Always a Friend

Chapter 26

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Chloe was waiting for me at my locker after I got out of English. I knew she was waiting to hear all about the new guy. I saw his name on his paper as we passed our worksheets to the front of the class. His name was spelled differently than it sounded. 

"Well, What's his name?" Chloe asked, leaning away from my locker. 

"His name is Rhys Prescott. But it's not spelled like how it sounds, either. It's spelled R-h-y-s." 

"Ohh...I like that." Her eyes lit up. Did you talk to him at least?" 

"No. And I'm not going to either. Maybe I'm just not meant to date. Look what happened with Jude and Noah." I closed my locker door. 

"You honestly can't believe that. They're dicks. Not all guys are like them." She wrapped her arm around mine while we walked down the crowded hall to the library. 

"All I know is I'm done with guys for a while. I just won't go to the dance this spring." I sighed. 

"Don't say that, Gemma. The dance is still a couple of months away. That's plenty of time for you to find a date." She squeezed my arm. 

Again, it was easy for her to say all these things; Chloe had a date for the dance, her boyfriend. I was cursed in love...Doomed to walk the earth alone. Suddenly, I felt the strong urge to go out and buy a cat and name her Miss Sassy Pants. I could be the crazy cat girl of Warren High. Who was I kidding...Mom wouldn't let me get a cat. So, there went that idea. 

The library was busier than usual today. Especially on a beautiful day like today, most kids went outside to the courtyard during their free block. I started walking to a table off to the right when I spotted Rhys sitting toward the back of the library, ignoring the girls walking past him, staring, trying to get his attention. He had his books sprawled out on the table, but only one was opened. I blinked, shook my head, and walked over to where Chloe and Ava were sitting. They were both smiling up at me when I went to sit down. I quickly shot down what they were thinking. I had no intention of going out with another guy so soon. I did that after Jude and got burned by Noah. No, thank you. I took out my English book and notebook to finish writing down notes for the test. Chloe and Ava whispered about him and how many girls kept walking past him or staring at him from nearby tables. They could stare and pass by him all they wanted, but this girl was not going after him. I had enough of jerks using me to make other girls jealous or ditch me because some girl looked their way. 

"Gem, you've got to admit he's hot," Chloe whispered, leaning closer to me. 

I glanced up from my English book and turned to look at Chloe, who was motioning her head toward Rhys. I glanced across the library; Rhys was still working hard, not paying attention to anything around him. His t-shirt hugged his muscular biceps,  and it looked as if he had a five o'clock shadow starting on his chiseled jawline. He raised his head, and I quickly looked away so he wouldn't catch me staring at him like some stalker chick. That's the last thing I needed: some guy thinking I was a stalker. I heard giggles coming from Chloe; I glared over at her. I asked her what she was giggling about before she got us in trouble.

"New guy was watching you." She smiled. 

"You're delusional." I rolled my eyes, then went back to writing my notes before we got in trouble for talking. 

"Whatever, Gem. I know what I saw." 

I peeked over at her; she was already busy working on our Math homework for tomorrow. Ava had her books open, but she was busy texting. I didn't have to ask who it was she was texting. She just saw Caleb in Math class a little bit ago and will see him in less than forty-five minutes. She probably had no idea what Chloe and I had been talking about this whole time. Then, she will get mad later when she is paying attention and won't know what's going on, and neither of us will tell her what we're talking about because she never listens. Ava finally put her phone down and started writing in her notebook again. Hopefully, she was taking notes for the English test. 

A few minutes before the bell, Olivia and her friends walked into the library, strolling past Rhys, trying to get his attention. "What the fuck is she doing?" I hissed through gritted teeth. 

"Looks like she's sitting down at Rhys's table." Chloe closed her books. 

"What?" My eyes flashed across the library to Rhys's table. Olivia was sitting in a chair across from Rhys, twirling her hair between her fingers, smiling while he looked confused and a little annoyed that she sat down at his table. She continued to sit there, trying to talk to him. He got up, gathered his things, and walked away without saying a word to her. My mouth fell open as I tried to make sense of what I had just witnessed. Olivia's top lip curled up in utter disgust; her eyes narrowed. She turned around in the chair, looking up at her friends, who were trying their hardest not to laugh. One went as far as covering her mouth with her hand. 

"That was the best thing ever." Chloe laughed. 

"What?" Ava asked, looking confused as always. 

"I've got to go to my locker before lunch. I'll meet you both in the cafeteria." I got up and headed out of the library before they had a chance to say anything in response. I passed by the doors and glanced back at Chloe and Ava. Chloe was still giggling, but now Ava sat beside her, talking while looking around the library. I had a funny feeling that Ava was trying to find out what Chloe was laughing about, and she wasn't telling her. 

"Hey Gem, you going to be home later tonight?" 

"Why?" I turned around to face Ashton and scanned the area for Claudia. I didn't feel like dealing with her. If she saw Ashton talking to me, she'd be over here in five seconds, threatening me for talking to her boyfriend. "I shouldn't be talking to you, by the way." I twisted my mouth. 

"Whatever. Will you be home later?" 

"Yeah. Where else would I be? I'm doomed to be single forever." 

His eyes narrowed. "Okay...I'll talk to you later tonight. Later, Gem." He turned and walked down the hall in the direction of the cafeteria. I turned left and headed for my locker, praying I didn't run into anyone else. I reached my locker and started swapping out books for Chemistry, so I wouldn't have to do it after lunch. I was so wrapped up in my thoughts and enjoying the few minutes of peace amongst the noise of the crowded hall rushing behind me. I fluffed my hair in the mirror hanging on my locker door and applied lip gloss. I backed up a couple of steps and closed my locker door when I heard his voice approaching me. 

"Gemma, do you have a minute?" 

"What the hell do you want, Noah?" I turned around, crossing my arms. Noah stood there looking undeniably hot in his button-down shirt and jeans. But it didn't change the fact he was a dick for ditching me at the party for Olivia. "Haven't you humiliated me enough?" 

"That's what I want to talk to you about." He moved closer. I raised my hand to stop him from moving any closer. "What?" 

"You know what. You're fake ass charm doesn't work on me anymore. I've got to go." I lowered my arms and walked around him, leaving him standing a few feet from my locker. I didn't even bother glancing back at him; I didn't want to give him that satisfaction.