"So basically, Ariana is a has-been..." said Lian, the leader of the cheerleading squad. At that moment, Max strolled into the classroom, his head down, his bag draped over his shoulder. "Oh look who it is, the boob looker" she mocked. The class roared with laughter as students jeered and taunted Max. He sighed. "What's the matter Max, it's not our fault you're a pervert" Lian continued, getting the class to attack him. Max sighed in annoyance but said nothing. He sat on his desk and ignored his classmates who were relentless in their mockery until the teacher arrived.
****
Amelia laughed alongside some of her other classmates. She seemed casual and easygoing. Her beauty was radiant; her smile, captivating. She seemed to compel everyone to look at her and her blue eyes made it impossible to look away. "You're so cool," Chantel said, she was the most popular girl in the Academy, loved and respected by her peers. "Would you like to be friends?" she asked. Amelia shrugged, "If you want us to be" was her vague response. "I want us to be friends," was Chantel's response. Amelia smiled and nodded gently, "Then we're friends", she said.
"Amelia, could you come and help me with our practice questions?" Clarissa asked, "Yeah sure" Amelia replied. "Please excuse me," she said to Chantel and the others before excusing herself to attend to Clarissa. Thirty minutes later Clarissa smiled in understanding. "I get it now", she said happily. "Thank you Amelia", she continued. "What are friends for?", Amelia replied pleased. "I gotta use the bathroom", she said quietly. Clarissa shrugged, "Okay, thanks though", she replied.
Amelia excused herself to the bathroom and didn't expect to see Max by his locker side as she headed back to class. "Hey, Max!" she greeted cheerfully, he turned to her and gave a smile though it didn't reach his eyes. "Hi, Amelia", he replied. "Are you alright?" Amelia asked seeing he was not but as expected, he lied that he was fine. She sighed. "Come on Max, we just became friends, don't tell me you want to start keeping secrets already", she said dissatisfied. Max sighed and then said, "It's not a big deal, it's just that some bullies in my class find it fun to pick on others". "They pick on you?", Amelia asked looking hurt by the fact. Max quickly calmed her, "They don't really pick on me, they just call me annoying names is all", he replied. "What kind of names?" Amelia asked. Max shrugged, "It doesn't matter", he said. Amelia sighed and said, "I just wanna help". "You can't help. Besides, it's fine. She sighed, "If you say so".
They talked as they walked to their classes. When Amelia continued following him, he knew she planned to do something about the names his classmates called him and so he sighed. "You can't, Amelia," he said. She sighed, "Can you give me a chance at least?", she asked. He shook his head regrettably. Amelia groaned and stormed off to class. After thinking it through in class, Amelia decided on what to do about Max. She got u enthusiastically when the recess bell rang. "Why are you so happy?" Clarissa questioned. She shrugged, "I'm going to do something and I'm probably going to embarrass myself," she said. She felt an arm on her shoulder and heard Rowan say, "You look so perfect most of the time anyway, wouldn't it be nice seeing you do something stupid". "Haha very funny", she said sarcastically. Rowan shrugged, "I try," he said.
Like the previous day, Amelia was at the center of attention. She grabbed her lunch tray along with Clarissa and Rowan and sat on a table at the left corner of the hall but it might have as well been the center table, they were still being watched. Amelia groaned in annoyance, unable to concentrate on eating anymore when she raised her head and caught a glance of another that was already pretty familiar. She watched him grab his tray and take a seat at the furthest table and then found that she couldn't endure watching him sit there all alone. So she stood and she confidently walked to his table. Taking a careful seat, she smiled at him and said, "Join me at my table, please". And with her dazzling smile, she took Max Millen from ashes to flames, making him a great part of her world.