The Original Crowd (A Whole New Crowd 0.50)

I shut my locker and replied, “Yeah. I knew that.” I’m such a moron.

“Ookay—”

As we both walked down the hallway, I was a bit surprised. The pep rally committee and cheerleaders had outdone themselves. In the middle of the parking lot stood a huge corral and to the side was a livestock trailer filled hay and miniature donkeys.

In the middle of the corral was a stage, with the cheerleaders all standing up and waiting.

“Hey, Rawley!” one of the cheerleaders called out.

The crowd went wild.

As the cheerleaders proceeded to perform their cheer, I saw Tray in the back of the parking lot. He was sitting on the top of his SUV, with a few other guys. I also saw Aidrian Casners standing right below him, smiling up at him. When he looked down, her chest was perfectly displayed for his eyes.

Okay. I guess I never really decided he wasn’t a bastard so he really wasn’t letting me down right now.

The cheerleaders finished their cheer and the coach came onto the stage. Speech one was given, speech two (by the football captain, which was the guy that was sitting by Tray) was done, and then the trailer opened and the donkeys were led out.

Even I cracked a smile at that.

The rest of the pep rally consisted of twelve football players riding the donkeys as they attempted to play a game that resembled ultimate frisbee, but with hands. And donkeys.

It was a sight I’d never experienced before and I was suddenly glad that I hadn’t skipped.

Molly was giggling the entire time.

I nudged her, pointing to the corner by the picnic tables. “Aren’t those your friends over there?”

“Yeah, but they won’t come watch this. They’ll just stay over there.”

“How come?” I asked curiously.

Molly didn’t answer, not right away. I asked again, and she said, faltering, “Because Kayden and Angela were made fun of one time during a pep rally.”

“What?”

She shrugged, looking uncomfortable. “They got picked by the crowd for a relay and Kayden tripped and broke her nose. Then one of the football players called her Rudolph in the microphone for everyone to hear. You know, because of the blood.”

“Oh—” I didn’t know what else to say.

“Yeah, then Angela tried to help, but Kayden tripped again and fell on her. Angie Hodgkins called Angela a handicapped elf, said she couldn’t walk and hold Rudolph at the same time.”

I couldn’t believe it. I mean, I knew kids could be assholes, but where were all the teachers?

“The teachers thought it was all a show.” Molly explained, no longer giggling.

“I’m sorry,” I said sincerely. Molly wasn’t saying anything, but she must’ve had her own share of humiliation. There was a reason the three of them had banded together. Why they were called the Invisibles.

For the first time since I’d been here, I was glad I had come to Rawley. I was happy I met Molly. She wasn’t an Invisible anymore and I’d take anyone on that tried to humiliate her again.

“It’s in the past,” she murmured, her voice cracking. It wasn’t in the past. It was one of how many incidents that have happened in the past.

“Why are you friends with me?” I asked honestly, dumbfounded as to why she’d want to be my friend. I was a bitch. It’s what I was known for and yet this Invisible had singled me out. She’d talked to me, and she continues to talk to me.

“Because you’re not one of them,” Molly answered matter-of-factly.

“But—”

She turned and met my gaze, seeing the torment in mine—it must’ve been there—I was feeling it. Molly spoke truthfully, “You’re different. You’re…you’re one of us but…you’re one of them.”