Chapter 29 – Getting Back Up
The sight that greeted me the moment I opened my eyes, was Alec--- half naked. He was standing in front of the mirror buttoning his black pants. He was getting ready for school. As if he'd know I was awake, he turned his head to look directly towards me.
A sweet soft smile was soon on his face. "Good morning, love."
I knew his voice should have tons of electricity towards my body, but at the moment, I felt lifeless. Propping my elbows on the bed, I sat up. Alec quickly put on a blue sweatshirt that complimented his blue eyes. His eyes scared me so I looked anywhere but that.
"Want to get breakfast?" he asked, walking slowly, almost cautiously, towards me.
The thought of getting food in my system didn't appeal me. The only thing that sounded appealing was sleep. I just want to sleep as long as possible with no interruption.
"I don't really feel up for that," I answered.
In fact, I wasn't up for anything. Not even school. If only, I could drop out.
Alec sat on the side of the bed but made no physical contact. I tried my best to avoid his eyes for it had the same color of the eyes that I feared the most. I had to remind myself that Alec's was different. His eyes were warm and filled with love. It was so much different from the other.
"Do you wanna stay all day in bed again?" he asked in concern.
I did. A lot. But one look at Alec told me he was worried. Maybe my lack of motivation to do anything was alarming. I certainly did not want to alarm him. So taking my courage, I stood up from his bed.
"No, just want to skip breakfast," I lied.
The smile that Alec had on his face was priceless. It was a mixture of happiness and pride. He was happy and proud that I was going to do my best to get through the day. And besides, I do need to get my ass back to work.
Thinking about the final project and how much damage I have done towards it made me feel anxious. I bet my groupmates are fuming in anger by now. We were so far behind and we haven't even shoot for any of my parts.
"Let's get this day over with."
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I was on my third period, History, when Ms. Miles, the principal's secretary walked in the room. She talked to Mr. Duncan for a moment then both of their eyes were directed towards me. I didn't even realize that I was bitting my fingernails until Sasha pulled my hand away from my mouth.
"That's gonna hurt and look ugly," she said softly towards me.
Words seemed to abandon me lately. I couldn't say anything or even make the slightest gesture that I was acknowledging my friend's concern. Instead, I focused back to Mr. Duncan and Ms. Miles.
"Ms. Adams, Mr. Marks wants to see you. You're excused," Mr. Duncan announced in class.
It took me a few moments to process what he said. I just stared at him dumbfounded and unmoving.
"Well? What are you waiting for?" he snapped.
That got me back to my senses. I grabbed my bag from the floor and walked out of the room with Ms. Miles.
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The walk towards the principal's office seemed like forever. Ms. Miles was beside me but uttered no words. There was no explanation as to why I was being called, but I've got my ideas. It scared me. The feeling of not knowing what was going to happen frightened me. I wanted Alec to be with me, hell I wanted Sasha to be with me, even Tate and Leo would do. But at this moment I was alone.
This was the first time in years that I was suddenly wishing I was with someone. It felt like I wouldn't be able to manage anything on my own.
All too soon, we were in the office. Next thing I knew I was seated on the white chair in front of Mr. Marks' desk.
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My very colorful attendance didn't go unnoticed by the school board. I was notorious for skipping class and being late. And being the new girl was not going to cover that.
I watched Mr. Marks animatedly talk in front of me. He was pacing around the room with his face red. I wish I could listen to him, but my mind was not in the room. I was distracted. My mind was flying into places I wish I'd been. The only thing I could think about were those horrible blue eyes.
"Tori, are you even listening to me?" he snapped.
I blinked trying to focus on the man in front of me. "Ye-yeah."
Mr. Marks threw his head back in frustration. His hands were on their either side of his waist. After a few moments of silence, he looked at me as if he was observing me.
I tried my best not to think much about the silence that was spreading around the room. But it was making me anxious. My hands fidgeted on my lap as I impatiently waited for him to say something. This was it. I knew it the moment I was called into the office. The school was expelling me.
Slowly, Mr. Marks sat on his chair behind his desk. He placed his hands firmly on the desk with concern lurking in his eyes. His burrows furrowed together as if he was in deep thought.
"Is something bothering you, Tori?" he asked.
My mind was in a debate whether I was gonna lie to him or tell him the truth. Before I could even process what I was saying I was already answering his question.
"I haven't been myself lately," I answered.
He nodded his head in understanding. "You see, Tori. The number of absences on your record is alarming. You are so close to being expelled. If something is bothering you, you can tell me. But if that's uncomfortable, we have an in house therapist."
The thought of having a therapist never crossed my mind. But with what was happening to me, maybe getting therapy was something I needed.
"You don't have to call my parents, right?" I found myself asking.
A frustrated sigh escaped his lips. "I do have to."
Something in me panicked. As much as I hate what my parents have done, I still loved them. Yeah maybe in my early years they've been absent. But they were also there for me when I needed them. My mom even quitted her job to take care of me full time while my dad got a job somewhere near the city so that he could be with me as much as possible. So the thought of them hearing that their child was now close to expulsion was something I dread. I didn't want to put that into them. They've been through enough.
"No. Please. There must be something I could do. Uhm, I promise not to skip or ditch my class anymore."
Surprisingly, Mr. Marks nodded his head. "We can agree unto that. Provided that you will get therapy. Don't worry, there will be no prescription of medicines. Just someone who can help you deal with what you're going through."
"Deal. Just please, my parents doesn't need to hear this. They've been through enough."
Maybe it was about time I become the daughter they deserve.
"And you'll have to catch up with the things that you have missed. That including taking every pop quiz given during the times you've skipped class and submitting whatever homework was given that you weren't able to accomplish. This must be done within a month."
A month? I've missed so much. It seems impossible. But I knew I had to try. I had to. For my parents.
"Yes, I can do that."
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My mind was everywhere but school. The whole day I was practically doing things without fully comprehending what I was doing. It was like I was in autopilot. The thought of getting therapy seemed to faze me.
I was in the elevator towards my last class, Theatre, with my friends. They were chatting away but Sasha looked at me with a concerned look while Alec was not here.
"Tori?" she grabbed my attention.
After slowly processing that she called me, I looked at her with a passive questioning look.
"Are you all right?"
Leo and Tate who were busy talking before shut their mouths and looked at me with the same question in their face.
The look that they gave me made me bit my lip and clutch my notebooks that I was holding. Damn, this anxiety thing was something.
Tate flashed a smile, but I could sense that was just him trying to light up the mood.
"Sasha, stop being nosy. Tori was just having some quiet down time with herself. I like it. It's like she's meditating," he joked.
I managed to give him a small smile at that.
Before any of us could say anything else, the elevator door opened with a ding. We got out and head towards the auditorium. The auditorium was in a craze. It was filled with tons of lights, props, cameras, microphones and other film making stuff (whatever they're called).
"Listen, Tori, I just-" Leo started.
But he was cut off by a tall guy with bright purple hair. The guy walked towards me in a rush.
"Sorry, Leo. But I need her. Like right now," he said.
To say I was confused was an understatement. I didn't even know the guy. He placed his hand at the small of my back making me stiff.
"Tori, I'm Frintz. I'm the head of the styling committee," he introduced as he led me towards the backstage then to a dressing room.
Inside the room were three girls. They were all busy but once Frintz and I walked in, they stopped whatever they were doing and walked towards us with a gleeful smile upon their faces.
"Hi, Tori. I'm Jam and I'll be doing you make up," a girl with a red hair and freckles on her cheeks said as she shook my hand.
"I'm Tessa. I'll be doing your hair," another girl introduced herself.
"Lastly, but definitely not the least," a perky girl said with a huge smile on her face like she was on too much red bull, "I'm Liza, I'll be dressing you up like you're a hollywood actor."
Frintz chuckled as if he was pleased with the way girls introduced herself. "Okay, Tori. I'll be leaving you with these three."
As soon as he finished his sentence he was gone and three started to hover over me.
"Woah, ladies. Chill," I said.
They stopped whatever they were doing and looked at me in anticipation.
When I didn't say anything Tessa smiled sheepishly.
"Sorry, Tori. It's just that we're behind schedule and they filming committee need you pampered and dolled up in 30 minutes," she informed me.
With that said I sat down on the chair and let them do their work. It was my fault as to why my group was behind. Just because I had my mental breakdown, my groupmates had to suffer the consequences.
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By the time I got back to my dorm it was already past eleven. Both of my roommates were in their rooms and the lights were turned off. We managed to shoot about a quarter of my parts. Alec and I didn't talk much. Everybody was all over the place making both of us do things giving us no time to talk to one another.
Living my bag on the desk, I grabbed my toiletries and towel and headed straight to the bathroom. After the long day, I needed a loooong shower. Completely naked, I turned the shower on. I didn't even wait for the water to heat, I just let the cold water hit my skin.
I stayed in the shower, savouring the feel of the hot water piercing my body. I just lost track of time. The only thing that could tell me that I've been in shower for too long was that my fingers where starting to look like prunes.
The only time I remembered that I left my notebooks in the dressing room was once I was dressed to sleep and was in my bed. I took a few moments to mentally debate if I was gonna get it tomorrow or get it now. The latter prevailed. I didn't even bother to take my sweet time. I just freaking ran. My movements were fast as if I was running for my life. Opening the front door, there Alec stand with his phone in his hand.
MY
HEART
STOPPED.
Wait, what? Noo.
A startled look was on his face and I was pretty sure I had the same look. What the hell was he doing here? Once he recovered from the shock, he pulled his phone away from his ear and smiled at me. My gosh that smile. MY. GOSH.
"Um, I've been trying to call you but you weren't answering," he said as if that explains why he was here.
But that clearly didn't.
"I haven't checked my phone, sorry. Why are you here?" I asked.
His cheeks instantly blushed at the realization. He awkwardly lifted his hand where he held my notebooks. "I just thought you might need these. You left it at your dressing room."
He gave me the notebooks.
"Thank you, Alec."
And just like that. We both stood in front of one another with no words coming out of our mouths. It was awkward.
Alec rubbed the back of his neck and lightly cleared his throat as if it was to ease the awkwardness in the air.
"Well, good night."
"Good night."
He was in a halfway to turning his back to me when I stopped him out of instinct.
"Actually, do you wanna come in?" I said.
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Here yah go!
I feel like I'm losing it gah.
Anyway, thank you for those who stayed haha!
Always smile :)
xx