I’m facing that cafeteria all alone. Yeah, I know I’m hiding and sooner or later I’ll have to face everyone, but right now I’m at school and I think that’s enough.
I grab the first book I see and go to sit way in the back. I open the book to the first page. I quickly glance nervously around me and then I start to read. At first the story drags and I struggle to stay focused. Suddenly, the pace starts to pick up and I get sucked into the life of the characters.
A bag gets dropped on the table, giving a heart attack. Startled, I glance up and then the little peace I managed to find in the library vanishes into thin air.
I watch her take a seat. She looks at me and I’m shocked to see an apologetic look on her face.
“There are so many other tables. Why do you have to sit here?” I mumble under my breath.
Paige leans forward and her apologetic look turns to a pleading one. “I’m sorry, Lacey. I should’ve tried to stop Hayden. I was scared. He…” she lets the sentence trail away. For a moment I think I see fear, but then I shelf that thought. No one would dare hurt Paige! She’s everyone’s favorite.
I just stare at her, wishing she’d leave.
She starts to fiddle with a piece of her long blonde hair. It looks like silk. Her eyes dart to mine again and the words rush out, “Please, Lacey, I’m so sorry. Can we be friends again?”
I close the book in front of me and stare at it for a long moment before I get up and without looking in Paige’s direction, I whisper, “We were never friends.” I decide to take the book and start to walk to the counter.
~*~
We used to share all our secrets. I told Natalie everything. I told her how I hated living in a RV and traveling so much. I told her I hated Paige. I told her everything about Seth - how I felt, how I went out of my way to see him, the bus rides – all of it.
I can’t remember any of the secrets she told me. Not one single one. Even if I did, I wouldn’t tell anyone else.
But she did. She told everyone all of my secrets. It’s all over school how I am in love with Seth, throwing myself at him every chance I get. The most awful thing of all – everyone was laughing saying how I must’ve begged Mr. Brody to kidnap me just so I could get Seth’s attention.
Just when I thought things couldn’t get worse, it does! Why is all of this happening to me? What did I do wrong to deserve this?
I thought Natalie was my best friend, but I’m clearly mistaken. It hurts! It hurts so much that she’s done this to me.
~*~
Chapter Twenty-Two
Seth~
You know when there’s a car accident or fight and you can’t help but watch? That’s what my life feels like, like it’s heading towards this huge crash and all I can do is watch.
I’m waiting for that final impact, the one that will shatter me. I have a lingering sadness for what happened to Mom … and so much guilt that I didn’t see it coming. I should have stopped it. I hate Dad and wish I could wipe him from my memories, from my life. I hurt for Lacey, it’s a gnawing ache. Every time I see her sad face, and how she’s being bullied it feels like someone is taking a piece of my heart. Soon there will be nothing left.
It’s been a week since school started and every damn day there’s something new.
Yesterday there was a note stuck to my locker. I know Hayden’s handwriting so I know it was him. What he wrote hurt.
I threw it away before anyone else could see it.
Lacey avoids looking at me. She always makes sure she sits on the opposite side of class, and walks wide circles around me.
I don’t know what else can go wrong, but I’ve had enough.
~*~
I use to love school. I used to love life. Now I only go to school so that I can graduate and go to college. I’ll show them I’m nothing like Dad. I’m going to leave them all behind, leave this town behind, and I won’t look back.
I only talk to Marcus. He’s the best and I know he won’t turn on me like that girl turned on Lacey.