I just want to say thank you to all of your kind words you all have been leaving on this story! Your comments make writing it easier and more fun for me!
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Everyone has enemies, some people have bullies, everyone is an enemy to someone, and some people are bullies to everyone. I didn't even consider Spencer either, I thought the Spencer situation was case closed and finalized a long time ago, but clearly I was wrong because the more I looked over my life for the past few months I realized, he was everywhere I was, at the same time I was and somehow it hadn't phased me. If I wasn't terrified of him before, I sure as hell was now.
I woke up snuggled into Brendon's arms, I smiled at the softness of his skin and the slight rough feeling from his unshaven face against my neck. I stayed entirely still as I thought through the weekend, I thought back to Ryan's party and Brendon's concern for me, I thought back over my date with Josh, I thought about when I was sprinting through the woods, I thought about how bad I felt that Josh was being played by Spencer like a puppet. I thought about how last night for the first time, I admitted that I loved Brendon.
"What are you thinking so hard about it's only 7am?" Brendon said untangling himself from me and standing up to stretch out.
"Just how Spencer was everywhere and we didn't even know," I said nervous.
"Alex, you don't have to worry about Spencer, please trust me on that one," he said sitting back down and tracing his hands over my thighs. I nodded trying my best to believe him but I knew that today when I sat down in class he was going to be one seat behind me, just like he was all year. "If he says anything to you today, I want you to just ignore him. For all he knows, he doesn't know you know that he was there."
"Okay," I said in an unconvincing tone.
"Only a few weeks left of school, you can do it," he said grabbing my hand and kissing the top of it lightly.
"And then what?" I asked.
"Well then we're done with high school forever, no more Spencer shit, no more useless papers, we can go wherever we want. You and I." He spoke with such confidence and I smiled at him.
"Did you get into college anywhere Brendon?" He walked over to his closet and changed into a black shirt, he didn't turn around though.
"No," he said. "Did you?"
I wasn't looking forward to this conversation, the only person I had talked about college with was Patrick and from the looks of it he was heading off towards the Chicago area to pursue music. I didn't want to think about everyone going their own ways but it was life.
"No," I said. "Not yet at least."
His body relaxed and he turned around and smiled. "I'm sure you'll get in somewhere good."
I nodded and looked around the room.
"You still have some clothes in your old room if you want to go pick something to wear to school," Brendon said motioning to the hall.
I walked out and followed the familiar path to my room and walked into an all empty room that hadn't been touched since I left. There were somethings hanging in the closet but the one thing that caught my eye was Brendon's leather jacket. It was still there, in the same spot I left it. I picked it up and smiled at it then grabbed the rest of my outfit.
I decided on a light blue pair of shorts and a grey crop top, I set the whole outfit by putting on Brendon's jacket and as soon as I felt the leather hit my skin I immediately started to feel like myself again.
I met Brendon out at the car and he smiled when he saw the jacket.
"I didn't even know that old thing existed anymore," he laughed. "It still looks better on you than it ever did on me." I rolled my eyes and we drove off to school.
We walked into school together for the first time in months and it was almost as if everyone knew.
In history class I sat next to Hannah and Spencer sat tauntingly behind me. I could feel his glare through my skull but I tried my hardest to stay focused.
After the class Hannah ran out first and I stayed back to talk to my teacher about a possible extra credit option to look good on my college application. We agreed on a short essay and I thanked him. As I was leaving I felt someone start walking close behind me I gulped and ignored whoever it was.
"He can't be by you every second of everyday, you and I both know that," I heard Spencer say. But before I said anything back I turned around and just like that he was gone.
I spent the rest of my first half of the day paranoid, but somehow managed to make it through. Hannah ran to my locker before lunch.
"How did last night go?" she asked.
"It went really really well, we talked a lot," I said as I piled books into my locker. "I broke things off with Josh."
"What? Really?" she sounded so surprised.
"Yeah, Josh just, he isn't the one you know," I said blushing.
"Oh, and who is?" she winked.
"I told Brendon I loved him," I said quickly. Her mouth dropped open and she let out a quiet squeal.
"Are you fucking serious!? Like legit? Like you and him are like," she paused and leaned closer. "in love?" I laughed a little at her childish behavior but I nodded.
"I think so Han," I smiled. "I think I always have been in love with him, I was just too scared to admit it to myself."
"Well, I am beyond happy for you Miss Alex," she smiled. "Are you coming home after school? There's something at the house and I didn't want to open it without you."
"What is it?"
"We both got letters from UCLA, but I didn't want to open them because we promised we were going to do that together. I don't know if they're acceptance or rejection letters but I wanted you to be there when I opened it," she said.
"Yeah, I'll come over after school! Maybe we could do something tonight, just the two of us, it's been a while," I said shutting my locker.
"Yes girlie, yes it has!"
We started our way to the lunch room but I froze in my steps outside of a closed classroom door.
"Do you hear that?" I said pressing my ear against the door.
"That's," she paused, "Brendon?"
"And Spencer."
"I swear to god you better leave her out of this! What happened was between you and I and you better not lay a fucking finger on her or god help us all!" I heard Brendon scream.
"Yeah well Jamie had nothing to do with it either and look where he is!" Spencer yelled back.
I looked at Hannah with a confused look. "Jamie?" I whispered. She shrugged and grabbed my shoulder.
"Let's just go to lunch."
We walked into the lunch room together and I sat down at my regular spot at our table.
"And she lives!" Pete yelled standing up and applauding me. I gave his shoulder a small shove and he sat down. "Really though, Alex you're a true tough cookie. And look where you are! Back on square one wearing that same black leather jacket," he said pinching my cheeks.
"It's true Alex, you're a badass, not to mention you've been through more heartbreak in the past nine months than any high school girl should go through in her whole life." Ryan smiled at me.
"Speaking of heartbreak, where's Brendon?" Dallon joked. Hannah gave him a small push and we all just laughed.
"He said he had to talk to one of his teachers about getting a grade up so he was sure to graduate on time, so little miss Alex didn't run off anywhere without him," Patrick said. I flashed Hannah a look and she just shook it off.
Shortly after Brendon came walking in and sat down right next to me. He pulled me onto his lap and gave my cheek a light kiss.
"And they're back together?" Pete almost screamed.
"Shhhhhh," Brendon smiled at me. I stared at Brendon's face and his ear caught my eye.
"Your ear is bleeding," I whispered touching it lightly with my finger.
"Eh, that's nothing," he said quietly. "Spencer isn't going to hurt you Alex, I promise."
I stayed quiet after that comment just trying to focus my attention on everyone else but it was harder than I thought. Everyone's conversations just turned into random words and my eyes kept going in and out of focus.
The table went silent though when we saw Spencer walking into the cafeteria. His ear was bleeding as well but he was also sporting a shiny black eye. He walked with his head low and soon everyone had turned their attention away from him, except me. I stared intently at him, at his every move. He slowly lifted his head and looked at me dead in the eye. I felt sweat start to form on my forehead and he just slowly let a smile creep onto his face. He opened his mouth and mouthed the word "wait" to me and I quickly turned back around.
"Wait."