The Guarded One ✔

Chapter Three

I sit across from the school principal Mr Jacobs and the guidance counsellor, Mrs Graham. I had spent most of last year in their offices, being scolded.

"May I remind you that if you receive one more suspension, you are repeating senior year" Mr Jacobs firms his gaze.

"No, you don't need to remind me" I sigh as looking at his navy blue tie, "I am already fully aware"

He removes his glasses. "Look, I know that the situation with Duncan is causing trouble for you, but instead of breaking the captain of the football teams nose, how about you report him, instead?"

The captain gig was supposed to be mine, but after my detention count, they said it was better off if Mason did it. Instead, they've made me the linebacker for the season — for now, that is.

"Will do next time" I look down at my fingertips.

"No" Mr Jacobs shakes his head in frustration, "there will not be the next time"

"Yeah" I nod.

"Now hurry up...before you end up late for homeroom" he runs his fingers through his black and grey hair in frustration, before pressing his caramel toned palm against his cheek.

I stand up onto my own two feet before exiting his office. I promised myself and Aunt Laura that I would try harder this year — I guess, I'm the same disappointment that I've always been.

Once I enter homeroom, I take a seat in the back. Most of the students sit there staring or whispering at me the entire time. Everyone knows about Duncan and everyone has a different vision of what happened.

After what feels like an hour, the bell rings. Finally, it's time for the first period. I walk quickly; almost as if I were in a hurry — I always do.

I make it to class and surprise, surprise I'm one of the first here. The door and lights are open so I just enter the warm classroom and sit down towards the back.

I sit there for five minutes or so till I hear someone drop their books on the desk beside me. I don't have to look, I already know who had the nerve to sit beside me.

"What part of early did you not comprehend?" I question as raising a brow and smirking slightly.

I only smirked because it was expected of Hayden to show up late. Even though I have no evidence to support my assumption, I know her well enough to know for certain that she was late this morning.

"I was in Jacobs office" Hayden rolls her eyes as taking a seat beside me.

"Late slip?" I assume due to the fact she's late almost every day.

"Yep after school detention", she waves her pink slip in front of my eyes.

I pull mine out from my back pocket before waving it at Hayden. "Funny me too"

I don't mind detention too much. I get to do my homework in peace, so what's not to like?

"Whatchu do?" Hayden cocks a brow.

"Some kid got in the way of my fist," I admit, slightly amused.

"By kid you mean...."

"Mason" I finish.

Jackson and Mason were the only people in the school who had the guts to harass me; everybody else wouldn't dare.

"Again?" She chucks her arms in the air.

"He started it" I defend myself.

"Don't get suspended please" Hayden begs as placing a strip of her chocolate brown hair, behind her ear.

"I think we should be more worried about you" I admit as pulling out my laptop from my backpack. 

"Me? What do I do? Well besides not get to class on time" she folds her arms.

"Morning all" Mr Glimmer greets as placing his black leather briefcase on his desk.

"To be continued" she whispers before reverting her gaze to the teacher.

***

My fingertips are bouncing against the keys on my laptop at full speed, as I begin typing up the assignment that I have just been given. Everyone around us appears to be dead silent, well to me at least.

"They're all looking," Hayden tells me, "pointing...Gossiping..."

"When don't they?" I continue typing with my eyes glued to my computer screen.

"No" she argues, "not like this...the entire class are...gossiping...about us"

"Ignore them" I order.

The people at Lockwood high have always been known for their gossip.  Unlike Riverside, we're not at all discrete.

"I can't...how can I?" Hayden sighs.

"So what do you want me to do?" I snap as finally facing her, "you want me to yell? To beat them up?"

"I don't know...just do something...they're talking about Duncan... About us and Duncan..." she says.

"I know" I admit, "but you gotta ignore it...cause if you don't, you're gonna get in trouble than potentially not graduate"

"But—" she rolls her eyes

"No buts" I cry, "get back to the assignment"

Hayden is the kind of person who always needs someone holding her hand while she does things then gets mad when she doesn't have her independence. 

"I can't" Hayden admits.

"Could you to talk a little louder please" a deep voice remarks from above us, causing both Hayden and me look up? "I think there's one guy outside who didn't hear you"

"Sorry" I sigh whilst reverting my gaze at my laptop screen.

I don't speak to others as I speak to Hayden or any of my other friends. I speak with caution but at the same time, I need to act as though I am tough. That's why most of the school see me like I'm some kind of loose cannon.

"We were just discussing the work" Hayden lies shamelessly to our teacher.

"Is that so?" Mr Glimmer raises a brow.

"Yeah," she says as looking over to her laptop screen.

Mr Glimmer nods slowly before walking back towards his desk. Of course, he didn't believe Hayden, I guess he's just aware of all we have been through lately.

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A/N

Hey guys,

Any theories about what happened to their friend Duncan? The rest of the group are revealed in the next chapter. Get hyped!

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Happy reading!