Mister Popular

11.

"Since when do you hang out with Nyah." Haley said bitterly, I look to Tessa for help but she just looks down.

"Well not any time particularly...they saw me after school and invited me." Haley raises her eyebrows and makes a face. "Mmm." I look down and start eating my food but then I stop, my appetite gone.

"A-are you mad at me, Haley?" She shrugs and scoffs. "Why would I be mad? It's just funny that you barely know there names and then you want to be buddy buddy with them all of a sudden. You're acting fake." Tears collect in my eyes.

"You act like you don't wanna be popular but then you do this? It seems like bullshit." She says harshly and I wipe away the tear that slipped out.

"Okay, y-you're right. I'll stop, I don't know what I was thinking. I didn't mean to."

"What's wrong with your face?" Zion asks and I ignore him setting my stuff up. "Nothing." I say softly. I guess my face was still red, "Let's just get this done." I said, still feeling his gaze on me I lift my eyes up. "Mhmm, was this something dealing with Pricilla." I blink. "Who's that?" I ask, tying my hair up as I looked at him.

"You know who I'm talking about, Clementine." I sighed. "Please, don't use my full name. And I honestly don't." I say as I try to keep this on track.

"Anyways, it doesn't matter we're just here for me to tutor you. Have you retaken any tests?" He clenched his jaw and slowly shook his head.

"Hm? You want to go over the review a little more? I can make you a new-" He cut me off. "It's your bitch friends isn't it." I cast my eyes down, "No, Zion. Can we just do what I'm here for? Nothing's wrong with me." I tell him calmly, my voice coming out soft as usual.

"Fine. I'll find out myself." I rolled my eyes ignoring. "Okay, you do that."

Zion was quiet after that and I didn't really have a problem with it. I walked to my car and  I had thought I was alone.

My heart speeds up as I see Haley and Tessa. I smile at them, "H-" Haley cut me off barely looking at me, only giving me a harsh side eye. "We need to get dropped off at Tess's house." I blink, "Um-" she cuts me off again raising her eyebrows and widening her eyes. "Well hurry up and give us a fucking ride, Clem." She grinds out.

"A-are we all gonna hang out?" Haley looks to Tessa who looks down at her shoes.

"Oh well, like my mom doesn't want too many people over and like Devin and Erick are coming over so..." I felt my heart break just a little and I nodded, a lump in my throat. "Yeah...come-" I gasp as my arm is grabbed and I'm jerked back.

"You have legs. You can walk." I look up as Zion's deep voice speaks in the air. My head is pressed against his chest as I do, but I look back down to see Haley and Tessa with red shocked faces.

"Zion, stop-" He glared down at me and I glared back.

"Whatever, Tessa lets go." I open my mouth but Zion pulls me away. "Zion-Zion! Let me go. Those are my friends." He ignored me and kept walking until he stopped us in front of my car.

I let out a huff and glowered up at him.

"Those are not your real friends, Clementine." Frustrated and hurt tears form in my eyes and I press my hands to my eyes. "How do you know! You literally just waltzed into my life and you think you know everything?" He tightened his jaw.

"I can sense bullshit, and fake people, Clementine and those shitty bitch friends of yours are some of those people." I sniffled, "S-she's just mad...she might just think that I'm replacing them for Nyah and everyone," I whimpered.

Zion shook his head, cupping the side of my neck and rubbing my jaw with his thumbs.

"No, they're jealous because they want to be popular but they can't be because of how they are. They aren't like you..." We look into each other's eyes until Zion clears his throats and backs away.

"I don't want you hanging with them tomorrow, or ever. If I see you with them I'm dragging your pretty ass with Nyah. You get me?" I numbly nod looking at the asphalt. Then I freeze, "Wait, what did you just say." Zion's eyebrows squeeze together and then his cheeks brush lightly pink.

We both awkwardly shuffle around until Zion walks away and I get into my car.

I seem to just stare up at my ceiling wall, mumbling under my breath. "Please stop thinking about him. Please, please, please." I was just overthinking the situation. This is Zion Woods and last I remember it seems like him and that Pricilla girl are a thing.

"Daughter! I'm back home!" My mom sings, I hear her keys jingling around and soon she appears in my room smiling.

"Hey momma." She smiled down at me and presses a kiss to my forehead.

"How was school?" She asks and I sigh, shrugging my shoulders. "What's wrong, what happened?" She asks as she walks to her room. "Nothing." I say, she pops back out giving me a look. "Clementine." I sigh, playing with my fingers. "Nothing, I just think Haley and Tessa are mad at me." I laugh.

"No I'm pretty sure they hate me." Mom shakes her head, getting dressed in more comfortable clothes.

"I never liked them. It's better to get rid of them. What they getting jealous because you're hanging out with that boy?" My eyes widened. "How did you-" She waved me off.

"I've been a mom, Clementine. And I also was a teen so yeah. Fuck them." My eyes widened. "Mom!" I squeal off and she laughs. "For real! Fuck those little bitches, don't let them make you upset." I sigh and shake my head.

"Yeah but they're still my friends...right?" My mom shakes her head.

"No, you're too nice. I have no idea where you got that from. Because both me and your dad or mean."