A month and a half has gone by since the whole blackmail situation that Gage pulled on Mrs. Moore and me has happened. I went on the date with Gage like he insisted I do, but it wasn't a very pleasant date. The night ended with us fighting with each other and him ditching me on the side of the road.
While this last month hasn't been the best, I can say that I've finally grasped living in this god forsaken small town where everybody knows everyone. Though, I wouldn't label this as a good thing. I feel like this town and everything that i've gone through since being here has taken a toll on me.
I have hardly spoken to Mrs. Moore, or should I say Riley, within the past month and i've isolated myself a bit from Veronica and Caleb, but we still talk when at school, and i've picked up some of my bad habits again. By bad habits, I mean that i've turned back to drinking and smoking again and am skipping classes just like I did last year after the accident with my parents happened.
"Miss Clark" I hear my last name being called in a muffled tone. I look up to see the principal of the school standing right in front of me, so I pull down my noise canceling headphones. "Yes Mrs. Davis?" I question her as she crosses her arms. "I would like to see you in my office within the next ten minutes. Please start packing up your things and making your way there." Mrs. Davis walks away without giving me the chance to say anything in reply.
My eyes immediately go straight to Gage as I see him sitting on the other side of the lunch room. Did he show Mrs. Davis the photos he took? He's been harassing me every so often, but not as consistently as he used to, and he finally stopped trying to get me to go out with him. So, why would he just now show Mrs. Davis the pictures?
I close out GarageBand and shut my macbook shoving it in my bookbag. I slide out the booth that I usually sit at during lunch and make my way to the principals office.
"I'm here to see Mrs. Davis" I say to the front desk lady who sits outside the Mrs. Davis' office as if she is her bodyguard. "Okay sweetie, go right in." She holds her arm out, pointing to Mrs. Davis' office door.
My anxiety starts to rise up as I can't help but fear she's calling me in to talk about the pictures of Mrs. Moore and me. I slowly push the door open and see Mrs. Davis filling out some paperwork. She lifts her head up as she notices me entering her office.
"Ah, Miss Clark, please take a seat." I do as she says and pull out one of the chairs that is sitting in front of her desk.
"So, why exactly did you want to speak to me?" I question, praying that she's not going to say anything about Mrs. Moore.
"Well Lexi, I'm getting quite concerned about your grades and attendance. Our records show that you are either failing or not turning in most of your assignments, and your attendance in your second and fifth period classes has dropped drastically." I let out a sigh, but more so in relief. "English and Science it looks like," Mrs. Davis adds then gives me a look as if she is asking for me to explain myself.
"I-" I go to speak but give up knowing that I have nothing to say in response, or at least don't care enough to give a proper response. "Lexi, I'm going to need an explanation" Mrs. Davis insists. "I don't have one. It is what it is. I just don't care enough to go to my classes. They're stupid anyways" I scuff, leaning back in the chair that i'm sitting in.
Mrs. Davis starts flipping though some papers and I see her grab one with my name and emergency contact information on it. "Well Lexi, I will have to inform your guardians about this." My eyes widen as I know this won't go down good with my grandparents, but Mrs. Davis continues "and if you don't get out of this habit then i'm afraid to say that you might have to repeat your senior year."
"Mrs. Davis, is that really necessary." My anxiety starts to rise up once again. It seems like all I ever feel is anxious nowadays. "What if I promise to get my grades back up and not miss another class period again?" I try to convince Mrs. Davis to not contact my grandparents. "I'm sorry Lexi, but i'm required to contact your guardians and inform them of this." "But-" Mrs. Davis cuts me off, "no but's" she holds her finger up. "Get going to your next class now. It will be starting shortly." She waves me off. I stand up from the chair and march out of her office in anger.
*After School*
"We're sending you to boarding school, we have no other choice" my grandma says in a calm yet scary voice. That's how I know she's been pushed over the edge with my shenanigans. "GRANDMA NO!" I shout. "I'M NOT GOING TO SOME STUPID BOARDING SCHOOL. YOU CANT MAKE ME."
"I'VE HAD WITH YOU ALEXIS, GO UP TO YOUR ROOM." I shiver hearing my grandma call me Alexis. She never calls me that, unless i'm in extremely big trouble.
I march upstairs to my bedroom, which still doesn't have a door on it ever since I snuck out to go with Mrs. Moore to meet Gage. I hear my grandma slam our front door without telling me where she's going. I'm assuming she just wants to get away from me at the moment though.
My mind races a mile a minute about what I can do to avoid going to boarding school. I know my grandma very well, and I know when she's being serious about something, and by the way that she is acting, I can tell that she is 100% serious about sending me away.
I'm leaving...I'm leaving. That's the only thing to do. I told her she's not sending me away and I mean't it.
I grab some clothes, my tooth brush, and all my other essentials, then stuff them into my book bag. I quickly run down stairs and grab my new bike from the garage and just pedal. I don't necessarily have a plan, but I have to get out of this house, especially before either of my grandparents get back home.
I pedal non-stop for 10 minute straight and turn into the familiar neighborhood I've been in a few times since moving here. As soon as I pull up into the driveway of the house I stayed at a little over a month ago, I hop off my bike and run to the front door nervously knocking on it.
*knock, knock*
A minute goes by.
*Knock, knock*
A minute goes by.
"Please answer" I mumble under my breath, but ring the doorbell this time instead of knocking. I hear the doorknob start to shake and the door finally opens.
"Lexi" Mrs. Moore stands there in front of me with a shocked look plastered onto her face. "Hi Mrs. Moore" I say trying to avoid eye contact as much as possible. I haven't spoken to her in what seems like forever, so this is quite awkward for the both of us i'd assume. She's the only person I could come to though that my grandparents wouldn't think about contacting.
"Lexi what are you doing here?" Mrs. Moore questions, peaking her head out the door a little to make sure nobody can see us. "I need your help. I have nobody else to go to. Please, may I come in and explain everything to you." I give her my pouting begging face.
"I don't know Lexi, this isn't a good idea" She sighs. "Please, just let me explain. I'm begging you." I plead. "Fine, but you need to be gone by the time my husband gets back." I nod my head in response, but hope I can change her mind on that.
Mrs. Moore moves aside, allowing me to enter through the doorway and closes the door behind me. I walk straight into her living room based off my memory of being here last time and sit on her couch. She follows behind me without saying a word until we sit on the couch. "Okay, explain please."
"So, I got called into the principals office today and was asked about why my grades have been falling and why i've been skipping my classes a lot recently. Then Mrs. Davis ended up calling my grandparents and telling them about this, and they've been angry with me for so long so this was the cherry on top. They're threatening to send me to boarding school, but I'm not going. I can't let them send me away again. I really need your help Mrs. Moore. I know I haven't spoken to you in a while, but please, I'm begging you to help me." I quickly explain the whole story, becoming upset at the thought of actually being sent away.
"Oh my, Lexi, I'm so sorry. I-" Mrs. Moore cuts herself short of what she was going to say. A silence takes over the room, but not a very uncomfortable one. "Please, can I stay with you for a bit." A hesitant expression takes over Mrs. Moores face. "Why here?" "Because my grandparents would never think to look here. They probably forgot who you even are. I'll tell them i'm fine but that I won't go back home until they change their mind. And i'm 18 so they can't really get the cops involved if there's proof that i'm fine."
I can see that Mrs. Moore is stressing over this which worries me because I hope she doesn't say no to me. I don't know what to do or where i'll go if she doesn't let me stay with her. Once again, silence takes over the room as she's thinking about what to say next.
*Buzzing sound*
Both Mrs. Moores and my eyes attention goes straight to her ringing phone that's sitting on her coffee table. She picks it up and I can see her husbands contact name written across the screen. She gets up off the couch and answers the phone, while making her way into her kitchen.
As she's on the phone I pull mine out to see if either my grandma or grandpa has called me yet, which thankfully they haven't. I'm sure they're both still out and won't get back until it gets much later. They may be older but they sure do stay out pretty late.
Mrs. Moore comes walking back into the living room with her arms crossed and slight grin on her face. "How is it that every time you come to this house my husband just so happens to have to go away for an emergency 'business trip'" She says, holding up air quotes when she says business trip.
'Thank God' I say in my head because this probably up's the chances of her letting me stay with her now. "Umm, I don't know" I let out of a slight laugh. It is quite ironic.
She sits back on the couch and takes my hand in her's in a caring way. "I'll let you stay Lexi." A smile takes over my face. "Thank you Mrs. Moore! Thank you!" I give her a hug to express how thankful I am of her. "But there's one condition" She smiles, making me a little confused. "And that is?" I question her. "You have to call me Riley again" she chuckles.
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Omg wow it's been sooo long. I'm so sorry about that btw, but i'm glad to be back and hope you guys enjoy this new chapter. I haven't written this story in such a long time so bare with me if the writing style is a bit off. I'll be updating often so i'll get back into my old writing routine in no time. Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter and feel free to leave ang ideas you'd like to see come to life within the story!
Sorry for any spelling errors!!!