It had been a week since Topaz had stabbed me. An entire week. I know it sounds crazy, but I did end up living to tell the tale. And every news reporter wanted it - not that I would tell them.
I would never give them the satisfaction.
And I looked out the window as I scribbled feverishly into my diary.
Today will be my first day back at school, without Topaz. It will be interesting, I think, because I'll be able to walk through the doors of Green River High School and feel no fear. But there will always be ghosts, she'll still follow me. Every time I walk by that classroom, I will feel the knife plunging into me and all my blood draining out.
I sighed, staring at the now rising sun.
What would I do when I got there? What happened in the past week? Would people stare at me? They'd watch me with those blank stares they always had - the robots that they were - they really didn't care about me. They just wanted something new to gossip about on a daily basis. For some reason, I had a feeling it was going to be about me.
I watched as the bus slowly drove by my house. I threw my diary onto my bed and jogged out of my room and down the stairs. It was completely insane - I didn't have to rush. My parents were driving me to school.
"Ready to go?" my mom asked. Her hair in a complete rat's nest, her eyes were wide and unblinking. How awkward.
"Yeah."
We exited the house through the garage and she got into our old and beat up minivan.
"Your father and I were thinking, well, more of asking, if you wanted to maybe transfer schools? I know that you have a boyfrien-"
"He's not my boyfriend," I stated.
"I know that you have a boyfriend but I thought that meeting new people away from that place might help you."
I rolled my eyes. Seriously, these people that were my parents had no clue. First of all, why didn't they offer that when I was actually being bullied? Secondly, since when did they give a shit?
We pulled up at the school in record time, because we beat the stupid bus. My mom frowned at me as I unbuckled my seat belt. I frowned in response, annoyed. Could she really think that I could just run away from all my problems? Then again, what did I know about my mother? Other than the fact that she had some sort of job, didn't make food, and was generally boring, I didn't know her.
I slid out of the seat, as I opened the door, and I felt the fresh morning breeze hit my face.
"Have a nice day at school, Rayne!" my mom said cheerily.
I shut the door.
Suddenly, I felt like I shouldn't have slammed the door on her. Maybe I should have given her a chance? But when I turned around, she was already gone.
And as I strolled up to the school, I found people staring at me. I bleached the front of my bangs and the front part of my hair. Maybe that was why?
I saw Drew, leaning up against the wall of the school, talking with Will and a bunch of other guys. When he saw me, most of the other guys looked to see what he was staring at. Then they were all staring at me.
Awkward.
I continued, walking past them and straight up the stairs.
"Rayne!"
"Whaaaa- oh hey, Vic!" I smiled at him, "How are you feeling?"
"I'm better, what about you? I heard about the whole... yeah. Are you going to be okay?"
"Yeah. But what's been happening at school?"
"Oh, well," he frowned, "Things have gotten really strange lately. Between Drew and Steven, and that friend of yours? They're very strange. But I have to get going so I can uh open my locker and uh get my uh books. Uh I will ahh see you."
He literally ran away from me.
I turned and knew why.
Xander and Steven were right behind me, screaming. Drew was right there next to me though.
"YOU FAGGOT!" I heard Xander scream
Drew's eye twitched, "Don't you insult my brother, you scum!"
"Drew, just go with Rayne. Get to class," Steven said quietly.
"No," Drew growled, "I won't let this happen again! No!"
"ANDREW," I said in his ear, "NOW IS NOT THE TIME. MOVE."
With his hand in mine, I dragged him away from the brawl that was about to happen between Steven and Xander. I understood what Steven was saying - he was speaking my language - he was pushing everyone he cared about away because he didn't want us to get hurt.
He'd rather be in pain than let Xander lay a finger on either of us.
"Drew, you need to calm down," I pulled him up the steps of our school and into the hallway. He was still rigid, glaring at Xander.
Were all boys so... boyish?
I couldn't think clearly with him just being a dope. I dragged him away from all the eyes that were watching, and into the only place I could think of. Mr. Wilson's room.
"Hey," I said shutting his door, "There's a problem."
"What's up?" Mr. Wilson said non-chalantly. His dirty blonde and long hair was casually tossed over to the side, unlike his normal greased back look. He looked better that way.
"Steven and Xander. There's going to be a fight. And Drew," I glanced up at him. His jaw was clenched, and his arm grasped my waist like it was the only thing that held him to Earth. It was surreal to see him so angry, so upset, so infuriated.
Mr. Wilson reached over to the phone on the wall and dialed quickly, speaking in a hushed tone. He nodded his head a couple of times, ran his fingers through his hair, said something I couldn't exactly hear, and hung the phone back up.
"Drew, it's okay."
His hands grew tighter, "No, not until you're both safe."
"Stop it," I whined, "You know it's not possible."
"Yes. It. Is."
Just then, Mr. Wilson cleared his throat, "You two need to head to class or something because the bell has rung. I promise you that both Steven and Alexander will be just fine. Go," he urged us.
We left his room and were back in the empty hallway.
"Do you know what his secret was?" Drew frowned.
"I honestly... I don't think it will change anything."
He sat down on the floor, patting the tile next to him. The school floor was always the best place to have a serious heart to heart conversation.
"You have to understand that I've had some problems... I've done drugs before. You name it, I probably have smoked it, or snorted it," he confessed, "But Steven hasn't stopped. He's still into it. But one night a couple of months ago, he was really high. I mean, he didn't know his left from his right hand. Not that he would normally, but that's not the point. He dragged Xander into a room at that party... and they uh, you know," he blushed, "Right but then Steven realized about Xander's gender, and well, then he got pissed off that Xander was bisexual. Something along those lines. He came to me for help. And do you know what I did right after he told me? I went to Topaz."
I cringed. Her name brought me so much pain.
"So, when I brought it to her, she threatened me, and blackmailed me. If I didn't help her beat you up, then she would tell the entire school what happened between Xander and Steven. He'd be mocked. I can't stand to see him made fun of. When I broke that - promise - she told the entire school. They all knew. And I think that the only way that both Xander and Steven could retain their social statuses was if they took a side."
"You think they're just doing this... so?"
"So they'll be accepted," he said quietly.
"That makes absolutely no sense."
He raised his eyebrow.
"I'm serious, it makes no sense. Why would they want to hurt each other if they didn't like each other. Unless... oh God! That's why! Duh!"
"What?" Drew searched my eyes, "What?"
"He said the three words."
"Which are...?"
"I love you."
He inhaled deeply, "Oh."
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-BRIE'S POV-
"Do we seriously have to keep sneaking around?" I looked over at Will.
"What do you mean do we have to? I'm not forcing you," he said in a low tone, "But if anyone hears about us, do you know what would happen?"
"I don't want to know."
For some reason, this Will was not the same Will that I met the first day of freshman year - the loving and nice guy. Now he was just made of stone. It wasn't what I expected from him, at all. I thought he'd be different.
"Brie, look at me."
I looked at him.
"What I... I know there's something wrong with me. But I don't know how to fix it."
"Dump her," Brie sighed, "If she's not out of your life, how do you expect to ever move on?"
He raised his eyebrow, "Or do you just want me all to yourself?"
I shook my head. Boys were so thick sometimes, "If you're still hanging out with her and whatever else you do with her, she's still going to have control over you. Will, it's for your own good."
He sighed, staring out the car window. The rain had just begun to fall.
"Well, I have to go to class, so I will see you later," I placed my hand on the door of his SUV, right on the latch. I wanted desperately to stay but at the same time, I wanted desperately to leave. It just wasn't right.
"Wait," he reached across the seat and put his arms around me. My body bounced back to life, in a strange way, and I somehow felt like someone had dropped me in a volcano! I was on FIRE! "See you later, Brie."
"Bye," I slid out of his arms and right out the door.
The rain pounded down on the ground, like children's feet before recess. It was nutty. I was avoiding rain, I guess.
Rayne. Rain? Rayne. Rain!
I ran across the student parking lot and through the empty school yard. There weren't any people outside, which duh, it was raining, but when I got up to that giant set of double doors, I felt like turning back.
Why wasn't Will coming to school?
And why did I feel like I wasn't as important to him as he was to me?
But when I walked through the doorway, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I sighed, pulling it out.
Watch your back, someone is following you. -Will
How would he know someone was following me... Unless he was following me? Was he talking about himself? What was going on!
"Brie! Hey!" I heard Xander's voice, but I couldn't see him.
"Xander? Where are you?"
"Over here, around the corner."
I tiptoed across the squeaky tile floors over to the corner. I turned the corner. And I screamed as loudly as I could. Xander was sitting on the ground, his hands covered in blood, with a smile on his face.
"What are you screaming about?" he laughed, "I was working on my art project... I just sat down... what the hell?"
I looked up.
I was an idiot! A freaking idiot. There were red hands all over the white wall and a variety of other colored hands. I am so stupid.
"I thought it was blood," I giggled nervously, "I mean, I wasn't..."
"It's cool."
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- RAYNE'S POV -
I wondered what he was thinking about while I watched him scribble down notes. It was kind of interesting. Before that second, I thought all Drew did during class was sleep. Note to self - Drew doesn't always sleep. He must just sleep in boring classes. Then again, he would be sleeping in every class...
"So, remember guys, finish the book for tomorrow and we'll do the test. Bring in some food or something because they scheduled us for two full classes because of the AP testing," Mr. Wilson smiled, "Alright everyone, have a nice night and study!"
The bell rang in perfect time, right after the swear Mr. Wilson said. Study. Ew. What a horrible word.
"Rayne, wait," Drew closed his notebook quickly, "Do you, uh, want to, uh, go out for some, uh, food?"
I looked quizically at him, "Food?"
"Yeah," he started to walk out of the classroom. I followed right behind him, "You know, the stuff you eat. Food?"
I rolled my eyes, "I know what food is!" He was acting like I was a complete idiot which I knew, for a fact, was untrue! I had a brain and I could at least add 2 and 2, so I mean, what else did a person need to know in life? Not much, not much.
"Nah," he walked to a locker right next to the door of Mr. Wilson's classroom. He spun the lock and it popped open in almost record setting time. I literally blinked and he was done, "But did you want to go out on a, uh, a date?"
I mentally laughed. I thought I'd never see Drew afraid of anything. I guess there was something he was afraid of. Me.
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Author's Note: So I'm really bored today. I don't know what it is. And I'm so damn hungry I could eat my laptop... It's so tempting, you wouldn't understand. I like to eat shiny things. Not really.
Food. I need food. That's why Drew asked Rayne out for food because I AM HUNGRY!
Anyways, thanks for reading and being all supportive! It's always appreciated.
Oh and one little, tiny, last detail!
COMMENT AND VOTE <3
- Emma