SORRY

Chapter One: for once.

Edited: 1/3/21

I sat in the bleachers, reading Refugee by Alan Gratz. “Hey, goody-two-shoes!” A voice yelled, and I looked up, seeing one of the football players. “Why are you sitting over here if you’re not on the team or a cheerleader, huh?” He smirked, and I shrugged.

“Because there isn’t a sign saying that it’s specifically for your team and the bimbos. Max here is allowed to read wherever the fuck she wants.”

A darker voice spat, and I looked to the side, seeing Andy Biersack, or as he was known around here, The Prophet.

The Prophet was the leader of one of the most dangerous cliques at school, The Rebels.

They were known to beat up people who wronged them in some way. I believed those people must’ve deserved it, and some were taking it out of context and just spread around The Rebels were dangerous.

The football player ran back to his team, obviously shaken up. The Prophet was terrifying.

“You okay?” Andy crouched to my level. He was considerably tall at 6"4, as I’m just 5"1.

I nodded silently, and he sat down next to me. “Please don’t hurt me,” I squeaked, my imagination getting the best of me.

His group generally wore all-black clothes, although The Mystic, or Jinxx, would wear white when allowed. But the all-black clothes and hair and makeup scared me.

The Prophet just chuckled, and I met his eyes. They sparkled with a type of wonder, like as if he wanted to know me.

“Your name is Max, right?” He clarified, and I nodded. “M-Max Walker, you’re The Prophet.” “Call me Andy, and I won’t hurt you, Little One.” A small blush stained my cheeks at the nickname.

“Why are you so nice to me?” I closed my book, putting it in my bag and fully turned to him. “Me asking for your name and telling you I won’t hurt you is nice?” I nodded. “Compared to what other people call me and act around me, it is a huge compliment.”

“I’ll try to change that,” “Really? I was told to stay far away from your friend group.” “By who?” “Juliet, Inna, and Alice,” he let out a chuckle.

“Juliet Simms, Inna Logvin, Alice Mogg?” I nodded. “Those are mine, Jake, and Jinxx’s exes. Of course they would tell you bad things.” “I’m sorry,” I apologised for no real reason.

“You say that a lot. ‘I’m sorry’. In class.” Even though he was a senior, we shared Language Arts class together.

I thought for a moment of a response.

“It’s a default for me. I don’t know why I apologise for everything, but I do.” He wrapped an arm around my shoulders, and I bit back squealing.

I’d had a crush on practically his whole friend group since last year. “Can I walk you home after school?” He asked, and I shrugged. “It’s not that far... but okay,” I said after a second.

I walked out of the front doors of the two-story school a few hours later. Andy separated from his friend group and walked to me. “May I take your backpack, Ma’am?” He asked in a posh tone.

I took it off my shoulders. “You may, Sir.” He took it from me, and we walked the few blocks to my house.

“Hey, Max?” Andy called once I was about to step into my house. He ran up to me and handed me a slip of paper. “Text me later,” he started walking in the direction of his home.

I swallowed and called his name. Once he turned to me, I smiled softly. “Walk safe.”

And for once, that afternoon, I had felt like I had a true friend.

One who wouldn’t judge me for being me, unlike Juliet.

One who wouldn’t yell at me for what I wear, unlike Alice.

And one who wouldn’t judge me for being open, unlike Inna.

But one who would let me do all three. And one who genuinely made me happy.

NO HATE TO INNA, ALICE, OR JULIET, I JUST NEED ANTAGONISTS! THEY ARE QUEENS IN REAL LIFE!