Candy came to school the next day, mindful that she had to greet Matt before classes began. She hurried up the winding drive, ignoring the sniggers and whispered comments around her.
"I just need to find Matt – sir – and then I can get to class," she thought anxiously, looking around the sweeping grounds. She found him surprisingly easily, seated under a tall oak tree, his back against the trunk, making out with Nora.
So Gina wasn't his girlfriend, was the first thought in Candy's mind. Or at least, not his only girlfriend, she corrected herself. Nora sat on his lap facing him, arms around his neck, lips fused to his. Candy stood there awkwardly, cursing her luck. It seemed that she was destined to spend most of her time at Carter High watching people kissing while she waited for their attention.
Matt's brilliant blue eyes lifted to her face, sparkling with amusement when he saw her standing there, but he did not break the kiss. Nora moaned as Matt angled his head to deepen the kiss, eyes still on Candy. His hands slid up and down her sides, caressing her as he kissed her. Candy's face flamed and she averted her gaze, feeling like a voyeur.
At last Matt spoke.
"Clarke – you want something, or just here for the show?"
Nora giggled, nuzzling Matt's neck. "Bitch probably gets off watching others," she said nastily. "C'mon, let's give her something to look at."
She slipped her hand suggestively inside Matt's shirt.
"Uh…I – I just wanted to say g-good morning, sir." Candy wished the ground would open up and swallow her.
"Okay – now go and get me a coffee. Room 116 in exactly 10 minutes." He tossed her a ten-dollar bill. "Don't be even a minute late."
"Y-yes, sir." Candy rushed off to do his bidding as he turned back to the sexy brunette.
Candy's days settled into a sort of routine over the next week or so, starting always with finding Matt, usually with some girl or the other, then classes, running errands for Matt and his cronies, and the part she loved – lunch breaks spent in the library, reading a wide range of books that opened up a whole new world to her.
She made no friends, the few kids not hostile to her still not willing to take on Matt's gang by befriending her. Even Layla, though she smiled at her when they met, did not attempt anything more.
Besides, she didn't really have anything in common with the kids here. They were all from rich, privileged backgrounds, their conversations revolved around parties, clothes, cars and clubs, and they had seemingly unlimited money to spend, whereas Candy could not even afford to buy lunch, leave alone anything else. She spent her time at Carter High studying quietly, absorbing all the knowledge on offer, keeping her mind focused on the future she could make for herself with her education whenever her life seemed a little too overwhelming. She had a bright, intelligent mind behind her mousy façade and found it easy to keep up with the lessons, though she was too shy and diffident to ever speak up in class.
Of course, life, unfortunately, is never so simple.
"I'm getting bored, guys," Matt grumbled, flipping through his phone. "School, homework, parties – it's all the same stuff…I need some new entertainment."
He and his friends were seated in his car, Gina and Nora squeezed into the front with him while the other crowded the backseat.
"Hmm…I can think of several entertaining things we could do." Gina ran a hand suggestively up his thigh.
"I said something new." Matt spoke dismissively, barely glancing up from his phone.
"Come on, lets go for a drive and see what we can do," Cole said encouragingly. Matt grunted and started the car slowly down the long driveway. They were almost at the sweeping school gates when he caught sight of a familiar figure scuttling along ahead of them.
"Hey – look, there's that loser Clarke," Vince chortled from behind. "We haven't ragged her for days!"
"Hmm." Matt looked at Candy's mousy frame scurrying along the drive. His eyes gleamed devilishly as an idea struck him. "Hold on tight, everyone."
He stepped on the gas, speeding down the drive behind her. He honked loudly as they neared, making her jump and turn around. She froze, white as a sheet, as the shiny blue convertible bore down on her.
Matt honked again, expecting her to jump out of the way but she simply stood there in his path, staring at the oncoming vehicle with huge, terrified eyes.
"Shit!!" Matt slammed on the brakes, bringing the convertible to a screeching stop mere inches from where Candy stood. The other kids hooted and laughed loudly, enjoying the spectacle of Candy's terror, but Matt simply sat, clutching the steering wheel. "Shit! What was this idiot thinking of?" he thought angrily, trying to steady his racing heart. He jumped out of the car and went over to where she stood, grabbing her by the shoulders. "Clarke! What's wrong with you?" Matt shook her hard. "You could've been run over!"
Nora and Vince came over to join him. "Fuck, that was epic!" Vince was still laughing.
"Did you enjoy that, bitch?" Nora poked Candy in the chest, but she remained frozen on the spot. Belatedly, Matt realized that Candy was trembling violently.
"Get out of here, Clarke," he said gruffly. "C'mon, guys, let's go."
They got back in the car. "That was the funniest thing I've seen in ages!" hooted Cole.
"Yeah – did you see her face?!" added Riley with a laugh.
"Now I know what they mean by a deer caught in the headlights!" added Gina. "Matty, that was real entertainment!"
Matt grinned, but his heart wasn't in it. Somehow, it hadn't been as funny as he had thought it would be. Try as he might, the memory of Clarke's huge, frightened eyes stayed with him through the rest of the evening, though he pretended to be enjoying himself.
ONE WEEK LATER
Candy was late leaving school that day. Someone had gotten into her locker and taken her threadbare old jacket. She had spent nearly half an hour searching for it, finally finding it at the Lost and Found counter. Candy shrugged the jacket on quickly and set off home, uneasily aware that she was very late. The kids regularly played pranks on her, but this time she was even later than usual.
She hurried down the drive to the gate. She had no money to take a bus, and it was a 30-minute walk back home. Maybe if she ran – she saw a group of kids lounging near the school gate and her heart sank. Of course, it would have to be Matt and his gang, she thought in dismay.
Matt leaned indolently against the tall stone wall, Nora and Gina on either side of him. He had his arms around their waists while they fawned over him, each vying for his attention. The other kids stood around, talking and laughing, or flirting with each other. Candy clutched her ratty old bag to her chest and lowered her head, hoping she could hurry past them without anyone noticing her. After their last encounter, she wanted nothing more than to be invisible to Matt and his friends. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Matt kiss Gina, then he turned to Nora as she demanded his attention, pressing her bosom to his chest. He kissed her as well, both girls clinging to him as he alternately indulged them.
"Clarke." He drawled her name out and Candy stopped as though shot. "Clarke, come here – surely you weren't planning on leaving without saying goodbye?"
"Y-you were b-busy, sir," Candy stammered, flushing deep red.
"Hmm."
By now everyone had stopped whatever they were doing and gathered close, anticipating some entertainment.
"What're you doing here so late anyway, Clarke? Got detention?" Matt smirked.
"She must've been cleaning the school," giggled Gina.
"Well?" Matt quirked a dark brow at Candy.
"I – I couldn't find my coat, sir."
"What a pity it didn't stay lost," sneered Nora. "Whoever took that eyesore should have done you a favor and burnt it."
"May I go, sir?" Candy blurted out, so desperate was she to get home.
"Sure." Matt's eyes danced with mischief. He took a binder out of his bag. "Oops," he said, dropping it.
Papers flew out of the binder, scattering around, some swirling away in the strong wind.
"Pick those up, then you can go."
Candy rushed to gather the papers as the kids around hooted and shouted their encouragement.
"Look – there's some behind you!"
"Hey – that one's getting away!"
"Hurry!"
Matt didn't say anything, he simply stood, hands in pockets, a grin on his face as he watched her run around to collect his papers. At last, she managed to gather them all.
"Sir." Candy handed the sheaf to Matt with trembling hands.
"Hmm…maybe I should get you to put them in order," he said thoughtfully.
"P-please, sir…please…I'm very late."
The words were out of her mouth before she realized.
"You little shit – are you refusing Matt's orders?"
Nora took a step forward, an ugly look on her face. Candy cowered, but Matt caught Nora's arm.
"Let her go, baby doll," he drawled, though his eyes watched Candy curiously.
"Yeah, she's probably got houses to clean or something." Gina giggled at her own wit.
Candy didn't wait for Matt to change his mind. She fled from there, half-running, half-walking, desperate to reach home before it was too late.
The next day Matt briefly noticed that Candy was even paler then usual when she came to wish him. His eyes followed her as she walked away slowly, her gait stiff and awkward. Matt felt vaguely puzzled, then his attention was distracted by Gina looping her arms possessively around his neck and pressing her body against his suggestively.
"Mmm…" Matt lowered his head to hers, forgetting all about quiet little Candy Clarke.