2 weeks later
September 3rd
Marie's POV
I was about to close my locker after putting all my books up after 7th period when Shay leaned against the locker beside mine. I looked at him then he signed are you going to the football game?
I clapped my hands at him and he gave me a confused look.
I signed yes I am going and your sign language is improving.
He smiled before signing then I'll see you there Angel.
I shook my head before walking away. Samantha took me home and I changed into a pair of dark Bermuda shorts and a dark pink v-neck shirt. I was sitting at the top of the first stands with Samantha and her friends when I saw Ryder plus Shay walk into the stands. Clint Reeves was also with them and I shook my head because Clint got expelled from our school last year so he now goes to a public school. I noticed Shay was wearing a earring in his left ear then I saw him look around after they sat down 5 rows in front of us. I quickly looked away and pretended to be listening to Samantha's conversation with Tara. I saw out of my left eye when Shay saw me then Clint shook his head before saying something to Shay to which Shay just shrugged his shoulders before looking away.
Half-time
"So the hot new bad boy seems to have taken an interest in you." Julia (Eric's twin sister) said as she tugged on the ponytail in her dark brown hair.
We were alone at the top of the stands since the others went to get food.
I signed he has a death wish and she laughed.
"Girl you are gorgeous I don't blame him for trying to take a shot at dating you." She said.
I signed it will never happen we are too different and like you said he's a bad boy, thug, outcast, outsider, or whatever you want to call them.
"It might be worth the risk with the way he looks." She said with a devilish smile on her face as she looked down towards Shay and them.
I tapped her on the left shoulder and she laughed before looking at me.
I signed don't forget you are taken and Paul is a jealous boyfriend.
She rolled her eyes before nodding her head. I laughed because I knew how much she loved Paul and even though we were juniors they were already talking about getting married after high school.
"Then I'll just have to live through you and I'm telling you he might be the right kind of dangerous that you need." She said.
I shook my head before signing that I was going to go get food and she nodded her head. I was about half way to the concession stands when Shay caught up to me and was on my right side.
"Hey Angel." He said smiling at me.
I shook my head.
I signed you are taking your death wish too far talking to me at a football game in front of the entire school and most of the town.
He watched my hands and got a confused look on his face. I shook my head before taking out my phone and typing it all on it then showed it to him.
"I love living on the wild side and you should give me your number so we can text each other. It would help me out a lot." He said as I put my phone up.
I shook my head. When we got to an opening in between the stands that leads behind all the stands, he motioned his head towards it before walking towards the opening. I stopped then I saw him disappear behind the stands.
I bit my bottom lip and thought about following him until I looked around and saw Samantha, Tara, and Brooke was walking my way. They hadn't noticed me yet so I turned to face forward again then I started walking. When they saw me, Samantha asked where I was going and I signed getting food then she nodded her head before saying she would stay back with me while Tara and Brooke went ahead to the stands. It took around 15 minutes to get food and when we got back to the stands, I saw Shay was sitting in between Clint and Ryder. I looked down at my food as we got closer and Samantha noticed then she looked to see Shay and them.
"They should have banned your butt from football games too." Samantha said stopping at the end of their row and looking at Clint.
Ryder was sitting at the end of the row and all of them looked to see Samantha and me.
"Did you miss me that much sweetheart?" Clint asked smiling at her.
I continued to look at my food and Ryder shook his head.
"Hey don't look at her." Samantha said snapping her fingers in front of Ryder.
"Samantha! Come here I have to show you my dress for the homecoming dance!" Julia yelled as Ryder gave Samantha an evil look.
"Sounds like your fake friends want you." Ryder said and Samantha rolled her eyes at him.
"Let's go." Samantha said grabbing my left hand then leading the way up the stands.
When we sat down Julia winked at me and I knew she did that to get Samantha away from Ryder and them. Julia took out her phone then showed Samantha a picture. I started eating my nachos and when I looked towards the football field, I saw Shay was turned around a little bit and looking at me. When our eyes met, he smiled at me and I quickly looked away.
Shay's POV
"You have guts I will give you that." Clint said as we stood around his truck in the parking lot after the game was over.
I just shrugged my shoulders.
"You apparently didn't listen when I told you last time to leave Marie alone." Eric said from behind us.
We all turned around to see Eric along with Samantha and two other girls I had seen sitting with Marie. Before I even said anything, Tucker showed up and I shook my head.
"What? You need backup to talk to me now?" I asked laughing a little bit.
Eric got a mad look on his face.
"You are trying to play out of your league outsider and you will never come anywhere close to being like any of us." Eric said taking a step towards me.
"At least I didn't get a pity kiss." I said and Ryder lowered his head.
Eric started walking towards me and right before he could close the distance, I saw the girl with dark brown hair that I had seen talking to Marie earlier that kind of resembled Eric in the face step between us and put her hands on his chest.
"Don't; he is baiting you and you know it. We are still on school grounds." She said trying to push him away and back towards Samantha and them.
We heard snapping of fingers then we all looked to see Marie. I watched her hands as she signed something to Eric and I shook my head when it turned out she was signing you will get suspended Eric and you won't be able to play football so just let it be and let's go eat. Eric smiled at her then looked at me.
"Say what you want but it wasn't a pity kiss." Eric said looking me straight in the eyes then walking towards Marie.
When Eric got close, Marie held out her left hand and he grabbed it then they walked away. Samantha and the rest of them besides the girl that was standing between Eric and me walked away. After they walked away, the girl turned around to look at me.
"You can thank me later. I'm Julia aka that jerk's twin sister." She said and I nodded my head.
"And he has a point; Marie is out of your league." She said and Clint laughed.
"Clint." She said in a short mad voice and looking at him.
"You gotten rid of Paul yet?" He asked.
She flipped him off before looking back at me.
"Word of advice, don't bait my brother and don't read too much into what Marie does to keep Eric from fighting." She said.
I didn't say anything and she nodded her head.
"You learned sign language for her; that is major brownie points in my book and in Marie's so you aren't out of the running yet." She said then she turned around and walked away.
"You people need to get it through your thick skulls and egos that I can protect myself." I said and she stopped walking for a little bit before walking again.
Clint and us left after that and we went to the diner. Eric and them was still there and had just gotten their food when we sat down in our booth. I looked to see Marie was sitting next to Eric and he had his left arm draped across the back of the booth behind her. When Eric looked to see me, he smiled at me before kissing Marie on her right cheek. Marie rolled her eyes before pushing him away a little bit which made Ryder and Clint laugh. After they laughed everyone else looked to see us, when my eyes locked with Marie's she quickly looked away and back down at the table. Eric leaned closer to her to whisper something in her ear then she gave him a look before shaking her head. He said something else and she shook her head again before standing up and moving past him then she went straight outside to the parking lot.
"Don't." Ryder whispered to me when he saw me watch Marie as she walked outside.
"I'll love to see what Eric would do; head towards the bathroom and there's a back door that leads outside." Clint whispered and Ryder shook his head.
I nodded my head before standing up and heading towards the bathroom. Once I got outside, I walked around the building and I looked all over the parking lot but couldn't find Marie. I was about to give up when I reached the end of the parking lot when I looked towards my left and saw her sitting on a bench on the sidewalk not far from the diner. I walked towards her and she must have been deep in her thoughts because she didn't look up when I got near her. I slowly sat down on the bench leaving just a little bit of room between us.
Marie's POV
I was thinking about how I was ready for this day to be over with and to be back home when someone touched my right leg. I looked up and to my right then I saw Shay. I shook my head before standing up. He held up his hands to tell me to wait then signed please stay.
I signed I am done with the drama tonight Shay; just leave me alone.
He stood up after that and turned to face me plus to block my way around him.
He signed why do you put up with Eric and kiss him if he's a jerk?
I signed you wouldn't understand you are an outsider.
He got a mad look on his face.
He signed well maybe I don't want to be an outsider when it comes to you.
I signed you don't know me; you know nothing about me or my life. So please just leave me alone.
He signed I want to get to know you that's why I learned sign language and are you truly happy with those pretenders?
I signed you need to quit baiting Eric and let it go.
He signed you didn't answer the question Angel and I can protect myself.
I signed yes I'm happy.
He shook his head before signing I don't believe you.
I just looked at him when I was about to sign something else when I saw movement behind Shay. I looked to see it was Julia then Shay turned just enough to see her. Julia looked at me then at Shay before smiling then looking at me.
She signed Eric know you two are together?
Shay looked at me after that and I knew he knew what she said.
I shook my head and she nodded her head.
She signed you two fighting?
Shay shook his head before signing mind your own business.
She shot him a look before signing Marie is my business she is my best friend so quit being a jerk.
Shay signed tell your brother to mind his own business too.
She shook her head before signing you can't just accept help can you?
Shay signed I can protect myself.
I rolled my eyes before pushing past Shay and towards Julia.
"Marie." He said when I wasn't far past him.
I turned around to face him.
I signed face it Shay, we are two different peoples with different lives plus we look so different.
After I signed that I pointed to his left ear that had the earring in it then at his right hand where it appeared he drew a scorpion with a red sharpie on his hand.
He got a mad look on his face and shook his head.
He signed back maybe you are just like all of them and too stuck up. You guys deserve each other.
I turned around after that and by the time I got to where Julia was at, I felt a tear ran down my face. She knew what Shay said hurt me and she shook her head before putting her right arm around me then we walked back towards the diner.
Shay came back inside through the back door and sat down back with Clint and Ryder as Eric and them was ready to leave.