All Alone

Chapter 11

Kaden's POV

She is sitting in front of me, her eyes seem so dead, but there was a slight undertone of annoyance in her gaze. I was getting to her. The rough scars littered her arms like reminders of endless bad days. Even I have never seen anything like the scar that ran across her throat, but I somehow feel a bond with her. 

She looks at me, the wide gray eyes are cautious and distrusting, at least she smart enough to be wary of me. 'Can I fix my make-up now?' She scribbles the words out furiously, ready to flee the room. "Is that really what you want to do? Is there just no explanation for all of these? Does Ms. Wilkes even know?" She shakes her head slightly, her fingers tightening on the marker. Good, I am getting to her, maybe she will slip up and share something.

"You know that you have really pissed Jacob off, right?" She looked confused for a moment, then spelled out a single-worded question, 'Ginger?' After letting out a brief chuckle, I nod my head. "Did you nickname the other guys too?" She nodded a little, probably hoping that I would be offended by the nicknames.

'There is Blondie, Hot-n-Cold, and Stoic Brownie.' I almost feel bad that I can match the guys to their nicknames. "Do I not get one?" 'Cactus. You are prickly like a cactus', she writes impossibly fast, and I roll my eyes. "And here I thought we were friends", I try to be as sarcastic as possible, and I spark a small response from Avianna. She produces a sardonic smirk in my direction, mocking my tone with her face and message, 'Oh yes, I absolutely adore your company'.

I knew it, I am growing on her.

"You can put your crap back on, but I am walking with you to your next class, and you are coming with me to help mock Jacob, Aiden, and Logan. They probably aren't in class either. Stoic Brownie is Luke, and he is usually pretty chill, so lay off", she looks at me like I am an idiot, and I glare. She is getting on my nerves, but I don't want to yell at her again.

'Fine, but only because I really like ticking off Ginger', she sets down the board before pulling out various things of make-up. I had no clue how many layers of liquid she had coated on her face, and how fast she could do it. I don't know why I am not telling anyone, that would probably be a way smarter decision, but I need her to stay with me. I need to get Avianna to trust me, though I am not sure why.

Once she had finished applying the mask, I grabbed her hand and led her out of the drawing room. We had only taken a couple of steps when Logan called out to me. 

"Hey, Kaden! Heya Mutie! What were you guys doing in there all alone?" Logan wiggled his eyebrows at me, and I could see that Avianna looked blank again. She was pissed, I could see it in her eyes. She may think that she is slick, but nothing gets past me (lies). If somebody wants to mock me, then they better be ready to catch these hands. 

"Calm yourself, Logan. Stop trying to push Avianna's buttons", I stress 'Avianna', trying to make him realize that she had an actual name. 

"Oh lighten up Kaden, Logan's just trying to have some fun with the stick in the mud over there", Jacob decides to butt in, and I see Aiden and Luke making their way to us. Gosh, dang it.

"That girl is annoying Kaden, she totally ditched me!" Aiden crosses his arms childishly, glaring at Avianna, his face stuck in a pout. She returned his glare, one of the only emotions the guys had seen from her, and for some reason, Logan looked pleased.

"Guys she was mad, she made a mad face! Call the local news! No, the National News!" Logan was shouting to the empty hallway, probably annoying the teachers.

'Does Blondie ever shut up?', Avianna's eyebrows were drawn together in some form of distress, and I poorly disguised a chuckle at the nickname. She was skilled in that department.

"Do you really define me by my hair color?" Logan was well known for his dramatic ways, so the overdone way he held his hand to his chest wasn't all that surprising. While Logan feigned offense, I take a jab at Jacob, "She calls you Ginger, so don't worry Blondie, you aren't all alone."

Aiden looks at me, probably wondering if he had a nickname as well. "She calls you Hot-n-Cold because apparently, you are bipolar, and calls Luke 'Stoic Brownie'". Luke seemed rather amused, and Logan guffawed, while Aiden stood in the hallway looking pissed. Aiden is trying to live up to his title.

'Don't sulk like a little kid, I call him 'Cactus', so your nickname isn't that horrible.' Avianna points her thumb in my direction, and Aiden finally cracks a smile. She was fixing their opinions on her without even trying.

Logan slings an arm across her shoulder, making her flinch almost unnoticeable, but I catch the action and scowl at Logan for her. She wasn't making any move to escape his arm though, which was really pissing me off. I don't know why I already care about what she does, but I am having serious issues figuring out what to do.

"Don't worry Mutie, I know we're growing on you, there is no need to say a word." The guys nod in agreement, and I feel the annoyance building inside of me.

"Let's go, guys, I doubt she wants to hang with us anyways", I don't like them talking to her, I guess I have always been a bit of a possessive control freak. I protect the guys from the cops, and my little sister from everybody else, I just haven't been involved with a girl my age in such a long time. Well, I guess that Jacob's sister kind of counts, but she is one of the clingy girls that is constantly trying to get affection, and she stopped caring how a long time ago. She isn't my type, much to her displeasure.

"Hey, let Mutie make that decision. You want to have a smoke with us Avianna?" I see her stiffen automatically, and Aiden beats me to the punch.

"Nah Logan, Mutie here hates cigarettes and anything to do with smoking. She seems to be against the stress reliever", Aiden acted like an expert, but I knew more; the truth was scattered across her arms.

"She can at least hang with us though, are you denying us the pleasure of your presence Avianna?" Logan pushed further, and I think that Avianna was giving in. 

'I have to meet up with Kaylee when the bell rings' There we go.

"Well, you can get out of class and hang with us then. We like to have a thorough screening of potential friends or enemies", Jacob seemed to be over his nickname at this point and was looking at Avianna like all of the other guys. They seemed as amused as the day at Mrs. Stock's when Claire started yelling.

Avianna looks around the hallway, probably hoping for a way out, but I won't help her with this one. Hanging out with her sounds like a pretty good opportunity to tick off the guys and introduce something new to the group. 

I must be sick or something because I hate change, and I will probably change my mind in two minutes.

In the end, after Logan and Jacob did their best puppy faces, Avianna accepted. She seemed pretty on edge about it, but that wasn't a factor right now. I am going to get to know Avianna, so I can either get to know her and hate her, or get to know her and find a way to make her stay.

Soon the bell rings and Kaylee comes to get her, but she will be with us in under 10 minutes anyways.

**************

I know that Avianna may seem like she is opening up really quickly for somebody who has 'walls' built up around her, but that is on purpose. While some people will stop trusting entirely, a majority is so confused when they are faced with affection again, and they want to embrace it.

In this case, Avianna is like any other girl who wants to have a family and friends but doesn't really know how.

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~Experiment51