Claire padded across the corridor, with Orlando in tail, making her way towards the principal’s office. She saw everyone’s head turn and felt their gazes on her, but couldn’t care any less. She didn’t need a repeat of life at New York. It was a fresh start for her and she would damn well make the best of it.Plus, dating Dan had given her a confidence boost she didn’t think she would ever have.

“C, maybe we should just call Luce one last time. All this staring is making me highly uncomfortable.” Orlando suggested, catching up with Claire’s strides.

“O, what did we promise each other?” Claire looked around for a sign indicating the office but the school was so huge, she couldn't seem to keep track of where she was going. She wondered how Cassie was coping all alone.

“I know. I know. I just…You’re right, I guess. We have to put up a brave front to survive.”

“That’s more like it!” Claire linked her hands with Orlando’s and gave him an encouraging smile to which he smiled back nervously.

The two of them halted when they realized that they were lost and dreaded asking anyone. What if someone just refused to answer or messed around with them by giving them the wrong directions? Claire and Orlando had both been victims of bullying back when they were in New York and had both faced enough situations that would leave them scarred for life. Things had started to look up when Claire had started losing weight two years ago and it had gotten even better when the most popular guy in school had asked her out. However, as soon as people found out that Dan and her weren’t a thing three months ago, the bullying had started all over again.

“Can I help you out, beautiful?” A voice interrupted Claire’s train of thoughts and she turned to see a really cute guy with black hair and hazel eyes approach them. He had the sharpest cheekbones Claire had ever seen in a guy and his eyelashes were unusually long and thick. His hair was slicked back with gel, giving him a rebellious look. His black leather jacket and faded jeans only added to his bad boy aura, and Claire felt like she would orgasm just from the sight of him.

“Say no, C! His face screams trouble!” Orlando whispered from behind her, making Claire snap out of her daze and look away. However, she could tell from the smirk on this beautiful stranger’s face that he had noticed her gawking at him and was probably used to getting this reaction out of girls.

“Umm- no. That’s alright. Thank you.”She replied back, smiling at him before turning around.

“You sure?”

“Yeah.” Claire gave him a reassuring nod before beginning to walk away with Orlando.

“Well, just so you know, you’re heading the wrong way.” The boy added, beginning to walk away himself.

“What do you mean?” Claire asked, turning to look back at the gorgeous eye-candy. She reassured herself that she had turned because of what he said and not because of how he looked.

“The principal’s office is this way.” The boy added, looking back and pointing towards the direction he was going to.

“Oh.” It was the only thing that came to her mind as it went completely blank when she saw the boy smirk again.

“Well….I guess I’ll be seeing you around then.” The boy bid the two of them goodbye and walked away.

---

“Luce, where are you? I’ve been calling you forever.” Claire was worried about her best friend and was relieved when Lucy had finally picked up her phone.

“I know! I’m so sorry, C. I over slept. But I’m here now! Did you get your class routine?”

“Yeah. Orlando and I just got ours. We’re at the office right now. Where are you?”

“I’m near the office. I’ll be right there, C.” Lucy hung up as Claire and Orlando walked out of the office.

“What’s your first class? Mine’s math. Ugh!” Orlando commented, looking down at his schedule.

“Mine’s English! Yay!” Claire jumped up and down, but stopped when she realized people were gawking at her again.

“Oh. My. God! Claire!”

Claire spun excitedly when she heard her best friend’s voice but her smile faltered as she took in Lucy’s appearance. Claire hadn’t seen Lucy for years other than an occasional exchange of photos during holidays and so she was completely flabbergasted to find her best friend wearing a black low-cut crop top with a pair of ripped jeans, hair completely dyed out and multiple piercing all over her face. If that wasn’t enough Lucy’s body was covered here and there in black ink.

Lucy began walking towards Claire, making her snap out and move forward to give her best friend a tight hug. The two best friend’s held on to each other for the longest time before letting go.

“You look gorgeous!” Lucy commented, looking Claire over.

“So do you! You look so amazing. A little different from the pictures, but really amazing!”

Lucy giggled and informed the already shocked Claire that it was a new look she was trying out on. Apparently punk was the ‘in’ thing in Holmes Chapel at the moment.

“Punk?” Claire looked a little confused, to which Lucy laughed.

“I’ll explain it to you later. God, C, I have so many things to tell you! I can’t wait! You have to stay over at mine today.”

“Well, I’m not sure if Mom’ll allow that, Luce. I-“

Claire couldn’t finish her sentence when she noticed how hushed the corridor had gotten. People were either running to classes as though they were being chased by ghosts or leaning straight against their lockers like they were getting pulled to the lockers by some magnetic force.

“What’s going on?” Claire asked, but she found Lucy jumping up and down in excitement.

“Make some space, C! He’s here!” Lucy responded, dreamily staring at the front door of the school building.

“Who’s here?”

But Claire’s questions were answered when a group of extremely intimidating boys burst into the building, wearing all black and with the same ink and piercings covering their bodies as was on Lucy. Claire watched as people hid behind trash cans and ran to the bathrooms in fear and realized why it had gotten so quiet before. These guys were really scary. She felt Orlando tug her hand and she hid beside one of the lockers with him, suggested by Lucy.

“Wait, Luce! Aren’t you hiding?” Claire asked, looking at her best friend in fear.

“No, C! He knows me!” Lucy whispered, giving Claire a wink.

She peeked from the sides of the locker and watched as the gang of boys got closer, making her break out in a sweat. She hadn’t signed up for death when she had wanted to come to Holmes Chapel to be close to her best friend. But from the looks of things, death wasn’t far from knocking at her door.

“Luce, I don’t think it’s a good idea. Just come here. Okay? It isn’t safe.”

“Sshhh,” was the only reply Lucy gave before turning back to watch the guys approaching them. Claire tried to take a peek but withdrew her head when she noticed that they were just a feet away from where Lucy was standing.

“Luce!” Claire whisper shouted but Lucy had moved in the middle of the corridor to stop the gang midway.

“Hi, Harry!” She watched Lucy greet the guy standing at the front with a goofy smile on her face.

The boy stopped in his tracks, frowned and clenched his jaw as though Lucy had ticked him off.

Claire’s eyes widened in fear at the anger emitting from the boy’s stance and she gulped when she watched his hands ball by his side. She knew that he would strike Lucy any minute now and it made Claire’s loyalty kick in. To hell with dying, she needed to save her best friend.

Claire swiftly moved towards Lucy and grasped her hand to pull her away from the boy.

“Luce, come on! He’s gonna hit you.”

“C, what the fuck?” Her best friend cussed, pulling her hands out of Claire’s grasp. Claire couldn’t believe how stupid Lucy was being and realized that Lucy wouldn’t budge from her place. So, she did the first thing that came to her mind. She positioned herself infront of Lucy and spread her hands protectively.

“You have to go through me before you touch a single hair on her body!” Claire announced shakily, meeting the boy’s eyes full-on. It is then that she realized how green his eyes were. Greener than a tropical forest. She watched as his anger shifted to confusion before he blanked out his expression.

“Oh my God, Claire! Can you be any more embarrassing? I know Harry! He isn’t gonna attack me!”

“But he-“ Claire tried to explain, turning around to look at her agitated best friend but Lucy just grit her teeth, before turning to the boy and giving him an embarrassed chuckle.

“Don’t mind her, Harry! She’s always been a bit of a drama queen.” Lucy explained, making a jolt of pain pass across Claire’s chest. Drama queen? Had Lucy really just called her that?

Lucy pushed Claire out of the way as she began chatting with Harry once more. Claire staggered back to her place by Orlando’s side and watched her best friend flirt audaciously with the uninterested green-eyed boy. She watched the boy clench his jaw again and begin to walk away, leaving Lucy standing there all alone as she turned the shade of a beet root from being rejected.

Everyone’s eyes were now on the boy’s retreating back and she could literally hear everyone sighing in relief. Claire watched as the gang of boys heading to what looked like a bathroom. The other boys in the gang moved forward and entered the bathroom first, probably to check if it was safe. They then came out and gave the green-eyed boy a nod so that he could enter. Claire was about to turn away when she noticed the green-eyed boy’s head turn.

His eyes landed on Claire and for the longest time the two of them stared at one another. She gulped when she noticed the intense look he was giving her. Was he going to hurt her? She quickly lowered her gaze and by the time she looked back up, he was gone.

---

Notes

Harry's Outfit

Lucy

A/N: Hi, guys! So second chapter. Hope you all like it. If you do, please vote, subscribe and leave a comment!

I appreciate the 7 people who have voted and subscribed to the story. You guys are amazing. I love you and am really grateful. <3

So, will it be too greedy of me to ask for 3 more votes and subscribers before I post the next chapter? :)