TORTURED SOUL | abby littman

𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗶𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗻.

   
    
    
    

chapter sixteen

{ unedited }

   
    
    
    

NOTHING HAPPENED. Nothing had changed. They hadn't even talked about what happened in the church. Almost as if it didn't happen. It was probably a good thing they hadn't addressed it, it would've just made things unnecessarily awkward. It was good to pretend nothing happened because then they were able to get through the last chemistry tutoring session with ease and all Abby had left to do was the test under exam conditions. Abby wanted to leave it for a few days so that she could study over everything again before doing the test and, since there was no deadline, Rowan agreed with it.

Rowan was on her way out of her chemistry classroom when she felt an arm get her into a headlock, pulling her down so she was at their height. Rowan stumbled slightly, an arm going around their waist to keep herself up. "Hey," Stevie grinned as Rowan looked up at them. "Been a while, stranger."

"Yeah, sorry," Rowan apologised as she got out of their grip, standing upright so they could carry on walking down the hallways before all other classes let out and it'd get too crowded. "Just had a lot on my mind. I didn't mean to ignore you."

"It's all good. Came to ask about our cool little friend. He hasn't come by the comic shop lately, everything good there?" Stevie sounded genuinely concerned and that surprised Rowan. They'd only talked to Cameron once but seemed to be worried about him and, in a way, Rowan and she wasn't used to that. Rowan wasn't used to it at all.

"Everything's good," Rowan said before adding as an afterthought, "thanks." It was nice. Having someone else care about her brother the way she did was nice. She would have to get used to it but, still, it made her smile.

Rowan's smile dropped when they passed a student listening to an all too familiar song on their phone, earphones out. Hunter's song for Ginny. The song the whole school seemed to love and wouldn't stop talking about. She was getting sick of hearing it. The last thing Rowan wanted was to have that ridiculous song stuck in her head.

"Am I the only one who hates that stupid song?" Stevie asked, their eyes cast on the student that walked passed them before looking front again to avoid bumping into anyone. "I swear, every time I hear it I wanna stab my fucking brains out."

"You wouldn't be the only one."

"Don't even get me started on Ginny. Have you seen her today? She's acting like she's a fucking celebrity. It's actually hilarious seeing her think she's so important." Stevie talked with a distaste in their voice and they pretended to stab at the air with their hand, making Rowan's smile come back.

"You don't like Ginny?"

"'Course not. I got some classes with her and I'm not even kidding when I say she's got a stick so far up her fucking ass I'm surprised it hasn't come out her mouth yet," Stevie said, a look on their face so serious that it made Rowan laugh. She understood that much, Ginny did act that way. With what Abby had told her too, Ginny apparently couldn't go one conversation without making things about her so Rowan was thankful she hadn't come across her today. She was dreading experiencing whatever that song had done to Ginny's ego.

Rowan looked back when feeling someone walking too close for comfort but relaxed when seeing it was Marcus, tiptoeing behind them. Rowan looked at him with a questioning look but all Marcus did to respond was hold a finger to his lips. Rowan sighed, turning back to look down at Stevie in time to see Marcus holding onto their hips and leaning down to whisper in their ear, "boo!"