Chapter 22
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I woke up with a strong headache. I reached over to my nightstand and popped a few pills to ease the pain. I took them dry, which I had gotten good at over the years.
I threw on a pair of leggings and a loose, plaid shirt. I paired that with my good old doc martens.
That was probably the comfiest outfit that I had worn to school all year, but it still looked good.
In the car, I tried to think of ways to avoid my friends. Then I realized- why should I?
He only threatened to hurt me if I stayed around my friends. I just had to stay with them and not tell anyone about it.
It was worth it to me. I couldn't loose anymore people that I cared about.
During first period, Scarlett looked a little bit more put together than the day before, but still looked messy.
At lunch, I was silent again. I didn't want to say anything because I knew that if I drew attention to myself, someone would notice how weird I was acting.
I was jumpy and paranoid throughout the day, always looking behind me shoulder and checking my surroundings. I was afraid that George had seen me sitting with them at lunch.
When I sat down in biology, I felt like I was starting to loose my mind. I constantly felt like someone was watching me, but I couldn't see anyone.
I hurt a thud next to me and I practically jumped a foot in the air. I looked up to see a very confused Ashton, who had just sat down in his seat.
"The hell is wrong with you?" He asked.
"Nothing, your face just startled me." I replied rudely and there was a pause.
"You're acting really weird today," he said. "Like, weirder than usual."
I shot him a glare and pulled out my books.
"I don't know what you're talking about." I said and opened up my notebook. I heard him snicker.
"You're so stubborn," he said.
"Coming from you," I snarked back.
"Just because I'm always right doesn't mean that I'm stubborn."
"Well you're not always right," I said.
Yes he is...
Shut up conscience!
Biology went by pretty quickly. I guess time flies when you're feeling safe.
After school, I ran straight out to my car, making sure that I was never alone at any time.
When I got to me car, I saw a piece of paper tucked behind the windshield wiper. I cautiously removed the paper from my windshield and opened it up. It was a note.
Last Warning.
I crumpled up the piece of paper and threw it in the trash that was near my car. I felt a raging fury burn through my body as I got into my car.
I was going to get back at him for this somehow. I didn't know how, but I was going to. He was messing with the wrong girl.
Lucky for me, I had grown stronger in most ways in the past years. I could handle a little bullying as long as nothing got too serious.
In some ways, however, I've gotten weaker over the past years. I just had to make sure that George didn't come close to any of those aspects.
That night I went to bed at seven. I noticed that I had been very sleep-deprived the past couple of weeks. I decided to start catching up...
I woke up in my outfit that I was wearing the day before, including makeup. I slowly made my way to my bathroom and washed off the over worn makeup.
On my way to school, I tried to think of ways to avoid being alone at school that day. I knew that since I was going to sit with my lunch table again that day, I would need to be protected. Since I couldn't be protected by a person, I just had to use strategy. I had to be in the right place at the right time all day. all year.
No pressure, right?
I sighed and pulled into my parking spot. Savanah still hadn't returned to school, or even the grid for that matter. For all I knew she was in the middle of Mexico buying a taco from a from a random vendor on the street..
I just hoped that she was okay. I knew very well what it felt like to loose someone so close. You lose a part of yourself that makes you, well... you.
As Scarlett and I walked into homeroom, I started to feel the nervousness that was flooding up my brain. I knew that eventually George would get his so called revenge on me for what I "did to his life"... I just also knew that no matter how much warning I got, I still wouldn't be ready.
First period was going by faster than I had hoped. Nothing out of the ordinary happened. Scarlett was still in a trance. I wished that I could help her, but inside I knew that only she could help herself.
When the bell rang, I practically jumped out of my seat and started sprinting to the door.
"Miss Summers, may I see you for a moment?" Mr. Dowche asked. I froze in my spot. Oh shit...
I turned around and walked over to his desk. Each step made me cringe, because I knew that each one was bringing me to a wrong place at a wrong time.
"Don't worry, I called your second period teacher and told her you would be a little bit late to class," he said. I caught my breath.
I would have to walk alone in the hallway to my second period- which was across the building.
"I wanted to talk to you about your grades." He said. I scrunched my face in confusion. "They seem to be slipping."
"I have an A+ in your class-"
"A-," he said. "And it's going to go down a whole lot more once I put this grade in." He placed a test on his desk.
It had a D- at the top in red writing. I felt my face being drained of color as my hands became all clammy.
Fuck. The goddamn grade triggered my anxiety...
"Listen. I'm not quite sure what made you all of a sudden stop trying, but I can assure you that whatever it is you have to push past and focus a little harder on school." He said.
He continued, "if you had continued on the path you were going on with your grades, you probably would have had a full ride to any college of your choice."
"I'm sorry, I-I'll try harder." I said, trying to tame my growing anxiety.
"I don't usually do this, but... I will let you retake the test- only if you promise to try a little harder." He said. I looked at him in awe.
"I promise," I tried to seem calm, but judging by his facial expression, I could tell that I wasn't doing well at it.
"Swing by after school some time this week." He said and smiled. I smiled back.
"Thank you very much."
And with that, he dismissed me to go to my second period class. Suddenly, realization flooded over me.
I was about to dive into a pool with a blood thirsty shark, who would stop at nothing to hurt me.
As I took my first step out into the hall, I felt the atmosphere change from a safe, comforting classroom- to a cold, eerie hallway.
Shivers tingled up my spine as my stomach sank down to my pelvis once again.
Here we go...