Page 19 of I Don't Need Your Protection

“I see Addie has caught sight of the popular crowd,” Carly teases.

I tear my eyes away and smile sheepishly. “They certainly know how to command attention. Is that the Warner you were talking about?”

“Yep,” Carly says. “Warner Hearst. Also known as the most popular guy at school.”

“Jerk extraordinaire?” I ask.

Sophie shakes her head. “Actually, he’s pretty nice. I mean, he only associates with people from his crowd and barely glances our way, but there was this time in marketing class when I didn’t have a partner because there was an uneven number of kids and obviously no one picked me. He noticed I was alone and offered for me to join their group. It’s not like we became best friends or he said a single word to me after that, but it was still kind of him.”

“Yeah, I would consider him as one of the more decent students here,” Raven agrees. “But don’t get your hopes up, Addie. Like Sophie said, he doesn’t even give us a second glance.”

“Wait, didn’t you say you bumped into a Warner and fell on your butt?” Carly’s eyes widen. “Was thathim?”

I move my eyes to the crowd, who are at the buffet tables choosing breakfast, and study Warner closely. Then I focus back on my friends. “His hair was styled differently, but yes, I bumped into him.”

“And?” they ask.

“He apologized and helped me up. And then he introduced himself and said something along the lines of he’d never forget my face?”

They all exchange surprised looks. Then Sophie says, “Maybe he was just being nice? He hardly ever says anything to us.”

“Maybe he was forced to acknowledge her because she bumped into him?” Carly suggests.

“Or maybe he just thinks she’s pretty?” Raven says. “Look, Addie, I don’t think you should think too much into it. Clarissa has her claws in him already. Just look at her.”

We all twist around toward the crowd, who are now sitting at a table at the center of the dining hall. The tall girl with strawberry blonde hair—who I’m guessing is Clarissa?—sits very close to him, practically on his lap, and she’s making sure his attention is focused on her and her alone.

“Now that he and Tina broke up, she has a shot with him again,” Carly says.

“Again?” I ask.

She shrugs. “They supposedly dated for like a month in eighth grade. They went to the same school.”

“She’s totally aiming for a second chance romance,” Sophie says.

“Not everything is a book trope, Sophie,” Raven says.

“Sure it is.”

“Anyway,” Raven says. “Enough about them. If we got a quarter for every time we spoke about the popular crowd, we would all be millionaires.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Sophie says as she turns back to our table and reaches for her juice. “We’re wasting too much time and energy on people who like to pretend we’re not part of the school.”

“But there’s so muchdrama,” Carly says. “TV show, remember?”

“Don’t we have enough drama in our own lives?” Raven asks.

“Not really.”

“Please don’t jinx us,” Sophie begs.

“I think I’m going to get another pancake,” I say as I stand up. “What kind should I try this time?”

“Blueberry,” they all say.

I grin. “Be right back.”

When I walk up to the buffet table with the pancakes, I find Caleb standing there with his arms crossed over his chest.