Ayda Blackburn : The Deviants

"Ayda still asleep?" yawned Marie, her fluffy slippers dragged her feet across the kitchen sleepily, her shoulders slumped in her robe.

"I think she left early.." Mila said half smiling, as she washed the dishes, her petite shoulders hunched over the sink.

"Ayda up early - That's a first" She grinned, starting to wake up now.

"I guess after last night, it's been a start of something new for all of us.."

                                                                                       *

The air was cold and crisp and my pink hands, still bruised from the other night, shivered in my jacket pocket. I paced quickly in my worn out sneakers for the bus that slowly emerged from the road behind the trees. I adjusted my black beanie as it neared towards me, it's yellow paint sticking out amongst the frosty side walk and the brown leafs that hung on to it's branches. The bus driver, a rather large man with a baseball cap balancing on his head and a donut in his spare hand gave me a confused stare, his donut dropped out of his hand as he brushed his cap back. The doors remained open and the wind tickled the back of my neck.

From what sounded like the giggles of girls and the occasional shouts from boys, it had died down in a matter of seconds. I hesitated to find a seat, it was like the whole bus was in a trance, laying their eyes on me.

"Heyy!" Peyton's glowing face came into focus, as she scrambled her way to the front, she took my hand and lead me back. As I walked past different people a mix of sweat, perfume and the tinge of exhaustion pipes hit me. The driver following me with his scared eyes. Finally, he sunk back into his normal position, reaching for his donut.

"Let's get this bus going!" Yelled one of the jocks.

The doors squeaked closed and the bus jolted before driving off. Brooke sat on someone's lap opposite, her arms folded as she studied me. Peyton sat next to me, her rock music vibrating out of her headphones that rested on her lap and  few  jocks sat, perched behind us. 

"You good?" Peyton asked.

"Y-Yeah..you?"

"Guess I am" She grinned.

"You're too kind P," said one of the guys, nudging her shoulder, " Who is this scary chick anyway?" He glared, rubbing his stubbled chin.

"Yeah.." Agreed his friend, brushing back his sandy blonde hair.

"She's with me." Peyton said, her face straight.

"Yeah but W-"

"I said she's with me." Peyton cut in, her smile returning.

I smiled at Peyton before looking up at them, "It's Ayda." I pushed in my earphones and laid back.

                                                                            *

Mr Fisher paused in his running commentary on my maths homework, a red pen in one hand and the book in the other, "You know," he remarked, "that if you actually put effort into your homework, my lectures wouldn't be as long."

"Wouldn't they..?" I asked, tilting my head.

He frowned, turning to the next table.

Daniel, sat next to me as usual, flashed his white teeth at this.

Despite the stirring feeling in my stomach, his smile brought me joy and butterflies that flew around it.

"It's nearly time" He mumbled, staring up at the clock.