Warm Winters

Chapter 1 - Denial and Anger

"I'm sorry to hear you won't be joining us for our championship." Mrs. Reeds forced a sympathetic smile. It was the same as the other teachers. They didn't understand what it felt like. The one thought floating in every one of their heads were 'Such potential. Why throw your life away for one incident?'.

I nodded my head diverting my gaze. I placed my neatly folded cheer uniform onto her desk and left her office. It wasn't easy losing your cheer captain weeks before championship. I placed the hall pass over my neck once again and with my head hung low and walked down the hallway to the counselor's office. Where I have been everyday for the last couple weeks.

"Daisy," She beamed. "How did it go?"

It was almost easy to talk to her. Almost. But that only stemmed off the fact she is my biological aunt. Otherwise I wouldn't have gotten away with half the crap I've been doing. "She wasn't so happy." I muttered.

I sat down at my designated desk and continued with my school work distracting myself from her curious stares. "Did you want to try talking about it again?" She asked.

"No,"

"Did you want to go for a walk with me?"

"No,"

"Did you just want to work on your school work?"

I sniffed. "No," I whispered. I placed my head on onto the desk into my arms.

Everyday just felt harder.

————

I walked through the hallway with my head hung low.

"I can't believe she died her hair pink. How did she not get written up?"

"I heard she cheated on Blake and that's why all her friends dropped her."

"I heard there's an opening on the team now. Now that she's gone maybe I have a chance."

I shoved my headphones into my ears to blur out their gossip. I could see my old group ahead and... Blake laughing with one another. Shoving through the group ignoring their glares I opened my locker.

Why did they have to hang out in front of my locker?

Oh right, Blake's was next to mine.

Someone's grimy fingers pulled out my left earbud. I stared intently at the contents of my lockers feeling caged in. "I thought I said I liked your blonde hair," He whispered. I wanted to fall to my knees and scream. I wanted to cry, but I was all cried out. "This pink makes you look so immature."

They all laughed and slipped away from me. The hallways began to grow empty, but I still felt claustrophobic. The air I was breathing in not inflating my lungs. My vision felt dark all life drained of color.

"You're in my way." A voice said.

I gasped and looked to my left seeing a familiar dark haired boy. One that despises me and I him. He gritted his teeth and pointed to the locker below mine. "S-sorry," I said grabbing my last book and shutting my locker shut. "I guess I spaced out."

I stepped aside and turned away pulling out my phone. I felt something pull my shirt and I whipped around clutching my books to my chest. The dark haired boy stared at me with a raised brow. He held up a piece of white lined paper with tape at the top. "This was stuck to your back."

I gently took the paper from his fingers and he eyed me suspiciously. It made me nauseous. It read 'School Slut'. My cheeks reddened at the sight of it. "T-thanks Dominic. I appreciate it." I turned around to leave and threw the paper in the near by trash. "Have a nice day." I said before speeding off.