High School Treachery | ✓

32 | Nothing Left

3 2
Nothing Left

"Thank you for covering for me last night."

I sneak a glance at Noah. His eyes are firmly set on the road ahead of us, one hand gripping the steering wheel while the other rests on his lap.

"I really couldn't talk to Mom," I continue, trying to fill the awkward air in the car.

Noah blinks, then nods once. "She wanted to talk to you."

I breathe a sigh of relief at the sound of his voice. We haven't talked since yesterday, when he drove us home from Daniel's and I cried on the floor of our car. I knew things would be weird after that. Anytime emotions are involved Noah detaches himself, and I rarely let him ever see me like that because needing my idiotic brother's help isn't something I like.

I'm not weak, and he's not sentimental. That's just not how we are.

Except for yesterday. I weakly sobbed for half an hour, while Noah tried his hardest to calm me down.

All he really did was pat my back, and then mumble that we'd been parked down the block for too long, that the sun was going down. I took that as the clue to get my shit together long enough to walk to my room.

But Mom bombarded me the second I walked in. I didn't have the energy to answer her fifty-thousand questions, and Noah knew that. He told her I was sick, and maybe it was because of the tone in his voice or the look on my face, but Mom let it go. She said we'd talk in the morning.

I was thankful, for once, and locked myself away. I expected more tears, sillily hoping I'd just cry myself to sleep so I could forget the day for a little while.

Sleep didn't come. I laid awake in bed all night, replaying in my head any and every moment spent with Jalen. It was as if my brain was teasing me and my heart, wanting us to relive every time I thought I was happy.

I could pinpoint how I felt in each memory, easily identifying the ones where I slowly started loving Jalen. It was clear how fast my feelings developed with each one, how much harder I fell day by day. And as I remembered each and every little thing, each time I thought I was getting a glimpse at the real version of the boy everyone at Arlin Preparatory bashed, I realized how wrong I was.

I hopelessly relived the times I fell harder and harder, feeling my heart break ten times more as I realized Jalen just watched, with no intent to catch me.

Blinking away the memories threatening to come back, I focus on the trees passing by my window. "I couldn't talk to her."

Noah makes a sound of agreement, but says nothing else, showing me he wants the conversation to end. Despite not wanting to sit in silence, I oblige him, feeling like I at least owe him this for staying quiet.

He could easily tease me about yesterday, or tell me I told you so, or even just ask for every single detail. Instead, he's been quiet. He hasn't said a word at all.

My stomach sinks when Noah pulls into Arlin Preparatory's parking lot. I'd rather drown in a pool than walk into that school.

But I'm an excellent swimmer, so sadly, the better option of drowning isn't even possible.

Maybe I can fake sick? Make myself barf right here so it looks believable to Noah? Or is that too drastic? Is that letting what Jalen did affect my life too much?

How could it not affect my life too much?

I blink hard, wanting all thoughts of him out of my mind forever. Or for at least the next fucking hour, please.