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Taking a deep breath, I clutched onto my lunch bag and stepped into the cafeteria towards our usual table.
Oliver followed behind me with his own lunch. He watched me carefully, stepping with slow steps behind me.
His foot hit my heel and I tripped a bit, but caught myself. "Sorry, my mistake," He stepped back quickly and waited for me to speak.
"It's fine," I huffed and continued to the table. I waited for Oliver and then sat down next to him.
Since he was new, he hadn't met anyone yet and I usually let the new kids sit with us until they found their usual friend group. However, I was nervous about it. Today it was clearly different.
Kacen was eating in complete silence and Thea was doing homework. Her food was abandoned next to her, not even a single carrot had been touched, which made me feel anxious.
"Um, hi. Hope it's okay if I sit with you guys today?" Oliver waited for an answer but didn't get a response from either of them, so he just sat and began eating his food.
"You've known him for what? Ten minutes? And you're already inviting him to our table?" Kacen scoffed and Thea slammed her pencil onto the table.
"Seriously, she always does this!" Thea grabbed a carrot and started crunching down on it anxiously. The carrots satisfying crunch seemed to calm Thea enough to continue eating.
"I'm sorry, I can sit somewhere else-" Oliver started to stand when Kacen answered.
"Please do!" Kacen rolled his eyes and ran his fingers down his face.
"No, please don't. I'm sorry, you shouldn't have to be put in the middle of this," I grabbed onto Oliver's arm so he wouldn't leave. Even though I barely knew him I felt like I was going to need all the support I could get, and he just happened to be there at the right moment.
He sat back down and watched Kacen's glare darken. "Can't we just eat?" Thea snapped another carrot in-between her teeth.
"Whatever you do, don't fall for her, she doesn't have a mark like yours - I'm sure of that. Oh, but I'm sure she's already told you all about it." Kacen growled, shoving his tray of food towards Thea and running his fingers through his hair.
"Oh, uh-" I didn't let Oliver finish before standing up.
"We need to talk. Now!" I started walking towards the doors, my heart racing at my sudden urge. After a minute Kacen finally gave in - thanks to Thea's deathly glare.
As soon as we made it into the empty hall, I continued to walk until we made it outside. Looking both ways and glancing towards the cameras, making sure they weren't the kind to carry sound, I took a deep breathe.
"What the heck, Kacen? I tried to be understanding and give you time-"
"So this is my fault now?" He cut in, rolling his eyes. He turned away from me, his hand in his hair as it was when he had any sign of confliction at his fingertips. "I'm not the one keeping such secrets and leading you right off a cliff."
"What are you even talking about?!"
"Are you," He turned to face me, his face holding a pained expression. "Are you serious right now?! We've known each other for years, and you never thought to tell me that, oh I don't know, you're a blank?"
Sighing deeply, I shook my hands at my sides. "Why does it matter so much?"
"Unbelievable," He dragged his hands over his hair again and looked away from me.
"You have to understand that I didn't tell you not because I didn't want to, but because I couldn't," My heart was racing and I felt sick as the words fell from my lips.
"But yet, Thea knew? Funny how that works, isn't it?"
"Kacen, gosh. It was an accident! I didn't tell her, she was helping me put a dress on for one of those work parties because I couldn't reach the zip and saw my bare back where I told her my mark was. If I would have remembered, I wouldn't have asked for her help. I promise you."
"Why couldn't you have just told me? Do you not trust me?" For once the last few days, he looked genuine in his words. It wasn't anger, or a look of betrayal, it was simply hurt. His eyes glazed over and he rubbed his hands over his face to stop from crying.
"Of course I trust you. I trust you with my life!" My own eyes brimmed with tears as I tried to find the right words.
"I'm a weed, and you know what people do with weeds? They kill them. We don't belong with the others, we get pulled out of the ground. How was I going to tell my best friend that? That I was different? A disappointment? You have more of a chance than I do, and I wasn't about to ruin your chances by getting my poison on your petals. You knowing gives you less of a chance, it makes it dangerous. It could be used against you. You could be so badly affected from it," I held back as a tear slid down my cheek. My hands were shaking as I made out the last few words. "Not even my sister knows."
"You know that wouldn't have bothered me. I'm one of your best friends, I could have been there. Your parents aren't supportive, how could you hold that all in for so long-" He cut himself off and tangled his hair.
"I would rather fight alone then to force you and Thea into this place," I started crying more, rubbing the side of my hand against my nose. Kacen wrapped his arms around me.
"I'm sorry for being a jerk. I'll admit, it hurt. But...I'm selfish."
After hugging him back, I pulled away and wiped my tears. Before I could respond he smirked.
"So like, do you have super powers or something?"
"No, that's ridiculous!"
°•°•
Walking into my room, I tossed my bag at my feet and fell onto my bed. My hip hit into something causing me to jump back up. Pulling my blankets up, I looked down at the mark book in confusion.
I knew I had left it in my drawer, and the fact that it was here made me anxious. Moving my gaze over both of my windows, the sudden slam of my door made me scream.
"Blake!" My mom scolded, walking into the room. Throwing my covers back over the book, I turned to face her.
"I was getting ready to study." I pressed a smile between my lips and waited for her to respond.
"Really?" She put all her weight on her left side and held her hand at her hip. "For what exactly?" She obviously knew something, and as much as I tried to figure out what she knew, I couldn't pin point it. Did she find the book?
"English?"
"Oh, but not for the class you decided to skip yesterday? Right?"
"Skip? I didn't-" My confusion slipped from my mind and I sighed. Knowing she didn't mean the book made me calm.
"Yeah, that's what I thought! What has gotten into you? You're being reckless Blakely! What? Did you think since we worked you could get away with it? Do you plan to do it often?"
"I wasn't feeling right I just needed some time. Besides, I catch up quickly and haven't missed a day in years." My words didn't make my mother any less upset. She came close to me, her anger so heavy I could feel it pushing me down.
"You think that's an excuse? Do you think you can get anywhere if you just need some time? Is there some random school party you want to tell me about as well, or, or," She struggled to think for a moment. "A guy you want to run away with?"
"Mom!" My defense seemed to make it worse.
"Don't yell at me!" She spat. "Tell me the truth!" She seemed to gain her posture back and took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of her nose. "You didn't even tell me, what if something had happened?" Her hand fell to her side.
My heart dropped at the thought.
"Blakely, you're not just a normal kid, you can't just act like one. You can't afford to be this reckless," She turned and caught a gaze at the shattered pottery on my floor. "Blakley," Her eyes darted back to me and her eyes brimmed with tears.
Her emotions tugged at each other and it took me aback a bit. It wasn't normal for her to show so many emotions at once. Especially the ones that involved tears.
"Don't do it again," She stopped at that and walked towards the door, stopping at my doorframe. "There is super glue on the counter," She straightened her posture and left down the hall as if nothing happened.
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hey, thank you for reading. when i am posting this it is very late. it will most likely be like this until i work out a legit schedule, but for now i am just posting for fun and i hope that's okay. thank you so much.
~skelocookie