The Last Architects

Chapter Thirty-Three.

 "Hey, Straka!" I froze at the unfamiliar voice behind me as I hung up with my mother for the fifth time, turning on the bench to see the terrifying sight of three older classmen pacing down the slope to my bench.

Why was everything getting worse?!

Whatever Cameron had said was enough to have me brought to the office, not only to discuss the lie but for risking expellment. Something my mother was quick to contact me about...

And as the men got closer I quickly stood up. "What do you want..? I didn't do anything to any of you." I stressed, stumbling when they were fast to circle me.

"That's some fucked up shit they're saying you did-."

"I didn't do anything! I swear to god- leave me alone! Even if all that crap was true, it's none of your-," I had been crying enough as was, but at the sudden force that sent a cold shock across my face, I stumbled back into one of the men, and as they kept shouting ludicrous slurs and accusations I hated to what extent it made me cry. When my eyes found Skyler walking quickly up on the path, I tried to yell out, only to be cursed out louder than I could call.

"Fuck, you're such a slut. We all called it the moment you set foot on campus, walking around like some fucking girl. Who would've guessed you'd go for a teacher." I was turned around abruptly, by the student behind me, and before I could do much as get a word in through the pathetic amount of crying, my heart dropped at the feeling of being aggressively slammed back. And as I lost my footing, I hit the water.

The cold was numbing as my head went underwater. But rather than be worried about the sudden temperature shock, the sight of all my papers and sketches floating in the water made me wish I was dead.

Not even 24 hours...I couldn't have just a day to be happy... Cameron had ruined my weeks without me even knowing. And ending things nearly traumatized me...

But this is what I deserved for that..?

At the sound of commotion above water, I managed to work past my muscles tensing and bring myself to the surface, choking on not only the icy water but tears as well. I wished I hadn't...I wish I just sank... I didn't want to deal with what I knew was coming. I should've died.

But as Skyler met me halfway in the pond, taking my hand firmly to help me out, I didn't realize how much I was shaking until it was against someone, and even then I could hardly feel my own body, every word from Skyler not registering in my mind as I stepped onto the grass.

And when my legs gave out, only to my embarrassment, he was quick to kneel beside me, the warmth from his coat over my shoulders hardly improving anything.

I should have drowned.

"Fucking cunt bastards." The one thing I caught before he broke off into Russian, and as he picked me up, I covered my ears as he turned to yell at one of the men I just now noticed to be in the lake. "If you so much as breathe in his direction, I'll make sure your worthless lives are worth even less, you scum." It was sweet. But I was tired. And as Skyler moved me into one of his arms as he waded back into the water, starting to collect all my papers, I coughed on held back cries. And as he swung his heel against the man's jaw, and his grip on me tightened, I hated that I wanted to pull away.

Getting to the shore, the cold began to get to me, and my throat aches from coughing.

"...I-I-I want to go home..."  Bursting into tears, it was painful to talk. And as I clinged to Skyler's shirt my grip kept falling off with the increasing trembling of my hands.

"I'm taking you back to the dorm. God, I'm so sorry, Ema. That rumor is fucked up." He had no idea... "anyone who knows you, knows that's a lie. Fuck the others." Skyler adjusted his coat tightly around me before grabbing his bag. And as we walked to the dorm.

Was this really all I got..? "...I'm getting pulled from...the academy..." I could only whisper. My mothers words replayed in my mind, scratching my skull like sandpaper until a migraine split through my eyes. "...I don't care if you believe it or not..."

"What?! Expelled?! Or what?" He looked down at me but I couldn't open my eyes, the sound of his raised voice aching my head.

"...Yeah... Something like that..." I slowly moved out of his arms. "I can...I can walk, I don't want you touching me..." It wasn't mean. If anything, I was doing Skyler a favor. Just because I was getting kicked out didn't mean he had to be associated with me. But I know if I said that he'd disagree.

"Yeah, of course." He made sure the coat stayed on as I gained my balance, "and is there anything I can do to help you stay here?"

"...I really don't want to talk about it, Skyler... Just believe what they're saying... That would help..." I'd rather him hate me.

"Fuck no, Ema." He spoke firmly and I stopped walking, "I don't care what dimwits say, I'm not turning my back on you." I glanced up as he shook his head, he wasn't getting it, "let's just get you warm, if you get sick I- just no."

"Can I walk back alone..? You have classes... and I really want to be alone right now..." It was hard to talk through chattering teeth.

"Are you sure?" He paused, staring at me with a concern I didn't want to acknowledge as reasonable.

"Mhm. I'll go take a shower. I'm fine." I walked past him, holding onto his coat tightly as my entire body shook with each gust of wind. "...I'll see you later."

"... I'll be back in an hour, ok? Heat up some soup and get comfy." I glanced back as he took out his phone, but I didn't have the courage to lie and agree.

. . .

I tried to ignore it. I really did. I took a shower, I did my hair, I even texted Heidi who had been messaging me all day. But the moment I stepped out of the bathroom and into the empty, clouded dorm, all I could do was stare at absolutely nothing.

My mothers threats against not only my schooling but my entire bank accounts as well, standing true as I checked my phone.

I was just scared. And what was worse, is that I felt like I shouldn't be. I had no one to talk to or confess to. I didn't have another parent or sibling to take my side. And it felt impossible to try and explain. I should never have ended things with Cameron... The disturbance I felt before was nothing in comparison to now.

Just walking to my dorm felt like hundreds of eyes were on me, and very few people even attempted to hide their conversations about me.

I was in all their vocabulary... Other teachers were even participating... And he was letting them. Letting them destroy my life as if he wasn't the one who gave me a bag of those stupid pills. As if it wasn't him who took me out drinking every weekend and slept with me regardless of how sober I was.

Cameron single handedly ruined my life... And the worst part of it was that that was his intention. I couldn't even bring myself to think about for long... But it seemed planned.

And as I pressed my back to the mattress, and an hour went by, I felt like I was slowly suffocating. Panic attack after panic attack, still, no Skyler.

Though when I thought I was stronger than that, the sun began to set, and I stared at the ceiling. Needing anything to stop this feeling.