Dedicated to Little_Cyndi for making the beautiful cover in the sidebar :)
IMPORTANT:
Before anyone gets too pissed about this upload, I was rushed. Do you guys not understand me when I say that I'm SUPER busy? No, I'm not mad about the 'please update' comments because those don't bother me. The ones that DO bother me are when they say 'you better update or I'm going to take your story off of my library. This is ridiculous, you shouldn't have us hanging. I hate you.' Yeah, I really got that message over PM. So if you guys want a high-quality update that is worth reading, don't be a bitch to me because you'll get it right back.
But other than that, I hope you guys do understand that I love you all (the nice fans) and I won't quit just because this is a really busy time for me. Please continue reading this story because some MAJOR things are going to happen soon! :)
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The pounding music from Dillon’s birthday party made it impossible for me to fall asleep. I, of course, was trapped in my room because I refused to show my face when it’s not absolutely necessary. I hate the kids at my school but I know that they hate me even more. Well, they hate the person that they think that I am. They hate the person that Kayla made up and who Lindsay proved with that video sent around.
I groaned and continued watching the really bad, old television shows that only showed up in the middle of the night but I could barely hear it and watched the overacted motions of the screen. With a huge sigh, I shook a little because I really needed to pee but I couldn’t leave my room without the possibility of being spotted. Plus I’m in my pajamas. I don’t think I want to go out there.
But oh, did I need to pee.
I groaned for a second time in the past minute or so and walked over to my door then stopped. I put my ear to it but the only thing I could hear was the pounding of the music. Does that mean that no one is out there if I couldn’t hear talking? Deciding to take the risk, I ran out of my room without closing the door first and went straight for the bathroom. After doing my thing, I walked more casually yet still on alert to my room but when I heard some giggling on the stairs, I moved quicker and then gasped when I saw what was awaiting me.
A note. Only one word was written on my mirror in lipstick with a kiss by it. Seriously couldn’t they had used something less cliché and trashy? Regardless, the ‘slut’ marked into my personal item hit a rough patch in my heart and silent tears fell. I went to go close my door to go back to my personal hell when someone stopped it with his or her foot. I watched as Kayla stepped into my room with a huge smirk on her face and her followers, including Lindsay, behind her as always.
“Like our message?” She sneered then laughed long and hard as she took in my broken appearance. “Man, this is good. I’m loving this way too much.”
“Why do you hate me?” My voice cracked and I wrapped one arm around my torso while the other reached up to whip away the tears. “I’ve never done anything to you.”
She actually seemed to falter for a moment but then continued her facade. “Think back in time, Peyton. You’ll probably remember something because I sure can.”
“Hey, what’s going on here?”
I halfway expected Jace or Dillon to come out of nowhere but who I didn’t expect was Chase, one of the guys on the dance team who I actually get along with. Well, did get along with before this drama. I haven’t been to practice so I don’t know how everyone there is going to treat me. The usual smile on his face was still there but as soon as he saw Kayla standing defiantly, me crying, and the ‘slut’ written on my mirror, the grin left.
“Get away from her!” He yelled at Kayla. “Man, why do you guys have to ruin someone’s life? She made a mistake, big whoop. We all make them so why do you have to bring someone down for your own entertainment?”
I smiled a little but Kayla’s smug expression didn’t leave her face as she looked me straight in the eye and spoke her next sentence, “She deserved it.” Then with a turn of her heel, she and the others left me alone with Chase.
“Uh, thank you…” I mumbled. “Now have fun at the party—“
“Do you need some company?”
I looked up to stare at him. The grin had returned mixed with something else in his eyes that I couldn’t quite put. “Why are you talking to me? Why did you stand up for me? Don’t you know what’s being said around school?”
“Just because some rumors are going around doesn’t mean that they’re true. Like you said in the cafeteria, there’s probably more to the story that people don’t know so why should everyone freak out over it? Plus, I’m too mature to spread shit about people who are obviously good.”
I turned a little pink and looked down but not before moving some red hair into my face to cover my tears and red eyes that seem to live on me from all the crying I’ve been doing lately. “Well, thanks but I think I’d much rather be alone.”
Chase held up his hands in surrender. “Whatever you say but Peyton? If you ever need a friend, I’m here. I’ll sit with you at lunch, take you to school, whatever you need. I know that Dillon, Jace, and your friend, Lauren is it?” I nodded. “Well I know that they’re not exactly on your side right now but you can count on me.”
I froze a little. Was this another one of Kayla’s plots? Did she seriously want yet another guy to screw me over just for some sort of revenge thing she’s pulling? I looked into Chase’s eyes but saw nothing but a genuine friend. Without warning, I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around his muscular torso that has come out of him from years of dancing.
“Thank you,” I whispered. “You don’t know how much this means to me.”
“No problem, Red,” He laughed at his little nickname he made for me on the spot. “You’re like a little sister to me and I hate seeing you hurt from all of this crap.”
We pulled back from each other and he patted my shoulder before getting back to the party. I sighed and looked at my mirror, the lipstick still there so I had to go get something to clean it up with. After yet another trip to the bathroom for some cleaning supplies, I went back to my room then dropped everything when I saw someone sitting on my bed.
Well, now Jace is here…
Let me get something straight, I haven’t talked to him since that time with Cara. The message on the Internet means nothing to me because it’s probably another plot that Kayla made for my feelings to grow for him and leave me even more alone than before but I’m not buying it.
“Can you please get out?” I muttered and starting picking everything up. When I was done, I noticed that he hasn’t moved an inch. “Now?”
“I don’t want you to hate me,” He stood up and for the first time I realized that his crutches didn’t accompany him.
“It’s a little too late for that. So now it’s time for you to… Don’t come to me,” I started backing up when Jace took steps towards me and not to the door.
“Please, Pey. You have no idea how hard it was—“
“Just stop!” I yelled as I started leaving my room to just get away from Jace who was still moving towards me. His light eyes were locked with my brown ones and I found it impossible to look away. “Please!”
“Just let me talk to you with no interruptions and I’ll stop.”
I continued backing away but once I reached the stairs, I didn’t realize it and tripped. I started falling backwards and my head hit the wall before Jace caught my arm preventing me from falling completely down the stairs. He pulled me to his body instinctively and I cringed away from him, hurt obviously reflecting in both of our eyes but along with that, I knew there was betrayal in mine.
“Sorry…”
“You should be,” I was about to walk to my room again but Jace stood in my way still. “Seriously, leave me alone. Haven’t I gone through enough already all because of you?”
“I’m sorry about that too but I had to—“
“You weren’t forced. There were many other ways that you could’ve done to earn the money that you needed,” My eyes found his. “I trusted you and now look where I am now.”
I pushed past him and walked to my room with him closely following. I was about to close my door until I heard him talk for yet another time.
“I’m sorry. I really am. I wish this hadn’t happened because I honestly do want to be friends with you again,” I heard him sigh deeply. “Look, when I talked about all those personal topics, I wasn’t lying. So if we could put this whole thing behind us—“
“Tell the school the truth then I’ll consider it,” the words came out of my mouth. I turned around and looked him straight in the eyes. “I don’t like being the bad guy in this situation.”
He pursed his lips together and looked down. “I can’t… Kayla still wants to do this and I need the money—“
“Bye, Jace.”
I closed my door and locked it behind me before he could open it again. He hands started pounding on my door to open it again so we could finish talking but I just sunk to the ground and let the sobs come out.
I looked up at the mirror that still held the message that Kayla and the others had written. Slut. I wiped some tears off my cheeks, drew my knees to my chest, and rested my chin on my arms while I continued listening to Jace pounding on my door until all his attempts just stopped.
I thought about the whole Jace/Kayla situation mixed with the Dillon/Lauren one and how the whole school hates me other than Chase. What did I ever do to deserve this?
After hours passed, the party finally quieted down and I was able to fall asleep only to wake up mere hours later on my own. I got up, got dressed, and walked downstairs to get some breakfast. Along the way I saw many people passed out on the ground. I got some food then waited for Sean to come over to practice our part in Romeo and Juliet. After some time had passed, some of the people that had passed out here made their way out but some were still here. The ones leaving would notice me then glare. Whenever a new person came, I tried to bury myself into the cushions of the couch and hope to never be found again.
Another hour or so came and left before Sean finally made an appearance and I brought him to my room so I wouldn’t have to see any of the other people that hate me. Of course the door was open, Dillon’s rules about boys in my room still stand even though we’re not exactly on speaking terms.
“So, how are you?” He asked awkwardly then he took in my expression. “That was a stupid question, sorry.”
I smiled slightly and ran a hand through my hair. “Well I’m not the cheeriest person in the world right now.”
My words brought on an awkward silence so I decided to change the subject by suggesting we should start rehearsing. He nodded and we went along with our lines and actions perfectly… until the kiss part came.
“Look, you don’t have to kiss me if you don’t want to—“
“No, it’s fine… This is just acting,” I said and made the first move to connect my lips with his or rather Romeo’s. As soon as they touched, I realized that this is the first time in what seems like a long time that I’ve genuinely been close to someone. I wanted to forget Jace and I didn’t care that I was using Sean for that to happen.
“Peyton…” He mumbled through my lips.
I ignored him and continued with the kiss until Sean pulled away and held me away at arms length.
“Why did you stop?” My voice quivered.
“Because I know that you’ll regret this.”
Those words made something spark inside of me and words started pouring out of my mouth. “So you hate me too? Is that it? No one wants me. No one wants to talk to me. Everybody hates me. Well, except Cara and Chase but everyone else just despises me now! They don’t know anything! The whole thing was fake, the video wasn’t the whole conversation!”
“I could never hate you, Peyton and I know that there’s more to the story.”
I felt the tears coming down my face and I wrapped my arms around my body self-consciously. “Then why didn’t you kiss me?”
He put a hand on my knee like a friend would do because nothing was intimate about it. “Like I said, you would regret it and hate yourself even more if I let you go even further. Plus, I don’t want you to hate me even more than you already do.”
A little smile rose onto my lips, which in return made one come onto his. I knew I surprised him when I wrapped my arms around his body because he froze but after a few seconds he hugged me back. At this one moment, I didn’t care that he had cheated on me or even punched me, he was one of the only people that volunteered at least a little comfort and I loved that.
“Well,” I said and pulled away from him. “Let’s get back to practice. I promise not to go overboard this time,” With another genuine smile, I wiped away my remaining tears and wisped some red hair behind my ear before reading the script again.
“Peyton…” I looked up at Sean who was messing around with his fingers.
“Yeah?”
He finally looked up and met my eyes before saying a sentence filled with so much sincerity that it actually made me smile. “I’m sorry.”
I blushed a little and nodded once. “Thank you,” I whispered then went back to the script. A little grin came onto my lips because this was the first apology that I’ve felt was true that has come from him.
Rehearsing went surprisingly well. There were no more kisses turned intense or talk about the past, only us and our characters. I found myself laughing and enjoying this time with Sean even though in the past he hurt me. What’s that saying? The past is in the past and look toward the future? Maybe that’s what I should do because he apologized and proved himself to be a nice person. I’m not saying get back together with him, only become friends or something close to that. But what if he’s in a new plan with Kayla?
I had to resist the urge to groan out loud because I can never truly trust someone now all because of her and Jace’s little scheme. Her original plan only consisted of me getting hurt, not having the whole school turn on me, lose my brother and best friend, and not be able to trust anyone now. Kayla’s plan succeeded her expectations and I know for a fact that she’s happy with all the suffering that I’m going through.
After the first kiss in the scene for another round of practice, Sean as Romeo gave a smile and spoke his lines, “’Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take. Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged.’”
I continued as Juliet, “‘then have my lips the sin that they have took.’”
“’Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged! Give me my sin again.’”
I met his lips for another Romeo and Juliet kiss. This time it held more passion than the other because that is what the script called for. After a few seconds, we pulled away from each other with smiles and my eyes darted to something, rather someone, at the door of my room.
“Well, I guess you’re back to having another boyfriend,” Dillon said gruffly and I noticed the pole that he likes to have at his parties resting against the wall in the hallway.
“We’re just rehearsing—“
“Save it, Peyton,” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I didn’t believe it when people said how desperate you are but for some reason, this proves it to me.”
My brother walked out the door in that moment so I gave Sean an apologetic smile before running after him. Let me tell you, for having a hangover my brother is pretty fast because when I caught up with him, he was already in the front yard.
“Dillon, stop!” I grabbed his arm. “You never listen to me!”
He turned around and made me lose my grip on him in the process. “Why should I?” He fumed. “All you do is tell lies now. Things about Jace, Sean, and even Kayla.”
I cocked an eyebrow up, “I never told any lies about Kayla.”
“Really? Because I’m pretty sure that you’ve never told me how serious she hates you and right now, you’re paying for it because she is spreading a lot of shit about you all because of the Jace thing.”
I looked down, “Look, I wanted to tell you but I didn’t want you getting angry!”
Dillon snorted and ran a hand through his hair. “Oh yeah? Well right now I’m just peachy.”
He turned to leave again but I grabbed his arm roughly. “Dillon, stop! You should be on my side, I’m your sister and family should be the most important thing.”
“Where did you learn that? You surely didn’t from our parents. Do you even know why they’re gone all the time, Peyton? It’s because of you and your stupid fear of fire!”
My arm dropped to my side as if it had been electrocuted because Dillon’s words hurt. I’ve always known that was true. Hell, I’ve heard it being said out loud before but never to my face. I’m the reason that our family is broken up. I’m the reason that Dillon has never experienced having true parents that make you dinner and loved you. If only I hadn’t been born or I had actually died in that fire and none of this would be happening right now. I felt the tears dribble down my face and I looked at Dillon as his expression turned from furious to regretful.
“Shit, I’m sorry, Pey—“
“No,” I interrupted him. “It’s true… I’m the reason behind everyone’s lives being hell now. Yours, Sean’s, Kayla’s, Jace’s, Lauren’s, and even mom and dad… It’s all my fault.”
“No, don’t think like that—“
I looked him straight in the eyes and wrapped my jacket tighter around my body trying to make myself disappear. I put my head down so a curtain of red hair fell into my face. My next plan is to just disappear from my old friends’ minds. I don’t want to cause anymore horrible things that mess up people’s lives. Overall, this is the best solution for everyone. When I spoke the next sentence, my voice was barely above a whisper.
“I’m doing what I should’ve done a long time ago.”
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Hey, would anyone like a Jace POV coming up?