My Friends and My Bully Chapter 06

My Friends and My Bully Chapter 06

*Anna*

Hazel didn’t take my advice. She didn’t flee, she didn’t hide her face when we were

together, she didn’t ignore me in public. As a matter of fact, she trailed at my elbow

most days in the hallway, protecting me from the jostle of careless students as we

made our way to our classes. Strangely, after her visit to the registrar, we just so

happened to share several classes together.

The other strange occurrence was that Piper had been mysteriously absent in the

last few days. Almost invisible. She didn’t linger at the doorways of my classes, she

wasn’t waiting by my locker, and she wasn’t trailing me home in the afternoon to

mock me.

Every good streak had to break though.

We had history together, both literally, and figuratively. So, as history class concluded, Piper paused at the door as Hazel and I made our way out.

Hazel was patient with my silence, understanding that I wasn’t used to company. Piper, on the other hand, seemed intent to drag some sort of response out of me anytime we interacted.

“Careful, Hazel. Some people in this school can give you a bad name just by hanging out with them,” Piper warned in a sickeningly sweet voice.

“You mean like you?” Hazel retorted, offering an equally sweet smile to the girl.

Hazel breezed by Piper, refusing to even acknowledge her as she sputtered in the doorway.

“Seriously!” Piper squeaked, stomping after us.

I tried to ignore her, just walking by Hazel and biting back the smile that threatened

to split my face.

“Thanks for the reminder,” Hazel tossed over her shoulder, flashing a dazzling smile

that threatened to blind anyone who looked at her.

I was always in awe of her, that easy grace that didn’t stop at the sparring mats. She

was effortlessly beautiful, always ready with an answer in any situation. I found

myself often praying that some of that wit and charm might rub off on me. I needed

that confidence.

“Hey, you two,” a voice like velvet purred down the hallway after me.

“Keep your eyes ahead. Be cool,” Hazel advised, voice barely audible as she

whispered so close to my ear her lips practically brushed the shell of my ear. “The

stars of our little high school approach.”

I took her advice, grateful for her guidance. Hazel put a little extra swing in her hips,

and I did my best to imitate her confident strut, though it came across more as a

militaristic march in my stiff steps. My heart pounded in my chest, echoing in my

ears.

“Hey, wait up,” another deeply masculine voice called after us.

Hazel slowed, pausing next to her locker. She leaned against it casually, as if she

were planning to stop there to begin with.

“Girls,” Declan greeted.

I flicked my gaze to him, just long enough to admire the tattoos that climbed his

skin. His brown eyes scanned me, and I swallowed hard under his scrutiny. I braced myself for whatever was coming next, some commentary on my plain outfit or how boring I was.

“We were looking for you guys. You’re hard to catch,” he chuckled, swiping a hand

Chapter 6: Late Introductions

across the back of his neck.

“Ever consider hitting the treadmill? Might up your sprint time,” Hazel suggested,

though her voice was teasing and fun, not mean or hateful at all. It was strange to

hear words that had been spat at me for years sound…fun.

“I still don’t think I could catch up to the two of you. That takedown the other day

was incredible,” Declan commented as the rest of his crew caught up, Piper trailing

open mouthed behind them.

His compliment about the takedown was aimed…at me? It seemed unlikely. It

seemed impossible.

“You gotta show us that sometime,” Roman said as he caught up, beaming at us. His

gaze snagged on Hazel, and his eyes trailed her long legs hungrily.

“I’ve been begging her to coach me through it for days,” Hazel answered easily.

I couldn’t force a single word up my throat. I couldn’t make words come out, I

couldn’t think of a response. I wanted to join the conversation, but after being an

observer for so long, I had no grounds to think of anything to say at all.

“They’re talking about you, you know,” Hazel said, turning to face me with an

encouraging look in her eye.

I placed my palm against my chest, shocked that she was confirming it. There was

no way this was happening. They wanted to talk to me. They wanted to learn from

me. I couldn’t believe that this wasn’t just some set up for some elaborate prank.
The crowd around us grew. My brother, the two Alpha brothers, Roman and

Declan, Piper, they all began to scoot closer to get out of the way of the surge of kids

coming down the hall.

“Okay, she wasn’t that impressive, guys,” Piper groaned from the edge. “As if she

could really show you anything you didn’t already know.”

Chapter 6: Late Introductions

Something red hot flashed through me, taking me by surprise. I was angry at her.

She had barely even participated at training, only doing the bare minimum to count

as participation since it was mandatory. She had no right to say anything about my

performance. I knew what I was capable of, and now, these kids did too.

My wolf snarled in the back of my mind. My vision flashed, and I realized I was no

longer looking through my own eyes. The wolf eyes would be visible, so I forced my

gaze down to the dirty tile floor.

“Sure, Pipes, when you can do a takedown like that, then you can talk all you want.

Isn’t that right?” Caleb asked, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

Warmth spread through me at his words, at his touch. There was no way this was

happening. If I wasn’t standing in a crowd of the coolest kids at school, I might have

pinched myself. I felt my vision flash again, and I knew the wolf eye look would be

gone, back to my own eyes. I looked up to where Robert was standing with a stern

expression on his face.

He met my gaze but barely reacted. He clearly didn’t want me interacting with his

friends. To be honest, I wasn’t super comfortable with it either.

“Come on, let’s get something to eat before training. I’m starving,” Hazel said, pulling

me from the silent conversation I was trying not to have with my brother.

I nodded and walked with her, cursing myself for not having said a single word to

the Alpha pack boys while they were there. They probably thought I was rude.

Now, I’d really given them a reason to hate me. When this bubble finally burst and

they came to their senses, I’d be in a living hell.

A scuffle broke out behind us, but Hazel kept her hand on my arm to pull me along.

I didn’t risk looking behind us.

“Hey!” Roman called after us.

Hazel stopped. A slow smile spread across her face, but she schooled it into

Chapter 6: Late Introductions

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indifference as she turned around. I turned with her, facing the group.

“We’re having a little…party later in the week. Maybe you two want to come?”

Roman suggested.