This changes everything

Chapter 7: Betrayal

Owen left the next day.  We were fine, he understood I didn't do anything, but I still felt so guilty. 

I called into work sick that weekend.  All I wanted to do was stay in bed and not think about anything, talk to anyone, or do anything. 

I told my professor I was sick too so I could miss Monday and Tuesday.  I still had to go in on Wednesday.  That was a Tuesday night problem. 

I turned my phone off for those 4 days.  I spent the majority of the time sleeping, watching trashy reality shows, not eating, and getting high.  Weed is illegal here, but it's not something that's hard to get. 

Soon it was Tuesday night.  I turned my phone back on and it flood with messages.  Mostly from the Arsenal girls, asking if I was okay after not showing up today.  Nothing from Leah.  I opened Beth's though, if I told her I was sick she would tell everyone else, so I didn't have to. 

Beth: Hey Ab, sorry about Leah tonight, you didn't deserve that (Friday, 11:30pm) 

Beth: Abi can you at least respond so I know you're alive (Sunday 9:56am) 

Beth: Missed a good game today, we won! (Sunday 8:17pm) 

Beth: I'm getting worried (Monday 10:45am) 

Beth: K you didn't show up today can I report you as a missing person (Today 11:00 am) 

She really did care about me. 

Abi: Sorry I was sick and I turned my phone off, i'll see you tmr 

She answered almost right away. 

Beth: Can you call me 

I didn't want to call her, not that I was mad at her or anything, I just didn't want to bother with her line of questioning, but I knew if I didn't it would only make things worse, so I called her. 

"Abi what the fuck is going on" 

"I'm sick that's all" I added in a cough so she would believe me. 

"Bullshit" 

"I swear" 

"If you don't tell me what's going on, I'll tell everyone" 

There was one thing Beth knew that nobody else did in the world, except for Alex, Owen, and my parents.

"You wouldn't" 

"I would" 

I knew I needed to tell her, but I didn't even know what was going on myself. 

"I don't know what I'm doing, I go to a good school, I'm getting married, I have my dream job, I have amazing friends, but I feel like my life is crumbling into small tiny pieces" 

"You didn't have to shut the people who care about you out" 

"That's what I do, when something like this happens I shut down" 

"Did you and Owen break up?" 

"No we're fine" 

"Then why?" 

"I don't know" 

"Have you ever thought that maybe there is something more to you and Leah" 

"No, because there isn't" 

"You're a good person Abi, you deserve all the happiness in the world, I think you need to figure out what that comes from, it hurts to see you hold yourself back"