I looked around my surroundings while sitting at the familiar bus bench—the sa one I always waited at.
The morning air was crisp, brushing against my face as I shifted in place, my hips and pelvis still sore from last night's activities. I let out a small wince before settling in, eyes scanning the quiet street.
That's when I spotted Bella in the distance. Her tall fra stood out imdiately, her steps heavy but quick, and as soon as her eyes t mine, her whole face lit up like a child spotting their favorite person.
She broke into a run, her boots thudding against the pavent until she practically crashed beside on the bench, wrapping in one of her trademark bear hugs—tight, warm, and just a little too strong. My breath hitched as she squeezed , her laugh muffled against my shoulder.
"Hey, friend," she said, voice soft but full of energy.
I couldn't help but smile a little. "Hey, Bella."
"Thanks for the dinner again, I felt so happy eating with you..." Bella said softly, her arm looping around my shoulder again. Her warmth pressed against , the strength in her touch oddly comforting for how intimidating she looked.
"I'm glad you liked being with us," I said, smiling up at her. "You're welco at our place anyti."
Her expression brightened even more at that, and for a mont, she looked nothing like the girl everyone feared.
Not long after, the bus hissed to a stop in front of us, the doors creaking open. We climbed aboard, sitting in our usual spot near the back, the ride calm and quiet except for the steady hum of the engine.
When we finally reached the school, the crowd outside was already thick—but as soon as I stepped off the bus, the sea of students seed to part, everyone subtly stepping out of my way.
No whispers, no comnts, no eyes daring to linger. Just silence.
It was... nice. I could really get used to this.
"Noah, what happened with Sara?" Bella asked, pushing the front door open for . I stepped inside first, the sll of disinfectant and cheap perfu greeting .
"She said she'd handle it," I muttered, glancing back at Bella as the door shut behind us. "I trust that she'll get her off forever."
"Okay, friend..." Bella murmured, stopping beside as I fiddled with the rusty lock on my locker—a locker I hadn't opened in months. The hinges creaked when I tugged it open, a puff of dust spilling out like the thing was sighing after being forgotten for so long.
The sll hit imdiately—stale paper, old gum wrappers, and sothing faintly tallic. I wrinkled my nose, reaching inside to rearrange the few random notebooks and pens that were still there.
"Can we go to the store after school?" Bella asked, her voice casual but her eyes sharp, glaring down any girl who so much as glanced in my direction. Her glare alone was enough to send one of them turning on her heel.
"Nah," I said, shutting the locker with a tallic clang. "Elara doesn't like it when I'm out without her. Plus..." I twisted the lock until it clicked. "...being with another woman? Not really the greatest idea."
Bella's lips pursed a little, and she looked down, fiddling with her sleeve. "Oh... okay."
"But... why?" Bella pressed, her heavy boots thudding behind as we made our way down the hall toward Ms. Rose's classroom.
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I just told you, Bella... I'm sorry, but maybe another ti—when Elara's with us."
She frowned, her brows knitting together in confusion as she kept pace with . "But... we're just gonna eat stuff. Nothing else..."
Her voice was so small it almost made feel bad. Almost.
I stepped into Ms. Rose's class, the faint hum of machines and the sll of solder and tal filling the air. Bella followed in without hesitation and sat down beside like she belonged there—never mind the fact that she didn't even have this class.
She leaned forward on the desk, tapping her fingers impatiently. "It's not like we're doing anything bad."
"That would still be disrespectful to Elara," I said softly, turning toward her. "I'm sorry, Bella. I promise—so other day."
She slumped back in her chair, lips curling into a pout. "Alright..." she muttered, eyes drifting toward the window, but she didn't move away from my side.
We sat there in silence, the low buzz of idle chatter filling the classroom as we waited for the bell to ring. I was half-asleep, head leaning on my hand, when the door creaked open.
In ca the sa girl from yesterday—the one who'd dropped the bomb about Sara's rumors. Her eyes flicked toward nervously, clutching the strap of her bag like it was a lifeline.
"Hey, uh... Noah," she began, walking closer. "I was wondering if maybe we could... hang out later? You know, just as a thank you for ... you know, breaking the news to you."
I sighed and sank deeper into my chair, dragging my hand down my face. I really didn't have the patience for this today. Bella's sharp stare was already slicing through the air beside , but sohow the girl stayed rooted in place. Brave. Or stupid.
"I'm sorry," I muttered, lazily scratching at the desk's graffiti. "But I'm already dating soone."
"I–Is it... Bella?" she stamred, her voice cracking as she glanced toward the blonde.
Bella didn't even blink—just leaned back, arms crossed, her glare so intense it could've stopped a charging bull. If looks could kill, that girl would've been vaporized on the spot.
"No, it's soone else," I muttered, glancing at Bella. Her hand was balled into a tight fist, jaw flexing—her face caught sowhere between hurt and fury.
The girl scoffed suddenly, her nervousness twisting into venom. "Your girlfriend lets you have friends? What are you, so kind of whore?"
For a second, I just sat there stunned. My brain stalled trying to process how she went from asking out to insulting in under ten seconds. "What the fuck?" was all that slipped out.
Before I could even react, Bella shot up from her seat. The scrape of her chair against the floor made everyone nearby flinch. Her glare could've burned a hole through concrete.
"Get away," she said, her voice low and steady—dangerous. "Before I do sothing really fucking bad."
The girl's face went pale. She stumbled back, muttering sothing incoherent before practically sprinting out of the room.
Bella sat back down beside , her breathing still sharp.
I looked over at her, a small smile tugging at my lips. "Thanks, Bella. I appreciate it a lot."
Her tension lted for a mont, and she smiled back—softly this ti, almost bashful. "Anyti, friend."
"I'll ask Elara about eting us at Prince Pizza, how about that? I owe it to you after dealing with that weirdo," I said, finally slumping into my chair with a sigh of relief.
Bella's eyes instantly lit up. "Yes, of course! I love pizza—and my friend!" she practically shouted, her voice echoing across the classroom.
The few students in class turned their heads, stunned. No one was used to seeing Bella, the usually cold, heartless and intimidating girl, smiling like a kid who just got her favorite toy.
I couldn't help but chuckle quietly, shaking my head. "You're sothing else, Bella."
She only grinned wider, kicking her feet under the desk like she hadn't just threatened to kill soone five minutes ago.
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