"No cheese, thanks," I say to the lunch lady as she serves me a plate of spaghetti bolognese.

"You can take a soda can if you want." She points out with a gentle smile, while I stare dubiously at my tray.

I guess today is a 'special' day, seeing as we're treated with sodas and decent food. Though that spaghetti doesn't really make my mouth water, set in the center of my plate like a big pile of... no! I'd better not compare it if I want to keep some appetite!

I nod, thanking the lunch lady, before taking my tray and following the line leading to the catering hall. I'm praying to find a free table in a quiet corner because today I'm eating alone. Lisa and Judy haven't waited for me, since I've had class of Literature optional like every Monday, and I've finished classes an hour later than them. So, once again, I end up all by myself. Something kinda dreaded in the jungle of high school because it means you're a loner, a loser... and you become an easy prey for the bullies. Though I'm used to it; that's how I've spent most of my lunches these previous years. Like in the wilderness, the key is to stay unnoticed, not draw any attention.

WHAM!!

Just when I enter the catering room, I bump into someone, making my heap of spaghetti collide with my shirt and my heart stop. Here goes the 'staying unnoticed'! I keep my eyes shut, not even daring to look at all the eyes that must be on me.

"Watch out where you're going, loser!"

A voice like nails on a chalkboard restarts my heart rate in a loud shudder, and I open my eyes to meet the face I've already guessed from the unmistakable voice of my nightmares: Olivia, one of the Queen Bitches, like I call them. They're cheerleaders who think they run the world just because they chant three rhymes in mini-skirts at the football matches, though they already run the school, and right now it's worse than if I had run into the lions' den; it is the hyenas' herd.

As any weak prey would do, I start trembling, wondering how I will end up being eaten and praying for a miracle.

"Sorry," I mumble, even if we both know it's not my fault. I've checked, and there has been no one when I've entered. She has clearly done it on purpose, and seeing her sneer, it confirms my hypothesis.

"Oh! Look what we have here!" She arches one of her perfectly painted eyebrows, looking down on me and then at my stained shirt.

I swallow the lump she creates in my throat with just one gaze, and I try to bypass her to avoid more drama. But it isn't as easy: I'm her prey and she won't let me go, so she stops me, stepping in front of me.

"Where do you think you are going?!" She snaps.

"Er... eating..." I reply quietly, my burning cheeks not helping when all I want is to become invisible.

She sneers, her eyes shooting daggers. "Oh! You think you're witty?! The loser talks to two popular boys and she thinks she's someone!"

I widen my eyes. Is she talking about... Alex and... Moose?! How does she even know I've talked to them?! Moose has talked to me only once at school, not even five minutes, and Alex... well, we've drawn closer, but it's because we work on our project, and most of the time we're only the two of us.

"But you're nothing to them! You're a nerd, they just use you to get good grades, or maybe... they took pity on you..." She mockingly pouts. "What do you think?! Do you really think they can be interested in a girl like you?!" she goes on, wrinkling her nose. "You're nothing to them!" she repeats with a sadistic smile as if to make sure the words are sinking deep enough to mark me.

I feel the tears come to my eyes, but I tighten my grip on my tray to not let them run.

I don't know why it affects me so much. For Moose, I know I'm not important, and I couldn't care less. But Alex... I don't even know what I am for him... I don't know why it matters so much... I've been the one who has tried to avoid him for a week, yet I can't stay away from him. He's like a magnet that attracts me uncontrollably to him. He's nice and caring with me, and I really enjoy spending time with him. Yet does he hang out with me only because of our project? Because he's taken pity? Is he playing with me?

I'm used to people letting me down. Though with him, I feel like he's honest, so I let my guard down.

"Aw poor thing! You're as pathetic as this plate of spaghetti! You're a wet noodle!" She snickers, looking back at her crew: four other cheerleaders, with different hair colors, but all looking the same, and two football players, one tall and rather muscular and the other small and chubby, both not exuding intelligence. They all cackle with her. I barely hear them though; the doubts she has slipt under my skin are echoing louder inside my head and hurting even deeper.

"I think this wet noodle needs some cheese on top!" The tall football player, named Todd I think, pulls me out of my resonating thoughts with his deep voice.

My eyes instantly go to his plate, and my stomach turns as his big fingers grab a handful of grated cheese, which is easy since the cheese is laying in a thick layer almost as high as the pile of the pasta. My gaze travels to his eyes, then to Olivia in a mix of fright and hope that they're joking. But that only seems to encourage him as they laugh louder.

I avert my eyes down, accepting my sour fate. I can't get away because they're circling me like any herd would with their dinner, and I will be well-cooked since my cheeks are burning – and my eyes too from trying to hold back my tears.

I close my eyes, preparing for it, or maybe to lock my tears inside, or just not witness this torturous spectacle.

"Is there a problem?" a voice interrupts, making me open my eyes.

A voice that I know very well because it always brings me chills, yet right now, the voice is tighter, lower, more threatening.

I look up, and first, I see Todd with his mouth wide open, paralyzed. The cheese is falling slowly shred by shred from his almost shaking hand.

Then, I turn slightly my head, and I realize I haven't dreamed it: Alex is there. My heart leaps, and a small smile instantly forms on my lips. He's saved me like my knight in shining armor, though he's wearing his famous black leather jacket, and he looks more like a dark, dangerous knight than a prince charming on a white horse. His aura of danger is back fully, stronger than I've ever seen as h jaw is tensed up and his dark gaze is fixing Todd deadly.

He comes closer to us, his slow steps only strengthening his imposing presence. "Because if you have a problem with my friend, you have a problem with me," he says calmly, yet his deadly stare shows the threat underneath.

'Friend', so that's what I am for him? I should feel relieved and glad, yet there is a pit growing in my stomach. 'Friend', that's just what I am for him? Maybe I want to be something more for him...

Is he just a 'friend' for me?

Every time I'm near him, there is this irresistible pull drawing me towards him. Every time he approaches me, I crave something more, and every time he's away, I miss him. Let's be honest, I'm attracted to him; I really like him.

But what have I been thinking?! That it could be reciprocal? I'm just a nerdy quiet girl, and he's the hottest bad boy. He's a player and he can have any girl he wants. Why would he want me? I should already feel lucky that he thinks of me as a friend, especially knowing that I don't have a lot of friends.

A metallic sound brings me back to reality: Alex grabbing the can from Todd's tray and crushing it in one hand. His gaze, unflinching, is still on the tall jock, and even if Todd is slightly taller than him, Alex is the one prevailing over the jock, who gets paler as the seconds pass.

I watch fascinated, my heart thudding loudly inside my chest, yet I'm not in the least scared.

"No! No! There's no problem!" Olivia stammers, suddenly appearing less terrifying.

"I'm not asking you." Alex turns to me, his expression softening. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah... yeah, there's no problem," I reply quietly, avoiding his penetrating eyes, which read too easily through me. What if he could see all the trouble echoing inside my head?

But he doesn't give up. He lowers his head, searching for my eyes. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, it's fine..." I repeat, trying to sound assured as I find the courage to look in his intense eyes.

The moment I meet those tenebrous shades, this isn't a lie anymore: I'm fine. The world outside is forgotten, and I feel better, lighter, and safe.

Olivia and her clique take advantage of this little moment to get away, and when we come out of our stares, they have disappeared.

Alex glances around, his jaw clenching again. "Oh! The bastards! They ran away!"

He's about to go, probably getting them, but I grab his hand, making him stop in his tracks and turn back to me.

"Let go... They're not worth getting in trouble," I say quietly, watching his dark gaze pass from where they've been standing to me a few times. "Thank you by the way. You saved me..." I add, risking a glance from under my lashes to his tenebrous eyes and watching his frown above it quickly ease.

Me, however, I can't seem to calm down my racing heart and burning cheeks. Yet the feeling is much cozier than when I've been getting ready to get roasted by the herd of hyenas, and I realize the comfort is coming from his hand still in mine. Our hands intertwined fit so perfectly that I've forgotten it; it's so nice, so warm, so soothing, yet electrifying at the same time. Though I let it go unwillingly because friends don't hold hands, at least they don't have those thoughts while holding hands.

"You're welcome." He gives me a half-smile before his eyebrows crease again. "But why didn't you use what I showed you Saturday?"

I widen my eyes. This thought would have never crossed my mind! "They were outnumbering me and the football players are stronger than me!"

"That's the purpose of self-defense: to defend yourself even if your opponents are bigger or outnumbering you!" He points out in his teaching tone. "Hey! If you've managed to knock me down, you could have kicked their asses!" He smirks.

I laugh, shaking my head, and I still don't understand how he can so easily lighten my mood, even less how my mood switches again with a tingling shiver when he leans closer to whisper,

"The secret is to not let them see your fear."

I let out a surprised laugh. "Easy for you! You're the baddest bad boy, and you've got no fear!"

A big cocky grin forms on his lips, and I kinda regret flattering his ego, kinda not, seeing his features relaxing.

His smile doesn't last long though; his eyebrows furrow slightly again as he looks around. It looks like he's thinking about something, yet once again I have no idea about what it can be.

"Are you alone?"

My heart skips a beat with this question I've been expecting, yet I admit the truth, biting my lip. "Yeah."

He instantly grabs my tray. "Come sit with us." And with that, he starts walking to his table.

I'm left staring at his back with eyes like saucers. 'Us' who?! The questions rush in my head, making it boil even more. His gang? His friends? The knots come back in my stomach and my brain. I'm not at ease with people I don't know, even less with popular bad boys...

So what do you think of those 'Queen Bitches'?

And are they just friends? ;) 

Let me know what you think in the comments, vote, add to your library...

Your help and feedbacks are always more than welcome! :)