Living to Loving

Chapter 11

This is a short chapter-but I did my best to make it as dramatic as possible. Tell me how I did! 

*Gemma POV*

I suck in a breath as I walk down the halls of Britain High School. Bella's leash is grasped in my hand. Posters and flyers littered the halls, as usual. The only difference? They all proclaimed, "Advocate for Jade and Gemma Caddel!"

Rina had done it. She'd done it. She'd, somehow, spread what Joanna had done all throughout Britain High School.

Joanna earned loathsome looks from students as she passed through the halls. Her popularity had gone down the drain when Rina had gotten the juniors and seniors on her case. Despite all of the flaws and stupidity of public school, they still had a sense of loyalty to my sister. That, in my mind, was beautiful.

A group of seniors even went to the principal, stated their case, and got Joanna and Lizzy suspended for three days.

"Hi!" Lizzy says, as she and Joanna walk up to me.

My muscles tense. I dig my fingernails into Bella's leash. "What?"

"What?" Lizzy asks. "I just wanted to say hi. Is there anything against that?"

Rina walks over. Her eyes look at me, concerned. "You good?"

I nod. "Yeah, I'm good."

"Anyways," Lizzy continues. She shoots a cautious look at Rina. "I was just coming to say hi!" She smiles patronizingly. "And I can't wait for after school when Joanna tells me how your practice for the State Solo Fest goes."

Rina bites her bottom lip and raises an eyebrow at me. "What was that about?"

I shrug. "I don't know. I'm kind of scared though."

Rina nods. "I would be too." Her brow furrows. "I'm not sure I can do much for you though."

I avert my eyes. "I know you can't. It's alright. We can just wait this out. See where it goes." I look up at her and lock my eyes with her bright, brown ones. Rina's eyes are genuinely concerned. I love that about her.

Daniel comes over shortly after. "Everything good? I saw Lizzy over here."

I purse my lips. "Everything's good."

"Can you tell me what happened?" Daniel asks. He and Rina look at me for confirmation.

I nod.

"Come on, little bro," Rina says, slinging an arm over Daniel's shoulder. "I'll fill you in." She has to stand on her tip-toes to reach his shoulders, further evidence that Daniel is a football player.

"Love you Gem!" Daniel calls over his shoulder as Rina drags him away, walking on her tip-toes.

"Love you," I say back, turning in the other direction.

I struggled through school, per ush, with more people stopping to talk to me in the halls. For some it might be encouraging that they knew my sister and were trying to help me, but it ramped all of my nerves up. It sent everything in my brain in a tizzy when someone came up to me. Fear always swallowed me when someone I didn't know tried to talk to me. I couldn't even speak when it happened. My doctor called it selective mutism. I hate it.

"Gemmy," Daniel runs to me and pulls me to his chest right after school. "I love you, Gemmy." He bends down and plants a kiss right on my lips. He releases his liplock on me and smiles. "I love you."

I smile, stand on the tips of my tip-toes and plant a return kiss on his lips. His cheeks turn red and a look of pure joy washed over him. I love him so much. Every time he kisses me I fall in love with him all over again.

"I need to go," I say. I place my index finger gently on his lips. "Until later?"

Daniel smiles. "Until later."

I throw a glance over my shoulder at him as I walk toward the room Miss Carr and Joanna wait for me in. Fear rises in me as I near. I slow my pace. What's waiting in there?"

When I walk in Miss Carr isn't there. Neither is Joanna. But my guitar is.

Except it's in splinters. A rock lays next to my guitar with a hand-written note. It reads:

Hey. You ruined my life. So now I'm ruining yours. This represents your life. Good luck piecing it back together when I'm through with it.

My breaths are jagged. A mix of anger and sorrow fill my chest, threatening to implode. I can feel my breaths shaking. I reach up and grab the necklace around my neck. "I love you," I whisper. Then it takes over.

I'm not in my body anymore. The world around me feels fuzzy, like I'm losing connection with reality. I'm surrounded by fear. Anxiety and sadness take over. My vision blacks out. I can feel myself falling to my knees, sobbing. I can feel everything melting around me. Everything is broken. That guitar was the closest thing I have to my sister. The memories of her teaching me guitar-gone. That little scruff she and I made on the bottom of it-gone. My world-gone.