Just A Friend?

[83]: You Have The Right To Remain Silent

Who the hell was I going to get to do this now?

I needed to speak to Joel.

*Lydia's POV*

There wasn't much left for us to do in college now that the fashion show was over, that was what the main part of our grade was based upon – a whopping 60%. The rest was based on attendance in class, our portfolio of work over the past three years and our research and essay's on the fashion industry we had completed last term. It's not like they could give us a normal 'test' and grade us on that like they could in other subjects, that's what the majority of the other classes were doing this week – including Ash, his started tomorrow. But me and the girls didn't have any, all of our work was based on our craft and creativity.

There were only two weeks left until we broke up for the summer, before we were done with college for good...and I couldn't wait. We had Georgia and Elliot's play to look forward to this Friday, me and Ayla going London to get our visa's next Monday and then our leavers ball was next Friday. And after all that...me and Ayla were off stateside for the summer.

So much to look forward to. Yet as I walked through the doors of college this morning with Ash right by my side, I was filled with nothing but dread. Had they posted the picture of me or not?

"Everything's going to be fine Lou I promise." Ash whispers to me and he tightly wraps an arm around my waist pulling me too him.

"God I hope so. I don't think I'd be able to step foot in here again if everyone has seen me naked. I'd be mortified."

We rounded the corner to the main corridor, heading towards my classroom when everyone turned to look at me.

"Oh..my..god. It's been posted, they've seen it." I gasp turning on the spot to see some of my classmates and everyone in college watching me, whispering to one another and discreetly pointing at me.

"How?" I say looking up at Ash as tears filled my eyes.

"Hell if I know but I'm going to kill whoever has done this." He says angrily before pulling me into his arms.

"Let's get you out of here." He whispers pulling me towards the office to let them know we weren't staying here.

"Lydia...Lydia..." I turned at the sound of my best friends shouting me.

As soon as I'd pulled away from Ash I was enveloped into a hug by all three of them...and I cried.

"Shhh." I hear Ayla say quietly moving us to the side of the corridor as someone strokes my arm. "It's going to be okay."

"No it won't. Everyone's seen me naked...how is it going to be okay?"

"It's okay, you're not naked on it Lyd." Lois says and I pull away from them slightly and wipe my nose.

"What?"

"Look." She says passing me the picture. It was a picture of me stood in Ash's room naked but they'd blurred out my breasts and my privates. They'd just left my tattoo revealed...and you could see exactly where it was.

"I'm still naked Lo; they just can't see everything clearly." I sigh and sniffle.

"I know." She says sadly.

"And they've revealed every clue about me on the back as well. Everyone will know I cheated on Elliot; that I fooled around with Ash before we got together, then that I lost my virginity to him and had a pregnancy scare. They're going to think I'm some slut."

"That's just a regular Friday night for most of them." Georgia says nudging me lightly, trying to make me smile. "And for everyone who actually knows and loves you, we know you're not a slut."