she's a dark pastel ; michael clifford au

Chapter 9

SKYLAR'S P.O.V

I walked through the doors of the school like I did every weekday. It was getting pretty boring to do the same thing everyday. Go to school, come home, do homework, go to bed, repeat. I walked into the auditorium and saw all of the people's faces engaging in conversation or smiling and laughing. I walked up to where Nicole was sitting and took a seat.

"Hey, babe." Travis said as he put his arm around my shoulder. I cringed lightly, but he didn't notice. He never notices anything. He's too involved with himself to notice the people around him. It was annoying how self-centered he was, but it was too late to break up with him. I was sure that after a month of not speaking to Luke, Ashton, Calum, and Michael they completely hated me. Especially after seeing me together with Travis. I was such an idiot for giving him a chance, but it's too late to go back. I still go to stage crew, but it's not the same anymore. Nobody talks, Ashton just goes through the things we have left to do and then we get to work in utter silence. The good thing is that we're almost done with the set so I won't be there to make them uncomfortable anymore. They're better off without a coward like me around. I sighed as Travis still had his arm around me. Luckily, he hasn't tried anything. I think he just likes people to know he can get any girl he wants and likes the way we look together. He's told me before that we don't have to kiss or anything, just hold hands and look good. I'm  pretty sure he sleeps around with other girls judging by the marks on his neck he has some days. It really doesn't bother me since he has no sentimental value to me. 

I looked across the auditorium only to see Michael with his friends. He was looking down and seemed a bit sad. He always seemed a bit sad now and it made me sad that it was my fault. I'm sure he hates me. I wish I could look at him without feeling the horrible gut-wrenching guilt at the pit of my stomach. I was pretty miserable and close to snapping because I just couldn't handle living like a fake anymore, but it was a bit late to go back. I sat there and just zoned in and out of the conversation my "friends" were having. I excused myself to go to the restroom and stepped out of the auditorium. I walked into the girl's bathroom and splashed water on my face. This was again, going to be a long day. I rested my hands on either side of the sink and leaned forward. I took a good look at myself. Hazel eyes, light brown, almost blonde, hair and pink lips. I was looking at me, but at the same time I wasn't. I wasn't being myself and I was trying way too hard. It disgusted me but I didn't want to be alone. It wasn't the fact that I would be alone again that scared me, it was the fact that I would be bullied again. Maybe they'll be kind enough to just simply ignore you? I thought to myself. I shook my thought away and made my way back towards the auditorium. I sat down a few rows behind Nicole and them, but they didn't seem to notice.

"So how are you and Skylar doing?" Nicole asked Travis. 

"We're doing okay. I think i'm gonna break up with her, though. She's too clingy and annoying. She always wants to be near me. I guess she can't get enough of me." He chuckled at the last part.

"Well then she better start finding some other people to hang out with cause once you're done with her we're all done with her." Nicole said. 

"Yeah, I never liked her anyway." One of Nicole's friends said. I didn't want to hear them talking about me anymore, so I walked up to them and took my seat.

"Oh, Skylar, we were just talking about you." Nicole chirped.

"What were you saying?" I asked nonchalantly.

"Travis was just telling me how sweet of a girlfriend you are." She scrunched up her nose and giggled with a big smile plastered all over her face. 

"Well he's an amazing guy too." I smiled and gritted my teeth. 

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The day was done and it was time to meet up for stage crew. I walked down the stairs and towards the auditorium to see the guys weren't there yet. I set my stuff down on a chair and went straight to get my apron and started painting. I was working on the background which had to be a forest since A Midsummer Night's Dream was about some people running away into the forest.  I painted for a while before I realized they still weren't here. Had they bailed on me or something? I decided to go look for them, thinking they were probably just somewhere around the campus. I walked down the halls but then decided on going outside to look for them. I found Ashton walking towards me, well he was walking towards the door, with blood coming from his nose. I gasped and ran towards him, "Ashton, what happened?" 

"Why don't you ask your little boyfriend and his friends?" He pointed his thumb backwards and I noticed Luke, Calum and Michael making their way towards us, also with a bit of blood on them.

"What did they do? Did you guys fight back?" I asked.

"Of course we fought back, do you think we'd just sit there and let them beat us?" Ashton snapped. 

"Are you guys okay?" I said in the calmest tone possible. 

"We're fine, Skylar. They hit like girls." Calum teased. He seemed to be the only one who still at least tried to be kind and speak to me during Stage Crew. We started making our way through the metal doors and inside of the school.

"Hey, girls can hit hard." I defended. 

"Oh, pardon me for defying your feminist nature." He said.

"Shut up." I laughed and lightly punched his arm. He chuckled as they went into the bathroom and I went into the auditorium. I was done with Travis. I was done with his huge ego and his little friends. He was such an asshole with air inside of his head instead of a brain. Tomorrow was going to be different. Tomorrow it was all over and I was done with every single one of the Pastels. I was even done with Pastel me.