THE PAINFUL TRUTH

Chapter Thirty Seven- Stella's Return

Storm's POV

For the first time, I enter school in a positive mood. Why is this? The first reason is that Christmas is around the corner. The second reason is that I just have to go through today, tomorrow, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, then, I'm free for two and a half weeks because I'm going to be on Christmas holidays, which is what has been keeping me going these last few weeks. Tough isn't enough to describe how difficult it's been for me and although it's been getting better, there are still some unfixed problems and the one that has been constantly occupying my mind is my broken friendship with Stella.

There has still been nothing from her since I met up with her to let her know the masterminds behind her past being revealed on a social media platform and the more time that goes by, the less hope I have for fixing what happened between us. Elsewhere, for a while, it seemed there was some light at the end of the tunnel: the Christmas spirit must have impacted my family's behaviour. River is no longer locked up in her bedroom and two weeks ago, when I showed her the Lindt Advent calendar I had bought her, I think I saw a glimpse of smile and I received a 'thank you'. That is what you call an improvement! Then, it was like she snapped out of the trance she's been in previously and exclaimed:

"Oh no! It's almost Christmas and I still have so many presents to buy!"

Weirdly enough, Mum and Dad have barely been at work so they're just roaming around the house, taking more interest in what I'm up to because they are struggling to find something to do:

"How was your day at school, Storm?"

"What subject is that homework for, Storm?

"What are you watching, Storm?"

"What song are you listening to, Storm?"

Eventually, it drove me crazy one day, so I suggested that they help River with her errands.

"I can help you with some of your Christmas shopping, River," Mum offered, a hint of nervousness in her voice since this was the first time they had approached each other since they were almost about to blow the roof off last time.

"I can handle it," River didn't even bother to look at Mum.

"I'm sure you can, sweetheart-"

"Do. Not. Call. Me. That," River stated each word carefully as if she was speaking to somebody without a brain.

After that, my sister stormed out the house and I immediately apologised to Mum but she just blinked at me as if I was a brick wall and not her daughter. Ever since that moment of tension, my parents haven't been bothering me as much.

Speaking of bothering, I bump into Liam in the school corridor.

"There's a surprise upstairs."

I don't even give him eye contact as I brush past him; he doesn't deserve any more attention than he's been receiving since the fight between him and Noah. Before he got Stella and Noah suspended, if you asked me if I liked Liam, my answer would have been: no, I dislike him. If you asked me that same question, now, I would answer no, I hate him with a passion. Yes, I know the word 'hate' is a very strong word but I'm not afraid to use it.

Do you know what I hate even more than Liam? That he knows something I don't and is using it against me.

He's probably lying, Storm.

True, this is Liam we're talking about. I can just imagine the smirk on his face.

When I climb up all the stairs, I find that I've just about made it on time to registration with my tutor. Joining the line, I follow my classmates into Mrs Riley's classroom while switching off my phone. Don't want to have my phone confiscated during the last week of term!