Chapter 28

"So, it was written before you even reached your locker?" The principal asked me for the hundredth time.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

I already told him that someone wrote that before I reached my locker.

"Yes, sir," I replied.

You must be wondering, what was written on my locker?

Someone wrote the word SLUT in bold letters with red spray on my locker.

How humiliating. Girls keep glancing at me whenever I walk past them.

"Any suspects about who wrote that?" The principal asked again.

Whom should I name?

Kylie? I don't think she is capable of doing something like this.

Bethany? She isn't either.

Travis? He is too dumb to do this.

Antony? He is...well let's not talk about him.

I have to stay away from him. He is dangerous for me. He knows about James, he knows about me. He might also know about Jasmin. He knows just too much for his own good.

"Anyone?" The principal asked again.

I shook my head.

"So, Miss. Black, you'll have to go to the office to get your new locker number. And don't worry, I've got things sorted out here. I'll call you tomorrow again to show you the CCTV footage." The principal assured me.

I nodded at him, before getting up and leaving the office.

I faintly heard him say, "Have a nice day ahead."

How will I have a nice day? Luck is never with me.

I was surprised to see Cole and Jessica waiting for me outside the office.

This meant, both of them skipped their first class for me.

I'm impressed.

"What happened?" Jessica asked me, as soon as I reached near them.

"He said that he'll call me when he gets the CCTV footage," I said, giving her a small smile.

"Oh Xandra, you must be going through a lot right now," Jessica said, pulling me into a tight hug.

I told her that I had to go to the office to get my new locker number. She said that she would accompany me. But Cole left, telling Jessica that he had Chemistry.

Cole remained quiet the whole time. He is mad at me, and he should be. After all, I am hiding such a big secret from him, from all my friends.

You guys must be wondering why. I'll tell you.

When Cole and I saw my locker at first, Cole was furious. Very furious actually. He wanted to beat the crap out of Antony, and he started storming towards the place where Antony was standing, which wasn't very far from us, it was as if he was he was watching the scene from afar.

Anyways, when Antony figured out about what Cole was about to do, he made eye contact with me, as if he wanted to tell me something. As if, warning me.

And I understood. Antony would have exposed me if I didn't stop Cole. I rushed towards Cole, grabbing his ar--I mean trying to grab his arm, but he wasn't stopping.

I started crying because I couldn't bear the thought of being ignored and humiliated by everyone once they found out about the truth.

Cole stopped when he saw me crying.

Wanna know the best part? Cole thinks I like Antony. And that I was crying for him.

This is good, great even.

"So, do you like him?" Jessica asked me out of the blue.

"Who? Antony? I don't like him, and I never will. Even if he is the last male on Earth." I said, opening the door to the office.

I came here a week ago, to get my locker number. And, here I am again, doing the same.

"No, uh, I was talking about Cole," Jessica said, and at that very moment, I regretted opening my mouth and speaking all that shit.

Jessica looked amused though.

"Alexandra Black right?" The same old boring lady in the receptionist asked me.

I noticed that she still wasn't happy here. A person should learn to adjust.

"Yeah, that's me," I said cheerfully, giving her a big smile.

She looked at me, weirdly.

"Your locker number is 357." She bluntly said.

I faintly heard Jessica gasp.

"Thanks. Have a great day ahead." I told the receptionist, giving her another charming smile of mine.

So what if I'm having a bad day? This surely doesn't mean I'll make others day go bad.

"Let's go," I told Jessica as I started walking towards the exit of the office.

But I noticed that Jessica wasn't following me.

I turned back, to see her frozen on the spot.

What is wrong with her? She is acting so weirdly today.

"Hey, Jessica," I said as I walked back to her.

No response.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I asked her.

No response.

"She looks like a girl who just saw her dead cat dancing." The receptionist snickered.

I rolled my eyes.

"Jessica?" I said, shaking her.

"What?" She finally asked me.

"We are getting late. Let's go." I said, walking towards the exit.

"Yeah." She said, following me.

I went straight towards my old locker. I had to shift things.

"I wanted to tell you something." Jessica nervously said.

This is surely weird. Jessica isn't the kind of person who gets nervous.

"Yeah? What is it?" I asked as I started taking out books from my locker.

"Well, my locker number is 356." She said, holding some of my books as well.

"So, that's great. We're locker neighbors." I said, smiling at her. She wasn't smiling though.

I sighed as I closed my locker, once I took everything out.

"You aren't happy about that?" I asked her.

"I am." She said, almost immediately.

"Well, you have a funny way of showing it," I said, as I started following Jessica, who was now taking the lead.

"You wouldn't be too happy when you know the whole truth, Xandra." She said, her back facing me.

She really has a great ass, by the way.

"What do you mean?" I asked her, as I caught up with her, walking side by side.

"Do you know who's locker number 359?" She suddenly asked me.

"Uh, no," I said, trying to think.

"Cole's." She said, and I smiled.

That's great.

But she still wasn't happy.

"Wait, who's locker is 358 again?" I asked her.

She sighed. I should be the one doing that.

"Antony Cage." She said as we reached locker 357.

I almost gasped.

The very boy I need to stay away from is my locker neighbor.

Just my luck.

$$$$

After keeping my books in my new locker, I made my way towards the cafeteria.

Lunch is the only reason why I come to school. At least it wouldn't Betray me.

Taking a pizza slice, a sandwich, and an apple juice, I made my way towards my friend's table.

I noticed a blonde girl sitting at my place, again.

That Kemma bitch.

This time she was flirting with Blake. Thank God she isn't flirting with Cole.

"Hey everyone," I said as I sat down between Jessica and Ryder.

Everyone greeted me back except Cole. I guess he is still upset.

"Are the rumors true then?" Kemma asked me in a very bitchy tone, I may add.

"What rumors?" I asked, taking a bite from my sandwich.

"That you fucked Connor, and then the next morning you broke his heart, so he wrote vandalized your locker?" She asked me, desperately.

Who's Connor? Oh, I remember the hot guy I met at Ryder's party.

"Uh, no. I didn't fuck him. And he didn't write that on my locker." I said, taking another bite of my sandwich.

"Oh, so the rumors are true then." She said, acting as if she was superior or something.

"Are there any more rumors?" Jessica asked while I remained quiet. I am seriously not interested.

"That she wrote that herself, just because she wanted attention," Kemma said, flipping her blonde hair.

Why would I do that?

"Why would she want attention when she already has them?" Cole spoke for the first time.

What attention--

"You know, it's only a week since she's here, and she is in the popular group, with jocks dying for her. She has so many guys running after her that she doesn't need to do that shit." Cole said, blankly.

Was he trying to imply that I'm a slut?

"Oh my God. Finally, someone who supports me. Everyone knows how much of a slut she is, and now, her very own friend just confirmed that." Kemma said, happily.

"I'm not her friend," Cole said, blankly.

I just silently stared at him. What have I done that he is so upset? No one has ever called me a slut, not like this.

I hate him. I really do.

"Just because I'm quiet doesn't mean you guys can speak shit. Before someone calls me a slut, just have a look at yourself, literally, everyone sitting on this table fucks someone new every day. And they call themselves a 'player' But if a girl does that, she is considered a slut. And you Kemma, don't act like you know something just because you don't. And I honestly don't care about telling about it to you." I said, giving her my signature death glare.

She didn't back down though.

"Oh really? Do you think I don't know the truth? I saw everything that happened in the morning. Everyone in this whole cafeteria saw that. You fucking cried for Antony. Why? I don't know, maybe he's the next guy you're gonna fuck before breaking his heart." She said, giving me an icy glare too.

"That's the point, Kemma. You don't know the truth. Don't act like you know something when you don't know a fuck about me. And no, I would never stoop that low that I would have to fuck someone like Antony. I still have better options. Unlike you, I don't have to beg people to fuck me." I said, giving her a classic smirk of mine.

"She's right. She seriously doesn't have to. Besides Gemma or Kemma, whatever your name is, I suggest you to not mess up with her. You don't know her history. She just loves ruining people, isn't that right, baby doll?" I heard Antony's voice from my backside.

Baby doll. That's what James used to call me. How did he know this? He also knew that I ruined James' life. How?

"Fuck off," I said, along with Jessica.

I still couldn't digest the fact that Antony tried to expose me even after I saved him from Cole.

I shouldn't have trusted him.

"You know what? I'm done trying to explain myself. You are right, Kemma. And so are you, Antony." I said after I stood up from my place.

I made eye contact with Cole, who looked as if he wanted to say something. I looked away.

I am not his friend anymore.

As I turned around, I made eye contact with Antony, who as smirking at me. I gave him a death glare.

"Bye friends," I said, to no one particular, but I received responses from Jessica, Sam, Ryder, and Blake.

I threw the waste in the dustbin, as I made my way towards my new locker.

"Wait!" I faintly heard Cole's voice from my back.

I ignored him. Nobody has ever insulted me like how he did today. Screw you, Parker. Screw you.

As I took out my books for my next class, someone grabbed me by my arm and slammed me against my locker. My books falling down in the process.

This happened so suddenly that I didn't have any time to react.

"What's wrong with you?!" I yelled at Cole, who looked very very angry.

He didn't have any right to be angry. If anything, I should be the one doing that.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" He yelled at me. There were people who stopped doing what they were doing just to stare at us.

His green eyes bore into mine. I could actually see how angry he was.

But...why? I didn't do anything wrong. Besides, he isn't my friend.

I didn't answer him. Why should I?

I tried to lose his grip from my arm. But he doesn't budge.

In fact, he got even closer, so close that I could actually feel his hot minty breath on my cheek.

I gulped. This closeness was effecting me, it shouldn't.

I can't let anyone get close to me, if I do that, I'll put that person in danger as well.

I won't let things go out of hand. I need to stop.

I have to.

With all my might, I snatched my wrists from Cole's hands and placed them on his chest, firmly pushing him away.

"Nothing is wrong with me," I said as I bent down to pick up my fallen books.

"Really? Then why didn't you say anything to Antony and Kemma back there?" He asked, quite harshly I might add.

"I would've done that if you didn't interrupt me. Things wouldn't have gone far. But no, you thought it was the right moment to clarify this to everyone that you are not my friend." I said, picking up my last books, as I started to walk away.

He should know that I'm upset, sad and mad at him.

"You are more than a friend to me." He said, causing me to stop walking as I turned back at him.

"I know, I'm your personal slut. Isn't it?" I asked him sarcastically.

"I'm sorry." He said simply.

Wow, he's sorry now.

"Can you take back the words that left your mouth? No? Well, even I can't accept your apology." I snapped at him.

I turned around and walked away from there.

$$$$

"Hey Peter," I said as I sat on the passenger's seat next to Peter.

I called Peter to pick me up from school. I didn't want to face Cole.

Cole tried talking to me twice after the lunch break, but I ignored him.

"You look pale Alexandra, is something bothering you?" Peter asked me.

I've grown up with him, he literally knows everything about me.

"Yeah," I said, looking out of the window.

"Do you...want to talk about it?" He carefully asked.

"No," I said, quietly.

"Look, if you don't want to tell me, then don't. But don't keep it all to yourself and get all worried, and later on, get panic attacks. At least tell someone about your problems." He explained.

"Someone?" I asked him.

"Yeah, someone close to you. Someone who understands you." He further explained.

"Like?" I asked him.

"Your momma bear." He offered.

"Not her," I said; I don't want her to get worried.

"Your Dad." He offered again.

"Not him," I Said.

I can't get him worried too.

"That friend of yours?" He offered again.

"Which one? Cole? That's a no-no." I said, staring at my nails.

"No, the one who was friends with you and Jasmine. The smarty-pants." He said, referring to Tyler.

I laughed. Peter would never call Tyler by his name, he would always call him smartypants, even though Tyler was far from smart. He just acted like he was smart. He wasn't though.

Jasmine and I used to call Tyler, as Tay Tay, knowing how much he hated Taylor Swift.

I loved Taylor Swift though. So did Jasmine.

"So, are you going to call him?"Peter asked me.

"Yeah, I guess I will," I said, smiling at Peter.

If I ever needed advice, I would always call Peter.

He is the best adviser.

A/N,

God, I'm such a bitch.

It's been so long since I last updated.

Anyways,

What's going to happen next?

Stay tuned.

How is my new book cover?

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