THE ARISTOCRATS #1

00:06

Clementine noticed two things on Sunday morning. As school captain, she would get the occasional friendly smile in the hallway, maybe a a quick conversation about changing canteen menus. But as she walked through the hallway to the courtyard, she noticed that she was on the receiving end of many unfriendly stares. No, not unfriendly. Wary stares.

The junior years would not meet her eyes, or would scurry away if she walked near one. The girls in her year were either talking about her or talking to her. She had been befriended by Amber's friends, a group of people she had never talked to or had the desire to.

Clementine sat at the base of the maple tree that the Aristocrats usually sat at. They had texted her a few minutes ago to meet her there.

Sunday's were always either a horrendously busy day or a calm and relaxing day. She had been blessed with the second option, and she pulled an old book out of her bag, the pages yellow with age and the spine ruined. A gift from her father on her 13th birthday.

"Clementine." A voice from above her.

She looked up to see Kieran, a younger student. She hardly ever interacted with the junior grades, and only knew of Kieran after he had received an award during their school assemblies. He bit his lips, cracking his knuckles at his side.

"Hi," She greeted, waving slightly.

"Mind if I take a seat?" He asked, already sitting next to her.

She bit her lip to stop her reply, giving him an awkward smile as he looked at her.

"Can I help you with anything?" Her tone was polite but pointed.

He swept his spiky blonde hair to the side nervously, his eyes flickering to her and then to the side and back again. She frowned at his fidgeting, the way his fingers played an imaginary piano on his knees, the way he occasionally tugged at his left ear lobe once, twice and then ran a hand through his hair. He was quite lanky, but she supposed that was just her nitpicking after spending so much time around Elijah.

"You're friends with the Aristocrats now, aren't you?" He spoke conversationally. "Saw you with them a couple times."

Clementine nodded hesitantly, looking behind her shoulder for one of the Aristocrats to come and save her from the conversation. Internally, she was trying her best not to scoff in his face. Was he aware of how none of this was his business?

"You don't think it's weird for a buncha guys to hang out with one girl?"

"No," she said carefully. "They treat me well enough."

Kieran was uncomfortably close, his sharp cologne crowding her senses. She tugged her short skirt down and moved back so her back was straight against the tree. He didn't seem to realise her discomfort, leaning closer and closer. The audaciousness of men would never fail to surprise her. What was it like to be so strangely unaware of one's surroundings? She could only imagine it to be a blissful life.

"Really? I think they're asshole, all of them." He frowned. "They think they're better than everyone 'cos they're loaded, but they're not. They're not, Clementine, they're not. I don't get how you can hang out with those dicks."

That caught her attention. A feeling of resentment tugged at her stomach. She was mostly shocked at his vicious words. But she reminded herself that as the school captain, it would be best to remain neutral. And although they weren't the friendliest bunch, she did feel some sort of loyalty towards them. She felt slightly pathetic in that moment, defending the only friends she had.

"Well." She said primly, pasting on a polite smile. "I don't really know what to say, if i'm being honest. If you ever need to talk about those strong feelings you're welcome to see the well-being councillor. She's a lovely woman and always ready to talk."