Chapter 10

Chapter Eight
Screw. You. All.
I walked out to the school parking lot to meet Ezra who was giving me a ride home when I was stopped. A hand yanked my arm causing me to abruptly turn around, a scowl on my face as I felt fingernails dig into my skin.
"What the fuck?" I glared at Madison, yanking my arm out of her grasp. "Ever heard of personal space or are you really as uneducated as you look?" This time she wasn't alone; her sidekick who was a tall light-skin girl with long, curly brown hair and brown eyes also glared at me.
Madison glared at me as she crossed her arms over her chest and gave me a disgusted look, "Listen, I don't know who you are to think you can just waltz into this school and expect everyone to love you because they love your brother but that's not how things work around here. That group - Noah, Lukey and all of them only put up with you because they're friends with your brother so don't get it twisted."
"What exactly am I getting twisted?" crossing my arms over my chest, I narrowed my eyes. I don't know why she gave herself so much importance but I didn't care for this stupid and stereotypical high school mean girl against the new girl showdown. I gave her a very bored and unamused look because I was in fact already bored by this.
"They don't like you and you will not steal my spotlight, do you hear me? Back off Noah and Luke and everyone else for that matter." I saw what this was; she was jealous because she thought I was getting closer to the hot guys in the school that every girl pined over. Jokes on her because I was not interested.
"Mary, honey, what do you not understand about fuck off?" I asked her blandly, waiting for this conversation to end as soon as possible. "They are not interested in you. The only person who probably puts up with you is your mother so go bitch at her because I don't recall signing a subscription for your bullshit."
Madison scoffed, "I don't care what you have to say. I'm not going to repeat myself again, back off Noah."
I looked at her flatly, "I am not going for Noah. I am not here looking for a boy to get lovestruck over. I moved here for my family so you can continue whatever charming little seduction plan you had going on before I was here." I could have gone off on her, roasting her more but I wanted to go home and I was getting tired of having to listen to her voice. I wasn't going to put up with it.
I turned around and was about to go find Ezra but stopped when Madison spoke again, "If your family was smart they would've thrown you out on the curb. Poor Tiffany has no boy to love her because she can't get anyone." Madison scoffed. "You're not looking for a boy because you're too pathetic and bitchy to get one."
I turned around, the bored-ness completely gone. The flat and uninterested look on my face was replaced with a small smirk as I rolled up the sleeves of the jacket I was wearing - which belonged to Cade. I left it in my locker to give back to him but then got cold so I put it on and hadn't seen him all day anyways.
I bent my neck left and then right, hearing a crack both times. Madison's eyes widened as she took a step back. Her minion was useless, basically hiding behind Madison as if that would do anything.
"What are you scared of now, Mary?" I taunted, still pretending I didn't know her name so she could see how little she meant to me. "If you're going to come bitch at me and pick a fight, don't be so afraid when I pull out the big guns and get ready to knock you out cold."
"You wouldn't punch me." Madison laughed humourlessly as she tried to act big but I could practically see her shaking. "You're all talk, you won't actually do anything. I'm not afraid of you." Really? Because your shaking voice says otherwise, honey.
I laughed a laugh that was more mocking than anything else, "Are you actually stupid enough to test me? You think I'm afraid to throw a punch? I don't want to get my hands dirty on your crusty ass but it'll sure be worth it."
Her minion pulled her arm, "Hey, Maddy, maybe we should just go." She whispered frantically but loud enough for me to hear.
"Yeah, Maddy, maybe you should go." I tilted my head, smirking as I looked at her with my eyes narrowed in a challenging manner.
Madison pushed the girl off her, "Shut up, Tracy!" She turned back to look at me, glaring as she held her ground and didn't move. "I'm not afraid of you. You're like five inches shorter than me, you can barley reach my face."
I laughed. She was right but she was also afraid of me. I may be small but I knew how to fight and could knock her ass to the ground within a second.
"See, I'm right. You won't do anything. You act big and tough but it's all talk. You're pathetic." She laughed and flipped her hair off her shoulder.
"Oh, it's on bitch." I muttered under my breath as I raised my fist and was about to sucker punch her face out of mine. I brought my arm back.
Next thing I know, I hear Madison scream as she falls to the ground. But my fist never made contact with her face.
What the hell?
I look up to see Noah with his palm wrapped around my fist as he lowered my arm. "What the fuck, Noah?!" Why the hell did he have to stop me.
Two hands were placed on my shoulders as I was pulled back. I looked over my shoulder to see Ezra, "You're on school property, there are cameras. You would get suspended." He looked at me in a way that said 'that is really not a good idea for you'.
"See, bitch, you're on the ground crying and I didn't even have to touch you. You're scared of the idea of me getting my hands on you so get the fuck up and get out of my face!" I snapped loudly causing even more people to look over at me.
Ezra continued holding me back so I wouldn't pounce on her or try anything.
Madison quickly stood up and wiped herself off before glaring at me one more time. "I am going to make your life hell!" She snapped loudly before scattering away, her minion Tracy bolting out in fear right behind her.
"Wow," Luke mused, a bright smile on his face. "That was intense and you, princess, are badass!"
I shook Ezra off of me, "Whatever. I didn't even hit her."
"You were about to, are you stupid?" Noah turned and gave me a hard look, looking mad. "What were you going to do? Break her noes and then get suspended?"
"Yeah," Ezra also came and stood in front of me with a harsh look on his face as he crossed his arms over his chest. "What were you thinking?" Ezra's voice was stern. Him and I both knew that getting suspended for be a bad thing for me. Worse than it would be for any other normal kid.
"Who the fuck are you both, my father?" I snapped. I don't know what came over me. Maybe it was all the anger I had bottled up inside me from past situations I had been in in Saratoga Springs. Maybe it was just Madison who really fired me up. Maybe it was Noah who was getting in the middle of my fights. Maybe it was Ezra who was being hypocritical - he could get mad and do whatever but I couldn't?
"Tiffany, we're just looking out for you," Ezra shook his head at me but I knew he wasn't mad. He could see that I had the right to be mad at Madison and was just taking my anger out on him and Noah. He gave me a disappointed look as if telling me with his eyes that I should know better. "Sure, hitting her would have been satisfying for you and for the rest of us who were watching but what would you have gained out of it in the long run?"
I gave him a harsh look, "It doesn't fucking matter. Nobody told you to step in the middle of my fight."
"We all hate her, Tiff." I looked over at Charlie who walked up to us. The rest of the group was standing nearby, watching along with the rest of the school.
"Get to where you need to be!" Ezra yelled loudly so everyone in the parking lot could hear. Almost instantly, everyone started to scatter away to their cars or to wherever they needed to be. The only people left standing here was the group.
"Ezra and Noah were right to step in. I would have earlier if I had gotten here but I was still inside the school," Charlie shook his head in disappointment. "Come on, she's not worth it."
"You know what?" I asked calmly, looking between my brother, my cousin, and Noah. "Screw. You. All." I turned around and started walking away from everyone, not really sure where I was going. Sure, I was probably being dramatic and would regret freaking out like an insane person later but right now, I had no idea what had come over me. I was angry at everyone and I didn't know why. They were looking out for me and I knew they were all right but I just needed someone to blame right now because all the events that took place together ended up heating me up. Blame Madison. Someone I hardly knew managed to get me to loose my cool which was something that didn't happen... well, didn't happen anymore. The old me, sure. This new me that lives in Long Grove? Hell no. I was the calm and collected Tiffany who was never fazed and always seemed uninterested and solemn.
"Princess, wait!" Luke grabbed my arm as I had started to walk away.
I stopped and looked at him, going soft for a brief moment before I pulled my arm away and continued walking away. Basically right away, I already felt bad for freaking out at all of them but it would be even more humiliating if I turned around and went back to them to apologize.
What was I supposed to say? Sorry, my five minutes of freaking out like an institution escapee is now over, we can go back to getting on with the day as if I didn't just loose my crap and scream at you in the middle of a parking lot. Haha, my bad.
I felt like an idiot as I walked away.
I brought my knees up to my chest and rested my head on my knees as I sat on the platform of the bleachers outside by the soccer and football field, my back leaned against the bottom row of the bleachers.
I heard a few steps come up the few steps and then walk over to where I sat on the platform. The person stopped in front of me, sighed, and the sat down beside me.
I looked up after another moment to see Noah looking at me, his expression neutral.
I copied his pose and stretched my legs out straight in front of me as I looked at him. Then I looked away. We both sat there for a few minutes in silence, just looking out at the field and sky.
It was a clear day, a few clouds in the sky but no sun. It was kind of chilly out but I couldn't feel it because I was still wearing Cade's jacket.
"I'm... sorry. Not for almost punching that psycho bitch in the face but for freaking out. I was mad but I shouldn't have taken it out on you guys." I finally said, breaking the silence.
I felt Noah's gaze on me but didn't look at him, "It's fine."
"You're not mad that I went all Dracula on you when you guys were just saving me from getting in trouble?" I looked at Noah with my eyebrows raised.
A small grin grew on his face and he shook his head, "No. It was unexpected but I'm not mad. Why would I be? I mean, if you stopped me from punching someone like that, I would be mad too."
I chuckled, "I would've taken her out, you know. I'm small but I hit hard."
Noah scoffed, smiling, "Sure you do."
I raised my eyebrows, "You don't believe me?"
He shrugged. So I did the only normal thing one would do in the situation; I raised my fist and punched him in the shoulder.
"Ow!" He yelled as he gave me a horrified look, "What the hell?! Wow, looks are sure fucking deceiving. You're so small and... shit, the fucking hurt."
I grinned in satisfaction, "That wasn't even the hardest punch I could throw. I've knocked people out before, you know."
Noah looked at me in surprise as he rubbed his arm, "That's actually surprising. Saratoga must've been something else,"
My smile faded as I looked away from him and back out to the field in front of us, "Yeah... it was." Noah didn't say anything, noticing I was distant when the topic got brought up. "What are you doing back here anyways? Did you really come back an hour later to see if I was still here?"
Noah shrugged, "I never left so I knew you were still here?"
I looked at him in surprise, unable to conceal it, "What? Why didn't you leave."
"Because you were still here." He replied calmly.
"Okay... but that didn't mean you had to stay. And why didn't you come out sooner?" I was confused.
"Ezra was going to come after you when you walked away but I stopped him. I said we should let you cool off so he stayed and waited for a while but I told him I would talk to you once calmed down a bit. I figured you'd be mad at him so talking to him wouldn't help."
"And you didn't think I'd be mad at you too?"
He shrugged, "Yeah, I did but I also figured you'd probably have more reasons to be mad at him than at me. Was I right, sunshine?"
I laughed, "Yeah. Raz and I would have end up arguing about something completely irrelevant to anything that happened today."
Noah grinned, "I'm starting to understand you better, aren't I?" He looked kind of proud.
I glanced away from him again, "Yeah." Noah getting to know me better was not a good thing. I wasn't... actually, yes I was afraid to get closer to him - or anyone in that case. Not because I was afraid of what could happen between us but because I didn't want to be the reason he got hurt or have something bad happen to him. That wasn't another burden I wanted to carry.
"Can I ask you something?" Noah broke the silence again, peering at me in thought.
I looked at him and shrugged, "Saying no won't stop you so shoot."
He licked his lips, hesitating for a second before asking, "Why do you get weird when I ask you questions and try to get to know you? Understand you?"
"Weird how?" I narrowed my eyes, my face going back to it's emotionless and flat look I had when I kept my guard up. I knew what he meant when he said weird but I asked in attempts to stall any answer I would have to eventually give him.
He shrugged, "You get... distant. You look away and avoid the topic and - I don't know, it's like every time I ask, instead of you opening up a slight bit more, its the opposite and you put even more walls up. Why do you do that?"
I was a little surprised he was asking so casually, not afraid of how I may react to his analyzation. He was bold and not afraid to get to know me. I give him props for that but really, he had no idea what would happen if he opened Pandora's Box. He was playing with fire. That may be dramatic but I just wasn't willing to let him into my life the way he wanted. I understood the curiosity but Noah didn't seem to understand that he was signing up to know more than he expects and I was not about to put my burden onto him.
"Like I said before, Ace, curiosity may open a door you didn't want to enter." I gave him a small smile before looking up to the sky and watching the clouds slowly drift.
Noah took a moment before he responded, "What if I'm willing to give whatever is on the other side of the door a chance?"
I chuckled humourlessly, "You're not understanding that once it's open and you choose that you don't want it open anymore, you won't be able to close the door."
"It can't be that bad." Noah said softly but his statement came out more like a question, his voice filled with concern.
I placed my head on his shoulder, still looking at the sky as I spoke, "You don't know that."
Again, we fell into a comfortable silence until I sighed and sat up straight, "It's getting colder out. We should probably head home."
Noah nodded as he stood up and held his hand out for me to take which I did. "Nice jacket." He raised an eyebrow as he looked at the coat I was wearing and then looking at me. This was the first he noticed since he could see it better now that I was standing up and in front of him.
I looked down at his brothers coat and then looked at him, "it's your brothers." I mumbled although I had a strong feeling that be obviously already knew that.
He laughed before turning and starting to walk.
"Um... what?" I was confused. Why did he laugh.
Noah shook his head, a grin on his lips, "Nothing, sunshine."
"Noah, what?" I asked again. What was he amused by and not telling me?
He shook his head again so I asked, "what?" again.
We had reached the parking lot when he turned to look at me again, "It's not my brother jacket, sunshine."
I looked at the leather jacket that was too big on me before looking at Noah with confusion clearly shown on my face, "Did he steal it off a homeless? Because that's a little cruel. A lost and found bin would show more humanity."
Noah started chuckling at my comment and shook his head, turning to walk towards his car again.
"Noah," I yanked his hand that was still in mine. I hadn't realized until then that our hands were still intertwined from when he helped pull me up. I ignored the small fact and gave him a flat look, "what the hell?"
"It's my coat," he said calmly, an amused grin on his face. He quirked an eyebrow as if saying 'see? It's not a big deal. Are you happy now?'
"Cade gave me it." I narrowed my eyes.
"Yes," he nodded, "and Cade is my brother who steals my clothes whenever he wants. Guys do that too, you know. It's not just girls." He laughed at the baffled look on my face.
I pulled my hand out of his, the warmth leaving. I started shrugging his coat off when he grabbed my hand again and stopped me, shaking his head, "It's cold. Just keep it." He didn't wait for me to say anything as he headed to his car and I followed behind him because Noah was once again holding my hand.
Okay.
Not a big deal.
What?
Why am I not pulling my hand back.
"Earth to Tiffany." Noah laughed as he waved a hand in front of my face.
"Huh?" I looked at him.
"Are you going to let go? I know you're attracted to me but I'm not sure I'll be able to get in the car unless you let go." When I gave him an utterly lost look, he motioned at our hands that were still intertwined because I was too lost in my thoughts to let go of his hand.
I scoffed and quickly pulled my hand, "I am not attracted to you, you grabbed my hand - both times." I shook my head and quickly got in the car before he could say anything else.