"You okay?" Sophia asked me gently, placing her hand on my shoulder. I gave her a small smile and nodded my head.

"Of course," I reassured, holding the door open for her and the others to walk in. Drake gave me a doubtful look as he passed and I ignored it the best I could.

Yesterday, despite everyone's screaming and fighting, I had a lot of fun.

Monopoly was great until Drake began to try and steal people's properties. Then there was a wrestling match on top of the game board. After we found all of the pieces again, we decided to watch movies.

Sophia and I didn't pay much attention to any of the movies. We were more focused on giving each other sneaking glances and "accidentally" brushing our hands together. Luckily no one had noticed, and if they did, they were kind enough not to say anything.

It had been so long since I felt the level of content that I did last night. Ever since freshman year, I haven't been able to find a group of people who wanted to be seen with me. I had one of two friends outside of school, but it was nothing like this. Now it's going to hurt me even more than it would've to let go when Sophia decides to leave.

Last night, before everyone went home, Ethan suggested that we carpool to school. It sounded like a good idea at the time, so everyone said yes. That's how I ended up here. Walking into school with Drake Weston, Seth Meyers, and Sophia Helms.

At least now, in 10 years, I can't complain about not getting enough attention in high school.

If it wasn't getting glared at by Seth's fan club, I could definitely turn around and find Drake's shooting me daggers. I thought Chris was mad about me hanging out with Sophia before, but that is going to be nothing compared to how angry he gets when he hears about this.

"Ignore them. We've got you." Seth whispered to me with a smirk, as we walked through the hallway. I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm the bundle of nerves in my chest.

It's not that I didn't have faith in Drake and Seth. It's just that there are three of us (if you count me and my fractured ribs), and hundreds of them. Plus the fact that Seth doesn't even know who our biggest threat is, so he can't possibly protect me from the right people. Now I've never been too good at math, but these do not sound like good odds.

"Do you want to go to your locker Avery?" Sophia asked when we stopped at a hallway intersection.

Do I want to go? No. There's probably a crazy group of fangirls or a sadistic boyfriend waiting to ambush me. No sane person would want to put themselves in that situation.

But my education is important to me, and I've never let Chris or any other bully get in the way of that. So I do need my books.

"I'll go with you. My locker is over there too." Drake suggested, pulling me down the hallway before anyone could say anything. As we walked towards my locker, my eyebrows slowly weaved themselves together.

"Your locker isn't over here. It's two down from Sophia's." I finally realized as I was putting my locker combination.

Drake made an impartial noise, leaning against someone's locker. "Sophia doesn't know how to fight. But don't tell her I said that." He said quickly, pointing his finger at me. I snickered quietly, holding out my hands in surrender. "Besides, I figured it'd create more of a mess if Chris here and saw you with Sophia." He did have a point.

Now that I was standing still, I could actually hear what everyone was saying. It wasn't anything worse than the usual, but I could tell that it was beginning to bother Drake. His hands were clenching into fists, and his teeth were gritting.

"You're going to have to learn to deal with it when you start dating Ethan," I noted offhandedly, digging through my locker.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He immediately denied, and I scoffed.

"Don't even try Weston. They told me." I revealed, closing my locker shut. I turned towards him, to see him with wide, embarrassed eyes.

"You can't tell him." Drake pleaded. "He'll -"

"I'm not going to tell him anything," I reassured him with a pat on his shoulder. "But when you two start dating, and you will start dating, you're going to have to pull it together."

"I'm not a complete savage. I'm not going to swing at everyone with something to say. It's just annoying." Drake scowled before giving me an apologetic look. "I'm sorry that you've had to deal with it for so long."

I shrugged, averting my eyes. I was almost done with this school. I won't have to deal with this for too much longer.

"It's fine. And it'll be easier for you because you can protect yourself." I promised him with a smile. He visibly untensed and slowly became calmer, but soon his face turned suspicious.

"Why are you so sure about Ethan and me? Do you know something?" Drake accused, narrowing his eyes at me. That is my cue to get out of here.

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't. I'm sure you'll figure it out." I mused, beginning to walk away. "We should go find Seth and Sophia before they burn down the school."

I was only partially kidding; They probably really could burn down the entire city if we left them alone long enough. They were like the Joker and Harley Quinn, but worse.

I made sure that my pace was quick enough to where Drake could still see me, but he couldn't get close enough to talk to me. Still, Drake was able to fall into step with me because apparently the sea parts for Drake Weston.

"You know Leon, your answer to my question was not very satisfying," Drake commented as we maneuvered through the crowd.

"I'm sure you'll live. You're a smart boy." I joked. I got a growl in response that made me throw my head back in laughter.

We rounded the corner of the hallway where we left Sophia and Seth, expecting to find mass destruction. Instead, we found something much worse.

"Where's Sophia?!" I shrieked quietly, looking up and down the hallway.

"Well she was here, and then she saw Chris, so now she's not here," Seth confessed guiltily, rubbing the back of his neck.

The winner for best storyteller does not go to Seth Meyers. Not at all. Never. He should never even be considered for the title.

How do you lose Sophia? She's always talking, so it's not like you can't hear her walk away. Even when she's not talking, she's literally filled with energy. Just look for the one hopping in the crowd.

"Seth, tell us what happened." Drake requested calmly grabbing onto Seth's shoulders.

"We were looking around for someone willing to get us food because someone wouldn't let us get donuts," Seth explained, glaring at Drake.

Drake took deep breaths through his nose. "You two had already eaten breakfast. Why would I let you have the extra sugar?"

Seth pouted, crossing his arms over his chest. "Because I wanted it and I'm old enough to make my own decisions," Seth whined.

Drake gave him a look. "Obviously not if -"

"Guys!" I yelled, interrupting their tiff. They both fell quiet, turning to face me. "Seth, will you please finish telling me what happened?" I begged quietly.

Seth threw one last glare, in Drake's direction before nodding. "So we were looking around and then suddenly Sophia sees Drake and says she has to go." Seth recounted.

"I mean, I wasn't expecting it so soon either," Seth said with a shrug. "But isn't this good for you Avery? Why are you so freaked out?"

I wanted to yell at Seth all of the reasons why Sophia running off was an awful idea, but causing a scene wouldn't help much right now. The best thing to do was to find Sophia and keep her from breaking up with Chris. That way the next time he sees me, he won't break my jaw.

Easy enough. Right?