This chapter is dedicated to @MisterunknownZ for making this awesome cover. A big thanks to you! I really love it! Thank you so much!
Venice
Strutting down the school hallways with my bag hanging on my shoulder got me the attention of the whole high school body. Basically, they knew what happened and guess what, I'm the new talk of the town. Yay. Note my sarcasm. All eyes were basically on me which made me uncomfortable when I walked towards my locker.
I knew school was a bad idea to come to in the first place.
Since I had basically missed a lot of my classes and graduation is about come by the next month, my mother basically forced me to out go to school and start being a well educated high school student. I snorted, educated my ass. She said that if I wanted to come and visit Charles at the hospital, I should start focusing with my grades and I can visit him after school days. If only she knew what he's been going through.
"Look who decided to show up at school again" I heard a hight pitched squeaky voice say from right behind me which made me glare at the thought of that voice. Of course, it was none other than Jessica.
I closed my locker shut and debated whether I should leave and walk away or talk to her. I hesitated at first but then decided to talk since I don't want her to think that i'm a chicken or a coward, I wasn't any of those though "Education is the key to my future, how about you? I'm sure school isn't as important to you as boys are" I remarked turning to face her. She was standing along with her other group of friends and Josh was nowhere in sight. That's odd.
She looked taken aback by my words which made her glare nastily at me "For your information, i'm graduating along with you this year" she spoke pointing her manicured nails icily towards me.
"Well, congratulations" I gave her a fake smile of acknowledgemnt "Now excuse me, I have to take a test that I missed" I was about to walk away from her sight when she suddenly intercepted right in front of me "Move" I spoke a bit annoyed, she was nearing me and blocking my way to class. I was far too tired to pick up a fight with her sensing that I haven't had sleep for the past few days. Eversince my dance with Charles, I just got less and less sleep each day. Our dance made me think of the things that might actually happen between us, he was still the same cold jerk before but I think he got used to my presence now.
"Listen here bitch, you might have got your precious little boyfriend with you but you will never get Josh"
I stared at her dumbfoundedly "Why the hell would I get Josh from you?"
"Because he still fucking likes you!" I heard her voice shake a little, she looked like she was about to choke "And no matter how hard I try to love him, he still loves you!" She looked like she might lose her temper with me. Her words caught me by surprise actually, I never expected that she would tell me this "So, i'm warning you, just stay away from Josh or else..."
I crossed my arms over my chest with a confused look on my face "Or else what?"
Her expression suddenly changed, her eyes became dark and she smirked at me. She took a step nearing me and whispered right into my ear "We wouldn't want everyone to know about your precious little white lie wouldn't we?"
I suddenly stood frozen on my ground with a mixed expression of confusion and anger "How did you--"
"Know? Puh-lease, you think you can actually fool a girl like me Ven?" She laughed humourlessly with an amout of fakeness sorrounding her presence "So, if you don't want me to kiss and tell, you better stay away from Josh, got it bitch?"
I nastily glare at her with an amount of anger boiling right inside my head, thinking of ways on how to kill her. Maybe I should just ship her off to Antarctica or chop her body off and feed them to the sharks, that would actually be a great idea but that might end up with me wearing an orange jumpsuit in prison "Whatever" I replied hastily and before she could even think of ways to block me off again, I sprinted and went off towards my class.
---
"Do you mind if I sit here?" I was currently in the middle of eating my well to-go lunch in the cafeteria, alone when someone suddenly appeared righ in front of me smiling like an idiot, it was none other than Seth.
"Do you mind if I say no?" I was currently not in the mood for his presence today sensing that he has a close relationship with my ex boyfriend which Jessica clearly implented to stay away from. I continued to eat my lunch and sensing Seth, he wouldn't take no for answer, I scoffed and looked at him "Figures"
"You know me too well Ven" he chuckles and ate his apple, he was currently sitting right across me with a smug expression on his face.
"Okay, what's the deal Se--"
Before I could even finish up my sentence, Austin came in view and went to take a seat right beside his friend which made me gape at the two idiots sitting right across from me "Seriously?" I look at them deadpanned with an amount of annoyance.
The two of them chuckled amusingly in my presence "It's a free country Ven, were allowed to sit anywhere we like!" Austin perked up happily which made me laugh at his stupidity.
"Okay, whatever floats up your boat"
They chuckled once again which made me roll my eyes in annoyance, I averted my gaze towards Austin and gave him knowing smile "I'm sensing that you already know"
He nodded his head and gave me a smile, a smile that I would never expect to see from Austin Carter "I was a jerk for taking advantage of her but nevertheless, i'm happy to start my life with her and our baby, Abigail" he explained which made me turn my head to Seth with a shocked look on our faces.
"Austin Carter, I would have never expected you to talk that seriously man!" Seth perked up jokingly patting his friend's back proudly, Austin must've told him about their baby "I'm so proud of you little brother from another mother!" He hugged him tightly which made Austin squirm like a little girl.
I laugh at the two idiots, if looks could kill, they looked like two gay guys who are in love with each other except for the other one who squirms like a girl "Change of topic guys, what are you two doing here with me anyway?" I pointed my fingers at them both with a raised eyebrow "I thought you hated my guts" I averted my gaze towards Austin, which was specifically true, he hated me when me and Josh dated and I still don't know whether or not he hates me now since he already has a baby with my bestfriend "And you specifically won't talk to me anymore eversince the breakup" I then turned my gaze to Seth. We barely talked at Andy's party and he told me that he's not allowed to be seen with me, his friends hated my guts.
"We know" Seth looked down from the table with a sigh "And were sorry"
"Deeply sorry!" Austin said and like Seth, he too was looking down from the table, it looked like both of the boys looked guilty enough for a crime "I was a jerk for hating you because you broke my friends heart but now I know the truth about Jessica and how she tore you guys apart, i'm really sorry Ven, is there a chance that I could be your friend? Because seriously, I don't like my friends anymore, well except Seth of course"
I bit my bottom lip looking over at Austin, he seems honest and he looks hella serious, heck there are only times when this guy is serious! "I forgive you, how about you?" I then averted my head towards Seth who was looking guiltily as charged.
Seth sigh heavily and ran a hand through his hair "I was an idiot for not talking to you Ven, you were my best friend and you were the only one that gets my feelings. When you and Josh broke up, I was confused on whose side I would choose" He looked at me as he spoke back again "I chose Josh though, he was my best friend since kindergarten after all but then I felt bad for myself that I have hurted the only girl that could ever rely on me and when I knew about Josh's wrongdoings towards you, I knew I made the wrong choice. I sided with the wrong person, I made the wrong choice. So, here I am trying to ask for forgiveness to the only person that ever gets me and my silliness and that's my girl bestfriend" He winked at the last sentence making me giggle at his stupid antics of flirting "Do I still stand a chance to be your best friend again?"
"Come here you idiots!" I stand up from my seat and extended my hands for them to hug me. They both laughed as they looked at me and before I knew it, they crashed me into a tight bear hug which made me squirm "Okay guys, I understand that your muscular and all but please don't break the bones" They just laughed at me in reply which made me huff in annoyance "I'm serious!"
---
Tick tock.
Tick tock.
Tick tock.
2 more minutes till this period of agony ends and I can finally get out of this hellohole! Mr. Turner was currently discussing about the nuclear energy shits and he was boring me to death! I get that he wanted us to learn about that creepy shit and all but the way he talks is just so...Boring.
Everybody looked bored out of their minds and I can't blame them at all. I tapped my pen impatiently on my table as I counted the remaining minutes of Science. 1 more minute and i'm out of this. Austin must've notice my impatience since he chuckled out a laugh from right behind me, I turned at him and gave him the nastiest glare that I could ever give him, he gulped at me and avoided my gaze. I scoffed, that scared him off.
The bell finally rang through the corridors signaling that it's already time to go. I heave in a sigh of relief, yes. Finally, I can get out of this stupid room named classroom. Before I can finally get out of the room, Mr. Turner suddenly perked up from his desk table "Ms. Halsey, may I have a talk with you for a moment?"
I stopped midway through the door and turned my heel back again to face Mr. Turner. His face was as serious as the headmaster. Oh no, by talk, does he mean that i'm in deep trouble? "Whats the catch Mr. Turner?" I gave him a smile that wasn't too cheeky nor happy, it was some kind of smile that our headmaster would give us whenever he greeted us through the hallways.
"I don't really know how to say this but Ms. Halsey, you're failing my class" He sigh in deep dissapointment as his eyes looked at me in concern "You've barely attended class for the past few weeks, you rarely listen to my discussion and you always fail on my tests!" He stressed out on me "I'm sorry to say Ms. Halsey but if you want to pass this class, you better boost up your grades and have a tutor if you want to graduate"
My mouth gaped open in shock. Is he being serious? He can't do that to me! Doesn't he get that Science was far by the worst subject of them all, including Math. But atleast I didn't fail in Math! Mr. Turner is seriously killing my happiness right now "You can't be serious Mr. Turner? I want to graduate for pete's sake!"
He looked at me seriously and folded his arms neatly on his desk table "If you want to pass my class and graduate, hire a tutor"
"But I don't have any! And I seriously don't know a single person whose intelligent in Science!"
"Mr. Fray can teach you" he spoke and took out a paper on his desk "He's a top student in my class and i'm sure it wouldn't be a bother to him, I can make an arrangement for you both if you want" He suggested eyeing the paper with his hand.
No fucking way. Josh?! Josh fucking Fray? He's good at Science? Heck, he's a top student? I mean, Josh is like a guy who doens't give a thing or two about his classes and now he says that Josh is a top student and can be my tutor? Life is totally fucking with me right now! "No way! He can't tutor me! I can't be seen with that guy!" I suddenly bursted out which made me clasp my mouth as quickly as possible. Oh no. What have I just done?
"What do you mean by that Miss Halsey?"
"N-n-nothing!" I quickly responded.
He shook his head in disbelief and sighed, placing down the paper on his desk table, it was a test paper, Josh's test paper and he was examing it. I quietly took a peek on his paper and I quickly gaped at it in surprise, he fucking have an A plus! Even I couldn't earn an A plus in science, this boy is fucking with me "Look Ms. Halsey, let me say it again, if you want to pass my class and graduate, you need a tutor, and that the only person who can teach you is Mr. Fray, that's if you agree if he can be your tutor?" Mr. Turner said with a questioning look on his face awaiting for my answer.
Oh fuck. I badly want to pass this class and I really need to graduate, I can't live another year in this school, i'll be like the oldest and all my batch mates would be off to college except for me. As much as I wanted to decline the offer of having a tutor, it was my only way to pass and I didn't care of what Jessica would do if she sees me hanging out with her ex boyfriend! I need to decide whether I want to pass this class and let Josh help me and I couldn't agree more to Mr. Turner's suggestion.
"Fine, Josh can tutor me"
I'm dead. So dead.
Goodbye social status.