CHAPTER 16 // EDITED

I massaged shampoo in my scalp with my newly French tips, I stepped backwards letting the flowing water run over my soapy hair. I closed my eyes as tipped my head back further.

"Dre, no, it's going to burn," I cried struggling to pull my wrist from his firm grasp.

"That's what you get for not listening," he snapped, he pulled my hand towards him and tipped the bottle of alcohol. The strong smelling liquid poured out stinging my bleeding wound.

I bit down hard on my bottom lip holding back the sob threatening to escape.

"Maybe next time, you won't play with glass," he snapped letting my tingling hand go.

I opened my eyes stepping out from under the water and looked at the blank shower wall. I looked down at the microscopic scar occupying the center of my palm.

Don't you ever come back to this house again

I hurried to finish up my shower blocking out the recurring sentence bouncing around in my skull.

I leaned over spitting toothpaste in the sink and dabbed my mouth dry. I finally looked up, seeing my reflection gaze back at me. It seemed as if my reflection was smiling at me, laughing at me as a taunt.

I peeled my eyes away from the mirror and made a beeline for my closet. I searched through the various pieces of clothing till I finally grabbed randomly.

I settled with a tan, quarter sleeve top and faded jeans with rips in the knees. I glanced back in my closet and snatched a pair of white sneakers from my shoe rack.

I brushed through my damp hair leaving it naturally straight. My eyes moved down, looking at my makeup box, but I only grabbed my strawberry lip balm.

I picked up my phone and then my keys, but I laid them back down on my side table. I slung my book bag over my shoulder and flipped my light switch off as I headed out.

Lacey was leaning against my car looking down at her phone, when I walked out from the front door.

"Why are you leaning against my car?" I spoke up, making her look away from her phone screen.

"I would've gotten in, but the doors are locked," she said, pulling the door handle emphasizing her point.

"I thought we'd walk to school today," I said, ending it with a nervous laugh. She tilted her head looking at me odd, but she smiled as she walked over to me.

"Let's go," she said, she hooked her arm with mine and pulled me towards the front gate. "So, did you go see Dre?"

"He was just playing cards with the guys," I replied, looking everywhere except her blue contacts.

"He didn't say anything about your new look?" She asked, we walked through the student parking lot on to campus. "I bet he freaked." I bit down on my tongue holding back words threatening to flow out.

"Did you hear about those sales at the mall?" I blurted out, I didn't care about the sales, but anything to make her stop talking about Dre.

Lacey was blabbing on about the sales all the way to the entrance of the school and all the way to our lockers.

She was going on about some Sephora eyeshadow palette when someone cut her off.

"Blake, you made us look like fools in the field Friday," Cassidy said as she approached us.

"It wasn't my fault I was kidnapped off the field," I replied, I picked out a book from my mini book shelf and slipped it in my book bag.

"I was nice enough to let you on this team without a try out," she continued, I closed my eyes and let out an annoyed breath. I dropped my book bag to the floor and looked over at her with a smile.

"You don't need me to make your squad look like fools," I said, a smile plastered on my face. "You let me on the team without a try out, because I didn't need one."

"Excuse me–"

"So, you take your sparkly ass bows and shove them up your ass," I continued, I shut my locker and started to walk away. "Also, your black roots are showing, blondie."

I tossed my book bag on the floor and plopped down in the uncomfortable desk. I pushed my hair from my face and look down at my nails.

"Rough morning?" A voice sounded, I looked over at the desk next to me where Reese sat.

"More like rough life," I replied, I looked back at my nails and picked at the nail polish. "Apparently, now, I can talk to dead people."

"You're my best friend, Blake," he said, I laughed at that and looked over at him.

"I was your best friend," I said grimly. "You lost me the second you chose Lindsey over me." I looked away from him as the teacher entered the room talking.

I was in the middle of mixing some kind of concoction together when the lunch bell rang. Students started to pile out while I took my precious time.

I laid my goggles on the lab table and hopped down from my stool, I tossed my gloves beside my goggles and headed out.

When I reached the lunch room, I made a detour towards the guys table. Justice was throwing skittles at Kingston, who was attempting to catch them in his mouth.

"Your mouth is too big to miss," I commented as I approached them, they tried not stare, but I didn't acknowledge it. "Watermelon?" I picked up Reese's cup containing pink slushy.

"Yeah," Reese answered with confusion taking over his tone. I slurped down the thick substance and sat down on Reese's knee. "I thought we weren't best friends anymore." I looked back at him.

"I couldn't let you get off that easy," I replied, his eyes narrowed which made me smile. "Just don't ever pull some shit like that again or I'll kill you."

"You have my word," he said, he kissed my cheek and took his slushy back.

"I heard you quit the cheer squad," Cody spoke up, my gaze averted over to my brother sitting diagonal from me.

"It's true,"

"Does this mean you're back on the team?" Justice asked, his voice was full of so much hope and curiosity.

"I'm sorry, Justice, but no," I answered, and he went back to picking at his pizza.

"Are you going to Dani's party this weekend?" Kingston asked, attempting to take my attention from Justice.

"No, I was thinking about studying for Hawthorne's exam," I answered, stealing one of Zach's fries. "You're welcome to join me instead of getting drunk."

"None of us have him besides Justice," Cody answered, he snorted looking over at Justice. "I don't think Justice has studied a day in his life."

"Then, it looks as if I'm alone," I sighed, I stole another fry and rested my elbow on the table.

*

"Blake," a voice sounded, I looked away from my locker to look over at Mason coming towards me.

"If you're coming to apologize for lying," I started. "You're not forgiven."

"No, actually, I thought I might want to try the truth," he said, he leaned his shoulder against Lacey's locker and looked down at me. "I have Hawthorne for fourth period."

"So, you think I'd rather study with you than study alone?" I asked with a smug smile. "Then I'd have to actually share my pizza."

"I'll see you at six," he said before walking away, I scoffed and looked back at him.

"You're not coming," I called after him, but he didn't reply as he disappeared in to the crowd of students.

***

"You'll be okay by yourself, right?" Cody asked, I rolled my eyes and looked over at him. "I mean, what's the worst that can happen? You puke your guts out?"

"Can you just leave already?" I asked with clear annoyance in my voice. "I don't want you here anyway." He ruffled my already messed up hair and headed for the front door.

After I heard Cody's car pull out and leave, I turned on Netflix to watch Once Upon a Time. I laid back on the couch and wrapped the blanket around me like a burrito.

I was only thirty minutes into the episode, when a knock came across the door. I groaned in annoyance mixed with pain as I pulled myself up from the couch.

I wrapped my cover around my fevered body and walked over to the front door, I pulled it open revealing Chase.

"Chase," I said, he gave me a slight smile before he walked past me in to the house. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to check on you," he said, he turned back around to me as I walked into the living room. "You don't look so good."

"I have the flu," I replied, walking past him so I could take a seat on the couch. "Dre made his decision and I respect it."

"Well, I don't respect it, Blake," he shot back. "Dre is like a father to you and you can't just throw it away like that."

"I'm sorry," I snapped. "Who was the one who said never to come back and that I was dead to them?"

"He didn't-"

"I don't care whether he meant every word or if he was just angry, Chase," I cut him off. "It still hurt."

"What about your careless words?" He shot back, he took a step closer to me, but I stood my ground. "Did you ever think maybe they bothered Dre?"

"I thought you came here to check on me," I snapped. "Not yell at me."

"No, I came here to check on Blake," he said as his eyes looked me up and down with disgust. "I don't know who you are." I dug my fingernails into my blanket as anger rose in my chest.

"You can let yourself out," I said through my teeth, I turned away from him and sat back on the couch.

"Gladly," he said, he stormed out slamming the door behind him. Before I could lay back down, my stomach churned and my hand flew up to my mouth.

I scrambled up from my spot and raced to the bathroom, I fell to my knees and kneeled over the toilet. There goes my lunch. I started heaving as my body started to tremor. 

"Try not to heave," a voice sounded behind me.

"Oh, thanks, I didn't think of that," I snapped back. Blake, you're home alone. I attempted to push my feeble body from the toilet to look behind me, but I slipped back down.

"Don't overwork yourself," Mason.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, he didn't answer me as he helped me up from the bathroom floor. He helped me back to the living room, but I pushed him away and eased myself back to my spot. "I think it's obvious I'm not studying tonight."

"Cody said you were sick so I thought against going out and brought you chicken noodle soup," he answered, I rolled my eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a groan. I clutched my stomach as a sharp pain shot through my stomach. "Have you taken anything?"

I pushed his hand away from my cheek and shot him a cold look. "I can take care of myself."

"I don't doubt that, but I'm not expected to be anywhere else tonight,"

"Lucky me," I replied with sarcasm clearly in my tone. "There's a bottle of ibuprofen on the counter, make yourself useful."

"Cody was right when he said you were a brat when you're sick," he said before he got up and walked to the kitchen.

"You're hilarious," I mumbled, I laid back on the couch and tossed the cover to the side. Mason walked out from with a glass of water and a pill in the other hand.

I downed the pill with the water and laid the glass on the side table. Mason brushed my hair back with his hand and cupped my burning cheek in his hand.

"Do you want to try and eat some of the soup?" He asked, my eyes averted over to his with a sharp look. "A simple yes or no would have been fine."

"Might I remind you, nobody asked you to be here," I said through my teeth as another wave of pain passed through me.

"Exactly, I chose to be here," he shot back. "I don't know why I chose some brat over a party." I looked away from as tears began to blur my vision.

You're the first.

"I'm going to my room," I said quietly, I started to push myself up from the couch, but my limbs suddenly felt like jelly.

"You're staying right here," Mason said, his hand cupped my side and his other hand gripped my arm. "Lay down, I'll get you a trash can." He had disappeared into the kitchen before I could make a smart comment.

I felt my throat burn as tears threatened to fall from my eyes. Don't you dare cry in front of him again!

"Can't you leave already?" I forced the words from my throat.

"Can't you shut up already?" He shot back, he sat the trash can down with a thud. "Don't want to cry in front of me again?"

"Shut up," I said through gritted teeth. I heard him scoff and his footsteps walk away from me, he slammed the door behind him. I closed my eyes letting a couple tears escape.

I knocked over to trash can as I reached for it, I stumbled over as I glued my eyes to the bottom of the trash can. While the disgusting sounds of me heaving filled the room, it was also accompanied by the pathetic sound of my sobs.

I pulled back from the trash can and I just let my body lay on the living room floor. I looked over to see Mason looking down at me.

"I'm pretty sure you feel as bad as you look," he said, I looked away from him as I pushed myself up from the floor. I threw my body on to the couch and avoided looking at Mason.

My cover suddenly laid over me, joined by a warm body laying behind me.

"It'll all feel better soon," his fingertips trailed up and down my arm making chills blanket my body. I lifted up from my spot and turned over letting my body face Mason. I laid against his chest and brought my thumb up to my mouth.

Mason's hand trailed up my thigh, pushing up my shirt as he went. He went back and forth with his fingertips against my hip and side. 

"How's that feel?" Mason whispered.

"Better," I whispered back, I cuddled more into his chest. So much better.