Not My Hero

“You should join the student council,” Aspen states as if it’s even an option. She might be an outcast like me, but she’s feisty and an achiever.

Me? Not so much.

Actually, not at all.

I shake my head, and it draws a sigh from Aspen. She brings her water bottle to her mouth but pauses to mutter, “I swear it’s not as bad as you th–” Her words cut off when my eyes widen on Knox and a girl that’s practically trying to become one with his arm. Both are bad news, and I duck my head down low as they come up behind Aspen.

I hear Aspen snap, “What do you want, Knox?”

“Be at my Jeep at three,” he growls, and just the tone of his voice is enough to make fear ripple over me.

“No can do,” Aspen replies, sounding careless and not as if she’s facing off with Knox, one of the biggest bullies at the academy. “I have a student council meeting after school.”

I wish I had her courage.

“Of course you fucking do,” Knox barks, and the threatening edge to his words makes my stomach knot into a tense bundle.

The girl on Knox’s arm mutters, “Nice pearls, prude.”

“Isn’t it time for you to go back to your coffin, Morticia?” Aspen retorts, and it makes the corner of my mouth twitch.

I hear the other girl snarl and dare a quick peek because I need to know when I should make a run for it. The last thing I have strength for is to get stuck in a fight that has nothing to do with me. Especially with Knox. He’s bad news with a capital B. There are rumors that he killed his mother. I don’t know if they’re true, but whenever I’ve gotten in his way, he has never hesitated to shove me aside like I’m nothing more than trash.

Aspen makes a cross with her fingers. “May the power of Christ compel you.” There’s so much bravery on her face, I can’t help but stare while some of the other students snicker.

But then Knox stalks back to our table, and picking up Aspen’s plate of spaghetti, he dumps it over her head.

I cringe away, knowing what it feels like. My cheeks flame up with mortification on Aspen’s behalf as the other students burst out in laughter.

Aspen picks at a couple of strands of spaghetti, then mutters, “Asshole.”

There’s a sneer around Knox’s mouth that makes him look treacherous. “I suggest you stop running your mouth, Stray.” He grabs hold of Aspen’s chin, forcing her to look up at him. “Or it will get a lot worse. Trust me.”

Stop, Aspen. Don’t bate him any further.

Luckily she doesn’t, and once Knox walks away with the girl, I force a sympathetic smile to my face. I know too well what it feels like to be bullied and hate that it just happened to Aspen.

“Let’s go to the bathroom so you can clean up,” I offer.

I might not interact with people a lot, but Aspen has only been nice to me. Also, I’ve had so much experience with cleaning up that it’s second nature to me.

And then there’s the real reason – so I can get out of the cafeteria before someone decides to pick on me.COLTONAs the day progresses, I hear more rumors about me spreading like wildfire.

The bottom line is half the school thinks I’m broody and full of shit, while the other half thinks I’m dangerous and that it’s my fault my brother is dead.

Little do they know I just want to be left alone, so I can finish this year. I’m not here to make friends, and I’m definitely not interested in being popular. I’m hoping they’ll find something new to talk about by the end of the week.

Walking into the last class for the day, I see Brie sitting in the corner, which means I share five classes with her.

I take the seat next to her and notice she’s working on a new sketch.

Once everyone is seated, the teacher begins to talk. He pretty much says the same thing as the rest of the teachers, then scribbles his name on the board. Mr. Donati.

“For your first assignment…” Mr. Donati grins as the class groans. “I want you each to tell me why you chose this class. A short paper, two thousand words. And I want it done by tomorrow when you walk through that door.” He locks eyes with a girl that was last to arrive. “On time.”

Mr. Donati starts with the lesson, and my eyes drift over to the sketch Brie is working on. The movement of her hand as she draws is hypnotizing, and I zone out.

I watch as the image takes shape, and soon, there’s a frown etched onto my face. Brie’s drawing a girl that’s screaming while gripping her hair. She’s really good because I can actually feel the emotions jumping off the page. Frustration and torment.