Just Friends | A.M

1.1 the six

Bella walked side by side with Ander as they walked behind Carla and Polo. From another direction came Lu and Guzmán joining them, completing their circle, as they walked to the cafeteria to eat. Bella and Carla headed straight for a table while the others went to go buy lunch or a drink. The girls chatted away but Carla paused seeing Ander coming.
"Here comes lover boy," she teased. Bella rolled her eyes and smiled at the boy. Carla and Lu always teased her about the curly haired boy saying that they acted like a couple and they should just date but Bella insisted they were just friends.
"Not hungry?" Ander asked as he placed his tray in front of the brunette as the others followed in tow after him.
"Not really," shaking her head.
"I got you an iced coffee," Polo said sliding a cold beverage before taking a seat across Lu and Carla who had started chatting away.
"Thank you," she smiled gratefully taking a sip.
"Share my lunch with me," Ander stated not wanting to argue with her. Gently pushing the tray closer to her.
"Hmmm, I guess," Bella murmured reaching for the apple on his tray.
"Happy?" she asked taking a bite of the apple.
"Ecstatic," Ander grinned, taking a bite of his lunch. Bella rolled her eyes at the boy.
"Where's Guzmán?" Bella asked noticing the absent blonde.
"Here," Guzmán answered as he wedged himself between Bella and Ander. From a table away the six were being watched by 3 sets of eyes. Unaware of the eyes on them the six chatted away.
"Who do you think calls the shots here?" Christian asked looking at their table. The six didn't have to say that they're in charge, they showed it through how they carried themselves.
"Marina's party is tonight, no?" Bella asked Guzman as she took a sip of Ander's water not wanting to mix the apple and iced coffee flavor together. Guzmán nodded.
"Be my date?" Bella asked looking at Ander who nodded while Guzmán gave Ander a look. Ander rolled his eyes at the smiling blond. Guzmán was probably the only one besides Ander himself who knew how Ander felt about the brunette beside them. Ander confided in him a long time ago, when they were 8 and to this day he still liked her. It frustrated Guzmán that Ander wouldn't make a move.
"What time is the party?" Carla asked.
"Somebody say "party"?" A voice interrupted then making the six turn their heads to reveal the loud boy from earlier in class. "Hi, I'm Christian."
"Yes, hello! Do you speak Spanish?" Lu mocked making everyone laughed but Ander, Bella, and Carla. Bella sighed catching Guzmán and Ander's attention. Both boys taking her sigh completely differently. Guzmán taking it as a sigh of annoyance that Christian has barged in their private conversation while Ander took it as shit is about to go down and she wasn't in mood. Ander was the correct one.
"I was talking to my friends," Guzmán informed the newbie.
"Oh, sorry," Christian said before turning to Carla, Lu, and Bella." Um, by the way, are you on Instagram? I can give you my username if you want."
Bella noticed the look on Carla's face, shaking her head she took another bite of her apple.
"Oh, yes! Yes, please!" Lu responded sarcastically breaking Christian's eye contact from Carla.
"It's "pekechristian007". The first one is a k," Christian answered not noticing Lu's attitude as he walked around the table to stand beside her as she typed it in. Carla moved from her seat to look at Lu's phone too. Samuel watched the scene before him seeing the same two boys that he encountered when he was with Marina, Guzman and Polo, they looked irritated by Christian, while the other male with curly hair, that he hasn't met yet, looked down at the ground. He seemed like he didn't want to get involved in the situation that was unraveling. A beautiful girl with the solid dark hair stood up and placed herself in between Guzmán and the unknown boy rubbing his back as he whispered something in her ear and she nodded.
"Pekechristian. Oh, no, no no."
"I've fucking had it with these people," Guzmán whispered angrily to Bella and Ander as he walked around to stand on the other side of Ander. "I don't understand how they got into this school. I don't."
"Guzmán," Bella whispered warningly as he walked closer towards Christian, beside Polo. Guzmán almost listened to her and backed off. Almost. But Guzmán was known for letting his temper get the best of him.
"Holy, shit, this video! Look!" Lu laughed showing her phone to the three. Christian tried to touch her phone and Lu's laugher stopped as she pushed him away. "Do not touch me!"
"Lu, don't be mean," Carla said unhappy with their friend's action. "Ignore my friend."
"So, what about this party?" Christian asked looking at Carla with a smirk on his lips.
"My sister's coming-out party is private, like our conversation," Guzmán intervened making Christian scoff. Polo put his arm around Christian threateningly, but Christian shrugged it off getting irritated. "So who do I need to talk to about getting an invite?"
Carla pulled on Polo's ear to get his attention as she mouthed him warning him to back off.
"You've never partied with me,"  Christian smirked turning back to the blonde.
"A roof collapsed on your right?" Guzman asked making Ander stand straight up and Bella to back up to give the curly haired boy space as he walked around to stand behind Guzmán in case the boy was to explode. "Maybe the blow impaired your ability to take a hint. Shall I say it in English, so you get it? Goodbye."
"And if I don't feel like it?" Christian challenged.
"Look," Guzmán said stepping towards Christian, "because you're slow you don't get how things work here. But your friend there is starting to get it-"
"Come on, let's go, Guzmán," Ander butted in putting a hand on Guzmán's arm pulling him away. Guzmán didn't fight off Ander and started to walk off on his own as the rest of the group slowly followed. Carla was the first to walk off slowly followed by Bella who joined Ander who slowed his pace for her to catch up to him as he adjusted his jacket. Lu slowly followed behind but turned around one last time to mock Christian one more time before following them.
"Come on Polo," Bella called to her brother as Ander and her waited for him by the door.

***

Bella made her way to the track only to be stopped by a curly haired boy who was on his way to the tennis court.
"Where are you off to?" he asked, a racket in hand. An immediate smile formed on Bella's face, seeing him.
"Track, how's tennis?"
"Could be better," he shrugged. Bella was probably the only one who knew Ander didn't really want to play tennis, at least not competitively anymore. Bella gave him a pity a smile before embracing the taller boy.
"After practice, maybe we can go eat?" she whispered pulling away.
"Ander!" Ander's father, Antonio, called out.
"I'll be done hopefully in 2 hours..." he trailed off waiting for her reaction.
"I'll wait if I'm done before you," she smiled making Ander smile back.
"Ander!" His father called out again making Ander run off waving to the brunette.