The Class Reject: A Damsel in Disguise (Featured Story)

Chapter 36

By Monday, everyone and their best friend were discussing homecoming. It was funny. Miren didn't remember boys ever being this chatty. But since she was involved, her ears were unnaturally inclined to pick up any spoken details of that night.

"Did'ya hear that Soren found her? Tough break."

Yes, yes, she had heard that already. It was obvious; he was practically the one who placed her on the stretcher. A chill in Miren's spine froze her entire body. A stretcher. She prayed that Artemis' condition wasn't as serious as it seemed. But she wasn't moving the last time she saw her...

Miren forced her eyes to stay ahead. Calculus. She had to pay attention. But she was having trouble caring, just like the instructor was having trouble teaching. Mr. William's last marker had bled dry, and as he slowly searched for a new one, chatter ensued around her.

"Isn't it weird that the Homecoming Queen was pushed down stairs? At our school? Those Roz bitches  are never gonna let us live it down..."

It was kind of sad, really. Rinzen was looking forward to hosting homecoming after four years. But with the victory of the football match and a nicely decorated dance hall, came the epic loss of Artemis' wellbeing. She could just hear the Rosemunde Royals refusing to ever allow homecoming to happen on Rinzen ground again. She knew they had messed up, but now she feared their plan had destroyed everything.

"People are saying that Penelope pushed her. She probably did. Haven't you seen that YouTube video?"

Miren rolled her eyes, but she felt her spirits lighten with the boys' boisterous conclusions. If they were saying that Penelope pushed Artemis, then that must have meant the Rosemunde girls shared their feelings. Good. At least the plan wasn't a total bust.

"They say Artemis might be in a coma. Heard she broke her nose, too. Such a shame, she probably isn't pretty anymore."

That comment killed Miren. She exhaled, shaking her head. Gossip. It was just gossip. But somehow the boys' words seemed believable. They weren't giggling, or offering sly looks of gain from expelling reputation-shattering words. Instead, they were like reporters. And Miren hoped that what they were reporting wasn't true. It can't be.

Mr. Williams finally found a marker, and when he began writing on the board, most of the talking ceased. Miren tapped her fingers against her desk as she took notes. Schoolwork was usually her distraction, but now it was an outlet, producing thoughts she rather not think about.

Broken nose.

Coma.

Her fingers formed into a fist as she slammed it against the desk. A few stray glances turned to her way, but she brushed them off, springing to her feet the moment the bell rang. Straddling her backpack over her shoulder, she knew what she had to do. Fuck what Jeno said.

She was going.

**

Miren decided that she would have to do it alone. She briefly considered taking Chara with her, or maybe informing Wallace about her departure. But honestly, she didn't know how useful they'd be.

It was ten minutes to nine. Miren had finished her homework for the night. If you counted homework as researching the perimeter of Gloveria City Hospital, and the easiest way to get in and out without overexposing herself. She rose to her feet, cupping her hands behind her head in a stretch. A feeling a doubt pinched her when her eyes met Jeno's form, which was face deep in an AP Chemistry textbook.

Miren inhaled, forcing herself to gain confidence. All she had to do was leave. Five steps, and she'd be out the door and on her way to the bus stop. The night bus would be there in fifteen minutes. She had to leave now. Or never.