Another One Cindirection Story (L.P.)

Chapter 1 - The Last Time

Aubrey's POV

"Hey, Aubrey?" my brother Owen said.

"Yeah?" I asked, picking up my school bag.

"Call me if you need help, okay?" he asked me.

"Yeah, sure." I opened the passenger car door and got out. He gave me a look.

"I'm being serious." he said, a look of concern on his face. I didn't want him to stay any longer than he had already so I nodded quickly and closed the door behind me. He looked at me like he didn't believe me, but I knew he wouldn't make a scene. His interview for some prestigious school was in less than half an hour. He looked conflicted for a second, but then sighed. I watched as he sped away in his new car.

I turned around and faced my school. Madison Hills High. I fucking hated it here.

I hesitated as I stepped onto the steps leading up to the main doors. It was only the first day back from Spring Break, but there was already a feeling of uneasiness in my chest. I had a feeling that today wouldn't be like any other day. It would be much worse.

"Aubrey!" I jumped when a pair of arms wrapped unexpectedly around me. My friend Elizabeth caught up with me and began talking about her Spring Break. She was gushing about some expensive cruise ship she was on and about all the crazy parties that happened on it. Alex, her boyfriend, came up in her conversation as always, and she gestured at the huge teddy bear she was holding in her arms.

She was saying something about how she had no idea how she was going to fit her huge teddy bear into her locker, but I was not really paying attention to her. I was trying to figure out why I felt so uneasy. I glanced around, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. I sucked in a deep breath, it was just my anxiety acting up. I needed to relax.

"Really?" I said to Elizabeth even though I had no idea what she just said. She nodded excitedly and gestured wildly to add to her story, almost dropping her teddy bear.

When we reached the front doors, we said our goodbyes and went off in opposite directions. I headed down the hall to my locker and already I could hear snickering behind me.

"Did you hear..." Taylor said to one of her friends, not bothering to keep her voice down which could only mean that she wanted me to hear her. I pretended not to hear her and kept walking.

"I know right?" Natalie said.

I shook my head slightly. I wondered if Natalie ever had an original thought of her own or if she always agreed with whatever Taylor said.

I was seconds away from reaching my locker when Taylor's boyfriend Connor shoved me into a locker nearby.

"Hey Cinderella, I missed you last week. Not." he sneered in my ear.

"Get off of me," I said, trying to push him off. He laughed, but didn't take his hands off of me.

"You're lucky I even touch you. No other guy will."

I watched from the corner of my eye as a crowd began to form. Taylor and Natalie included. Elizabeth with Alex, too. She avoided my eyes. I was not surprised, but even then, it still hurt. I could feel my heart rate spiking.

"Acting all tough are you? You don't have to, everyone already knows your dirty little secret." he laughed and turned around to face the growing crowd. "Am I right?" Connor asked, smirking. His friends nodded in agreement.

He turned back to me. I felt myself trembling under his eyes, but I bit my lip and forced myself to return his look.

His fierce blue eyes stared back at me. "Get off of me." I repeated. Out of the corner of my eye, I could still see the crowd and I wished I could disappear. Connor didn't move. Instead, he moved even closer, so close that he was practically pressed up against me.