Watched Over

Chapter 23: Oblivious

"You don't need to worry about my nickers," she retorts spitefully, "because i'm not wearing any." Ruby rolls her eyes in response to Irene's disgusting confession.

"No surprise..." Natalie mumbles sharply under her breathe.

"I'm just pleased that my baby is alright," Irene comfortably leans back into her chair, placing both hands against her chest with her thumping heart caged inside.

"Your baby?" Natalie asks her by directly leaning across me. "Last time I checked you weren't in any position to call him that," Natalie raises her voice, receiving a sudden disapproving look from our teacher.

"Caleb will always be my baby!" irene barked back.

"No he won't, you're not even together anymore Irene," Ruby butts in, causing me to sink into my chair. Irene hates me enough already and this is the least she can possibly do to annoy me. Of course, it bugs me a tiny bit, but I know that she's just oblivious.

"You're right," Irene smirks intentionally, "he's not my baby anymore, I understand."

My face sharply turns in her direction,  surprised by her sudden realisation.

Natalie and Ruby exchange confused expressions and once towards me. We all decide to ignore the fact that she said that because it's obvious that she still feels the same way about him and is just hiding it.

◈◈◈

We eagerly exit class, walking down the hall way.

"See you later," I say to Natalie and Ruby as we part ways.

"See ya!" they yell back, bickering about something on their way.

Through the stretched 'tunnels' of misbehaved teenagers, an unsettling feeling trickles unusually inside of me. I believe that I might not ever get use to the massive amounts of roaring groups throughout this suffocating place, and I may never be let through this time or the next- maybe i'm over exaggerating, but to prove the craziness I feel an unwelcoming tug by my shirt.

Someone pulls me into the girls bathroom, and I figure out that someone is Irene.

"What the hell are you doing?" I ask her.

"You bitch!" she hits me brutally across the arm, "you think you can steal my man, but no honey, you don't have a chance. You also think that those other bitches can keep you safe and stick up for you all the time-"

"I-" I attempt to jump in, but she palms me off.

"Shut up, you useless piece of shit," she starts giggling like a maniac in a mental institution. "I'm sick of Caleb thinking that you're the one, I need you to leave him-"

"Or what Irene?" I snap.

"Or there will be consequences."

I push her away from me, "Don't ever touch me again!."

"You're trying to sabotage me, you're so selfish, you don't even care about Caleb's feelings," I shake my head in disappointment, "You only care about yourself."

"Don't you ever touch me," she yells, bolting towards me. My head hits the ground and I moan in response to her strong tackle. The aching pain resinates throughout my entire body, but not giving up.

For some reason I am fine, I've suffered way worse and I'm now immune to abuse- This surprises Irene once I regather myself extremely quickly by pushing myself back up.

"Irene, I don't know why Caleb fell in love with you in the first place, but that's the past, and I have no reason to be associated with you," I huff in exhaustion, "please just leave me alone."
My back faces her as I walk away proud of my improvised speech, and I skilfully block her rude comments out.

Why should people like her, like him, be able to be capable of those kinds of inappropriate acts in this world?

What is the purpose of Tyler and Irene existing, if all their going to do is torture and mess with other people?

But I understand that if destruction never existed, peace wouldn't either.

◈◈◈

My anger shows while I sit by jake because he happens to ask me if I'm alright, again. That seems to aggravate me even more, but once I realise Jake is being quieter than usual, I can't help but ask him if he's alright also.

"I'm fine," he answers.

"What's going on?" I ask, curious about the discolouration throgh his face.

"Nothing, but while I have your attention..." he pauses, "I've been meaning to ask..." he chuckles, shaking his head, "nevermind."

"Meaning to ask me what Jake?" I ask and my foot stops taping the floor.

He shrugs, irritating me.
Both of my arms cross over my chest, as he avoids eye contact all of a sudden.

"Fine," he annoyingly starts, "can you.. Maybe, come to my place to help me study?"

"Well I was already heading to your place this afternoon. So, sure."

he grins in achievement, and I feel unusually guilty for some odd reason.

"But, there's this bomb fire party tonight and I might be going, so I can only hang with you for a while..."

"Of course, I'm already going to that anyway," Jake carefully speaks. "I hope I see you there," he smirks lightly as he returns to his textbook.

I uncomfortable attempt to focus on my book myself, but all I can think about is Jake's unbearable comments.

◈◈◈

The end of school approaches, and Jake obviously waits for me at the gate. His weight leans against its edge, and his lips curl into a cheeky smile.

"What are you up to?" I ask, from a descent distance.

"Nothing at all," he turns his head to hide his uncontrollable blushing.

"Then why were you looking at me like that?" I giggle to ease the unexpected tension.

"Like what?" He asks. This annoying question irritates me, because he knows what I'm talking about but he just chooses to deny it.

"Before, there was that look-"

"You're just beautiful, ok?" He looks at me straight in the eyes.

"Ok," I quietly respond, unsure of what to say.

The silence becomes awkward once again, as we walk without the intention of saying a word to each other until we enter the door to his apartment.

•••
Authors Note:
Thank you for your patience with this chapter, I'm pleased that I've finally finished this chapter and I hope you're pleased too.
xx.