The Anklebiters

Hayley tapped her pencil against her desk impatiently. Math class was such a bore, even though she was good at it. The only problem was, she had no one to talk to in this class. She had every class with Tay, besides English, which she had with Jenna. Although Hayley was a friendly one, no one in this class interested her, or they were thoroughly annoying.

“Hey, Hayley,” a familiar voice whispered in back of her and tapped their pencil on her shoulder.

Speaking of annoying, the orange haired girl mocked in her head and turned around in her seat. “What do you want, Jack?”

The skunk-haired boy smirked that he got the Anklebiter’s attention. “Do you have the answer for the fourth problem on the board?”

Hayley looked down at Jack’s notebook, seeing that he had all the problems solved. “Piss off, Barakat.”

“Aw, c’mon! Don’t make me talk to my invisible friends,” he continued to whisper.

“So you’re finally admitting to still having those?”

Jack stuck out his tongue. “Aren’t you funny?” He said sarcastically. “Sooooo, how’s Taylor?”

“Still despises you,” Hayley reminded as she turned back to the board.

“I’m just waiting for her to announce her undying love for me.” He moved closer to the Anklebiter’s shoulder so she could hear him.

She actually snorted. “That’ll be the day.”

“So what about that new girl that just joined? With the brown hair?”

“Tay joined at the start of the year and you’re just noticing?” Hayley furrowed her brow as Jack laughed. “What about her?”

He clicked his tongue. “She’s hot.”

Hayley rolled her eyes. “And off limits.”

“You can’t put in a good word for me?”

The Anklebiter turned. “Jack, I’ll put this as nice as I can,” Hayley cleared her throat. “She. Wouldn’t. Be. Interested. In. You.”

“Miss Williams and Mr. Barakat,” their teacher, Mrs. Martinez, called. Hayley and Jack instantly looked up to the scary woman. “If your conversation is so important, I’m sure you’d like to share it with the rest of the class?”

Jack frowned. “I don’t think―”

“Actually, we would, Mrs. Martinez.” Hayley flashed her teacher a grin. “You see, I was just telling good ol’ Jack here how one of my good friends, Tay, would never be interested in his lanky and goth appearance.” She turned to fake-pout at Jack. “Sorry to crush your dreams, Jacky.”

The whole class erupted in laughter, and Jack was silent from talking to Hayley for the rest of the class. The only words to slip from his lips were when he was leaning back in his chair and he whispered, “Never mess with an Anklebiter.”

---

The Anklebiters’ sat in their usual table in the back of the cafeteria at lunch. This spot was claimed for them and only them, and anyone who decided to sit there without their permission would surely get a pummeling by Jenna.

And the last thing you wanted was to get on the bad side of the Anklebiters.

“Just a heads up,” Hayley said as she and Tay stood in line for lunch, “Jack Barakat has a thing for you.”

Tay’s eyes grew wide. “Um … why?”

Hayley shrugged as she grabbed a tray. “Jack is a guy who is always intent on wanting stuff he can’t have. Example one, he always took my swing during recess in second grade. Example two,” the orange haired girl gestured to Tay, “he wants you. Don’t let it happen, or Taylor would kill you. Plus, you’re my best friend in the group and I really don’t wanna see you leave.”

Tay nodded. “Not that I would, but why would Taylor kill me?”

Hayley sighed. Their beef with Jack and his friends was something that started when the Anklebiters were formed, and talking about it just made Hayley annoyed. “Jack and his buddies have just been determined to start a group that would crush the Anklebiters. Taylor has hated Jack ever since.” She shook her head, glancing at Tay’s frowning expression. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, he’s a nice guy and me and him have always teased each other, but we just watch our backs around him. The last thing we need is the group being taken over.”

“True,” Tay agreed, and then smiled when bumping Hayley’s elbow, “what with you becoming leader next year after Taylor graduates.”

Hayley gave her friend a half-smile. “As much as I’m honored, I’m nervous. I’ve never been good with leading people. I hope she might pick Jenna instead of me.”

The girls made their way down the cafeteria, earning stares from everyone and especially the guys at Jack’s table. They sat at their usual spots at the table: Hayley next to Taylor and Tay with Jenna. Even though she had arrived before them, Jenna’s food was already gone and she was picking off of Tay’s plate.

“Can you not?” Tay huffed.

Jenna looked up and narrowed her eyes at the newbie. “Can I not what?”

“Jen,” Taylor pointed her fork in the green-haired girl’s direction, “eat your own food.”

“God, I hate you guys sometimes.” Jenna sighed but with a smile on her face.

“What’s up, guys?” Ash, a friend of the Anklebiters, approached and sat down at the table on Taylor’s other side. “You all have plans for tonight?”

Taylor took a bite of her salad. “It’s Friday night and we’re boring girls, what do you expect?”

Ash laughed. “I’ve got a gig opening up for these guys called Bring Me the Horizon at club in the center of town. Come down and support me!” She pulled at Taylor’s sleeve with a puppy dog pout. “Don’t make me look like a loser tonight!”

The girls laughed as Taylor nodded. “Well, I guess we could,” she joked, “but only because I’ve heard of those Bring Me the Horizon guys before from across town and heard the singer’s very attractive.”

They all chuckled at Ash’s excitement when Hayley noticed their other good friend, Abi, sprint towards the table. The small girl slammed her tray on the table, causing everyone to look up. “Have you guys heard?”

“You’re going to have to elaborate, little one,” Jenna said, taking a bite of Tay’s lunch before she could swat her hand away.

Hayley’s eyes wandered across the cafeteria, and they quickly rested at Jack’s table, where the skunk-haired boy was motioning with his hand while shouting, “Duuude!” She noticed he was gesturing to a tall boy looking scared as he walked through the aisles to sit at their table. His light brown hair was tucked in a red beanie, and all Hayley could think was, Typical friend of Jack’s. But, oddly, she had never seen this boy before, and Hayley knew everyone in Jack’s idiotic clique.

Abi had been rolling her eyes at Jenna’s nickname she gave her and continued, “There’s a new kid in Jenna, Tay, and Hayley's grade. And he’s cute.” She giggled.

“Yeah, right,” Jenna scoffed. “There hasn’t been a new kid at Dulaney since―”

“Are you talking about him?” Hayley interjected, pointing her fork in the direction of the new boy going over to sit at Jack’s table.

“He’s sitting with Jack?” Taylor almost gagged. The leader then looked back to Abi across the table. “Please tell me after this revelation, your assumptions of his attractiveness have diminished?”

The dark haired girl shrugged. “Well―”

“Abi,” Tay called, shaking her head, “he’s with Jack.”

Hayley nodded. “And anyone in Jack’s group has to be an idiot.”

“Tell that to him when he stops staring at you.” Taylor added as she stared in the direction at Jack’s table.

Hayley glanced up, noticing the new boy, with the dark brown eyes, was indeed staring at her. He smirked a little, and Hayley noticed a blush must have been creeping up her cheeks. But she quickly snapped back to reality when she realized Taylor was staring at her and waiting her to do something.

And that was when Hayley flipped the new kid off with her middle finger.

Notes

This was originally going to have other totally opposite ships in it but... Baradine happened. I may have a problem with that ship and there isn't a cure.
ANYWAYS, um here's my new fic. I don't know why I'm starting a new one, but I told fans of my other fic, Worse Than Nicotine, that I had ideas and then Abi (BringMeBarakat) told me I should do this so HERE IT IS xD
Also, Abi features in this story because she's Abi and she's awesome<3
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Rock on \m/