I'll Be Here For You novel Chapter 3

"Okay." I said, turning back around and giving her my best smile. Sticking out my hand in her general direction, "We haven't really met. I'm Louisa, and you are?"

She took my hand, smiling as she spoke her name, "It's Maeve, but everyone just calls me Mae. Nice to meet ya!" I thought she winked, but I didn't know for sure.

"Nice to meet you, Mae." I said, her positivityand kindness infecting me.

I sat down at the table where Mae's friends were and was barely able to form the word hello in my mouth when she started to introduce me.

"Everyone this is Louisa," she said, her hand waving around in the air. "Farthest to your left is Clara," she paused, waiting for her to say hello so I could get a chance to hear her voice. "To the right of her is Noah and farthest right is Finn."

I nodded, smiling, "It's nice to meet you all."

Some of the names that she said I remembered from my classes. I recognized the girl Clara as the girl who sits in the front of my precalculus class and is wicked smart. I've heard that she was a little bit of a nerd, but that was probably just because she just straight A's and acted like it was easy. Noah was in my second period with Cora, chemistry class, and he was the one who told me about my ruined books. I felt the heat rise to my face in shame. He probably thought I was so stupid.

I sat down in the seat I knew was in front of me while Mae sat down next to me and continued chatting away, "Alex also is in our group, but I think he's still in line getting food or something. It sure is taking him a long time."

I stood up fast, realizing my mistake, "I totally forgot to get food." I said with a sigh. The line would probably be super long but there was nothing I could do about it now. This girl needed to eat. "I'll be right back." I picked up my walking stick and headed out towards the sea of students swarming the cafeteria.

The food in the cafeteria wasn't half bad, which was why everyone preferred to buy lunch instead of pack their own. For cheap food that tasted great, why waste the time and energy making lunch at home when there was homework to do? Unfortunately, that made the lines into the cafeteria extremely long everyone rushed to the cafeteria immediately after their fourth periods so that they wouldn't have to wait a long time. Which means that I, being incredibly late to the party, was going to wait in line forever.

Not to mention my clothes were still wet and I was standing there uncomfortably while the entire school stared. It wasn't a great situation to be in, but it was necessary so that I could get food. I didn't want to starve during my last day at this school.

I thought I was about halfway through the line and to the food when I smelled the perfume. Just as my day started turning around for the better, she had to show up. Typical Cora.

"I thought I smelled loser and would you look at that, here you are." Cora sneered, and I thought in my head that out of all the things she could've said, she picked the lamest insult.

I looked at her, and suddenly I couldn't contain myself. I burst into laughter at her stupid insult. Either I was too tired from being picked on the entire day that I finally just lost it, or it really was as stupid as it sounded. So, instead of being hurt, I felt the ends of my lips curl into a smile. "Is that the best you could come up with?" I smiled innocently, "Because after all of the pranks you have been pulling on me today, I thought you would at least be less pathetic when facing me head on." I shrugged, suddenly feeling like a badass as I turned away from her, "But I guess the bitch has lost her mojo."

"What did you say?" Cora came closer to me and I could feel her breath on my cheek.

It must have been talking to that girl Mae that inspired me to act so boldly, because never in the past two years have I ever stood up to Cora Burton and her followers. Maybe it was because I knew I had a place to go back to after this instead of eating my lunch alone in a random spot in the school. Maybe it was because someone had finally approached me and offered me kindness, which hasn't happened since middle school. Or maybe it was because it was my last day, and I didn't give a shit about what happened when I left. But whatever it was, it was too late to give up now.

Shawn wacked the plastic on the tiled floor with his full force, the sound audible to anyone in the school. I sighed with relief as I realized it didn't break, or else I would've heard the other piece hitting the ground. But then he hit on the ground again and again, each time quicker than the last. I held my breath, hoping that it wouldn't break. He came down one final time with a whoosh, and that's when it broke, the parts of my walking stick littering the floor.

"You asshole." I muttered, trying to keep the tears out of my eyes. How was I supposed to navigate through the school and the city without it?

Cora shoved me again, bringing my attention back to her. "Next time, you better think twice before insulting me, you little bitch? Do I make myself clear?"

I know I should've said yes. In fact, I could've said anything else than what I did. But I answered with my typical response anyways, too hurt to care about what might happen afterwards.

"Go to hell."

I didn't know Cora's hands were clenched at her sides, waiting for me to say one last thing before she snapped. I didn't know her hand was raised above my head waiting to strike. I didn't know to move away when she brought her tightly close fist down upon my face.

She punched me square in the face. Blood spurted from my nose, and I tried to bring a hand up to block it, but she wrenched it away. The blood flowed freely all over me, staining my clothes and filling my mouth with the bitter taste of copper. I could hear the rustle of her hand as she raised it again, this time knowing better to cover my face.