Aberration

Chapter 41

"Ava, you have to get out of the car."

I lifted my head off the window, giving Lauren a glare as I opened the passenger door to step out. It was the first day back at hell, high school I mean, and winter break was over. But all too quickly might I add. So much had happened the past three weeks. I had been forced into seeing the people I spent two years avoiding, I found out Harry has...problems and had been put in charge of fixing them, and the third one had something to do with Harry but I didn't have time to get the thought through. Lauren had began tugging me by my arm up the steps to our infamous high school. Grove High. Not only was our school the most unkept and unsafe one in Florida, but the teachers were dumb as....well shit. In my four years of being at this school, and breaking every "rule" they had listed up on the stupid "Behavior Chart", along with all the other students in the dang place, nothing was ever done. The school was like a zoo really, everyone ran wild and was rarely hushed. Even during exams was a time for play. But unlike most others, I wasn't part of the zoo. I may have broken rules every now and then, but the other kids mostly ruled that department. 

I slung my bag onto my shoulder as we walked through the doors to the front hallway. As usual, everyone was gathered into their pathetic cliques. This is what made Grove High like other high schools. In one corner, by the lockers, those were the preps. This group included the cheerleaders, football players, anyone confident and "pretty" enough to get in really. They were really freaking irritating. Next we have the "sorta popular" kids. They're the ones that mimicked every move the preps made. They would always follow them around in a tight huddle, fake laughing along with any joke they could hear the preps say. They were also as irritating. Then we have skater/music kids. These kids were infamous for being the main troublemakers of the school. Other than that, their name describes them pretty well. Lauren and I continued to walk down the hall to our locker, no one really noticing us or just not caring. A few more groups were lined up in small circles along the way. The usual "smart kids", "drama kids" who were actually really nice, and a couple of loners here and there. I have nothing to say about them, considering I'm one of them. Lauren however, not so much. As much as I despise to think about it, Lauren is part of the preppy kids. How she ever decided to hang out with me, I don't have the slightest clue. But the only thing important to me was that she was at school with me right now.

"Nothing's changed here huh.." I mumbled, unlocking my locker and shoving my books inside. Lauren doing the same before closing it and standing to face me with a weird smile on here face.

"What?" I said uncomfortable, sealing the locker shut. She shook her head, as if clearing whatever thought had entered her mind. I'd ask her about that later.

"The bell's gonna ring soon, I'm gonna go catch up with Emma. See you in third?" she asked, pointing a finger and walking backwards down the hall. "As always." I hummed, feeling a small flame in my heart. It always slightly hurt me to think that Lauren had other friends besides me. I know I'm her best friend, as she is mine, but she was my only friend. And it kind of panged jealousy in me to see her skip away with one of her all-mighty popular friends, laughing and hanging out, when all I was doing was waiting for her to come back.

The sound of the bell echoed through the building, though the hall was mostly empty except for me and a couple others who'd lost track of time and were running around like chickens with their head cut off. I sighed. I hated school.

The first half of the day came and went fast. Mostly because it was the first day back and the teachers, being as utterly stupid as they are, had planned nothing. So the first four periods I sat mainly in the back corner of the classrooms, listening to music and texting my mom. As cheesy as it is, I really missed her and hoped she'd come back soon. Class ended and lunch came. To my surprise, Lauren had ditched her other friends and came to sit with me. The small seed of doubt had been pushed away for now and I was relieved that things would be semi-normal again at school. Lunch ended and it was time for sixth period. This period and seventh were the only two electives that had been changed and my nerves fought their way into my throat as I entered the classroom.

What was supposed to be Child Education looked more like a free for all. Papers and who knows what else flew across the room, the sound of obnoxious laughter and chatter bouncing of the walls of the dull looking room. Looking around for the teacher, I wasn't surprised to find him sitting behind the desk, legs propped up and face shoved into his phone. As if he was oblivious to the chaos around him.

"Figures." I said under my breath, taking a seat in the very back closest to the window. I took out my phone and began to scroll but lost interest quickly. It was all I had been doing all day and as strange as it sounds, I wanted to actually do school stuff. An irrelevant first day crossword puzzle, a lecture, something other than just watching the time tick by.

Sighing, I opened the thick book titled, "Family Department." and began to scan the pages. None of the words made any sense, but it was sure as heck more interesting than sitting here and watching the clouds float away through the window. The sounds around me were droned out as I read on in the book, not really taking any of it to mind.

"Well hello sweet cheeks."

I peered up from the book, an unfamiliar looking boy wearing a navy shirt without the sleeves had dragged a chair in front of my desk and was now leaning cross armed onto it. I scoffed, "Hey."

He chuckled. It was kind of cute. I pushed that thought away as quickly as it came. He had been rude and I didn't know him. "A bit feisty aren't we?" he countered, giving a smirk and pushing his sandy colored hair off his forehead. "The name's Ashton." he continued, amused at my point in ignoring him and returning to the textbook. He waited a few more seconds before keeping on. "You do realize this is the first day back and you're the only one with their face in a book."

His voice was laced with sarcasm and I could see him searching my face for any kind of reaction. But he wouldn't get one, not from me at least. "C'mon sweets don't be like that." he cooed, pressing a hand onto my thigh from under the table. I gasped, swatting his hand away and scooting back from the desk. "Don't call me that." I snapped, crossing my arms over my chest and shooting him a glare, only making him laugh. 

"That got you're attention huh?" he said, scooting closer to the desk and to me, making me feel a bit uncomfortable. But I held my ground, I wasn't gonna let him know he was getting to me. "Why don't you go bother some other girl," I grumbled, scooting back to the desk to make my point. "Anyone but me..".

He watched as I did so, a sly smile crossing his features. A sign he was catching onto my little stand off. "Well I would," he said looking around the room before continuing, "But you seem a lot more fun." shooting a wink as he did so and earning a cough from me. Thankfully, at that moment the bell rang and everyone in the classroom dispersed. He stayed seated as I stood up, slinging my bag over my shoulder and scoffing as he raked his eyes up and down my body as I walked away. Not trying to hide it. This making me feel self conscious and somewhat proud that I had decided to wear leggings today. "See you 'round sweets." I heard him holler from behind me. I didn't answer or turn around, still attempting to make my point.

The day ended and I slumped down in the passenger seat of Lauren's car as we pulled out of the senior parking lot. I was beyond tired and all I wanted to do was get back to the flat. But it was never that simple. I still needed to spend time with Harry and whatever else the boys had planned, which something always was. We pulled into the driveway and the walk from the car to my room was agony. After barely making the journey I plopped down onto my bed, which all of a sudden didn't seem so comfortable. I didn't know how I was going to be able to do this everyday. The waking up early, the constant anxiousness, and now even the boy I had encountered in sixth. It was too much. Even for just one day. I was beyond stress and my inability to fall asleep at the moment was frustrating me.

It was the bed, I concluded. Something about it just felt, off. And almost as if force of habit, I pulled myself up and somehow found my way into Harry's room which was vacant at the moment. I fell onto the bed in exhaustion, snuggling underneath the covers and into a tight ball. It was wrong that I only felt this kind of comfort here, but it was what I needed right now. I needed Harry. And that was my only thought as I pushed my face farther into the pillow breathing in the sweet vanilla scent he always smelled of, and drifting to sleep.