empty → LUCAS FRIAR ✓

t w o

CHAPTER TWO
( BAY )

BRAYDEN COULDN'T BELIEVE the amount of people that attended school the next day. It was a riot, even outside of the school doors. Apparently new foreign exchange students were arriving on this very day, and all the buzz was focused around the new forty-five teens that would attend the High School.

Although everyone else was looking around skeptically for the bus full of students, Brayden couldn't care less about them. Instead, she shoved through the crowd, rolled her eyes at a few over-dramatic girls, and made her way to the library without a second thought. What she wanted to know was why there was so much chaos over the exchange students. It had happened before, but there wasn't nearly as much talk as there was now.

Brayden slips into a chair at a table in the corner of the library, pulling her book from her bag. Like usual, she had read the night before, and had almost already finished the book. Only a few pages to go until she could begin the sequel, and then onto a new trilogy- or any good series- she could find.

The silence of the library soothed her aching head- something that she had picked up while dealing with the loudness of students outside. She was glad to have a quiet and peaceful space she could go to before the first bell rang, to ensure that no one else would bother her until then. But her happiness was soon shattered, as a boy by the name of Lucas decided to sit in the seat opposite of her.

"You could stop stalking me, you know," Brayden says without looking up from her book. "If it's help you need, I suggest finding someone else. Like a psychiatrist or Riley or something."

"I'm not looking for help," Lucas says, shrugging nonchalantly. "I'm just here to talk."

"Well, I don't like talk or people," Brayden hums, her eyes finally meeting his. "How unfortunate for you."

"How would you like to eat lunch with my friends and I today?" Lucas ignores her comment, continuing on with his thoughts. "I figured that once you got used to talking to some drama-free people, you could maybe . . . be friends with some of them."

"I'd rather not," Brayden states. "Considering the amount of drama you and your friends have been in lately, I truly don't think you know what I mean by 'drama-free'."

"Please," Lucas sighs, running his fingers through his hair. "Brayden, I promise you won't regret it. It's just for a day, nothing more."

"No thank you," she dismisses. "But if you'll excuse me, I need to go."

And, like the day before, Brayden was gone before Lucas could even open his mouth to protest.

---

Brayden found herself in the bathroom after her run-in with the boy, hiding out in a stall for quite some time. It may have been gross- but Brayden didn't mind sitting in the quietness for a while. In fact, it seemed by as though time went by quicker than she thought.

Within the blink of an eye, she had missed Cory Mathews' class, and her lunch period. The book in her hand had kept her at bay for a little too long. Standing from her seat on the toilet- which was thankfully covered by a lid- Brayden pulls her bag from the hook on the door, and puts her book inside.

Unlocking the door, Brayden slides from the stall and over to the sinks. She places her bag down on one of them, getting out her books for the next class- English. While shuffling through her many folders and books, the door to the girls' bathroom opens. Brayden glances into the mirror in front of her, the girl's eyes settling on the three who had just entered.

"Great," Brayden murmers to herself, quickening her pace to grab the books from her bag.

"Didn't think I'd see your face again," the blonde pipes- Allison, who had once been a friend of Brayden's. "Yet here we are."

"Unfortunately," Brayden says lowly, slipping her bag onto her shoulder. "I was hoping I wouldn't run into you either."

"So . . . Lucas Friar?" Allison raises an eyebrow, her two friends settling to her left. "I saw you talking to him earlier."

"I wouldn't call it anything other than friendly harassment," Brayden states, narrowing her eyes at Allison's reflection in the mirror. "But think what you want, it's not really and of your business anyway."

"But I think it should be," she tilts her head to the side, jutting out her hip to lean on the wall. "Does he know?"

"Why don't you find someone else to torture? I'd rather not deal with you or your attitude right now, it's ruining my decent mood," Brayden suggests.

"So he doesn't," the blonde decides with a short laugh of realization. "That's why he's been around you lately. He deserves to know, Bay."

"Don't call me that," Brayden grinds her teeth together, her hands clenching into fists. "Just back off, it's none of your concern. Besides, it's not my choice that he hangs around me."

"He won't for long," Allison says with determination, a wicked grin settling on her face. "But I'll give you a chance. Have your fun for a while . . . but just know that if you don't tell him, I will."

Allison gives Brayden one last glance before turning, and exiting the bathroom. The other two- girl's that Brayden didn't bother to try and recognize- follow suitly behind her, their heels clicking on the tile floor. Brayden sighs, her bag sinking to the floor as the door slams closed behind them.

It seemed that no matter what she did, something always came back to hit her. Brayden had tried her best to fight what she knew would come eventually, but how could she fight what she couldn't see? It was Allison's word against hers, and Brayden knew the outcome. It was only a matter of time until things would begin to come out, and of course Allison would be the head of it all.

Brayden stares into the mirror, at the girl she had somehow become within the past three months. And when she couldn't look anymore, she averted her attention to the floor. Brayden shakes her head- she would be prepared for whatever would come soon.

She would keep her distance from Lucas, more than she had before, and would avoid contact with anyone at the school. It wasn't far from what she was already doing, but perhaps it could help in the long run. Maybe Allison would change her mind or go back on her word.

Brayden could only hope she was making the best decision for both her and Lucas.

_______