The Heartthrob Won't Leave

Chapter Twenty-Seven (New Chapters)

It wasn't long before the car pulled over, in front of a large middle-class home in the suburbs. It was white and beige, with no indication on the outside that anyone lived there. She just got out as soon as the car shut off, feeling suffocated in that small space. She was guided up the driveway, to a set of stairs, and right through the front door. She was so tired, and the morning sun was partially up. The place was littered with shoes by the front door, surprisingly messy. A bell suddenly went off, startling her. 

"Just in time" Blake looked over at Gracy as she spoke, and it was sudden when the sound of footsteps started clattering all over the top level. "It's morning" Blake didn't know what time it was, her phone had already been confiscated. But, it was much earlier than when she woke up for school every day, when she slept that was. 

She remembered when she was younger, when she had lived in a group home, they had one of the girls go around and rip everyone's blankets off and force them out of bed at 6 in the morning every day. She always hated that, she had gotten so little sleep back then as it was. Her father's trial had been coming closer and closer by day, not that she was going, but it didn't ease her anxiety about it. Gracy guided her up the stairs, after insisting she take her shoes off, and to a room closer to the end of the hall. She opened the door, and the first thing that Blake noticed was the bunk beds, the upper one with her bags on it. 

Then, it was the girl that was laying down on the bottom bunk, with a book between her hands. She turned her head at their entrance, eyes black and hard, looking right at Blake, and it was horrible. 

"Bridgett! Get up! The bell rang!" Gracy claimed. She watched as the girl rolled her eyes, dropping the book and leaning up, pushing her hair over her dark shoulders. Somehow, Blake found herself recalling this girl, but she wasn't sure from where. It was as if she had seen her before, but it was a bit fuzzy. 

"We'll let you sleep for a bit Blakelyn, it has been a long night, after all. But, you'll be going back to school tomorrow, so get ready for that" Gracy claimed, leading the girl further into the room. All the furniture matched, without scratches or spots, nothing hung on the eggshell-white walls. The only thing different about the room were the girl's sheets, mismatched colors, and a patterned duvet. Suddenly Gracy was gone, and Blake was alone, in the presence of this stranger that looked at her as if she was disgusting. 

"You know, fresh meat-" she watched the girl pull away from her covers, revealing the shorts and t-shirt she had slept in "My makeup table used to be where your dresser is now" Blake's eyes widened, glancing at the empty dark dresser next to the one covered in items, no doubt belonging to this girl "You know where it is now? white trash?" Blake looked away on instinct 

"It's in the fucking furnace room, you bitch" 

"Hey!" Gracy re-entered the room, holding a set of sheets in her hands "Bridgett! Be nice!" Blake was just paralyzed, like she couldn't move even if she wanted to. This place was so suffocating with hatred that you could feel it in the air, and it made it so hard to breathe. With her heart pounding in her chest, she watched as Gracy placed the bundle of sheets on the top bunk next to her bags. 

"Get ready for school Bridgett! Now!" and that was all Gracy said before she left, shutting the door behind her. Truly alone now. She watched the girl sigh, shoving her hand under her pillow and pulling out something. Blake realized it was a pack of gum, watching as the girl popped a square into her mouth, turning to look at her. 

"Want one?" she asked suddenly, startling Blake. She seemed sincere. 

"No, th-that's ok" she responded. 

"Oh ya, sorry about the white trash thing-" Blake lifted her head slightly "Gotta keep up appearances you know" she was just speechless, watching as Bridgett got up from the bunk, approaching her and holding out her hand 

"Nice to meet you" Blake just glanced down at it, in disbelief, before reaching out her hand and taking it. Her entire demeanor had changed in a matter of seconds "I would stay and hang out, but unfortunately, these people actually make you go to school" Bridgett rolled her eyes, smacking her gum. Is everyone hiding who they truly are?! All the time?!

Blake didn't want to think about it, she just started undoing her coat as Bridgett moved to her dresser to get ready for the day. 

"I-if we m-moved things around, I'm s-sure we could f-fit your makeup t-table" Blake spoke with all the courage she had, watching as the girl turned to face her, a sudden smile on her features. 

"Don't worry about that thing, I ain't mad about it. I just used it as an excuse to piss Gracy off" Blake wanted so much to just sit around and debate the last twelve hours of her life in silence, but she was just so tired. Her head throbbed, and her eyes hurt in their sockets. She needed to sleep. 

So, she took off her coat, and struggled up the metal ladder to the top bunk bed, trying not to hit her head on the roof as she pushed around her things. Gracy had been telling the truth, Karl had packed her some clothes and her toiletries. She grabbed the bags, pushing them to the corner so she had room to take the sheets and put them on the bed, struggling to neatly lay everything out along with her pillow. She just laid down, letting out a soft sigh of relief, her coat lying beside her on the bed and bags by her feet against the metal barriers. 

"Have fun sleepin'" Bridgett claimed, sounding amused before opening and shutting the door behind her, Finally, Blake was alone, and free to cry into the cold pillow her head laid on without anyone hearing as her lip quivered in disarray. She felt so weak, that she couldn't do anything but cry. She couldn't even control where she went or did, that was all guided by the people around her. She was a puppet, such a stupid puppet. She fell asleep quickly, her lack of it taking its toll. But, that didn't stop the tears from leaving her eyes even after she fell unaware of them.