This chapter is dedicated to Pinkloverisathome ! Check out her story, maybe? :)

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~HG xx

|Chapter 10|

   So far, my school days have not been the most pleasant, and I knew today was going to be no different.

   I woke up this morning with a killer headache and puffy eyes, since I cried myself to sleep the previous night. I stood up from my bed and was immediately hit with dizziness. I tried my best not to fall down, but since I never met good luck in my life, I stumbled and fell down on my poor, puffy face. After recovering, I got up and slid open the curtains, only to see the grey, cloudy sky.

It will rain.

   I groaned, making my way towards the en-suite bathroom and doing my morning routine, which consisted of showering, blow-drying my hair, and brushing my teeth. Once that was done, I chose today's outfit: a black tank top and shorts that went down just above my knees. I wrapped a black scarf around my neck and wore my black high-heeled shoes. Lastly, I tied my hair up in a neat bun and applied some mascara and dark, purple lipstick.

   Now that I was ready, I grabbed my backpack, threw it over my shoulder, and ran downstairs. I had about fifteen minutes left for school to start, so fetched an apple from the kitchen before yelling a quick goodbye to my family and walking to school.

   I doubt it is going to be a normal school day. After what I did yesterday, which is stopping a bully from breaking a poor girl's face, I am sure people do not think I am oh so scary anymore.

And that scares me.

   I do not know what students will think of what I did. Sure, they were applauding, but who knows what will happen after that? I really should not have stopped anything from happening. I should not have caused a greater scene. I should not have grabbed attention towards me.

I am such an idiot.

   I was not thinking properly. I heard the yelling and I saw the bullying happen in front of me, and the rest happened in a blur. I felt the adrenaline rushing through my veins and all I was thinking was that I had to stop Jennifer from hurting the girl. I guess it was the memories of the same thing happening to me that caused me to stop everything from happening. I knew how the girl felt. I saw myself in her.

Hurt, scared, and used.

   Today, I am not going to cut the act I am keeping up. I will prove to everyone that what happened yesterday was nothing that proves me as someone different from who I am pretending to be. I am still Elizabeth, the scary girl who does not want any friends, the dark girl who barely smiles, the mysterious girl that no one knows anything about, and the girl no one should get closer to.

   The weather was very humid and the sky was still grey and gloomy, just like my life. My shorts were stuck to my body and I felt disgusting, however, the feeling was washed away the second I entered my school.

   Everyone stopped and stared at me as I walked through the hallway. I felt very nervous, however, I waited for a second, and two, and five, until I was fed up of it all and glared at everyone before yelling on top of my lungs, "What are you looking at?!" All the students whipped their heads, turning to face their friends, and soon, everyone was whispering.

   Excluding the obvious stares and whispers I heard everywhere I went, the day was very normal, until Biology class started. I was seated beside the window, as usual, and Eleanor was right beside me. It was quite awkward at first, but a few minutes into the lesson, she started talking to me.

"So, you were supposed to take Bary yesterday, but instead, you skipped school."

"I'll take him today," I mumbled quietly, and surprisingly, she nodded.

"It's in my locker, you can come with me after Bio to fetch him," she spoke as she looked at me.

"Sure." That was the only thing I said before I turned my head towards the whiteboard and copied the notes into my copybook.

   Forty-five minutes later, I was following Eleanor to her locker, avoiding the stares of everyone. She hit in the code and unlocked her locker, revealing Bary B. Benson in his rainbow colored jar.

Wait, what?

   I took the jar from her and looked at it properly. Indeed, the jar was painted with rainbow colors. I looked up and saw her smiling at me. I raised my eyebrows at her.

"What? Don't you like it?" she asked me, frowning.

"Err, um... it's just very... colorful and childish?"

"Oh, come on." She rolled her eyes at me.

"I'm gonna get going." I pointed behind me and made my way towards my locker to fetch my Chemistry books.

  ∞

   The bell rang and I puffed out a breath and shut my Physics book close, happy to have survived yet another day in this hellhole. I headed out of class and towards my locker to collect the books I need to take home, and also Bary. After that had been done, I made my way outside the school. However, yet again, everyone was doing something I wasn't; holding an umbrella. 

I wonder why.

   I walked out of the school, the ceiling no longer keeping me safe. I was immediately drenched in water by the pouring rain.

I stood in my place, observing everything around me. I watched the rain hit the windows of the cars passing by, washing away the dirt that once covered them. I found myself wishing the rain could do the same with my painful past. That the rain could wash away my frets and scars.

My hair fell out of its bun and I felt my mascara smearing. I started shaking from the freezing cold. That is when I remembered.

I am walking home.

Oh, well. I have to move faster, then.

   I started running, accidentally stepping into muddy puddles and ruining my new shoes. I was soaking wet. I kept running and running, until I heard a car engine beside me, and seconds later, a familiar voice.

"Quick, hop in!" Eleanor exclaimed over the sound of the heavy, pouring rain hitting the ground.

"I'm fine!" I yelled before running faster.

"No, you're not! Just hop in, we don't bite!" this time, a deeper voice yelled. My head immediately whipped to the side to get a better look at the person. It was Justin.

Why is he always with Eleanor? Are they together?

Why do you care?

No way, I don't care.

Sure, my conscience mocked me.

"We're not leaving you 'till you jump in," Eleanor sung in a tune unfamiliar to my ears.

Should I?

Unless you want a cold, yes, you should!

"Fine!" I stopped moving and so did the car. I opened the door and hopped in on the seat behind the driver's.

"See? It's warmer here." Justin smiled at me. I nodded slowly, looking at my feet. My heart was still racing and my breathing was still fast due to the running I did.

"Now, where do you live?" Eleanor asked me.

I gave her the address and silence later congested the car, until Justin decided to speak again.

"It was great what you did yesterday. You know, standing up for Chloe and all." He turned around to look me in the eye. I was confused for a few seconds before I recovered and understood what he meant.

The girl I saved yesterday.

"It's nothing." I shrugged and turned to look at the window.

"No, really. It's the first time anyone ever speaks to Jennifer that way. What you did was amaz-"

"God dammit! I said it's nothing! Cut it out already!" I yelled.

"Okay, okay. Jeez."

"We're here!" Eleanor chirped happily. I opened the door, mumbling a 'thank you'.

"Oh, by the way, I'm sorry 'bout what I did back at my-" I shut the door, shutting her up rudely.

   I ran to my front door and went inside, shutting the door behind me and sliding on it until my bum met the cold, hard ground. I shut my eyes and clenched my jaw, hating the way I talked to Eleanor and Justin back in the car. Despising being rude to everyone who is only trying to be nice to me. Loathing the fact that I have to act this way to avoid feeling hurt and pained.

"Honey, who's in that car that drove you here?" Mom asked me.

Oh, God.