Lilac's Lies

48

It took 72 hours of rest before I could go back to school.

Which meant, 72 hours of avoiding Jesse's calls and texts while I laid in bed. Under my mom's continued directions, Clara barely left my side, she nursed me like I was her own child. She screened Jesse's texts for me, so I didn't have to read them. She answered the phone when he called, telling him that I was either sleeping or that I had a headache. She did her best to keep her voice calm, as if she still didn't know now all of the horrible things he's done. Her face though, was a completely different story. Her grimace appeared so frequently that I was worried it would be stuck there.

It was quiet as we drove to the school. I was nervous in more ways than one. Clara, Roman, Samuel and I had discussed the plan many times. We had gone over and over what was going to happen. It sounded good, I could see how it was going to work. I was going to get Jesse to confess at school, between classes. He would know better than to try and put hands on me there, and if he did, the others would be close enough to stop it.

But, I was still nervous. I knew I was going to see Jesse use every manipulative tactic in his book. I knew he was going to insult me, or yell. He was going to try to keep with me him every way he knew how. I knew this, and I didn't want any of it.

"You sure you're okay with this?" Clara asked me, her voice sounded as nervous as I felt.

"It's the easiest way. I think it's the best way too. It's better than waiting for Jesse to corner me in private, which is exactly what he's going to do as soon as he sees me," I explained. Which is why we were going to school late, so we would have to go directly to our first class.

"I know. I know. It's the right plan, I think," she muttered, turning on the steering wheel. "And we told him you're not going to school today, so he won't know to look for you."

"Right," I assured her. "It will work."

"Roman, Samuel and I won't let you out of our sight," Clara added, as if she was talking to herself. "Once we have that recording, together we'll tell them to leave us alone, or we'll send it to everyone."

"It will work," I told her again, though I think I was telling myself too.

I tried not to look at my reflection in the dark glass windows as we entered through the school doors. If I had thought I looked a mess before, it was nothing compared to what I looked like now. My skin was ghastly white, my hair unwashed and pulled into a bun. My clothes were oversized and dark grey, matching the bags under my eyes.

Jesse wasn't in our first class, which I was thankful for as we walked into it. It didn't stop the curious glances and the snide remarks, however. No doubt from the gossip and rumours of why I had ended up in the hospital in the first place. The rumours were endless, as Clara said. Some say I went crazy and tried to kill myself, some say I was cheating on Jesse with Khalil, and Jesse went crazy when he found out. I didn't have time to care, however. I focused on my script in my head, remembering the words I needed to say to Jesse.

I didn't absorb any information for that class, and I don't think Clara did either. When the bell rang, and the rest of the class emptied, she pulled out her phone. She was tapping on it, and when her phone dinged, she turned to me.

"They're ready," she said, and I knew instantly that she meant Samuel and Roman. My stomach clenched as I realized it was go time. I nodded to her, knowing what I needed to do. This was step one of the plan.

I rose to my feet first, walking out of the classroom first. I saw Roman and Samuel waiting down the hall, they stood up straighter as they saw me. None of us let any recognition or greeting pass our face. I took a deep breath as I turned from them, walking toward's Jesse's locker.