"Poppy," the familiar feminine voice said, which belonged to Belle Jones who always made trouble for me. Ever since the incident that happened, she hated my guts even though it wasn't my fault. She didn't want to hear my side of the story. Instead, she chose to hate me and turn the whole school against me.

I ignored her and continued looking through my locker, trying to find anything to distract me. "You can't seriously ignore me," Belle said. "Or are you finding someone else to tattletale on?"

"That isn't what happened," I said through my clenched teeth, keeping my sight focused in my locker. I took a quick peek at my phone, happy that two minutes were left until lunch was over. Then, I could finally get away from her for the day.

"Sure it isn't," Belle said sarcastically. "You were obviously seeking attention."

"Why would I do that?" I asked, turning to face her.

"Because you're not me," Belle said with a smirk. Her two friends, Lisa and Loni, smirked as well, even though they had no idea exactly what Belle and I were talking about. I scoffed. "Trust me. I would never want to be you." I said this in a low voice, hoping she wouldn't hear me.

Suddenly, she gasped dramatically, making me furrow my eyebrows. "How dare you?!"

I was even more confused when she called our beloved principal, Mrs. Goth over. "What is it, Belle?"

Belle pointed accusingly at me. "She called me a name that's forbidden at the school!"

"What?!" I asked, completely shocked. "I—"

"Miss McCormick, cussing is forbidden at the school. Detention after school," Mrs. Goth said sternly.

I widened my eyes. I had never had a single detention before. "Detention?! But I—"

Mrs. Goth shook her head, not listening to what I had to say before she walked away.

Belle smirked satisfyingly. "Have fun in detention," she said before flipping her platinum blonde hair and strutting away.

After class I came to the detention room, finding Belle's boyfriend Devon and badboy Greson are here, and I felt the smell of gunpowder in the air.

However Devon turned to me as he saw me entering. "Poppy, what a surprise for you to be here."

I wanted to glare at him, but me being in here wasn't his fault, though I wasn't a big fan of him. "It's all your girlfriend's fault," I told him.

"Belle?" he asked in fake surprise. "Whatever she did," his eyes narrowed and his voice got colder, "you deserved it."

"Belle should be the guilty one."

I wasn't surprised when he got up from his desk and walked over to me with hatred in his eyes. He slammed my textbook shut and placed his hands on my desk. "Belle did nothing wrong," he said. "I do know that Belle is going through a hard time because of you," Devon said in a low voice. "That's why everyone in the school hates you."

"I did no such thing," I said. "You don't even know what happened."

I didn't let his words get to my head. I said, opening my textbook.

Devon closed it again and slid it off my desk. "You better listen to me, Poppy. You—"

"Leave her alone, Devon," an annoyed voice said from behind Devon.

Devon turned around and glared at Grayson. "Stay out of this," he hissed.

Grayson stood up and walked over to Devon. They were equal in height, so neither intimidated the other.

"If you want to play it that way, then fine," Grayson said. "If you hurt her," he pointed to me, "I'll make it my business."

I was confused as to why Grayson, the school's bad boy, was defending me, the girl everyone hated at school. We never talked before, even though his locker was beside mine and we were in most of the same classes. But why would he defend me?

"Why are you defending her?" Devon asked as if he read my mind. "Do you even know her name?"

Grayson looked at me. "What's your name?"

"Poppy?" I said, though it came out like a question.

Grayson looked back at Devon. "I do now. And I'm serious. Hurt her in any way and you'll regret it."

"Don't think I forgot about what you did," was the last thing Devon said before sitting back down in his chair.

Grayson sat down as well just as Mr. Pierce walked into the room. He stopped immediately in the doorway and scanned the room. "I sense a commotion happened," he said. It wondered me how he knew there was one.

"There wasn't," Devon snapped.

Mr. Pierce raised an eyebrow, not believing Devon. "Someone better speak up. Was there any arguments?"

I replied. "It's Devon, who was always bothering me, and Grayson was the one who helped me."

"I was not!" Devon lied, and his friends nodded to support him.

Mr. Pierce sighed. "Alright, I guess I have no choice. Detention tomorrow after school for all five of you." My eyes widened. "I told you to behave and now, there's two different stories about what happened while I was gone."

"But Mr. Pierce, I didn't do anything!" I objected.

"Sorry, but rules are rules," he said. "Unless there's proof about what happened, all five of you will be coming back her tomorrow."

I sighed and picked my Biology textbook from the floor and studied for the rest of the detention. When it was over, Devon, Adam, and Jace hurried out of classroom. I packed up my stuff, noticing Grayson walking out. I hurried after him, wanting to thank him for defending me in detention.

"Grayson," I said. He stopped and turned towards me. "I...I just want to thank you, and why? Why you help me?"