From underdogs to top dogs

Chapter 4

At lunch the next day, the four friends sat in the corner of the canteen. As they ate their lunch and talked quietly, Ashlynne, Carley and Brianna walked past with a brown haired boy.

If it weren't for the boy's expression, they would have guessed he was their friend.

Brianna pushed him into a wall, a loud thud echoed as his head collided with the hard surface.

"You're so stupid." She cackled.

"Guys. Isn't that Zuma?" Marshall hissed. They recognised the boy who's locker was next to his.

"Just leave me alone." The boy said quietly.

"Give us one good reason."

"I've not done anything to you."

"Ever?" The girl's smirked evily.

"Ok that tears it." Marshall stood up. "You heard him. Leave him alone."

"Oh and What're you gonna do twinkle toes?" They snarled.

"I can't watch." Skye covered her eyes.

"We can do something that proves us bigger that you ever will be." Marshall led the boy away from the trio. The boys sat down and the girls looked at each other surprised.

"You ok Zuma?"

"Yeah. Thanks guys." He mumbled. The girls noticed where Marshall and Zuma were, spotting a much weaker target.

"Hey Skye!" They called, gaining everyone's attention.

"Oh no."

"How many calories in your lunch today? If I were you I'd lay off any food for a while." Tears slowly fell down the blonde's face. She stood up and quickly walked to her locker.

"Don't let them get to you. Don't let them get to you." She chanted. As she reached her locker, she slammed her fist against it and broke down.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and expected it to be one of the boys but instead looked up to see a girl with soft blue hair.

"Are you ok?" She asked.

Skye nodded her head. "I'll be fine."

"Everest where are you?" A voice called from around the corner.

"I'm here." The girl called over her shoulder to a smaller boy with a basketball.

"You're Skye right? I'm Everest and that's Rubble." She smiled.

"Nice to meet you." Skye returned, standing to her feet.

"Skye! Skye where are you?!" She heard the boys calling after her.
They ran to their friend and asked if she was ok.

"I'm ok. Look we have no class this afternoon right?" Everyone nodded.
"Let's go to the park or somewhere that's not here."

Everyone agreed and grabbed their coats from their lockers which, incidentally, were all in one line. Skye pulled the green material of her coat around her and followed her newfound friends out of the building.

They all thought the same thing:
Today I'm going to tell someone. These guys.

They all decided to go to Skye's house, taking the bus. As they walked through the door, the group were ambushed by a cockapoo puppy whos fur colour matched Skye's hair.

"Hey girl." Skye picked up the ball of fur. "Guys this is Star." They played with the pup for a while before heading up into Skye's room.

It was white and pale pink. The girls sat crisscrossed on the bed and the boys chose various places, from the floor to her desk.

"I think...we should talk about why they pick on us." Everest said, gaining everyone's attention. "We really don't know much about each other with the exception of Chase and Marshall."

'You're right. And I guess that, now we're friends we should trust each other." Skye sighed.

"Wait. You consider us friends?" Rocky asked.

"Well yeah. I've only known you for a short time, you all made me feel welcome when I first turned up. Don't you?"

"W-Well Yeah. It's just...I've never actually had a friend before." The grey haired boy confessed.

"Well you have six now." Zuma smiled.

"Ok so who's going first?" Rubble asked.

"I will." Marshall breathed. "I'm a dancer. I compete at a regional level in a variety of styles and people think I'm girly. I don't really tell people about it because I know that they'll make my life hell for it. Chase is the only one who's supported me aside from my family. I'm no good at 'normal' sports but dance, I dunno, when I'm at a competition I feel like I belong there."

"I don't think it makes you girly." Everest smiled at the black haired boy. "I think it takes guts to do that, perform in front of huge crowds and to get that far its a real achievement."

The others noticed a light blush decorating the pairs cheeks.

"Well they pick on me because I'm athletic." Everest said, playing with her hair. "I work out, play sports and especially love netball so I'm quite muscular for a girl. They tell me it's unattractive and that no one would want me. Even my own team turned against me because of them! I've never done anything to them, I just wish I could understand why they think the way they do." She looked at Rubble, indicating that it was his turn. The small boy breathed and spoke.

"They pick on me because I should be in the year below but I was academically ahead so I got skipped into your year. That's pretty much it." Rubble looked to Zuma who looked incredibly tense.

"I have a speech impediment. When I say my 'r's The come our as 'w's so I twy and avoid using them." Rocky smiled at the brunette next to him, thinking that his speech was kinda cute. Oh who was he kidding? Zuma wouldn't possibly be into guys.
"Well it's my speech and that I'm bi."

The grey haired boy did a mental cheer but reminded himself to calm down. Zuma nodded at Rocky.
"They bully me because I'm gay and my dad has a serious alcohol problem. When he drinks; which is pretty much everyday, he'll take his anger out on me. My mum died four years ago when I was eleven so I pretty much have no one." Zuma put a sympathetic arm around Rocky, making them both blush a little.

"Your turn Skye." Rocky said.

"It's kinda a long story."

"We've got time."