Surge - Maya Nicole Page 0,27

me and slipped past the officer, not liking how he looked at me. Why was everyone a dick when there was no reason to be?

English was almost halfway over by the time I showed up. As soon as I entered the room, whispers erupted and I tried not to let my anxiety show on my face. I scanned the room quickly and didn't see Blake.

Once I slid into my seat, Aiden reached across and patted my hand, giving me a look that said he was on my team. I was glad I had Aiden and Ivy by my side.

The Tritons were all absent from school, which was relieving but worrisome at the same time. Maybe they had admitted to vandalizing my car and were suspended. I was pretty certain that was where Jax had gone at the end of yearbook the day before.

We sat down in the cafeteria after much discussion of the pros and cons of entering gossip central. The Tritons weren't around and it was our opportunity to see the rest of our friends. We weren't a big group that hung out, but any extra support I could get was a win.

"I can't believe they're targeting you. They're a bunch of assholes." Piper had been the most excited to see us eat in the cafeteria after we had avoided it all week. She wasn't a stranger to being bullied herself and went through a rough patch in junior high.

"Hot assholes." Santina looked over her shoulder at their table. "I'm missing my daily eye-candy today."

I laughed because Santina was a lesbian. She swore it was because penises looked like they had the eye of Mordor.

"I've got some eye-candy right here." Alex elbowed her. "I don't see why they are so popular. They don't do anything except swim."

Ivy began ticking reasons off on her fingers. "They're rich, mysterious, have amazing bodies, and I hear they are amazing lovers."

A chip went down the wrong way and I coughed, tears springing to my eyes. All eyes were on me as I took a swig of Sprite and shook my head. "How can high schoolers possibly know what good sex is?" This wasn't a romance novel.

"If you have enough of it." Aiden looked to their table and put his cheek on his fist. "I bet Miles is an amazing lover."

"I do not need to hear about your sexual conquests." Alex laughed. "You're really thinking about going after him?"

"He asked me out." Aiden grinned and did a little finger wave to Miles, who was looking in our direction. "If he wants to test the waters and explore his sexuality with me, I'm fine with that."

I missed the lunch crew we ate with. It was yet another thing that had been missing from my life over the past few days. I needed to find normal again, or as close to normal as possible.

I'd never felt like I needed to hide away and never come out again, but the last several days it had been temping to just stop caring.

My day was really starting to look up, but then the three of them walked into the cafeteria and headed straight for our table.

"Fuck." Ivy stood and put herself between them and the table. My best friend was badass to her core.

"Move out of the way, Ariel-reject." Morgan glared around her at me. "Unless you want to be next."

If I could have seen her face, I'm sure she would have rolled her eyes. "Listen, fish boys, I don't know who you think you are-"

In the next second, Jax was around her and pulling me to my feet. "Come with us. Now." I didn't want my arm pulled off, so I stood.

The entire cafeteria had gone silent. Where the hell were the SROs? They should have been in the cafeteria doing their job. There were usually two during lunch that kept the peace.

"She isn't going anywhere with you." Aiden stood and pulled me away from Jax and put me behind him. "Go pick on someone else."

Jax narrowed his eyes. For a second, I thought a fight was going to break out, but then Jax backed up a step. "You'll regret this."

"I can't wait," Aiden deadpanned as they walked out of the cafeteria.

As soon as they were gone, the noise reached deafening levels, and I wanted to bury my head in the sand.

I sat back down and stared at my half-eaten food. "Thanks, guys. That was pretty-"

"Murderer. Murderer. Murderer." The chanting started from the far side of the cafeteria