A Girl Like Her

Chapter 11:

Song:  Prom Queen by Molly Kate Kestner 

"She is both hellfire and holy water. And the flavor you taste depends on how you treat her"~ Sneha Pal 

NOT EDITED

"Layla!" Came a high pitched voice to the right of me. I didn't even have to turn to know who it was.

"Yes, Kate?" I asked, lowering myself to the floor so I could reach a book for my next class. The halls were busy and bustling with the other students as they raced to their classes. Well, all but Kate of course. I haven't really spoken to her much since after she dropped me off at my house after the bonfire. Maybe it was because I was still slightly sour at her for dragging me there in the first place. Or maybe it was because it felt like the first time in forever I got a breath of fresh air and I wasn't willing to accept it yet.

"I heard you helped Zander with his English assignment." She said, and I whipped my head around to stare at her in bewilderment. How the hell did she hear about that?

"Uh, yeah?" The uncertainty in my voice was overpowering and it sent my mind into a swarm of questions. Did I do something wrong? Was I not supposed to help Zander? Did Kate secretly like him and not want me near him?

The last one almost made me snort. Out of the two short years, I'd known Kate, never once had I seen her with any guy. She never entered any relationships involving romance and it always struck me as odd. She was beautiful and smart and yet, she turned down each and every guy. There was a faint notion in the back of my head that led me to believe something else but I shook it off. There's just no way. Kate wasn't like that. She was perfect. Innocent. Undamaged in this cruel world. She might be one of the few who was still untouched by the evil this life had to offer. Or possibly her love and innocence were so radiant it bounced back from any and all darkness showed to her. Or she was just that ignorant.

Kate smiled cheekily. "Nothing, nothing. He wrote it, ya'know. I asked to proofread it for him, but he insisted he wanted to wait until you read it first."

My eyebrows knit together. "He finished writing it already? It's not due until the end of the week?"

"Wait," Kate chuckled. "You mean to tell me you haven't finished writing yours?" I shot her a blank stare, my cheeks tinting slightly and my shoulders rolling back sheepishly. Her eyes suddenly turned serious. "Wait seriously? Layla, you usually have all your assignments finished like, the day it's assigned. What's wrong?" It was now Kate who looked worried. It was an unusual sight to see her like this. Weird.

"It's just difficult, is all. Coming up with the right fear. But don't worry, I'll get it done. I always do." I shrugged carelessly, throwing her one of my usual fake reassuring smiles. Still, her eyes danced with a type of genuine concern that almost had me reeling back. I don't quite know what it is about this year, but it seems as if everyone knows already. They know my secret which in return is causing them to walk on eggshells all around me. They know I'm damaged. But then again, the quiet ones are always the damaged, aren't they? No one truly chooses to be trapped in a solitude of silence their entire life. You can feel content with being alone from time to time, there's nothing wrong with that I've learned. But to be sealed under the clutches of never-ending silence is enough to drive even the sanest of people crazy. Perhaps, I was being too paranoid.

No one knew what happened that fateful night besides those responsible for the tears that ran each night into the tissue that was my pillow.

"Well, good luck. Anyways, C'mon," Kate hooked her arm through mine suddenly forcing me to shut my locker quicker than I intended. The loud slam it made when it closed made me cringe but I did well to hide it from Kate's noticeably keen eyes. I've noticed lately that whatever I don't want people noticing something, it's almost a guarantee they notice anyway. Right now, Kate and Zander were at the top of my list of people to avoid.