The Distance Between Us

Chapter 1

"T-thank you.. I'm L-Lilah.." I stutter staring at a random blank spot on his desk. "Go pick a random desk, doesn't matter where you sit." Mr. Murphy points to the desks. I start walking until I trip on a foot.

Oh no I'm going down. Call the nurse because I'm about to be face first with the floor.

I feel a hand wrap itself around my arm and start to yank me towards their body.

"What the hell Jackey?!" Eli say's. "Sorry I didn't see her short self" Jackey giggles. Lilly was about to pick a fit with her but I begun to speak.

"It was most likely an accident.. I d-don't think she meant to t-trip me." I say staring at the floor forgetting Miguel's hand is still wrapped around my arm.

Jackey glares at me making me remember Miguel's hands are on me. 

I quickly move and sit in a random spot staring at the desk too scared to look up. 

"Alright class! Quiet down we're about to begin." Mr. Murphy yells. 

Eli sits at my right, Lilly sits at my left, and Miguel sits behind me. 

I can feel someones gaze on me, I look up and surprisingly a guy is staring at me standing in the doorway. "Mr. Jason. Are you just going to stand there and stare off into space or are you going to sit down and pay attention in class?" Mr. Murphy says staring at Jason.

Miguel scoffs as he see's Jason wink at me while walking past me to an open seat. There was a look in his eyes that I couldn't really read, it kind of made me a little unsettled.

Does Miguel hate Jason? Should I hate Jason? I could never hate anybody, hate isn't even in my vocabulary.

After 30 minutes go by I jump at the sound of the bell. Lilly seems to notice and says "Lilah are you okay?" I glance at her and begin to grab my bag, "Y-yea I'm fine.." I stare at the floor as I walk to my locker to put my book away and grab the rest of my papers.

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Finally lunch time I'm starving after 4 hours I thought I would be a little hungry but my stomach sounds like a stampede.

I remembered my mom calling me fat the other day so I didn't bring anything but water. A sad look began to come over my face but I changed it to a fake smile. I sat down at a random table staring at my phone. A song I knew on TikTok came on, I started moving my hips to the beat not realizing Miguel and his friends were staring right at me.

I over heard one of them say "Damn her ass is so fat dude." In the corner of my eye I could see Miguel slap the guys arm. Another one said "Look at those hips move, wish she was sitting on my lap while doing that." I stopped moving and got really embarrassed, I put my phone away and just stared at my hands in my lap.

"Hey Boo Boo." Eli say's while sitting down at my table.

Why was he sitting down? I mean with me? Everyone knows him and his friends so they must be popular or something.  A million thoughts started to flood my mind.

"H-Hi." I stuttered still staring at my hands.

"Where's your food?" Alex says.

"I didn't b-bring any." I say starting to get frustrated with myself, I start playing with my hair tie on my wrist. Miguel places his hand on my lower back causing me to shiver a bit. I furrowed my brows a bit in confusion.

"Fatty, stay away from Miguel or else!" Jackey whispers to me as she walks by me. My eye's started to water a bit, I stood up and grabbed my things and started to speed walk out of the cafeteria into the girls bathroom. 

Why is she so mean? I don't understand why she hates me so much, what did I ever do to her I was nothing but nice. This day is the worst day ever.. I miss dad..

I start to cry quietly until two girls walk into the bathroom.

"Lilah?" I hear one of them say. I didn't want to speak to anyone so I lifted my feet onto the toilet and didn't answer. "Maybe she's in the other one Maddy. Let's go check there." I recognized that voice.. It was Lilly.

I wait 5 more minutes until I get out of the stall and walk out of the bathroom trying my hardest to wipe the mascara off of my face. 

As I'm walking out of the bathroom I bump into a muscular chest. 

I swear if I keep bumping into tall people I'm going to cry.

"S-sorry, I wasn't watching w-where I was g-going.." I mutter still looking at the ground. "It's all good sweet heart, next time keep your head up instead of down." A deep voice says. My eye's widen at the name he called me and his voice. Wow his voice is just lord have mercy.

He grabs my chin lightly making sure I'm looking into his eyes. It was Miguel.. He's being so sweet? Am I dreaming? I feel like I'm dreaming.

Once I hear the bell I move and wipe the rest of the tears off of my face. 

Schools over for today thank god. I don't know how long I could have lasted here. I was about to throw myself off the building if I had to interact with one more human being.