CHAPTER 10: Alone Or Lonely? [✔]

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         NOW is Nathan’s turn to be absent. It was already been a week since Tyler threatened me about that thing that I did to his relationship with Freeda. We are now on our third week of school but thankfully, Tyler didn’t do anything to me about that certain thing... Yet. Maybe because I’m always having Nathan around but I still didn’t tell him about it, of course.

         If there is one thing that I learned about the events last week, that is on rule number seventeen of my manual which is to “never meddle in anyone’s life.” Well, that rule is more like minding my own business here at school.

        Back to the top, as I’ve said earlier, Nathan isn’t going to school for days now just like what I did before when I got sick. Because of that, I can’t help but to think that maybe, just maybe, I passed a fever into him. I should take it back if only I can. So I decided to visit him later after our classes for I wasn't been able to see him for the past few days now.

         I was walking down the hallway when someone’s foot tripped me, and I did fell down on the glossy floor of this building, causing people to laughed at me. As they burst out in laughter, an unexpected someone suddenly helped me up. When I looked up, I saw Tyler’s face and I instantly got nervous.

“Just play along if you wanted to be saved from my remorse,” he whispered into my ears.

“T-thank you,” I stated, trembling. I try to act cool and casual as long as I can.

         Surprisingly, he smiled at me sweetly, causing my heart to skipped a beat. It felt like all of my fears about him faded away because of that one single smile of him. But I instantly mentally slapped myself as soon as I realized that he only did it for a show. After “helping” me, he walked away, and that’s when I realized that everyone in this place are currently staring at me.

           I looked away, bothered by the fact that the bad boy of our school just helped me and more... He smiled at me. He never done that to anyone before even to Freeda. The worst thing of all is pretty much one third of Jackson High’s student population probably saw it.

         I quickly grabbed all of my stuffs before I started walking away from that place. I went to my classes, and thankfully, my day ended with nothing much happened as I usually expected.

         I was humming peacefully while walking towards the exit of our campus, gladly looking forward to see my bestfriend right after I got home later on. But as I made my way out, I heard some whispers that really got into my nerves.

“That girl is the reason why Tyler and Freeda broke up.”

“Really?” Psssh. Crazy, gossip girls.

“Yes, I heard about it. I wonder how she did it. Look at her... She was so plain and boring...”

“Right. And there are also rumors spreading about that girl who said something bad about Tyler to Freeda just to get our school bad boy’s attention.”

“What a pathetic student.”

“Excuse me?” I joined in their conversation. They aren’t even a bit surprised by my presence. “You know that I can hear your conversation, right?” I asked them.

“Yeah, we know. So what now, normie girl?” one of them asked back and I was just dumbfounded, looking like an idiot in front of them. Only now that I realized how much weak and pathetic I am just like what they’ve said five seconds ago.

“Let’s go, girls. Let’s not talk to that person. I don’t want to be seen talking to someone like her.”

          They all laughed in agreement before walking away. I clenched my fist out of annoyance, wanting to punch someone in the face. More like Tyler’s face, to be specific. Though I couldn’t blame them either way for I was the one who initiated myself into this kind of situation. I broke the rule number one on my manual... I didn’t stay low-key.

         I felt so alone... Or maybe lonely without Nathan to be specific. I hope I could see him again today and tell him everything that’s happening right now in our school. I’m sure he’ll be mad at those people who keep on making up and spreading rumors about me. How I wish he was here.

         I was about to leave when a familiar voice called my attention by shouting my name. I looked around, only to see Freeda’s furious face.

“Hey, you!” she shouted on my face.

“Freeda...” I stuttered out of nervousness. She looked so annoyed and pissed about something.

“How dare you!” she pushed me violently causing me to fell down on the ground.

         She looked at me with guilt in her eyes, but it suddenly vanished as she realized that she was being followed by Lia and Elyzz who’s now grinning at me from ear to ear.

“That was just the beginning, Natalia Carter. We are warning you. Stay away from Tyler if you don’t want our queen to be mad at you,” Lia stated.

“But I’m not the one who’s staying close to Tyler! It was the other way around!” I complained.

“How assuming! Like, duh! Tyler would definitely not liking someone like you. Like, it was impossible, you know... Like, never!” It was Elyzz, emphasizing her favorite word in each sentence.

“Freeda... I’m only telling you the truth!”

“I don’t believe in you. Stay away from Tyler, Natalia... Or else...”

“Or else what, queen?” Lia asked, flashing a devilish grin.”

“Or else...” Freeda trailed off, thinking for a moment.

“Like what? Like you’re going to slap her face or maybe something like that?” Elyzz looked at me, feeding Freeda with those violent ideas coming from her brain.

“Just stay away, okay?! Tyler and I already had a mutual understanding even before you came into the picture. Now torn yourself off away from us!” she shouted before stomping away from the place.

         Lia and Elyzz followed her as usual, and I was left there all alone sitting on the ground like an idiot. I stood up, fixing myself up and just to make sure that nobody saw us. If someone did, then I think I couldn’t keep it to my bestfriend anymore.

        Nathan will probably finds out about this even before he stepped inside of the premises of our school. Jackson High is already filled with so many students who loves to gossip about someone. They are just waiting for some fake news to spread. And I didn’t want to give them another idea for their useless articles about me.

“Hey.” I turned around to face the owner of that voice. I nearly give in on my own will to slap his arrogant face.

         I rolled my eyes, before I started to walk away from his direction. I heard him chuckled before I heard his footsteps following behind me. I walked faster, afraid to get murdered by this man. But he didn’t stop bothering me. Instead, he pulled my arms using his hands that caused me to stop walking and face him. I was surprised at how close our faces to each other right now.

“I’m still talking to you,” he stated with his raspy voice. Our faces are just inches away from each other, and I could already smell his fresh minty breath.

“Please l-let g-go of m-me...” my voice sounded like begging.

“Then don’t walk away.” He removed his tight grip on my arms.

“Why are you doing this? Freeda and our schoolmates thinks that I’m ruining everything that they wanted to see... Why me, Tyler?” I looked up to him, my eyes were almost filled with tears.

         Finally, I got the courage to ask him about that question of mine. To be honest, it felt great telling him what I really wanted to say for the very first time. He looked at me with a bored expression plastered upon his face, so I decided to walked away again and tried to escape from his tight grip. But I stopped, as I heard him say another word. Some words that made me stop squirming like a worm on his hook.

“You did something very bad, baby. And now you need to suffer in the consequences of your little actions,” he stated seductively.

          Maybe he’s right... I’m indeed dead.

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