between Conor and Sam. I certainly was caught up in it now too, like the fly who just didn’t notice the web in the shadows. Now I’m stuck in this web, I wondered how I never saw it before.

“You gonna keep walking with me when he catches up?” I joked, but Sam looked serious and a little spooked. So not only did I have to worry about Sam and Conor, I now had to keep an eye out for Zack and Peter too…

“I’m going to have to make up for the amount of times I’m having to ditch you…” Sam said as he sped ahead of me. I just let out a little laugh. I slowed down walking a little and soon after I heard footsteps approaching me.

“Yeah I know mate. Can’t believe it was him! I know you said to me you had to be in that class but because of them?” I heard from behind me. Zack’s voice was instantly recognisable; it was hoarse, deep and croaky. He smoked more than anyone I’d ever seen and his throat was already paying for it. However, if you heard that voice in a dark alleyway you would be terrified. Zack walked faster and began to overtake me but he looked me up and down and his face froze. “Mate, who did you say it was again?” He said in the phone and waited for an answer. He quickly pulled the phone away from his head. “You’re Beth right?” He said. I felt scared already, I was waiting for him to push me into the nearest alleyway and beat me up.

“Umm, yeah?” I said, terrified of what would happen to me by answering this truthfully.

“Oi mate, I’m walking to school with Beth!” He said into his phone and let out a laugh. “I’ve heard all about you!” He said to me in a sinister but joking way. I still was on edge with him being around me but I was also in shock that he was actually being nice.

“You have?” I laughed. “Oh dear. There’s not much to know really!”

“So you got some crappy coursework to do right?” Zack asked me, half listening to his phone. He looked over to me and his grey eyes gave me chills. They seemed so dead.

“Yeah, but it’s the only thing left before we get graded. We have to do well or we’re stuck here for another year!” I said, wanting it to be a joke but it didn’t end up sounding funny. I mentally cursed my issue with talking to guys once more as we turned the corner and entered the school gates. My stomach knotted and my chest tightened. I clenched my fists by my sides and gritted my teeth as I made my way through the school grounds with Zack by my side. Never did I imagine this was going to happen.

“I’m coming into school now, see you in a sec.” Zack said into his phone before ending the call and chucking his phone in his pocket. He put his arm swiftly around my shoulders as we walked through the packed out playground and into school, where everyone’s eyes were on us. I could hear the whispers and the rumours spreading just as we walked the hallways into class. The tension was building and filling the air I was breathing in, making my chest feel heavy. How do popular people deal with this on a regular basis? Zack walked me to my classroom and I could feel everyone’s eyes bore into my back as I opened the door, greeted by even more pairs of eyes.

“If you’re friends with Conor, you’re friends with me.” Zack whispered in my ear as he walked to my classroom. Another chill ran down my spine, something about the way he said it was almost threatening.

“Beth!!” My friends squealed at me as I walked towards them and sat down at my desk. “What the hell have we missed?” They whispered.

“And why are you wearing a dress?” Mandy asked. I could feel my cheeks heating up as I began to blush.

“Mandy, you’re so lucky I didn’t kill you for what you did yesterday!” I hissed at her but she couldn’t help but laugh.

“What happened?” Olivia coaxed, her puppy-dog eyes trying to win me over and spill the beans on what happened. I rolled my eyes and folded my arms.

“I’m not telling you guys. You left and you missed it. That’s your problem.” I shrugged. How was I meant to say ‘You called them over, I almost got kissed by Sam twice, Conor and Sam got into a fight, Conor and I had alcohol, played ‘One Question’ and made out. Then I walked to school with Sam, then Zack and here I am wearing a dress to school because they told me to.’? I wouldn’t be able to tell them anything without it getting around anyway.

“Oi, Beth!” I heard from my left and looked over to see Daisy, one of the popular girls who sat with Sam, leaning over whispering to me. “Is it true that Sam and Conor were round your house?” I froze in my chair. Was it really spreading this quickly? What if they didn’t want me to say?

“Yeah. Yeah we were.” Conor answered from the back of the class and the room gasped. Thanks Conor. Beth, welcome to popularity…

A/N Hey guys! I apologise for my lack of updating, i've been drowning in work and found it really difficult to get even 5 minutes to try and update! However here if chapter 14 and i hope you guys like it! I'm on holiday next week so i cant update but i promise you guys i'll update as soon as i'm back! I love you all so much thank you for all your support!! xxxxx