THE PAINFUL TRUTH

Chapter Nineteen- The School Trip

Storm's POV

It's official. Stella hates my guts. Honestly, she has a right to after what I told her the last time we spoke; she was right and I was wrong but like typical Storm Jackson, I didn't want to admit it when I had my chance. Now, I might not even get the opportunity to apologise and make amends because Stella's avoiding me and frustratingly, she's excellent at doing that.

When I try talking to her in classes we sit next to each other, I might as well be a brick wall because she completely ignores me. One of my personality traits is that I'm really stubborn and usually, people(Mum, Dad and River) describe it as a horrible trait to be gifted with but I believe that it does has its advantages. After noticing that trying to chat with Stella wasn't helping my situation, I started poking her with my pen in the arm. At first, they were very light jabs, but the more she was blanking me, the harder they became.

"Will you quit it?" Stella half-asks, half-hisses at me.

Aha! Even though she's only said four words to me(and they're not in a polite tone), at least she's stopped giving me the cold-shoulder.

"Not until you let me apologise," I whisper.

"Storm Jackson, Stella Johnson, is there a problem?" the teacher questions.

Just as I'm about to say no, Stella jumps in.

"Yes, there is! Could I move seats, please, miss?" she asks sweetly.

Of course, the teacher says yes and moves Stella elsewhere because she's such an angel. As she transfers her bags to her new seat, she victoriously smirks at me. Ha! Stella's won this battle but she hasn't won the war.

Because I've lost access to conversing with her during class, I start to search for her at break and lunch. I know that when she had first joined Minehead Academy, Stella used to spend her time at the library so I check there first.

The librarian, Mrs George, an old lady with grey, bushy hair and the weirdest fashion sense I have ever set eyes on, stopped typing on her computer as soon as I entered the room, a sceptical look on her face as she peered over her brown rimmed spectacles. I scanned the library that had some students at desks, absorbed by the books they were reading, some shifting through the shelves of stacked novels, some finishing off homework at the computers and some at the printer, waiting for their documents. None of them were Stella.

I joined the end of the line of students who were getting the books they wanted to borrow logged into the school library system at the counter where Mrs George sat behind.

"Well, well, well, Storm Jackson!" the librarian exclaimed when it was my turn to be attended to.

Poor woman! She's getting her hopes up that I'm going to be one of her regulars! As if! I promised myself at the beginning of Year Seven that I would never join the community of library nerds and I'm sticking to my vow. This is just a one-off!

I plaster the biggest, sweetest smile I can master onto my face.

"It's just as nice to see you too, Mrs George!" I gush.

"So, what can I do for you?"

"I was wondering if Stella Johnson was here."

"Oh yes, what a coincidence! She's right here!"

Mrs George searches frantically around the room before a confused expression arrives on her face. She scratches her head thoughtfully.

"That's strange! I'm sure she was just here!" Mrs George ponders," Sonia, wasn't Stella Johnson here?"