Because She's Different

Chapter Thirty: Change ✓

Ria's POV

I was the first to get up the next morning and I decided to cook breakfast. I set plates down then went upstairs to call everyone down. Once I got downstairs my phone beeped and looked at the notifications, paling as I did. 

Lance Wesley sent you a friend request

I turned my phone off and tried to forget about it. Everyone sits down with a smile and ate. It's been a while since we ate all together. 

"I'm going back to school today," I blurt out. 

"You still have three days to rest, you can wait until then. You won't want to exhaust yourself." My dad calmly tells me. 

"I don't want to miss school. I promise I'll take care," I look at my brother for help and he sighs. 

"I'll watch her," he says. 

"Okay, are you sure though?" my mom insists and I nod in reply. 

After breakfast, my mom cleaned the dishes as I went back upstairs to take a shower. I carefully redressed my wound and put a shirt on. I walk to the door, barely even opening it when someone hugs me. 

"Why are you coming back so soon?" Julian asks and I let out muffled screams then glare at Randy. 

"Snitch," I sneered. 

"Don't blame me. I'm too lazy to drive and I'll only save you from mom and dad but not them. They can actually gang up on me." he reasons, nervously laughing at the guys. 

"Speaking of which, what happened to the company, Cole?" I turned to Cole. 

"I'm glad to announce that I shut it down and freed the people of their 'slavery'. I actually made them real employees by raising the company with my mom's help. It's now about commercials and publishing books." He proudly grins.

We all walk out onto the lawn and got in the car, ready to go to school. Upon arriving there we saw a lot of girls crowded by the entrance. 

"What's going on?" I ask the guys. 

"Apparently the new guy still has fans." Brian rolls his eyes.

"He's hogging all the girls," Julian whined. 

"Apparently he's from Lockwood," Cole states and I stiffen at the last word. 

"What's the name?" I ask casually. 

"Lan-" A guy emerges from the crowd and walks over to me with a smirk.

"Ria? Is that you? I knew you were here." He talks to me as if I was an old friend.

"Did you stalk me?" I glared at him. 

"Flattered? I miss you," he cooed, walking closer. Based on the situation, the guys knew what to do and blocked him. 

"On second thought, I'll just come back tomorrow," I whisper to them. The boys nod, holding the guy back as Cole led me to his car and opens his car door.

"You'll be late," I tell him

"I can make it back in time, trust me. My first period teacher is really nice and would excuse me." he smiles, pushing his offer. I nod and got in, him driving me back home.

    -•-*-•-   

This day is dreadful and I didn't even make it a day back to school. Since the transfer of school I felt different, a good kind of different. I was more aware now and I knew how to defend myself. My past school-- Lockwood Middle School, I was fooled all the time. Always bullied and played with. I remember the guy named Lance Wesley who was the most popular and handsome guy in school. I wore glasses and always had my hair in a bun.

He talked to me nicely unlike everyone else, or so I thought. Turns out he used me to get his grades up and to stay in the team. He was a real man whore and I was glad to have slapped him on the graduation party. 

I remember wearing a white dress. My hair was down in wavy locks and I stopped wearing my glasses and just used contact lenses. The moment I walked in there, I was a brand new person. I caught everyone's attention and they didn't recognize me. Cue the slow music and a guy taps me on the shoulder.

"Excuse me, are you from our school?" Lance asks and I turn around with a smirk.

"Yes, I do and your know damn well who I am." I look up at him. His eyes widen in realization.

"R-Ria? Ria Scott?" he stutters, eyeing me.

"I'm glad you recognize me, I scoff.

"Listen, I'm sorry for what I did. I just wanted to stay in the team." he reasoned out.

"You could've asked me to tutor you like a normal person. But what did you do? Use me completely!" I shriek, grabbing everyone's attention.

"You're gonna draw a crowd," Lance hushes me.

I roll my eyes and scoffed. "I don't care. You'll understand how much humiliation you gave me," I sneered.

There was panic in his eyes as he looked around. "I'm really sorry, please. Ria you're beautiful and I was blind not to see that before. I used a really beautiful girl and I regret it." he says in a low tone cupping my face and leaning in.

If I was as stupid as I was before I would love this moment but I'm not stupid anymore. I push him away and slap him right across the face and walked out.

And that is how I changed. No one in the family knows about it, not my mom or dad- not even Randy. I didn't cry after that, I actually celebrated. I felt free.

A knock from the door startles me and I sit up. "Come in, It's open."

My mom pokes her head from the door and grins. My mom was always the bubbly type. She's not strict and not too casual either, she's a little of both.

"My girl senses are tingling. How have you been holding up?" she asks.

"I'm okay, I clean my wound and aside from nightmares I don't think I'm that scared." I chuckle. My mom walks in and side hugs me.

"You're birthday's coming up," she informs me.

"Don't remind me," I groan.

"You're birthday is a special day, it's-" I cut her off not wanting her to continue. You don't want to know when my birthday is.

I hear my mom laugh behind the door. I plopped down on the bed and slept.