Where the Skies are Blue

Chapter Forty-Eight:

"Auden," Ender gives me a look of concern. "You're completely sloshed right now."

I am. I have been the whole weekend and well into this horrible Monday. He doesn't understand. Nobody does. It helps make things more bearable. It helps keep me going. The alcohol numbs the pain. At least for a little while.

I feel the glares of everyone who walks past. The whispers. The name calling. Slut. Whore. Cheater. Pathetic. Trashy.

Words I thought I left back in Arizona. Only for it to follow me here.

It rings my heart out like a wet rag. My eyes stare down at the floor as I try to drown it all out.

I rejected Hunter. I told him I was done. He didn't like that very much. And he made sure everyone else stopped liking me too. The first day back to school after spending the day in the hospital, there was a significant shift. Rumors were going around that I cheated on Hunter with Ender. That made everyone livid.

How dare she? Who does she think she is? What a complete slut. He never would have done that to her. He treated her so well. She never deserved him. I knew all along that she was a whore.

It's as if everyone was just waiting for me to slip up. To prove that I'm not worthy. That I was never worthy of Hunter's attention. I never deserved him, and they're making sure to remind me of that.

Ender has been thrown into the mix of rumors. I've dragged him into my messy life. He's better at ignoring it than I am. He doesn't seem to let it phase him. He ignores it with class and grace. Whereas, I let it fester in my mind, and I have to drink myself senseless to be able to cope.

I thought Hunter scared me before, but now he scares me even more. I see the rageful glares he gives me every time we're in close proximity to one another. He never misses an opportunity to corner me in the hall and intimidate me. His friends have joined in on harassing me. Calling and texting all hours of the day to call me names. To make me feel horrible. Even Faran acts like I'm too disgusting to even look at.

If I didn't at least have Ender and Wednesday, I don't know what I'd do.

"Drunk again?" Wednesday appears besides Ender, resting her elbow on his shoulder.

He nods, his eyes still on me as I peer up at him through my lashes, trying to be as invisible as possible as I hide behind him. "Come on, I'm going to take you home." He says to me.

"I'm fine, really. I've barely had anything." I think my words sound good enough. They don't come off too slurred.

Yet they both give me unconvinced looks. "You can barely talk." Ender says. "Come on." He reaches for my hand, lacing his fingers with mine.

I freak out and pull my hand away from his. "People already think I cheated on Hunter with you."

"Okay, well, can you walk fine on your own?"

"Yes, I told you I'm fine." My voice is snarky as I fold my arms across my chest. Wednesday ruffles up my hair before she says goodbye, leaving Ender to deal with my attitude. Ender walks closely beside me as we make our way outside of the building and towards his car. My eyes scan the parking lot. Are people watching us leave together? Are they going to report back to Hunter?

I'm such a nervous wreck all the time. I don't want to give people more things to whisper about. More rumors to spread. More things to tell Hunter about me. I want to disappear. To blend into the walls around me.

Ender helps me into his car. The sun peeks out from behind some rain clouds, shining down on us. Warming my skin. "Auden, if you get caught drinking at school—"