"You're slacking."
I fought to keep my face neutral as I stared into Ms. Jester's eyes.
"I apologise."
Ms. Jester rolled her eyes. "Don't say things if you don't mean them. It's unladylike," I bit the inside of my cheek to keep myself from saying something stupid. "Did you and Ashley even manage to push aside your petty feud to finish your project?"
"I feel as if you listened to me when I asked to change partners, I would have a brilliant project to present tomorrow." I replied bitterly.
"I'd hate to agree with Little Miss Attitude but she's right." Ashley drawled, eyeing me with distaste.
"Glad to see my royal pain in the ass agrees with me." I quipped back.
Ashley geared herself for a comeback but Ms. Jester slammed her hands down on the desk. "Ladies! Take your pesky issues somewhere else or I will send you both to detention."
The room quieted down and I crossed my arms over my chest, ignoring Naomi's flirtatious giggling which was now more prominent in the hushed room.
Ms. Jester took her eyes off of us to glare behind us. "Mr. Delarora, I'd appreciate if you'd keep your hands off of your lab partner or at least try to."
I refused to turn around and look.
"Sorry, Teach." He said but the giggling continued.
"He can do so much better." Ashley whispered, shaking her head.
This was such bullshit.
"You know what, Ms. Jester? We'll have it done for tomorrow. Can I go to the bathroom?" I asked, impatiently.
She waved me off and I practically ran out the door. I closed the door behind me and looked both ways down the hallway. It was empty.
I decided to take the long way around the school and wander. I huffed and stuffed my hands in my pockets. Today was complete bullshit and it isn't even halfway done.
Justin had been gloating in my face all morning that he was as high as a kite (which I glared at Zay for because he was supposed to be watching him to which he shrugged helplessly seemingly as surprised as I was) and he'd been flirting with Naomi all class just to get under my skin. Not to mention, Ashley had been getting on my damn nerves and Ms. Jester. Just... Ms. Jester. Everything about her got on my nerves.
"Destiny."
I stopped in my tracks and turned around. There stood Justin with a grin on his face and I frowned. "What?"
He rocked on his heels and held his hand out. "Skip class with me?"
I stared at his hand before scoffing at his audacity. "Are you serious?"
His grin faltered. "You don't want to skip with me?"
"After what you said to me yesterday and did today, you're lucky I'm not walking off. You can ask Naomi to skip with you." I said, calmly despite my irritation.
He ignored me and took a few steps forward. "I don't want to skip with Naomi. I want to skip with you. Come on."
We stared each other down for a moment before I reluctantly fell in step with him.
"I'm not skipping with you."
"Okay."
He seemed to sober up in the little distance we walked together. Justin glanced at me a few times as if I would disappear without his constant supervision.
"Keep Merissa." He said quietly.
I inhaled so quickly that I choked on air and had to cough a few times to ready myself. "W-what?"
He smiled sadly. "You heard what I said."
I stared at him in shock. "But-"
He shook his head. "You can make her happy. You were right. I'm unstable. I can't properly take care of her when I can't even take care of myself. You can give her everything she wants."
"Not everything," I looked down at the floor before taking a deep breath and meeting his eye. "She wants her brother. Healthy and happy. I tried my best to give her that and I failed. I'm s-"
"Don't apologise. If anything, it should be me apologising. For everything," He pulled me into a hug and I let out a squeak of surprise. "Destiny, I..."
Someone cleared their voice nearby and we sprang apart. A faculty member stood in the middle of the hallway with their arms crossed over their chest. "I'm trusting you two have a hall pass."
"Uh..."
"Yes, sir." Justin said, waving his hall pass so the teacher could see it.
The teacher hummed and waved his hand down the hallway. "Then stop your soap opera and get to class."
"Yes, sir." Justin and I replied simultaneously.
We glanced at each other and kept moving, nodding at the teacher as we passed. We were quiet until we got far enough and I looked at Justin. "What were you saying?"
His eyes were distant. "Nothing, it's not important. I'm sorry for being an asshole. I'm a shitty guy, I guess," He shrugged. "I'm sorry that you had to meet me. I'm sorry that you had to fall for somebody who can't give you what you need."
I ignored the stinging in my throat and grabbed his hand. "Why are you saying that?"
He grimaced. "I guess I'm just a sorry bastard."
"Hey," I cradled his cheek with the palm of my hand. "There was an apology due because that shit you said to hurt but I will never regret the moments we had together. Never. Do you understand me?"
"I don't think you'll forgive me..." He whispered. He sounded terrified.
"For what?" My eyebrows furrowed in confusion and concern.
His lips were pressed together so tightly, there were turning white. I removed my hand and took his in mine. "Alright, we don't have to talk about it. Let's just go back to class, okay?"
He nodded and squeezed my hand for a moment. My chest warmed over the cold familiar feeling I got and I nearly began to forget about this little incident.
Nearly.
--------------
I'm so sorry.
I feel like I got to explain a lot of shit so I'll do it in a different way.
Fan: Why the fuck was this chapter so short?
Me: Because I can't fucking control myself. In more professional terms, I wanted to continue it but if I did, it would be way longer than what I'm comfortable with. But that also means that the next chapter will be out fast as fuck.
Fan: Why is Ms. Jester such an asshole?
Me: I don't know. Maybe she should get laid.
Fan: Why is Ashley still a bitch?
Me: She doesn't know how to stop.
Fan: Why is that project still relevant?
Me: Lmao, I just can't forget about it once I've brought it up.
Fan: Why is Destiny so chill with the fact that she's going to be taking care of Merissa?
Me: It's Teen Fiction so we can ignore the fact that none of this realistic in whatever sense. Like Mama Vasten not putting up much of a fuss when her daughter showed up with a kid and a boy but then proceeded to bring more people into the house. Completely unrealistic. Cameron would not have a foot in the door before my ma said no.
Fan: Why is Justin being an asshat to Destiny?
Me: As I explained to one of my dear readers, Justin is having self worth issues right now. However, I am not excusing Justin's behavior. Justin is still an asshole for pulling the shit that he did. But I love him so I try not to make him too much of one. He feels that he doesn't deserve anything good (especially some good TLC) so he tried to push Destiny away.
Fan: Why is Justin so weird this chapter?
Me: Uhhhhh I gotta go...do something like put trigger warnings on the next chapter. What? You didn't see that. Ignore it. I'm so sorry.