Lakeview's Outcast {Wattys2015}

Chapter 8 - Friends?

When lunchtime came around I couldn't be more grateful to escape the prying eyes of the student population and to head to a secluded area on the field. After the disastrous gym session in which I had to deal with Ashton constantly rubbing in how athletic he was, I was glad to be enjoying the fresh air by myself.

I walk across the football field loving the way the wind pushes away any stray strands of hair as I do so, it was freezing and my cheeks were numb but I loved it anyway. Once I got to the bleachers I took a seat on the plastic bench and pulled out my phone, turning on my favourite playlist so that I'd have some entertainment while I ate. In the distance I could see the cafeteria and the shadowy figures of people walking aorund inside. Boy, was I glad that I wasn't in that suffocating room. I hated the social order that dictated the seating area, I hated how diversity in groups was frowned upon. And most of all I hated the status quo.

I ate in peace enjoying the company of my favourite songs as the time flew by. I was so sure that I wouldn't be gaining any company as the weather was too cold for people to be outside, that I nearly jumped out of my skin when Juliette screamed my name.

"Isabelle are you freaking insane!" she huffs as she tries to climb the various bleachers in her high heeled boots, granted the heels were more flatter and squarish then anything Justine wore. I watch, slightly amused as she finally makes it to my row of bleachers a frown on her face while Ashton casually walks up behind her. His presence intimidates me slightly thanks to our earlier conversations but I don't let it show as they take a seat on either side of me, although he does this a bit reluctantly.

"It's freezing out here, how can you stand it" Juliette grumbles and I laugh slightly, the fresh air lightening my mood.

"I honestly don't know" I shrug and she casts me a strange look before pulling out her lunch. 

"Maybe it's because you're an ice queen" Ashton mutters next to me, quiet enough that only I could hear. I tense up, my anger simmering as I shoot him a fiery glare which only seems to fuel him further as he gives me a wink, hiding his smirk behind his sandwich.

It isn't the first time someone's called me an ice queen and it probably won't be the last. Ashton probably heard someone saying that about me in the hallways, it wouldn't surprise me. The gossip in this school was recycled often considering that our small population never had anything to talk about most of the time. Seeing as we were kids of quite wealthy parents we had a reputation to uphold, even though once in awhile we tended to screw things up.

"Oh right I should probably apologise for this morning" Juliette starts off and I squirm uncomfortably.

"There's no need to. You were angry, I get that, it happens to the best of us" I give her a small, slightly uncomfortable smile and she grins.

"Thank goodness! That would have been a terrible start to our friendship if I pissed you off on the first day now wouldn't it?" she laughs and eats her lunch while I try and contain my smile. I contemplate whether or not I should remind her that she's been trying to be my friend since day one (who knows why) and that I still hadn't accepted her friendship officially but then I stop myself. Maybe it's because it's been so long since I've had a friend or maybe it's because today morning, when she stood up for me, she showed a form of loyalty which I hadn't seen in years. Whatever the reason, I decided that maybe being friends with Juliette Woods wasn't all that bad.

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I take it back. Juliette, by far is the most hyper person I've ever met. It's like the girl has a never ending supply of AA batteries stored in her pocket. Twenty minutes have passed and her non-stop chatter is starting to drive me up the wall, it's like she hasn't even taken a breath in between and whenever she does I pray that her rant is over. Clearly my prayers aren't being answered because her mouth's still moving at an unimaginable speed.