Saved By You

Chapter 9

Finally the bell went for lunch and I practically jumped out of my seat, gathered my books and went to walk out but of course people were the before me.

I sighed as I stood, squashed between bodies, and felt a hand slap my backside, people laughing, when I turned around I saw Troy standing right behind me with a smirk so I checked if the teacher was looking and punched him right in the face without thinking before slinking through people and walking fast toward my locker, my heart practically racing out of my chest.

I stood near his table full of air heads like him, girls swooning and laughing too loud or too high pitched to get attention.

As soon as Mack saw me when I walked behind a tree, building up the courage to go to him, I jumped a mile when he came out of nowhere and stood near me.

'Now you believe me?' Mack asks a small "I told you so" smile on his face.

I narrowed my eyes at him but he just keeps up his smirk.

I nod.

'C'mon, I'll go talk to them and then I'll come get you again okay?' he asks. I nod, dropping my eyes with a sigh.

I hate you Mack. I wanted to say. But of course I said nothing as he walked off behind the tree again.

I waited and leant against the tree, watching the guys on the oval playing soccer and whatnot and admiring a guy called Brett, which for some reason no one seemed to like very much. He was hot I'll give him that, but for some reason he never gave any girl a second look. He didn't date or give once overs. He was just straight forward and seemed to have that disgusted look whenever he looked across at Mack and his gang.

I smiled and right then from halfway across the oval as if he could feel my eyes, he looks up and catches me staring. I look away and went to walk off in embarrassment but I walk into someone instead, almost toppling over until careful hands steadied me.

'Sorry,' Mack says, 'c'mon, let’s go.’

And that was that. His group made room for me in between all those guys and across of me Troy was gaping the whole time, his nose slightly red after I must've made it bleed.

Mack caught me staring at him before looking at him too, 'hey, Troy, what happened to your nose man, you get hooked or something?' Mack laughs.

Troy forces a smile but his stare was pointed at me I couldn't help but look away and study the other faces instead. 'Nah man, I walked into a door,' he lies smoothly until of course one of the other guys piped in, 'nuh uh, the idiot copped a punch from ya girl over there,' he laughs sending the guys to talk all at once.

'What'd you do Troy?' Mack growls making me shift away a little and making everyone shut up and stare at each other uneasily.

'I, um...' Troy stutters, dropping his gaze when Mack starts to glare.

'He slapped her arse cos I offered 20 bucks,' one of the cheerleaders giggled, oblivious to the serious moment and silence.

'Is this true Claire?' Mack asks me turning to me slightly as I kept my head down and trying to ignore the girl’s glares.

I shrugged.

'Troy, I'll talk to you after school.' Mack says and everyone seemed to go silent all of a sudden, knowing what he meant except me.

What was he going to do or say?

And then just like that Mack started up a conversation on football and everyone got into the convo, laughing away and talking, thing is, even I could tell these people were fake. Trying to be good enough in front of Mack. To be better and even meaner than what they usually are. They were on edge and that was that.