Another One Cindirection Story (L.P.)

Chapter 4 - Invisible

Aubrey's POV

Owen didn't speak to me the whole ride to school. The silence was so overwhelming that I turned the radio on louder than necessary. When I got out of the car and told him that I would see him later like always, he just nodded and drove away.

I stood there watching his car disappear from my sight and then turned to face the school.

This was it. The moment of truth.

I shifted my backpack onto both my shoulders and headed up the stairs. There was no turning back now.

Nothing happened at first. The other students were rushing to their first classes of the day, too busy to pay any attention to me. The first bell rang, signaling that there was only five minutes to get to class before we were considered late. Someone bumped into me, but immediately apologized before scuffling off. A sense of relief settled over me. It was a good thing, right? That no one noticed me?

I was halfway to my locker when someone stepped in front of me. Taylor. And just like that, the sense of relief was over. I waited for the rude comments, but instead, she stuck her hand out and pasted on a sickly sweet smile.

"Hi! You must be new. I'm Taylor."

I couldn't help my mouth dropping open slightly. This was a joke right? I glanced around her to see if her friends were about to pop out and start laughing. But there was no one around her. She saw my confused expression and dropped her hand just as Connor appeared out of nowhere behind her.

I backed away instantly by habit, but he paid no attention to me. He pulled Taylor in by the waist and kissed her forehead before he noticed me standing there awkwardly. Taylor must have noticed me staring at Connor and gawking because she didn't wait a second. She turned around and kissed him, making sure that I was watching.

When she was done, she turned around dramatically, gesturing at Connor. "This is my boyfriend, Connor," she said, emphasizing boyfriend. Connor stuck his hand out, too, and now I was really confused. Surely he was about to make a rude comment anytime soon? But he didn't, his expression remained neutral... like he had never met me before. I snapped myself out of it and slowly shook his hand.

"Anyways, we really have to get going. You should too, wouldn't want you to miss your first class of the day." Taylor latched onto Connor and steered him toward their class. I couldn't help but notice that Connor was still looking at me as he followed after Taylor.

New? I looked different, but definitely not different enough to be considered new. I was so busy trying to figure out what was going on that I almost forgot that I was standing in the middle of a busy hallway. People were weaving around me in a rush to get to class and no one seemed to have anything to say about me for once. It was strange, this feeling of blending in. I hadn't felt it in a while and I couldn't say that I hated it.

But it was all wrong, wasn't it? Pretending to be someone I was not wasn't what I was trying to accomplish. It was what Owen was trying to prevent from happening. A part of me wanted to run after Taylor and confess that she had it all wrong, but I stood still. Pretending to be someone else didn't seem that bad. In fact, this could be my way out. The late bell rang and I finally moved, but not to class.

I started toward the bathroom, feeling another anxiety attack coming on. Maybe Owen was right. Maybe this was all a big mistake. This wasn't who I was.

I was seconds from entering the bathroom when Elizabeth walked out. Oh thank God, she would know what to do. I was about to spill the details of this morning to her when she gave me a strange look.

"Hey," she said, drawing out the word. "I know you. I've seen you before."

My heart crashed. My supposed best friend didn't know who I was. "Elizabeth," I began.