Unnamed (Editing, Not finished)

8

I didn't want to go to school. I didn't want to check my phone. I was convinced I didn't even want to be alive anymore. 

I hadn't slept. I spent most of the night crying. 

In the shower, I tried to get rid of everything. I wanted him off of me. I wanted to be clean again. The feeling of wanting to crawl out of my own skin was still there. I scrubbed my legs until they were red. 

Sitting in the tub with the water running over my head, crying, I realized something that made it all worse. Drew was right. My gut was right last night. I don't know why I ignored it all. I was stupid. 

I had to go, my dad wouldn't let me miss. 

Everything had lost its color. The walk to school was draining. 

As I walked down the hallway everyone looked at me - like they knew something I didn't. I tried not to make eye contact. What if they knew? 

If Dain told anyone - then logic would say his story would imply I wanted it. I already knew he had more of a reputation to keep, people liked him, and people trusted him. 

Could I really tell anyone, when no one would listen? 

I had my first class with Dain. I didn't look forward to it and I was tempted to go to the nurse's office - anything to stay away from him. 

We sat there in first period, the teacher hadn't even walked in yet. Dain sat two seats to my left. Every time he looked at me chills went up my spine. 

Everything in me wanted to run out of the room and never come back. I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate. 

I wasn't going to freak out. I was going to act like everything was fine until I could find someone to listen. 

The classroom door busted open and in came a very angry-looking Drew. He marched over to Dain's desk and kicked it. 

Dain's chair tipped backwards with him in it and Drew stood over him. 

I wanted to tell him to stop, but my body was frozen. 

I watched Drew stomp Dain's chest - enough to obviously knock the breath out of him and then he leaned down. 

He whispered something, no one heard what it was. 

The room was dead quiet. Drew stood back up and looked at me. 

His eyes knew. He knew what happened. As he kicked the side of Dain's head - he never broke eye contact. 

When he was done, he walked past my desk and dropped a note. Then he was gone. 

No one moved from their seats as Dain got back up. By the time the teacher walked back in everything was back to normal. 

I didn't dare open the note in class. 

When the bell rang I was the first one out. I went straight to the bathroom and opened the note.

There was a phone number scrawled at the top, and then the words, 

My car, lunch

The next two classes were the longest. They seemed to drag on forever. No one was looking at me anymore, in fact, they were doing the opposite - no one made eye contact. Dain disappeared earlier and no one seemed to be concerned with where he went. Drew also disappeared, but that was normal. 

How did Drew find out so quickly? How did everyone find out so quickly? 

I was on my way to the parking lot through the cafeteria and I was stopped abruptly by some pink hair. 

"Hey, I hate to bother you but can you show me where the art room is?" She asked. 

I opened my mouth like I was going to say something and my mind went blank, so I just nodded. 

We walked down the hall, and midway through I noticed we were alone. She stopped beside me. 

"Hey, I know we don't know each other at all, and I'm kind of new here - and I don't wanna pry into your life or anything, but I heard what happened to you. It's not okay, and if you ever need someone to talk to I'm here - and I promise I won't tell anyone. No one deserves that - and you don't even have to talk to me about it if you don't want to. If you want my number, we could hang out?" 

I blinked in surprise. This whole time I was thinking of people to tell - or try to... Then out of nowhere... 

"Oh, I'm Kate Lorson by the way," she added. 

"Persephone Mayes," I smiled. 

I didn't notice it, but I was crying. I looked at her and she gasped. 

"Hey it's okay - I'm sorry if I upset you - " She hugged me. 

I cried into her shoulder. "No, no, it's okay, I just - all morning I've been wanting to tell someone,  and have them actually understand..." 

We stood there in the hallway, hugging, for what seemed like forever. 

"You need to get to the art room." I stepped back from her, wiping my nose. 

Her cheeks turned red. "Well, I - don't take this weird, but I honestly just wanted to go somewhere private to say that to you." 

A sheepish smile made its way to her face and she played with her hands nervously. 

"It's okay, I don't even know where it is anyway." We both laughed. 

"So, what are you doing for lunch?" She asked. 

I remembered Drew's note and let out a sigh. 

"Uh - I have to meet my friend Drew in the parking lot..." 

"Mind if I come with?" 

I didn't think about what Drew wanted to talk about, but whatever it was - Kate would probably understand. I already trusted her.