One of the Boys

"So, where's Pugsly disappeared to today?" I asked.

Squirrel scooped ketchup onto three fries, shoving them all into his mouth before the ketchup ended up in his lap. He shrugged and moved onto devouring his chicken sandwich. Great answer.

"I think he's busy working on his quad for later," Eddy said. "Or he's just taking a mental health day."

"I could use one of those," I said.

"You've been here two days," Eddy laughed.

"Yeah, but it's weird here."

"And it wasn't weird at your old school?" Sapia asked in disbelief.

"I mean yeah, but it was more predicatable. Fight there, occasional drug bust then, y'know. It seems calm here."

"Every school has its problems, I suppose." Sapia shrugged. "Here comes a problem right now."

We all looked up to find Annabelle approaching us for the second day in a row. I scowled and dropped my head against the table. There were so many things I wanted to scream at her. If she didn't understand that I wanted to be left alone by now, there was something wrong in that little princess head of hers.

"Hey guys," she greeted.

"Hey, Fitch," Eddy greeted, a smirk on his lips. Annabelle glanced down at the purple Abercrombie & Fitch shirt she was wearing before shooting him a dirty look. However, Eddy didn't back down from it.

"What do you want?" I snapped.

"Can we talk?" she asked.

"Let me think." I hesitated, tapping my index finger against my chin. "No."

"Just for a minute?" she begged.

"I'm sorry, my bitch quota has been filled for today."

Annabelle's fists clenched. I smiled, knowing that calling a girl a bitch was one of the worst insults you could toss around. I had never minded being called it, but I'd still make sure those that did spit the word at me were missing a tooth to prove them right.

"Just give me two minutes, not even. It'll be real quick, I promise."

I glanced around the table at the guys. Each of them stared back at me, leaving the decision all up to me. I sighed, rolled my eyes, stood up, and made my way around the table. Annabelle motioned us away from the table to an empty one where we could talk privately. The cafeteria was buzzing with chatter, that way no one would hear whatever it was Annabelle needed to speak to me about.

"I have a bit of an offer for you, Lydia," Annabelle began.

Oh, this was going to end well.

"Do you now?" I asked, tracing random patterns along the tabletop, already uninterested in whatever this offer was.

"Yes. How would you like to be completely made-over?" she asked. I gritted my bitten nail into the table, looking up at her.

"What? Something wrong with how I look?" I snapped.

"No, no, you're actually quite beautiful-"

I rolled my eyes.

"-but it's hard to see that when you hide behind your hair and all your clothes. This could be extremely beneficial for you. We could change up your wardrobe, maybe get you a haircut and teach you how to be more proper, more lady-like."

"Look, Annabelle, I don't know who you think you are, waltzing up to me and thinking you could change me, but don't you think I would try harder if I actually wanted to be noticed?"

"Don't you want to be more girly? You'd get so much attention, not to mention boys," she pressed on, giving me a small smile. I scowled and shook my head.

"Is that all you care about? The attention? And trying to get everyone else to be just like you?" I asked angrily.

"No, th-"

"Just shut up! I'm getting really sick of you, I hope you know. I'll never be like you. I'm my own person, and I'm not changing that for anyone. I know having a foster sister like me is probably a pothole for your rep, but you're going to have to get used to it." I rested my case, leaning back in the chair and folding my arms.

Annabelle didn't move, her body stiff in shock as though she were waiting for me to dive across the table and tackle her to the dirty cafeteria tile. She sighed and flicked a crumb of food off the table.

"I see," she said. "Well, the offer will always be up for your grab, okay? If you happen to change your mind." Annabelle stood up from the table, prepared to retreat to her own table.

"Unlikely," I snapped. She nodded and headed off as I stood up and trotted back to the guys.

Eddy was the first to open his big mouth, his eyes beaming with curiosity. "What was all that about?" he asked.

"Nothing," I said, forcing a smile. "Now, give me some fries."