The End of Innocence

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

October 21st, 2017

ON HER WAY to Layla's house, Adelia passes the van Dyks', where she can see Emma pacing the floor of her living room, her head down. For a moment, Adelia starts feels bad for Emma, but then she catches sight of Liam Vega perched on the arm of the couch. A ripple of anger shoots through her. Even Emma van Dyk can be happy, so why does Adelia always end up alone?

She finds herself sinking to the edge of the curb, her breath coming fast. She sinks her head into place between her knees, not caring that her freshly-straightened hair is going to get messed up. It doesn't matter. It just doesn't matter anymore.

All anyone seems to be talking about these days is Will, Will and his stupid party. Everyone who was invited goes on and on about what they're wearing, who they're going with, everything. Adelia tries to stay out of—with how things have been, she's starting to wish she could just hide in her room and watch movies all weekend.

Of course, Will himself has been the center of attention. She's been watching him lately from across the cafeteria, flocks of people chattering to him from all around. It makes her heart ache just to watch.

She's so freaking alone.

If anyone from school drives past and sees her, she knows she'll look crazy sitting here like this. "All right," Adelia says aloud as she pulls herself to her feet. "It's going to be okay. I'm not alone. I'm not alone." I'm so alone.

She's shaking for the rest of the walk.

Tanner and Serena sit on the steps of the Princes', both with darkness clouding their faces. Tanner bends over her phone, leaving Serena to stare into the distance, chin in hands. Neither bothers to greet Adelia as she approaches. In fact, Adelia pauses at the edge of the property for a moment, just staring at the people she used to laugh and talk so easily with.

Taking a deep breath, she forces herself to speak. "Hey," she says. "Hey, guys."

Tanner forces a smile, glancing up from her phone. "Hey, Ads. Layla's getting her siblings out of her room. She'll be out in a minute." She pats the spot next to her, and Adelia sits down, still dizzy. Hopefully her friends can't see the way she stumbles as she walks.

Serena still hasn't moved. Her mouth trembles, but her eyes remained fixed on the street. This is something Adelia used to dream of. She thought that if Serena stopped being controlling, they could all just be themselves instead of trying to seem cool all the time. She never realized how hard it would be to see Serena acting so differently without knowing why.

"Serena," she says, but she can't find the rest of the sentence. What do you say to the friend you thought you knew?

Serena mumbles something under her breath, and Adelia has to lean close to hear.

"Emerson isn't coming. She has to go to her parents' friends'."

Even though it sucks to know Emerson won't be there, Adelia feels her spirits rise a little. Maybe nothing's wrong with Serena. Maybe she just wishes Emerson would get her act together and be there for her friends. Or maybe she feels like it's her fault Emerson is ditching them, because it probably is.

"Do you want to know the worst part?" Serena continues, still staring straight ahead. "She's doing it by choice. She says she's sick of the drama, whatever that's supposed to mean."

Tanner snorts, and Serena's head snaps to face her. "I'm sorry," Tanner says, "but can you blame her?"

Serena doesn't answer.