Sweet diary-✔

12. Survive

I get home hopping.

Mom smiles at me. "Had fun at school, honey?" she asks, giving me a kiss on top of my head. I shrug. "I made some new friends. Delilah is past," I let her know and she nods, not going further on it. 

I'm grateful for that. It still hurts. She knows I'll tell her when I'm ready for it. "When are you two leaving?" I ask, just as Dad comes downstairs. He looks better.

I smile at him and he gives me a kiss. "We'll be leaving tomorrow. Everything settled with Delilah?" he asks, passing by to Mom. I cringe. "Not.. quite."

He frowns. "Then where are you staying?" he asks and I shrug. "I can stay home alone?" I suggest, but they shake their heads. "Not going to happen."

I think about where I can go. 

No way I'm going to June.

Grandma is a no-go too.

I sigh, not knowing what to do. Mom eyes me with concern. She looks like she wants to say something, but is afraid too. "Spill it," I sigh.

She looks at Dad, who eyes uncomfortable too. "I guess... you have to go with Jack then," Mom says, then quickly hides behind Dad. My head snaps up. What?!

He narrows his eyes at her. "Really, Queen? I have to fix this?" he sighs, but smiles at me. I plead him with my eyes. "No. Dad, please. Everywhere but Dane's," I beg him. "I'm sorry, Willow. Really. But it's tomorrow, we can't find anything else anymore."

I sigh. These week will be horrible. Terrible.

"I'm sorry, Willow," he repeats and I give him a small smile. "It's not you fault, Dad. Neither is it yours, Mom," I say and she appears again, wrapping her arms around Dad's waist. 

"I'll survive it."  I hope I will.

They nod and I go upstairs, packing my stuff.  I pack a book, hoping Dane won't tear that one apart too. I'd like to believe that he's not a book ripper.

***********

"Hi, Dane."

He turns around and smiles at me. Leaning against his locker, he gestures to my bag. "What's that?" he asks and I sigh. "Uh... so you know Jack will stay with you for a week, right?" He nods, confused.

"So... since Delilah turned her back at me, I have no where else to go. Can I- Can I stay with you, maybe?"

I'm afraid of his answer. I know being friends was a big step for him. But he smiles. "Oh, is that all? Sure you can," he says and I smile relieved. He takes my bag and places it in his locker. "You don't have to carry that around all day. You driving with me home?"

I nod and he smiles. "Well, then. We'll pick it up after class, okay?" he says and the bell rings. I nod and we walk to our class.

"I hope I'll survive," I joke and he chuckles. "Why wouldn't you? I've never done anything to you." He winks and I roll my eyes. "Sure," I giggle. "That was meant ironically, by the way," he grins.

"No shit."

We walk in class and sit down, still talking. Then, I realize everyone is staring at us with their jaws dropped. I frown and look behind me, seeing the same shocked faces. "What?" I ask, and they start doing their normal thing again.

A few people are on their phone, and I get a notification.

DelilahxSummers tagged you in a post!

JunexAlbrodi commented on a post you're tagged in!

TysonBroods mentioned you in his/her story!

ItsmeNicklol tagged you in a comment!

I frown and open Delilah's post. It's a photo of me and Dane, just now. So this is what they were doing on their phone, all of them.

The caption reads: Just fuck already.

I gasp and go to the stories and comments of all the other people, and they all say the same. Dane slides his phone out of his pocket, since it's making noises all the time. He scrolls through the notifications and shrugs.

"It's a rumor, Willow. It's not true," he says and I nod. But I don't like the rumors. Never liked them. Or you speak the truth, or you're silent. It's simple, right?

I sigh, frustrated. "I just don't understand why. Why do they spread rumors? It's not like it's fun, is it?"

I look at him and his eyes snap to mine. "It's no fun, I know. But after a while, you get used to it. It doesn't matter anymore," he says and I sigh again. 

After a while, the bell rings again and the day is over. He smiles at me and gives me my back.

"Let's go to my place." I raise a brow. "That really sounds wrong, you know that?" I giggle and he rolls his eyes. Jack is already waiting by the car and we get in, me on the backseat.

Let's survive.