(1) Talk Me Down: An All Time Low Fanfiction Romance

Chapter 55: Hit

        Besides Veronica's lethal glare practically burning a hole through my head, and the all too obvious pointing and laughing coming from her table, lunch that day wasn't completely bad. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Jack and Alex were entertaining enough to keep me occupied and not glancing back at the table behind them, and Rian's and found mine once we'd finished eating which was helping and comforting.

        When the lunch bell rang, I hung back with the boys, waiting until Veronica and her group had cleared out of the lunch room. When they'd disappeared from my site I stood up, tugging my backpack onto my shoulders. Rian stood up with me and I looked at him as I grabbed the rest of my books from the table.

        "You don't have to walk with me," I said. "Your class is in the other direction." I was only going down the hall, but I'd seen Rian walking out after lunch and I knew his class was the opposite way.

        "I don't mind," he said, reaching for a few of my books again. I pulled away, smiling.

        "I don't want you to be late; I'll meet up with you later." I leaned forward and kissed him quickly, backing up around the table before he could say anything else.

        I was only in the hallway for a few seconds alone when a thin arm draped over my shoulder. I turned and looked up, unable to keep myself from smiling at Jack's grinning face.

        "What are you doing?" I asked, laughing lightly as Jack leaned into my side, causing us to move sideways across the hallway and almost walk into someone.

        "Walking you to class," he grinned, and I rolled my eyes, holding my books in front of my chest as we turned the corner into a new hallway.

        "You know I don't need an escort everywhere I go," i said, but Jack shook his head.

        "Somebody has to help you fend off the STD," he said seriously, causing me to laugh. That seemed to be his favorite nickname for Veronica. I'd certainly hear the guys calling her that often.

        My smile fell as my eyes were immeditely attracted to the long, red hair of Charlotte, standing beside Veronica and Sophia. "And speak of the she-devil," Jack muttered beside me.

        Sophia was facing our direction and when her eyes landed on me, she immediately said something to Veronica, who, in return, glared over her shoulder at me. Charlotte looked at me too, but I didn't want to meet her eyes.

        I felt mad at her, almost, for standing around and watching Veronica attack me. I knew she knew how wrong Veronica was acting, but she just stood by, acting as cowardly as I was accused of being.

        I faintly heard Jack talking in my ear, most likely trying to distract me, but Veronica had caught my gaze and as much as I wanted to look away, I felt like I was trapped. The look she was giving me, even from yards away, made me want to turn around and walk the other way.

        When I finally pulled my eyes from Veronica I looked up at Jack. His eyes were narrowed, facing ahead assumingly at Veronica, but he looked down at me once I turned to him.

        "I bet your'e glad I came with you now," he said, wiggling his eyebrows in an attempt to make me laugh. I giggled lightly, trying not to look in the direction of the girls and wishing that they would stop appearing every where I walked.

        I thought, for a moment, that Veronica's stare would be the worst of it this time, but right as we were about to pass her she stepped out, and since I didn't have even a millisecond to move, my shoudler slammed into hers. She stood her ground and my shoulder jerked backwards, one of my books falling out of my grip. I winced slightly, wondering how there never seemed to be any teachers around to see her.

        "You should really learn how to pay attention to where you're walking," she snapped, brushing past me again, Sophia trailing behind her, disappearing before Jack had a chance to defend me like he had before. I felt anger bubbling inside me, fueled by Veronica's immature and already tiring attitude. That's twice she'd run into me on purpose today.

        Did she think it was making me feel bad? Did she think that I was going to wish I'd never chosen Rian over her? Because at this point, I would never, ever wish that I'd done differently. It was really appalling how easily she turned, and I wished the other girls weren't following her so blindly so they could see how she really was.

        We were best friends for years, I might as well have burnt her house down for the treatment I was getting from her.

        I hadn't even notice that Charlotte wasn't following her yet, and instead she was standing sligtly in front of me, biting down on her lip. When I finally noticed her and met her gaze, she tried to smile lightly at me, but I didn't return it.

        "I'm sorry," she whispered. I felt my anger bubble down slightly, feeling a hint of understanding for the compromising position Charlotte was in. It was almost the same as what I'd been in between Rian and Charlotte, only I made the right choice, and Charlotte was still siding with Veronica.

        I just shrugged heavily and shook my head, watching as Charlotte chewed on her lip again, looking as if she wanted to say something else. Instead, she just nodded to herself and then took off down the hallway to her class.

        I finally looked at Jack, who was watching me, my fallen book in his hand.

        "Thanks," I mumbled, taking it from him.

        "I think you should just hit her and get it over with," he said, shaking his head. I raised an eyebrow at him, with a small smile. "Hit her and have a good old fashioned girl fight."

        "See you later, Jack," I smiled as the bell rang. He saluted me with another big grin before turning and marching into the room across the hall. I laughed to myself, turning into my own classroom.

        I rolled my shoulder, wondering how somebody as thin as her could create such a hard impact.

        Either way, today was definitely just the start of the worst few weeks of my life.