Golden (Book 1 of the Golden Series)

Chapter 29

Hi angels,
I just wanted to say thank you for the immense support on this story- the last chapter got over 1K reads, 100 votes and almost over 100 comments too. It's unreal and I'm so grateful for you guys showing me this amount of love after my break.
You're the best family ever ♥️
Sitting at work on my lunch break as I upload this and all I can think of is that I can't wait until the day that I can publish my own work and not have to work somewhere I don't have a passion for.
Thank you my lovelies xx
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CHAPTER 29
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The next day I can feel the tension in my throat as I walk into school, Kristie's hand clutched firmly in mine.

The boys had stayed at her house for a little while but eventually, they headed back to school to collect their things and Kristie and I spent the rest of the evening discussing Trent and what he had said to me.

It was safe to say that Kristie was over the moon by what he had confessed and she didn't shut up for hours about how 'she had told me so' and that the two of us were perfect for each other. I think she almost fell for him when I told her about 'Koi No Yokan' and what it basically meant.

Later, when Linda returned home and we all sat down to have dinner, Kristie gushing to her about what had happened, we were all completely taken by surprise when Gerry walked through the front door, a bottle of champagne dangling from his hand.

Linda looked so happy to see him that my heart almost burst for her and when he announced that a new surgeon had started working for them today and therefore he wouldn't have to do so much overtime I thought all of our faces were going to break from the smiles splitting across them.

I felt guilty for intruding on their moment, just like I did about staying with them but Kristie had told me that she had told her mom that my father was away and I didn't want to be in the house alone when Matt might show up; of course being the amazing person she is Linda didn't hesitate to let me stay for as long as I needed and I was so grateful to her for it.

The night was spent with us all fussing over Benji and then settling down to watch a movie together, which turned into us all laughing at Gerry as he fell asleep on the sofa and began to snore very loudly, causing us to take some funny videos and pictures.

By the time we went to bed I had never felt more peaceful and welcomed in the entire world and I just knew that things were going to be okay.

That was not the feeling I now had walking through the front doors of our high school.

"You're fine Elle, deep breaths," Kristie murmurs beside me, her hand squeezing mine and I shoot her a smile in response but I know it looks strained and panicked, "Everything is going to be okay, just be strong."

I nod, my mouth dry and unable to respond as I try to ignore the stares of people around me who are watching me in shock, their eyes trailing up and down my body and then at the person next to me who isn't my boyfriend.

"I can do this," I whisper to myself, straightening up my back and thanking myself for wearing flats and not heels because they draw a lot less attention without the sound of clicking on the hard floor and it gave me much more comfort.

As I'd been staying at Kristie's, I borrowed her clothes to wear and therefore that meant that for the first time in at least three years, I had picked what I wanted to wear and it definitely took a lot longer than expected.

I had sat there and stared at everything, my heart hammering as I imagined Matt's reaction to any of the outfit choices but finally after about an hour of me hyperventilating and Kristie reassuring me I had picked an outfit that I'd always wanted to wear.