When Brooklyn returned home later that day she glanced awkwardly into Brandon's room as she walked past. "Hey!" He called and Brooklyn stopped.
"Yes?"
"Sorry for getting annoyed at you," Brandon sighed. "It's just that they really annoy the hell out of me."
"I know the feeling," Brooklyn muttered.
"Stay away from him," Brandon pleaded.
Brooklyn sighed and nodded. "I'm going to try."
*
"Step one, complete," Sasha said as Brooklyn climbed into her car Monday morning.
"You've got a long day ahead of you, girl," Brooklyn chuckled and buckled her seatbelt.
"We've got this," Sasha shrugged and started her car, driving away from Brooklyn's house.
"I hope so," Brooklyn said.
"Do you like him?" Sasha wondered randomly.
"No."
"That was a very quick answer," Sasha commented.
"He..."
"Spill," Sasha demanded.
"I don't know," Brooklyn sighed. "He makes me feel... weird. I don't get close to guys, Sash. It's a personal thing and it just doesn't happen."
"But you've gotten very close to him," Sasha observed.
"And I don't know why! There's just something about him! He annoys the hell out of me but he just makes me feel... weird!" Brooklyn groaned. "I don't want to get close to him, but I can't help it! I'm screwed."
"No you're not," Sasha said. "We're your bodyguards and we will not let him near you."
"You've known me a week and you are all being so nice," Brooklyn said and Sasha grinned.
"Us girls gotta stick together," she said. "Some people just click. You're one of us now, Brooke."
*
"Okay, he's here. He's with Greyson at his locker," Violet said.
"But my locker is next to his!" Brooklyn gasped. "How am I meant to get my books-"
"Queen Alice has saved the day!" Alice declared and stalked towards Brooklyn with a pile of books in her hands.
"Oh gosh, you're the best!" Brooklyn gushed.
"You owe me a milkshake," Alice said. "I had to talk to them. Talk to them! I managed to get away before Kal turned up."
"I'll buy you two- heck three!" Brooklyn laughed and shoved the books in her bag. "What did you talk about?"
"You," Alice shrugged.
"Me?"
"Harry didn't seem pleased," Alice said. "I told him an awesome lie about you having extreme girl problems and how Sasha picked you up in the morning to help and that you were in the girls toilets with Sash and Violet trying to handle all the blood that was pouring out of you like lava and it wouldn't stop gushing out and out and out! But he gave me this look... a rather threatening look, may I add. And I don't think he quite believed me."
Brooklyn shared a look with Sasha and Violet and they all glanced at Alice in silence.
"Um..." Violet said.
"What?" Alice asked.
"Shall we go to class, girls?" Sasha coughed, giving Alice a weird look.
"Fantastic idea," Brooklyn said eagerly.
"I love her, but she is special," Violet murmured as the girls made their way to class.
*
"Out of all the damn seats," Brooklyn whispered. "Why does he choose them!"
Sasha turned to Brooklyn. "Because you're here, that's why."
"If he tries to talk to me then don't let me say anything," Brooklyn said. "I'm just going to try and ignore him. It will be fine."
Sasha laughed. "It will be, don't worry."
"Good. Now help me with whatever the hell we're meant to be doing, French doesn't agree with me," Brooklyn said.
Sasha chuckled and opened the textbook and flipped to the right page while Brooklyn discreetly looked at Harry who had his back to her.
"Ah, Brooklyn!" Mrs Mental called and walked across the classroom and stopped at Brooklyn's desk. "How is tutoring going? Is Harry good? Are you learning? Are you better? Getting better?"
"It's um..." Brooklyn glanced at Harry. "It's..."
"It's going great," Harry called, but he didn't turn round. "I highly enjoyed our first session-"
"I don't actually-"
"Wonderful!" Mrs Mental cried, cutting off Brooklyn. "You two are good couple!"
Harry slowly turned in his seat and raised his eyebrow. "I think so too, Miss."
Brooklyn couldn't help but blush slightly.
"Great!" Mrs Mental grinned and walked off.
"Do you agree, babe?" Harry wondered and Brooklyn cast him a look before looking down at her book and attempting to write the date in French.
*I think you do.*
Brooklyn jumped in fright and looked at Harry with wide eyes. She had heard his voice, but Harry didn't speak out loud.
She was sure of it.
"Are you alright, Brooklyn?" Harry asked.
"D-did you just say something?" She asked.
"Yes," Harry said. "I said I think you do. You do agree that we make a good couple."
Brooklyn swallowed and eyed Harry warily. She was sure he didn't say it out loud. It was like he was in her head. "Leave me alone, Harry," Brooklyn snapped and turned to Sasha who said her name.
"You spoke to him," Sasha said. "That's not ignoring."
"I'm trying," Brooklyn mumbled. "It's a little harder than it seems."
"It will get better with practise."
"I freaking hope so."
*
"C'mon, ladies! Line up, stop whining!" The coach yelled and blew his whistle loudly as the girls trudged out of the school building and joined the boy's class on the field. "About time!" The coach huffed. "Right, let's do a bit of cross country, shall we? Start running around the field!"
"For how long?" Alice called.
"Until I say stop!"
"Can you give us an estimate? I'm not too keen on running, sir, how about sitting? I'll do that for however long you want-"
"Just run, you idiot," Brooklyn laughed and grabbed Alice's wrist and pulled her after the crowd of students running around the edge of the field.
"I'm not a runner!" Alice exclaimed. "It's just not in my blood!"
"Run, you wimp!" Sasha said and gently nudged Alice forward. "You need some exercise, especially with those jelly legs!"
"Jelly legs!" Alice yelled. "You can talk, giraffe neck!"
"I'm outta here," Violet chuckled and dropped back so she was running in time with Jasper.
Brooklyn turned to look at Alice and Sasha who were too busy insulting each other to notice Brooklyn who ran ahead, easily over taking other members of the class.
Brooklyn was extremely clumsy, failed at every sport possible, had horrible hand eye coordination, but running was the only thing she was good at.
She spotted Harry running a few meters ahead of her with Greyson, Kal and Ace. She smirked when Kal stuck his foot out and tripped Harry up. He stumbled but stayed upright and shoved Kal to the side.
"Dick," Harry snapped and Kal grinned and glanced behind him and waved at Brooklyn. Brooklyn smiled and she groaned when Harry followed Kal's gaze and spotted Brooklyn.
"Why?" She whispered as Harry slowed down until he was beside Brooklyn.
"You're a good runner," Harry commented. "Not many girls are up front."
"Ignore him," Brooklyn told herself. "He's not there, ignore him."
"Babe, are you being serious?"
"He's not there," Brooklyn repeated.
"I am."
"He's not, just keep running," Brooklyn murmured and picked up the pace.
"You can't outrun me. It's impossible. Just like ignoring me is," Harry said.
"Hey, Brooke!"
Brooklyn turned around and smiled at Josh who ran up beside her. "Hi, Josh."
"I think Alice and Sasha are about to kill each other," Josh said and Brooklyn laughed.
"I'll go and save the day," she said and span round and ran away from Harry.
"They're not trying to kill each other," Josh said to Brooklyn as Alice and Sasha came into eyesight. They were running with Austin and Tyler. "I just thought you needed an excuse to get away from him."
Brooklyn let out a sigh of relief and chuckled slightly. "Thanks," she said.
"So have you heard?" Josh asked.
"Heard?"
"About the party on the weekend?"
"What party?"
"Austin is throwing a party. His parents are loaded and they are out of town for the week," Josh explained. "I'm sure Sasha and the girls are going, you have to come!"
"I don't see why it would be a problem," Brooklyn said. "I could do with a drink."
"I'm sure moving is slightly stressful," Josh said. "You deserve to let your hair down."
"I'll have to check I've not got work, but if I haven't then I'm up for it," Brooklyn nodded.
"The diner isn't open super late, you can always come after, even if you are working," Josh smiled.
"Oh, you aren't getting out of this party!" Sasha called.
"We need to initiate you into our friendship group and that can only be done at a party," Alice said.
"Initiate me?" Brooklyn wondered and Violet laughed.
"Get you drunk.
"Duh," Alice scoffed.
*