𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐠 𝐌𝐞 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧 (𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏)

21

Song: Dumb blonde - Avril Lavigne ft Nicki Minaj

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"I need you to organize a bit the Winter Fair?" Told me Jess writing like crazy on her notebook. "It's only a couple weeks from now and I put Tania in charge of that, but as you can imagine, beside the Kissing Booth and Candy's place she hasn't put interest on anything else. Can you take it?" she almost begged and I sweetly smiled in reassurance.

"Sure. Just passed me the list of participants and I'll do the rest."

Her grin made the whole cafeteria light up. "Have I already told you how much I love you?" she flattered me as sliding some papers my way. "Tho, I'd love you even more if you show up when we had meetings..."

I rolled my eyes. Yesterday the Student Council had a meeting to set up some point in Milton's schedule, one of those was the Winter Fair. Jess, as the students' president, had always been in charge of those kinda things; but with all the exams and the process of applying for college she was a little too stressed and needed more help than usual.

"I'd already told you, I didn't feel well." it wasn't exactly a lie, just that my ache wasn't physical. "I would have shown, but then you might have had to face the consequences."

Sadie snorted, looking up from her phone and brushing her long hair over her shoulder.

"Like what? Guts everywhere?"

I shrugged. "Could be."

"Okay, too much information." Jess scrunched her nose and went back to write like mad as we both laughed and Sadie winked at me before retaking her conversation with another cheerleader from our table.

They were talking about some cute guy from P E and how she might take the lead and asked him out. Usually I would be enrolled in their chat as well, but the pressure on my chest hadn't left me ever since those awful words had left Hayden's mouth the day before. If he though it, who else might as well? The worst of all that is that they were true in some kinda way, and the thought of people seeing me like this pitiful girl alone made me sick.

Picking up enough strength to get out the bed this morning had been a massive effort but then I spend ten minutes in front my mirror, reminding me how much more than a dumb blonde I was. Because I was, right?

I sighed, feeling suffocated by the narrowing walls of the cafeteria and picked up my belongings.

"I'm gonna get going." I announced and Jess lifted her gaze at me once more, worried. "It's fine." I smiled, the fakest smile ever. "I just need some air and anyway it's only ten minutes from the bell."

Her lips pursed, unconvinced. She knew something wasn't right. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah." I kissed her cheek and wave the others. "See you in a bit."

I walked down the hallway, crossing paths with other students that warmly greeted me with smiles and cheerful 'heys' everywhere and they kinda cheered my mood a bit. It's nice to know people appreciate you, even though the might not really care deep down. I grinned in return and made my way towards my locker head high.

That was until I passed the hallway that led to the field and bumped into half of our football team. And yes, Adam was there too.

My heart sped when our eyes locked and I was quick to divert my gaze. Bryce Slender was there as well, his bruises were almost invisible right now. Only a faint pink mark under his eye over a three-stitches-cut. He acknowledged me with a simple nod before walking away, as he'd been doing since that night. At least Paris told me they get rid of his debt and he was getting clean. That was good.