Empty Spaces

One Day, Everything Changed

 I just needed a second to catch my breath.

As I headed toward the cafeteria, my mind a blur, I suddenly felt something catch my foot. I stumbled forward, crashing to the ground and feeling a sharp sting on my cheek.

 I looked up, dazed, to see Ally Brooke, the school newspaper writer, standing over me with a startled expression.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" Ally said, looking genuinely panicked for a split second. Then her eyes widened in recognition. "Oh... Lauren."

I just stared at her, speechless. Just a few days ago, Ally had written that humiliating article about me—calling me "the quiet girl who stares," hinting I was "weird" and saying people thought I was the "laughingstock" of the school. 

My stomach twisted as I remembered the laughter in the hallways, the whispers, all because of her.

Ally's face softened as she looked at the scratch on my cheek, but then she quickly straightened up, muttered a half-hearted "Sorry," and hurried away, not bothering to wait for my response.

 I stayed on the floor for a moment, feeling my face burn yet again, a mix of anger and embarrassment swirling in my chest.

At lunch, I finally spotted Normani across the crowded cafeteria and headed toward our usual table. Just as I reached it, I felt a shove from behind, and before I knew it, my face was planted squarely in my lunch tray. 

The sound of laughter exploded around me, and I didn't even have to look up to know who was responsible.

"Oops, sorry, Laur," Austin sneered, leaning over me with that awful smirk. "Didn't see you there."

My hands shook as I tried to push myself up, but just as I managed to sit up a little, Austin shoved me back down, making my tray clatter to the floor. The laughter around us only got louder.

Suddenly, Normani was at my side, helping me up and shooting daggers at Austin. "You're such a jerk," she spat at him, her voice filled with disgust. 

She turned to me, worry etched across her face. "Come on, Lauren. Let's just get out of here."

I nodded, too humiliated to stay another second. Together, we slipped out of the cafeteria, avoiding the curious stares and whispers as we made our way out of the school.

 We didn't say much as we walked, the silence comfortable but heavy. When we reached my house, Normani trying to cheer me up, but after a bit, she sighed and gathered her things.

"I have a ton of homework," she said reluctantly. "But text me if you need anything, okay?"

"Yeah," I mumbled, managing a small smile. "Thanks, Normani. For everything."

After she left, the exhaustion from the day hit me like a ton of bricks. I dragged myself up to my room, half-tripping over a pile of clothes as I entered.

 My room was a complete disaster—clothes, books, papers scattered everywhere, like my life had just exploded across the floor. I felt too drained to even attempt cleaning it.

Just as I threw myself onto my bed, I heard my parents' voices downstairs, their argument growing louder. I closed my eyes, feeling the weight of the day pressing down on me, and before I knew it, I'd drifted off to sleep, the sounds of their voices echoing faintly in the background.

The next day, I woke up to something strange—the muffled sound of laughter and conversation drifting down the hallway. I stretched, blinking at the sunlight streaming into my room, and realized everything felt... different. 

When I reached out to turn off my alarm, I froze. The bedding was softer, the room spotless, and the walls were decorated with sleek, high-end artwork instead of my old posters.