NOAH

"Did you hear what happened at lunch yesterday?" Conner asked me, and the rest of the group excitedly
"What with Mackenzie?" Tony replied grinning "Yeah it was hilarious!"
They were both sat on the table of the picnic bench we usually occupy before school, a small plate of chips between them. Harrison was on the other one opposite it smirking as well, and I was unfortunately next to him
"Wait what happened?" I suddenly stopped daydreaming.
"Bro you need to stop sucking up to Coach." Harrison said obnoxiously and I shoved him playfully, pretending it was banter "You miss too much drama with the girls otherwise!"
"Yeah damn right!" Tony replied and shrugged "But anyway for some reason Via decided to sit in the cafeteria which was pretty weird not gonna lie."
"Wait Via in our year?" That was strange – Via never ate in the cafeteria, and despite the fact that she never told me why, I could guess.
"Err yeah – which other Via were you thinking of?" Connor jabbed "Right yeah so she was just sat there with Katie..."
"She's friends with Katie?!" When had this happened?
"Oh yeah, I forgot that you're not in our Biology – they sit together in that since Mackenzie declared war on her!" Tony laughed easily "weird but I don't know, it really pisses Mackenzie off anyway!"
"Right so they were just sat there quietly and everything, and Mackenzie suddenly sees them and goes absolutely mental!" Connor continued "Called Via a freak at least ten times - it was honestly gold!"
Mackenzie did that to Via in front of everyone? I bunched my hands into fists behind my back and tried to laugh along. How could I have been with her when she does shit like this?
"Then what happened?"
"Katie freaked and tried to defend her, but Mackenzie just said that it was her fault since Via didn't even reply or anything the weirdo" Harrison replied in a careful tone, as if he knew that each word cut me like a knife "So eventually she just completely ran off, probably to cry in her hole somewhere, I don't really care, but honestly the look on her face was unforgettable!"
"She looked so angry!" Connor joined "Like she genuinely wanted to kill someone – it was hilarious!"
"The thing is though, if we were picking the person most likely to become a serial killer, it would be Via wouldn't it?" Harrison said thoughtfully and I so badly wanted to punch him it was incredible. Why did they think that this was funny when it obviously wasn't at all? Why did I still hang out with them?

"Via!" I hugged her as soon as I found her in the usual classroom
What was that for? She asked, with a painful expression on her face that told me everything I needed to know. Why did she insist on hiding everything from me?
"I heard-"
What happened at lunch. She finished my sentence, her face dropping nervously. It wasn't anything really big-
"Via you don't need to hide everything that hurts you from me!" Was it that she didn't trust me? "I'm not one of them – I really care about you!"
She looked up at me her eyes suddenly filled with tears I don't want you to feel sorry for me – I don't need protecting like some damsel in distress!
"Is that what you think? That I pity you for who you are?" I laugh quickly "You're the strongest person I know for God's sake!"
Really?
"Yes really!" I stroke her cheek carefully "I could never pity you because you are who you are and that's why I like you"
Her tears were now streaming down her face and I pulled her face into my chest, my chin resting on the top of her head.
Is that what everyone really thinks of me? She asked with a pained expression when we finally break apart Do people really just think of me as 'the freak'?
I didn't know what to tell her. I thought back to this morning's conversation with my supposed 'friends' and how mean they'd been to her without even thinking that maybe she did have feelings. How nobody even bothered to get to know her because they all assumed she was stupid when they first discovered she didn't speak. How ashamed I was now of everything I'd ever said about her before we were paired up in English. Why was the truth so hard?
"What does it matter?" It was admitting defeat, but it meant something I guess "They don't know you like I do, like how anyone would know you if they bothered to get to know you. They're just idiots that think that normal is some sort of label they can stick on people like tags on clothes, telling them if in their eyes they would suit them or not. They don't understand that that's not what matters at all"
It just... it hurts. I wiped away a strand of her hair out of her face I know what you're saying is right, but it still hurts.
I knew exactly what she meant; after all, wasn't that the reason I was still hanging out with Harrison? Because I cared what other people would think if I suddenly punched him in the face for being the worst type of person. Because I knew that he'd tell the whole school about Via and I cared what people would think of that as well. I was so pathetic.

XXX

Bro you're still coming to the party tonight right?
The text was from Tony - I could imagine how excited tone in the words and sighed. The last thing I wanted to do on a Saturday night was to go to another of Carrie's parties. It wasn't that they were bad themselves, it's more that it was the people there that I couldn't stand. Translation: I didn't think I could bear seeing Mackenzie and Harrison in the same place after everything they've done to my girlfriend. I would much rather spend time with her, but I knew that Harrison would undoubtedly start questioning me even more which is something I also didn't need it my life
Oh yeah sure.

Carrie opened door drunk which didn't really surprise me too much, but you know it was still annoying. I'd decided to arrive fashionably late since I didn't even want to go in the first place, so of course at least half of the people here were on the same state.
"Oh hi Noah!" She said, stumbling over her own feet and then laughing hysterically. "Come in if you dare!"
She made a space for me to get past and I managed it without rolling my eyes too hard. I knew why she had all these parties - everybody did - which just made everything worse. Being a Mackenzie wannabe doesn't exactly make you any more attractive.
"Yes bro you came!" Connor slapped me on the back - he wasn't drunk but not sober either.
"What did you expect?" I attempted at a casual tone but nothing about this was normal. "I'm gonna go get a beer"
"Sure man - also you're my partner for beer pong next round!" He told me cheerfully as he went to regroup with the big mass of people crowding around a table. This was going to be fun.
I walked over to the beer slowly, trying not to be noticed by anyone that would want to cause drama - basically from Mackenzie. Unfortunately, that wasn't easy.
"Have you told them yet then?" She said in a low voice making me jump.
"What do you want from me?" I asked her groaning. Why wouldn't she just leave me alone?
"Oh Noah you are pathetic - I want you to finally tell your friends where you hide at break time so they'll finally see who you are," she said it like it was obvious
"And who's that?"
"That's for you to decide when you've told them." She poured herself a drink easily and rubbed my shoulder "see you around!"
That was weird, but then again it was Mackenzie.
I walked over to a crowd of people like I usually did; the good thing about being me was that people didn't think that just going out or them and starting a conversation was weird.
"Omg Noah Hi!" Sydney greeted me quickly "I can't believe you came after...well..."
"Yeah" I laughed casually "but I guess it doesn't have to be awkward?"
"Exactly!" She said over-pronouncing the word. "Honestly she's really mad about it though!"
"I know, but it is what it is" I told her trying not to make it sound bad.
"Oooh look who's being philosophical!" She exclaimed and I shook my head. "Omg Tony did you hear about..."
She turned from me and I was left in the company of... Katie?
"Noah I need to talk to you" She said plainly and lead me upstairs into an empty room. It suddenly dawned on me - Via and Katie were friends now.
"This is about Via isn't it?" She turned to me and nodded slowly
"It's about everything Noah, everything that happened last summer" I gulped "Because you're dating my best friend now and..."
She sighed "I really care about her"
"I do too" I tell her, my eyes suddenly glazing over.
"Then you can't do what you did to me" a visible tear slipped out of the corner of her eye "you can't just kiss me and then pretend like it was nothing the next day."
"Katie, I-"
"I don't need to hear your explanations - we both made a mistake that night and we know it - but Via can't be another of your mistakes" She  cut me off earnestly
"She's not" I reassure her "I could never hurt her"
"Ok" she nods, evidently satisfied. "I just - with the whole Mackenzie thing-"
"Why is she being so mean to her all of a sudden?" I didn't get it; surely Mackenzie hasn't figured that we were together?
"I have no idea other than that she's pissed that I'm hanging out with Via instead of her" she paused, deep in thought and then shrugged "I wish she'd stop though it's ridiculous"
"You're telling me" I gave a sigh. After everything Via had been through with Harrison and everything she still hasn't told me, I hated Mackenzie even more for doing this. Why did she think she was so much better than everybody else?
"Well I'd better go" she said suddenly after a long period of silence "Just... don't forget what I said ok?"
I nodded and she shut the door behind her.

Hi hope you're enjoying this - just a note to say that unfortunately I won't be able to update as much over the next few months because I've got 25 exams to pass over the space of a month (I know lucky me!) so I'll try once a week but I'm not sure. It'll hopefully go back to normal after June!