Chapter 11 - Winter Break part 2
Friends always leave, no matter what. They could just leave or choose somebody else over you. All of them hurt, but not equally.
Maybe they move, not their fault so it doesn't hurt as bad. They don't willingly leave you.
But what hurts the worst is somebody picking somebody else over you. They found somebody else that they liked better. You weren't enough for them. And me? I'm never enough.
I exited the room, Lilah walking by my side as we don't have our next class together she leaves. Waving goodbye to my nicely as she goes to the commons down the Great Hall.
Me and Lilah haven't talked much since we were in our classes, but she kind of just sat next to me. Like she chose me over the others. It's a great feeling.
I move to the 200s branch, going to Mr Heiren's class again to hand in our projects. I finished mine the first day we got it, with the help of an actually pretty smart Kingston.
It's surprising....
That despite what everybody else says about how he never helps in projects, he helped me.
I get into the room and sit down, my head aching for a spectrum of reasons. Mr Heiren sits at his desk with his feet up, yawning. As people go into the room he coughs and stands up, "Sit next to your partners everybody."
boredom drip: from his voice and the pile of assignments he has to grade over the break. I look over for Kingston but don't find him in the crowd of people, he probably ditched the day we were supposed to turn in our project.
This is why I didn't give him the project.
How did he even know where I lived?
Did he see me running home?
Oh that sneaky bastard.
As soon as the conversation with myself ends Kingston opens the door quietly and walks in, waving to Mr Heiren to tell him he's late but here. He sees me and sits down with a smile.
He seems like he's battling with himself, his body tense as his leg bounces up and down next to me like the first time we sat together.
It continues to bounce and bounce, it's sound taking up my attention so I space out on the tapping of his foot on the gray-brown-red-blue carpet that most schools have. I finally can't take it anymore and I place my hand on his thigh and press down until it reaches the floor, looking at him shyly.
"Please stop, it's distracting." I whisper or more of a mumble and he scrunches up his nose and leans in before whispering To me.
"You know what is annoying? I can't get your pretty little face out of my head. Please tell me or I'll find out myself." He says and I blush.
"Please don't. You won't like the consequences. But you do you..." I say and he shakes his head and leans back on his chair, his leg bouncing up and down again like a trampoline.
I want him to....
Maybe I wanna be saved, just a little.
He
After a moment he sighs, "Do you know how many rules I have broken; how many consequences I have faced? I don't care about a stupid warning or a punch to the face."
I open my mouth to try and say something back, anything to tell him not to come back. Kingston is strong he could take down my dad easily, but he's popular, he would tell everyone that I was useless.
Maybe my dad will come back and we'll be a happy family again, that's all I dream about at this point.
But before I can speak Mr Heiren sends me a glare, and if looks could kill I would be six feet under. So I immediately stop and straighten myself, looking forward. Leaving my imagination to lead my mind on about what Kingston could do.
———————
As the bell rings for Mr. Heirens class to be over, he sighs holding out his hands for our projects.
I get up and grab my stuff before putting Kingston and I's project in his hands. The pile stacking up as I leave through the open doorway into the crowded hall.
Next up is lunch, giving me a way to try and talk to Lilah for once. She doesn't seem like the type to bug what's wrong with me, she just likes that I'm not normal. I guess? I don't see why she could like me....
I go to my locker and switch my books out for the other half. My locker swinging open and blocking my face from people's view.
I breathe out heavily, using this time as a time to let out most of my stress. Well a tiny bit of it since my entire life is stressful. People's screams and talks are heard behind me as I put my books in my locker.
I close the door and lock it, before hearing the bell ring. The hall empty except for a few people running or people going to lunch. As I turn though to tanned arms are placed on either side of me.
I look up to the figure towering above me, it's River.
Ha... Kingston's taller.
He swallows, his Adam's apple moving up and down slowly as his eye contact never lets go of mine. "Listen," He starts his hands moving down to my waist as he perched his hands there gently.
"I will not do anything if you are not in danger. So tell me, please because all Kingston is talking about it you." his voice sounds desperate at the end as he finishes, "tell me the truth." He says and I look down at the ground, I'm not able to lie to his face about being in danger.
I could tell him not to come in, I could tell him there's something happening, but I can't tell him I'm in danger. He can't be the one to know if anybody does, he hates me!
"I... I'm safe..." I say not looking at his face but his entire body seems to relax. His hands slip off of my waist like and avalanche but he doesn't back away from me.
Instead his head gently grabs my jaw and pulls my face up to look at his.
His round blue eyes focus on mine, "tell me, while looking me in the eyes." He says and I gulp, "I-I I am safe." I say, almost talking to myself. Reassuring myself. But really, deep down I know that he would kill me.
I subconsciously frown, but quickly stop and look down his hands removing their hold from my jaw. He breathes in heavily, "Okay." He breathes out, as if breathing out the stress about me. But I wouldn't want to give anybody stress. I don't try to.
His figure disappears as soon as it came, his figure retreating down the right of me. I do down the hall the right of me too and head to the lunch room that is a sharp right from where I am.
Kingston really cares that much?
As I walk in I see Lilah, sitting on the ground where I normally sit. "You picked just the right spot." I say as I sit down next to her. She turns to me, sitting down with her legs crossed.
She takes a bite of her sandwich and looks at me with spelling dark grey eyes. "Tell me, what are you about?" She says and I shrug as I look at her food.
I've barely eaten in days, all I have eaten is my dads food that he threw at me. It was fine I had cleaned the floors earlier. I think it was fine. Hopefully... I can't handle to throw up all that I've had again.
I gulp and look back up at her. "Well, I'm Summer which you know. My best friend Melanie moved away in eighth because resident HBIC bullied us. Mine was worse, saying I should die and stuff but hers was equally as challenging to cope with."
I say as she sees me eyeing her food, "Babes do you have nothing?" She says and I look around me as if she would be talking about somebody else. "Yea no, I normally just sit here and listen to people gossip." I say quietly.
"Well isn't that lovely, means we're within earshot of the drama queens. Which one is HBIC?" She asks and I point towards Madeline.
"She is perfect, beautiful and skinny with blonde hair. She's trying to get River to like her. But he's all over the place. She and Kingston also have a thing happening, but a different type, they just hate each other. Well everybody can tell why she hates Kingston." I say with a chuckle before I feel a pair of warm hands on my shoulders, making me flinch and put my back straight. As if this person is my dad is trying I inspect me.
"Jesus Darling, I have ears." The familiar male voice of Kingston whispers to me before pushing some hair behind my ear and kissing my neck softly. "Don't be so mean." He says in a pouty voice before standing up and leaving towards River's table.
I flip him off with a small smile as he smirks, moving away and out of my sight.
"See! Who wouldn't hate him?" I say jokingly and she chuckles. "Well ain't he in a good mood. Might I tell you little Summer, he's a cutie." She says and I shake my head.
"I tell you one thing, he's just—like you said—happy right now. He probably got laid or something, giving him a glow." I say and she chuckles.
"If you say so."
But dazed, I slowly bring my hand to the place he kissed on my neck, tracing my fingers over it.
He must be in a good mood.
And god he is cute.