The Tattooed Devil Wears Chucks

Chapter 24: Boy Issues

Gabby.

All sense of normality has diminished; Nothing is the same anymore. My two best friends don't speak to me, they don't know how to. They give each other glances whenever I speak to them, glances that tell me they talk about me when I'm not there. Glances that say, she's not the same Gabby anymore. They attempt to visit me but they are right, I'm not the same. I watch them go to our spot at the lake without me, driving right past my porch as I sit on it reading. I'm not even sure they believe me about Tyler.

Then there is the town. The entire town that looks at me as if they hate me. That I am the lowest of low for accusing a local boy who's mother is dying, of rape. The harsh stares and the whispers hurt worse than the fact he did it. Was it a fact though? Did he do it? Did he lace my drink that night? I sit in my room trying to remember everything that occurred that night. I don't even know why I stayed. If I would have found a Tyler Porter party, I would not have stayed. I never liked him. Popular, yet creepy... something was always off about him from the time I met him. I once considered him a friend when we were young, but he was different. Why did I not just turn around and go back home?

My parents don't look at me the same. They don't joke with me anymore, they stare at me, watching me as if I make a certain movement it means I'm not okay and they will have to call the town shrink. They think I'm upset about Tyler, and I am. But I'm more upset because I miss Jax.

I haven't even seen him since I left his bed. I dressed and literally ran from his room after I woke up in his arms. I knew it would be hard to leave afterwards, because I knew I was in love with him, but waking up in his tattooed arms - broke me.

My eyes have remained wet and swollen for two weeks. That is also the length of time it has been since I last went to class. Instead I stay in my bed, cry, read, and watch How I Met Your Mother without the man across the street.

"You're going." My curtains fly open allowing the sun to hit my face. "Get up, shower, get dressed. We have a meeting with principal Larson today to figure out how to get you caught up in time to graduate with your class."

My mom dashes around my room like a mad woman, picking up random books and shoving them into my backpack and throwing clothes at me.  I think I saw her shove a Cosmopolitan magazine in my bag, that's how frantic she is.

"No" I throw the covers back over my head, returning to my comfy and dark Gabby cave.

"Get your ass out of this bed now" she demands. Suddenly my covers are stolen from me and thrown across the room.

"I'm sick."

Technically this was true, I had a cough. Not a bad one. Definitely not one that should keep me from classes, but one that I was willing to abuse to do so.

"Then we will make you an appointment for after school. You're not living in my house until you're thirty. Get up." She takes the pillow from beneath my head and hits me with it.

"I don't want to see Tyler Porter."

"I know Gabs. They promised to keep him in the front of the room and you in the back, there's nothing else I can do." She sighs and frowns at me, a look I have now come to expect from my mom. "Work with me Gabby, I'm worried about you... so is dad."

I look to her as tears begin streaming down her face. Now I really do feel sick. I don't want to worry them. I just want to be normal again.

I sit up in my bed and take my pillow from her. I smack her back with it. "I'll go. Give me twenty minutes to get ready."

She smiles and kisses my hair before leaving my room.

<><><>