Chapter Two
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The hallways are empty as we pass through. It’s to be expected though when arriving to school an hour late.
The bell rings.
“We’re late for first period.” I tell her. “That was the half bell. Class lets out in another twenty minutes.”
Esme nods.
“Sorry.”
“No, no, no, first period is like homeroom, it doesn’t count. I’ve skipped that class for most of the year anyway and no one’s ever noticed.
“Fascinating.” She replies.
“Hell yeah!” I counter. “It’s why we skippers are saner then you rule followers.”
Esme laughs at my logic.
“How would you know I’m a rule follower? I’m here with you aren’t I?”
“True.” I admit. “You also have that bad-a*s look too but I bet you, you’re the kind of girl who does what’s she’s supposed to but doesn’t draw too many attention to herself in fear that she might have to endure a horrible person and still act nice.”
“So you’re saying I’m nice?” she repeats.
“Aren’t you?” I challenger her with a narrowed eye.
Her silence stretches until defeat.
“Whatever.” She dismisses.
I grin.
We continue down the hallway.
“You’ve probably noticed how long our hallways are. It takes forever to get to the other side of this school, trust me, its torture.”
She’s silent.
I continue.
There was this one time when Ms. B told to make myself useful and pick up her grading papers in the teacher’s lounge. Thank god I didn’t walk like those other morons who came back sweating like apes in a sauna. I, the smart and dare I say handsome Claude used a faster transpiration… a skateboard.”
That got a laugh out of her.
“You’re awfully chatty all a sudden.” She points out. “Are you always like this?”
“You dig?” I ask cunningly.
Esme smiles deviously.
“What’s not to dig?"
We head towards the Main office, where I'm sure Mrs. Perry is waiting to have us chewed up and spit out by now. It's not until I reach the door that I catch a pair of eyes staring at me. Suspicion surfaces.
"Why did we stop?" Esme asked.
"No reason." I tell her still watching the eyes. "Just go in without me, I'll be there in a minute."
I start towards eyes but a pair of hands grab me.
Esme.
"What?" I ask.
"Um..." she begins. "I can't."
I turn back to face her, forgetting about the eyes.
"Can't what?" I reply.
She's not look at me, but the ground.
"I---
Esme was cut off.
A new voice answered.
"Claude, what the hell do you think you're doing? Flirting in broad daylight?"
I roll my eyes as Ann made her entrance. That explains the missing eyes that were spying on us seconds ago.
I start to answer back but she blatantly ignores me and turns to Esme.
"Sorry, little girl, he's taken so back off."
"Ann." I say disapprovingly.
"No I'm serous." she continues. "He belongs to half to the girls in this school, there's no room for you so get your f*****g hands off him.
I roll my eyes.
The girls in this school are always like that. Bad morality if you ask me.
"Shut up Ann." I warn her more strictly. "Esme's new. I was just showing her to the office. Quit f*****g around."
I turn to Esme next.
"Don't listen to her crap, she and the rest of the girls here are all full of themselves."
Esme face only contorted the look of confusion, but she nodded numbly.
"Nice to meet you, Ann was it?"
Ann snorted.
"Right, so that's the type of game you're playing. Well here's a hint sweety, Claude's not into nice girls, much less you."
"Ann, that's enough d****t. Just shut up for moment!"
"Whatever Claude. Just keep your horny claws off her, you're mine."
She saucily trails her pink manicured nails across my chest. I shrug her off.
"Yeah, whatever."
Ann struts off in the other direction but not before shouldering Esme into the lockers slightly to our left. Esme stumbles a bit but catches herself. She looks stiff.
"You okay?" I say reaching out to help.
She nods slowly.
"Fine."
I help her up and gave her a second to compose herself.
"Sorry," I apologize. "Ann and about half of the other girls here are all b*****s so they tend to act that way when it comes to me."
Esme laughs suddenly.
"Is it wrong to say that I feel bad for you."
I smile back too completely knowing the feeling.
"No, not at all, if fact, I feel bad for me too."
The bell rang just then, and the stampede of people followed seconds later.
"We need to go in." I tell Esme quickly.
I grab her hand and pull but it was too late. The crowd of people were already pushing and shoving their way through us. I try to urge Esme forward but she wouldn't move. She jumped in surprised every time someone bumped into her and I could faintly hear a little yelp come out of her every time she jumped. All in all, she looked terrified.
"Claude?" she called. "Get me out of here, please?"
She must be claustrophobic, I reasoned. That explains her behavior.
"Sure, let me--"
Esme was shoved again, this time backwards. Her hand slid out of mine and she went down. The other kids stared, some snickered, but they all continued going their mary little way, not giving Esme a second thought. For some reason that angered me.
"Move!" I tell this scrawny looking kid who blocked me from Esme.
The kid moved immedeitly.
"Esme?" I called. She wasn't in the spot where she fell.
I looked around.
"Esme?" I called again.
I spotted her on the floor, in the midst of all the people, on her hands and knee's. Her hands scanned the ground as if she was looking for something. I realized her shades were off. She must be looking for those. The other kids, seeming that this was funny started kicking her fallen glasses back ad forth across the hallway.
"Hey new girl." one of them call arrogantly. "Catch."
They slide her sunglasses to the other side of the hall. Esme followed in that direction.
"Girlie, I have 'em right here." the other goon called out.
"This is not funny." I heard Esme tell them. "I need those."
They don't listen obviously and instead continued to play monkey in the middle with her.
"What do you need sunglasses in the building for anyway?" One said.
"Are you one of those 'don't follow the rules' snobs?"
I saw Esme scowl.
"I know what I am, but what are you?"
The boys eye twitched.
"Girlie, you sure have guts talking back to me."
Esme, still on the floor, sat up straighter.
"Don't I?" she questioned looking smug.
The boy growled.
"You're asking for it."
My gut clenched as I saw the boy start to advance towards her and I was just about to step in but then Vice Principal Anderson came out from his office and the boys immediately backed away.
"You two, get out of here and get to class, now!"
The boys ran, dropping Esme's glasses in the process.
Mr. Anderson turned to help Esme up. I don't think he's seen me yet.
"Are you alright Ms. Fostis."
Esme nodded.
"Where's... Claude?" she asked.
"Here." I answered shyly
Her gaze turned to me, but she quickly ducked her head.
"Okay."
Mr. Anderson helped her up and slowly guided her to his office.
"Watch you step." I hear him mutter.
I called out.
"I'll see you later okay Esme?"
"Get to class." Mr Anderson barks at me."
Before the door to his office fully closed, I thought I saw Esme head nod slightly. I guess that's a good enough promise as any.
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