If Only (18+)

Chapter 3

We've reached almost 100 reads!🥳 That's a big number, so thank you so much to everyone who has been reading, voting, & leaving lovely comments☺️💖 & I'd like to dedicate this chapter to wanderingmind97

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With each weary step I took, my feet shuffled and my eyes burned every time they closed.

After eating the plain spaghetti I made for dinner last night, I couldn't sleep. After hours of tossing and turning, I stared at the ceiling, thinking of a solution on how to earn more money for me and Trenton.

Of course, the whole idea sounded ludicrous in the morning after I put on my school uniform.

Northwood High was a private school I attended to, as did Trenton. Before he dropped out and became a drug addict, he made wonderful grades and was the heart of many sports the school funded.

Ever since I could remember, he always wanted to be a role model for me and be someone I could lean on while Mom was, to simply put- out of the picture.

The fact that she wasn't in my life didn't leave a huge scar, considering she left when I was leisurely easing from a baby to a toddler. But, I couldn't say the same for Trenton.

However, he dealt with the situation very well and did everything in his power to make sure I was content and happy.

In a way, he was like the parent I never had.

Then all of that changed after he got a call from the police department one depressing, rainy night.

"Oh, look! It's the skank," Sadie sneered, her dark brown eyes malicious. 

I could barely focus on her deceitful words or her three-person small entourage, so instead, I closed my eyes.

"Could you please move? I need to go to class." I quietly pleaded, not wanting to start my exhausting day off on the wrong foot as I did yesterday.

"What for? So you can continue to pursue your little crush?" She snorted, taunting me. I thought back to the other morning when her friends began to gossip about me and realized what she was talking about.

"Nothing is going on between me and Mr. Reynolds," I said, staring at her.

She smirked, and I knew I was in trouble.

"So, you are seeing him, eh? Can't handle a few foul words being thrown at your lover?" She sneered, and my fists tightened. I can never exist in peace.  

But I had that coming after that day when Cameron, my ex-boyfriend, came over to my house.

If only things were different...

"It's not like that, and he has a wife." I defended myself. I began to rock from my tippy toes to my heels, waiting for her to get her immature, but painful antics out of the way.

I wasn't going to be late again. This was my last year of being a high school student, and my last chance to show everyone around me that I'm nothing like my brother.

Of course, though, I could never find the courage to stand up for myself. That was my biggest flaw; I was too weak.

"So? That ring is nothing but a false statement. Besides, I don't believe you have a problem sleeping with a wedded man, especially after the number you did on Cam." She grimaced, her dark brown eyes filling with disgust and hatred.

A wave of sadness and anger came over me like a current, pulling me into the depths of pain and guilt, until I slowly began to drown in sorrow.

"You bitch," I whispered, salty tears pleading to release and leave a hot trail down my face.