The Nerd has a Secret (GxG)

Chapter Thirteen

C H A P T E R T H I R T E E N
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A U R E L I E

Aurelie trembled as she held onto Luke and Delilah's hands, a tight grimace on her face as the pair guided her away, trying to calm her down.

"Aurelie, calm down, girl," Delilah urged.

"Holy shit, dude, did you see that?" Henry mumbled.

"Not helping!" Luke hissed. The group quickly made their way back towards the school, all the while Aurelie had a sick feeling in her stomach.

It was only after they reached the front of the building that Aurelie finally gave in to the feeling, tears stinging the backs of her eyes.

Zach and...Danielle? Kissing? What the hell did that mean? What about the bullying? Was Zach forcing her into something? No, no, he wouldn't do that, would he? What if he did? No, she'd seen it, Danielle had pulled him in...was it all some ploy? The bullying? The fighting? Just to keep their apparent relationship under wraps? But Danielle was her friend! How could she do that?

All these feelings, including her breakfast, came pouring out, and her stomach emptied in the bushes against the wall.

"Aurelie!" Luke cried.

"Dude, you alright?" Henry asked.

"Oh my god, Aurelie, I'm so sorry," Delilah said quietly, hand slipping to her shoulder. Then, her lower back. "Hey, calm down for a minute. Maybe what we saw wasn't—"

"Then what could it have been?" Aurelie cried. "Danielle's our friend! My friend! And she was just kissing my—god, I don't know what to call him! My ex? She was kissing my ex!" Despite herself, the tears welling in her eyes finally began to slip away, rolling down her cheeks in large droplets of sickness and panic. "How could she?"

"M-maybe Zach forced it?" Henry offered. "He's an asshole...maybe he's...I dunno, threatening her?" Aurelie shook her head.

"She pulled him in! I saw it!" She shook her head once more, trying to clear out the rampant, incoherent thoughts spinning in her head. But the moment she did, the moment she closed her eyes, she saw the scene once more, and it all came crashing back.

"Okay, so...if it is what it looks like...then what, uh...what are you gonna do?" Delilah asked hesitantly. "I'll...talk to her about it. I don't think she'll open up, but—"

"No," Aurelie replied, rubbing at her eyes in a haphazard and futile attempt to dry them. "I-I need to-to talk to them. This is my—problem—" she covered her face in her hands. "Oh my god. Oh my...god."

What was she meant to do now?

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The day had started out normal, not bad, but not good either, a stark contrast to the miserable feelings she'd acquired later in the day. She'd awoken early, got in some studying before classes began, and arrived to her first period with minutes to spare. Not even her science teacher, Mrs. Carlson, has arrived. She was alone, aside from, per the usual, one miss Danielle Blake, nose in a book and icy demeanor on full effect.

"Morning Danielle," Aurelie greeted with a smile. Danielle merely grunted in response, eyes not lifting from her book.

Although it wasn't her assigned seat, Aurelie took to Danielle's side somewhat eagerly, grateful to see a (debatably) friendly face early in the morning. In fact, seeing her face early in the morning was quite pleasant, and sometimes she'd even admit she enjoyed it.