Reality

Chapter 14.

AN: lillye5486 died by a tree that pet her too hard. 

(jk) 

Okay two chapters in one day because I've been gone for so long. 

Later that night as I was passing my mother's room I heard a faint crying, but it wasn't my mom crying. I walked closer to the door and I heard my mom shushing whoever was crying. I imagine her rubbing soothing circles on the crying person's back and telling them to breathe. I knocked on the door and said, "Mom? Can I come in?"

"Just one minute honey!" She called back.

Ignoring the answer, I entered the room to see my mother rubbing circles on Toby's back.

My mother looked up and scolded, "Cora! I told you to give me a minute!"

"N...no she needs to know too." Toby managed.

I quickly walked over the bed and grabbed Toby's hand. Sitting down I said, "What happened?"

"Toby-"

"No Mom, I want to tell her."

"Okay Toby go ahead."

"Cora, I...I have a girlfriend." Toby looked nervous.

"That's great! Why are you crying?" Surely having a girlfriend wasn't a bad thing, right?

"I...its just I met her parents a...and they hated me. They made rude comments and when I was walking to the door with my girlfriend her dad said, 'She can do so much better then that sewage rat."

A whole new wave of tears overwhelmed Toby. His shoulder shook violently and tears were streaming down his slightly round face.

Mom said, "I'm going to give you guys some time alone, I'll be in the kitchen." She got up and left the room quickly.

Turning back to Toby I said, "Toby, when did this happen? You didn't leave the house tonight."

"Yeah I did, around five I said I was going to the grocery store. I actually went to Valorie's, that's my girlfriend's name."

"Hey, calm down. If Valorie didn't think you weren't good for her, she wouldn't be dating you. So keep your chin up and your awesome sister by your side and you'll be okay." At that statement Toby giggled a little bit and wiped away his tears.

"You're right," he said.

"Aren't I always?"

"Hah-hah very funny."

"There's the sarcastic Toby I know and love!"

---

Christian would be picking me up for school today, so I had to wake up extra early. It took me about twenty minutes to get ready before Chris arrived. Knock....knock.

"Bye Mom! Bye Toby! See you both later!" I said opening the door. Turning to Chris I said, "I'm ready."

"Does your brother want a ride?" He asked. I asked Toby, and at which he answered no. So Chris and I made our way to the car slowly so I could keep up with my crutches.

"So how are you? Foot okay? Do you want me to carry you?" Chris asked.

"Babe, I'm fine, I can handle myself." Really, I'm okay. Just fine.

"Okay, do you still want to go to homecoming? It might be hard dancing."

"Hard, but not impossible."

Chris laughed and opened my door for me, at which I said, "Such a gentleman."

"That's me. The best and worst boyfriend of all time." He said jokingly.

"Yup!"

---

So many fucking questions, all the same: Are you okay? What happened? Who did this to you? All with the same answer as well: I don't want to talk about it. Same reactions, too: furrowed eyebrows and narrowed eyes with the occasional, 'I'm just trying to be your friend' None of them were my friends. Luckily Chris guided us through the hallways to my first class.

Leo would've been sitting in his desk in the last row, third seat to the right. I would've been next to him probably asking him if he got his homework done or if he had studied for the test on Friday. He would've said that he had and asked me the same question, at which I would've said mostly. His eyes would've been sparkling with amusement at my failure to fully study. His messy blond hair would've been flopping over his forehead, and I would've fixed it.

Everything would've been perfect, best friends again, but instead I took my seat in the back by myself. Instead I fixed my own hair and looked over my homework. Instead a girl tried to sit in Leo's seat.

"That's not your seat," I growled. "It's Leo's."

"Isn't that Leo kid dead?" The girl asked.

"It doesn't matter, that's his seat and if he was here he would've sat there." I was angry now.

"But he's not fucking here. Get over it. It's not like he was your friend or anything."

"You're right," I whispered.

"What?"

"You're right," this time louder. "He was my best friend. Now if you would please move before I have to make you."

"Bitch," The girl muttered getting up.

"Asshole." I spat.

Gosh, why can't people just leave me alone? If Leo was here he would've fixed the problem with his award-winning smile and charismatic ways. Hell, if he was here there would be no problem. He's not here, he's dead and it's all my fault. I could've prevented this. I could've not gone on the date with Chris. I should've not gone on the date with Chris. Maybe this whole relationship thing isn't for me. No, I don't regret going on that date, I regret letting Leo be jealous.

"Alright class dismissed," Ms. Smith said as the bell rang. Gathering up my stuff I thought, could I really have been thinking that hard to miss the whole lesson? Probably. I'm a bit oblivious to these kind of things to be completely honest. On the way to the lunch room I met up with Julia and Derek by our lockers.

"Cora Cora! Come here Derek wants to tell you something," Julia was gesturing me over to where the duo was standing.

I quickly walked over and when I arrived next to both of them I asked, "What does Mr. Derek over here have to say?"

Derek blushed and said, "I found something in Leo's room. Well actually his sister found something and gave it to me."

"What is it?" I asked excitedly.

"A mini will-letter thing."

"Yeah and he left something for each of us," Julia said half sad half happy.

"He left a note for me, a snow globe for Julia and this for you," Derek handed me a small blue box that had a flower design on the top. Inside of the box was a necklace, but it wasn't just any necklace. The necklace opened up to reveal a small piece of paper. I unfolded the paper and it read,

'This necklace is for you, Cora. I saw it in a shop once and it reminded me of you; a fairy. Positive and dainty. Anyways I have homework to do, so goodbye for now, Leo.'

Both Julia and Derek were watching me with interested looking facial expressions. "What's it say?" Julia asked.

"Read it for yourself." I handed the note to Julia, who allowed Derek to read it as well. They both 'awwed' at the note.

"What did your note say, Derek?" I asked taking the note back and putting it back in the necklace.

"He was in love with two people," The boy whispered, barely audible.

"What?" Julia and I asked at the same time.

"He was in love with two people," this time louder.

What? Who could it be? This is so confusing, ugh. "Who?" Julia asked.

"Cora." He said.

Shit.

"And myself."

Aww.

At lunch we ate silently. No one was there to fill the silence, not even Chris. He had to study or something like that. If Leo were here none of this would've been a problem. No, this is all my fault. If I wouldn't have moved here none of this would've happened. Maybe I would've given Owen the second chance he deserved -that's a story for a later date- or maybe Leo and Derek would be dating. I would've been with my old friends, laughing at all of our inside jokes, gossiping about what some boy had said to another boy in the locker room. We'd probably be giggling about how he elderly English teacher had toilet paper stuck to her shoe in class and how all the new students sat in the back, which is were she picked on people most.

-Flashback-

"Cora, please just let me take you on one date," Owen pleaded.

"You've asked me ten times now," I argued.

"You never answered, though."

"Fine. One date."

Owen wrapped me in the best bear hug in the world and laughed. "I can't believe I, Owen Fletcher, get to go on a date with the Coralynn Andrews. Boy, am I lucky."

"Ugh my gosh Owen. You're so weird." I flicked his nose and laughed.

"Hey, that's not very nice," the red-haired boy pouted.

"Cry more." I joked.

"I will." Owen faked cried and even covered his eyes, making it seem more real. He finally uncovered his face, and on it was a devilish smirk.

"What?" I asked. "Owen, no...no don't."

Owen swung me over his shoulder causing me to laugh extremely hard. "You asked for it," he said.

"Owen!" I shrieked. "Put me down you useless animal!" It was hard to be mad when I was laughing.

-Flashback over-

Owen had been a good guy. He truly deserved a second chance, he never meant for anything to happen with that girl. It turns out I had just caught the scene at the wrong time, that senior girl had apparently been planning to ruin our relationship for a long time. For some reason she hated me. The senior had kissed Owen seconds before I walked over, she purposely made it look like they were making out. Owen had tried to pull away, but she didn't let him.

I knew all of those things from one of my old friends, his name was Fred. He had happened to catch the whole scene, just a bit too far away to do anything. I was too much of a dick to forgive Owen, though. Maybe things would've been different if I had, that was many of the what if's I had yet to come to terms with.

AN: I hope you all like it! Feedback is appreciated ! <3