him.
Sean agreed, having no other option. When May started picking up her things to get up, the trio of cheerleaders - Ashley, Hannah and Cheryl - passed by their table and she felt herself shiver. She hoped they wouldn't start picking on Mandy. She knew that type of girl very well. Spoiled preppies who thought the world revolved around their navel. The last thing they needed was to get in trouble with that kind of person.
She waited for the three of them to leave the cafeteria. She put the backpack on her shoulder and went to the library after Mandy.
***
As she passed the reception, Polly smiled at May. The librarian already knew the little redhead, who always showed up looking for her friend.
"Is she here?" - May asked quietly.
"Yes, in the back, with Miss Austen and Sir Shakespeare " - she replied, laughing.
The young woman thanked her and went on to the classics of world literature class. It was no surprise that she was in that area of the library, since Pride and Prejudice was her favorite book. May went through a multitude of bookcases, until a noise caught her eye and she ran towards the sound. Finally, she found Mandy, who was sitting on the floor, with her hair messed up and several books lying around her.
"Mandy?" - She raised her head and looked scared to her friend. Her eyes were full of tears. - "Sweetie, what happened?"
"Ah, May..." - she murmured and the tears she was holding began to fall.
May knelt beside her and pulled her into a hug, feeling helpless.
"Calm down sweetie. It's okay ... don't cry" - she murmured, trying to calm her down. - "Wanna tell me what's going on?"
"I can't explain for sure why I'm like this." - she replied, trying to wipe away the tears.
"Talk to me, friend. You know you can trust me."
Mandy then started talking and told everything: the bump in Ryan in the hall, the partnership in the literature project, the disturbing dream.
"I know it sounds silly, May, but I was very nervous," - she said, wiping away her tears. - "You know I have no experience with boys. And Ryan ... well, I have to be honest ... he shakes me a lot. I never found myself in a situation like this and I didn't know how to act. Worse is that I was rude to him and we still have to do the project together."
Mandy felt even more embarassed. Verbalizing her immature behavior made her feel even worse.
"There's nothing silly, Mandy. I understand. It's very normal for us to feel a little ... overwhelmed, when we don't have experience. Unsafe. Even more next to a boy like him" - May spoke and smiled slightly, trying to calm her down. - "I think I would also be nervous if I had someone like Ryan as a project partner."
May paused briefly and then asked quietly:
"Do you think he's into you?
Mandy opened and closed her mouth a few times, as if she couldn't get the words out. She shook her head, denying.
"No, I think it's his way. You should treat all girls like that." - She raised her arms and gestured. - "He's Ryan McKenna, for God's sake!" - Mandy vented and the two started laughing. Suddenly, May remembered why she went looking for her: the mess in the cafeteria.
"Um ... friend, there was some fuzz in the cafeteria."
"Mess ?"
"Yep. Do you know who Ashley is?" - May asked and Mandy shook his head. - "Do you know a blonde who was at the cafe earlier today with the cheerleaders? She was the only one with her hair up, blue eyes ..."
"Um, I think so" - Mandy said, frowning. - "You know I'm not very attached to these things."
"Yeah, but she saw your incident in the hall." - Mandy's eyes widened slightly. - "And kept asking Ryan about it."
"Oh..."
The girl reported the details of the argument between the two and Mandy listened to everything with her hand over her mouth, scared.
"And now, May? If these girls catch me, I'm screwed!"
"I think the best thing for now is to mind your own business. Have your classes, do it fine. When do you have literature class again?"
"Only next Monday."
"Let's hope this is the only class you will attend with him. Closer to Saturday, we rethink what happened and decide what to do."
"Oh, my God ... I'm going to die of embarassment!" - Mandy hid her face in her hands and burst out laughing at her dramatic demeanor.
" I know, Mandy, but in the end, everything will be fine. I'm sure it will be."
The girls hugged each other again. May tried to be calm, despite being as nervous as her friend. She really hoped everything went well.
"Shall we fix this mess before Polly comes over here and tells us off?" - The redhead asked and Mandy nodded, bending down to pick up some books and began to tidy up the shelves.
Chapter Five
Ryan left the cafeteria angrily and went straight to the gym. The boy needed to do something to vent the anger he was feeling. Not that he was a violent or tough guy, but Ashley had the power to piss him off and take him seriously. But that was nothing new. Since the previous year, when they were still freshmen, her obstinacy in saying that they should be a couple, since he was not attracted to her, had crossed the line. Her insistence - which bordered on obsession - had left him in a position where just hearing her voice would made him angry. If the bullshit she used to say was also considered, the result was not good.
He went into the men's locker room and put his things in the closet with his name, after taking out shorts, T-shirt and sneakers. A run would do him good. The release of endorphins by physical activity would make him cool his head and be calmer. After getting dressed, he went to the court. He was stretching when Dean, his best friend and teammate, showed up.
"Hey, guy! How are you?"
Without stopping to stretch, Ryan stared at the blue eyes of the boy who was as tall and strong as he was, and answered with a grunt.
"Annoyed" - he muttered, continuing to stretch, accompanied by his friend. They were silent for a few moments, until Dean spoke again.
"What happened in the cafeteria, Ry?" - The boy asked, puzzled. - "Each day, you are more impatient with Ash. And this is not the kind of thing that usually happens to you, quite the opposite. You are the most patient guy I know."
Dean was right. The friend was very calm and always encouraged his teammates to have a kinder and friendlier behaviour. He believed that violence led to nothing and that their differences - with anyone - should be solved with dialogue.
But it didn't seem to apply to Ashley.
"Ashley pisses me off, Dean. I can't stand this girl."
"I know, she gets tough sometimes. But did you need to get to that point? And the other girl? Are you going out with her
