"You good?" Will asks me as we stroll towards the cafeteria as one large group.
I force a smile upon my face and nod my head. He must've noticed my fingers that I was picking skin from until they grew red and sore.
My entire body tingles as I glance around the corridors and notice students staring at me. They're most likely wondering what the quiet girl is doing hanging around with the much louder group. They must think we're out of our minds, which I suppose might be true.
I hate the attention. I hate the whispers and the looks that I have never received before. Everyone used to act like I was invisible, and it happened so often that it became the new normal for me.
Being alone has become too comfortable. Now I struggle to engage in simple tasks such as having lunch with peers my age.
"Did you hear Miss Edwards in class today?" Lola asks no one in particular. I have no idea who Miss Edwards is or what class she teaches, so I know for a fact that I'm excluded from this conversation.
My bag is pounding beneath the table, my book trying to escape and run into my arms so I crack open the cover and caress my fingers over the pages, bringing it back to life.
They continue to talk among each other while I pretend to smile and listen. I haven't the faintest idea what they're even talking about, but it would be rude to just sit there with a face like a slapped arse, even though pulling a happy expression is making my cheeks ache.
"What about you, River?" Beck asks me.
My eyes widen when my name is mentioned in conversation, and I try my hardest to focus and remember what they were even talking about. Everyone's heads turn to stare me down as I internally panic and try to think of the right answer.
"Sorry?" is all I can think to say. I don't even try to hide the fact that I wasn't listening by making up a random answer which could either go really well or extremely terribly.
Beck and Brains laugh at what they think is ditsy-like behaviour. They don't realise that my anxiety and low thoughts were distracting me from taking any interest in the conversation.
"What do you think of Mr Peters?" Beck asks slowly, talking to me like I'm stupid.
A blush creeps up my neck and flushes across my cheeks. "Oh. He's alright. Why?"
They all grimace their faces. Ryan is the first to disagree with me. "He's a moody bastard."
"Yep. He's called you out a ton of times," Beck adds.
"And he stops you two from flirting," Brain finishes, pointing his fork between Will and I.
My entire body feels like it's on fire as I scowl at Brains to express the dislike I feel towards him in that moment.
Will throws a chicken nugget at Brains face which helps my mood to perk up slightly. "Shut up. You're such a windup."
"My mistake. Just seems to me that you guys flirt a lot," he teases further.
I want the ground to swallow me whole.
"We're friends," Will reminds him in a warning tone.
"So when a girl and a boy speak, that automatically means they fancy each other?" Isla questions Brains with an unamused expression on her face. "Lola and I are friends with you lot, but that doesn't mean we fancy you. Trust me, I don't want that—" She points to his crotch area and grimaces. "—anywhere near me."
"What a shame," Brain says sarcastically, his lips pulling down to his chin.
Isla rolls her eyes in response and then gives me an understanding look.
आप पढ़ रहे हैं
My Lifeline
किशोर उपन्यासTwo teens struggle to survive their way through the last year of sixth form. Neither have ever communicated with one another, not once throughout their six years of school together. But this year is different. This year, two polar opposites become s...
