Owen

Royalty

The days that followed my dad's news I spent more numb than normal. I didn't care. I didn't care that my dad hustled me off to school in the mornings, I didn't care that Jase never shut up, I didn't care that Jaelyn was too preoccupied with someone else.

I had hit a low.

And I didn't care about that either.

I'd spent my time at school, staring off. Not listening to my teachers, not trying. Alec had asked me multiple times if I was okay. And I hadn't answered once. I'm sure I was pissing him off, but the gentle giant that he was never let it show.

I didn't hear the end of class or everyone shuffling around trying to exit the room as fast as they could. I didn't even hear when Drew called my name.

I did however notice his hand land on my shoulder. I wished I could say it startled me, that it shocked my mind back into motion, brought some life back to me. But it didn't and I just stared at it.

"Hey." He lifted his hand, moving in front of me.

I just stared at the spot where his hand had been. What the fuck was going on right now?

"Alec said you've been weird." Drew said.

Of course he had to hear from Alec, it wasn't like he would have known himself. All we ever did was fucking nod at each other.

I brought my eyes over to his, surprised he didn't look away even though I could see there was nothing more he wanted to do then that.

"Are you...I mean...did you..is..." he stammered.

I could feel the numbness fading, anger taking its place. I ground my teeth together. I probably would have punched Drew in the face if I could have.

"Get the fuck out." I told him instead.

"Owen, man, listen.."

"Get the fuck out of my face!"

Drew hadn't really done anything but he was the one sitting there. I would have yelled at any one, I wasn't picky.

"I'm sorry!" He shouted over me. "I'm sorry."

I narrowed my eyes at him, not exactly sure what he was sorry for. I hadn't told anyone that I'd officially lost my scholarship. But knowing Jase he had probably told the world by now. It wasn't a long shot that Drew had heard. Both my dad and Jase still acted like Drew and I were tight.

"Sorry doesn't fix shit Drew."

He mumbled something but I didn't wait to hear what it was before I rolled myself out of the classroom. I did notice though that he didn't bother following me.

                               ———————

I went with Max to the drama room for lunch. I didn't want to go and sit with everyone at lunch and I wasn't about to have Mrs. Peterson trying to analyze my bad mood. I just wanted to hide from everyone and the drama room was as close as I could get to hiding. Plus Max's friends didn't really talk to me, which was exactly what I wanted.

I'd spent the entire lunch break with my eyes shut, desperately wanting sleep to take me but it just didn't happen.

"See ya Max." One of the girls called as shoes scraped against the floor.

"Bye Holly."

I didn't open my eyes.

"Lunch is over." Max said.

And even though all I could see was the backs of my eyelids I knew we were the only ones left. I let out a sigh, it sounded strangled and defeated just like I felt.

"Not that the brooding, silent Owen isn't hot but what's wrong?" He asked.

That got me to open my eyes.

"Something with Jaelyn?" He continued.

I wasn't ready to tell anyone that I was basically certain she was cheating on me. I wasn't even sure how I felt about it yet.

"No trouble in paradise." I mumbled, neither one of us making a move to leave yet.

"Well what is it? You've been unusually quiet and irritable."

I laughed through my nose. Max and I had been talking more and more. He'd call my name in the hallway, sometimes I'd go to the drama room with him, he'd switched seats in our third hour so he was closer to where I was pushed off to the side. And all of it didn't annoy me like it probably would have had someone else done it. Max was cool.

"I lost my scholarship." I told him, shaking my head at the thought. "I mean it doesn't surprise me. Not like I can play soccer anymore but it still sucks."

"Yeah that blows." He agreed.

I was glad he didn't say he was sorry. And I was glad he just agreed, he didn't try and give me any of the "be positive" bull shit. I was sick that.

"So why don't any of your friends talk to me?" I asked changing the subject.

Max laughed as he headed for the door. He looked back over his shoulder to make sure I was coming.

"You make them nervous."

I snorted. If anything I was the least intimidating person out there. What was I gonna do? Roll over them?

"Yeah, sure."

"I'm not joking, they don't know what to say in front of high school royalty. They're huge nerds." I looked up at him as I wheeled out through the door he was holding.

"I'm not royalty."

"Don't be stupid." Max told me. "That's exactly what you are."

He came up beside me, his eyes focused forward as he walked.

"So what is that a bad thing?" I asked.

His brown eyes met mine, his shoulders shrugging slightly. "I don't know, you tell me."

That was the worst part, I didn't know. Being popular had saved me from a lot of shit, I wasn't naive enough to not see that. But now that life wasn't perfect for me, I was entirely sure who my friends were. Alec yeah, Katie maybe. But everyone else? I wasn't sure.

                              ————————