forbidden [✓]

thirteen

Alina

-

I groggily woke up, the sun shining right into my swollen, red eyes. My mind retraced to last night, and I frowned. I turned to check my phone. It was nearly noon.

12 missed calls from: Peter
40 iMessages from: Peter
3 iMessages from: Giselle
1 missed call from: Giselle

I sighed as I read the notifications on my lock screen, sliding on Giselle's name.

From: Giselle
12:30 AM -Alina, where are u? Peter called me worried about u.
1:00 AM- Alina, please call me.
1:15 AM-What the hell happened with you and Peter? What did he do?!

I grimaced as I tapped the chat button so the keyboard popped up. I froze, and my fingertips hovered over the keyboard lifelessly. How do I tell Giselle what went down between us last night? For all I know he probably already told her.

I'm fine, i'm at home. I'll meet you at Starbucks if you want to talk.

I replied to her after what felt like forever, and she immediately replied.

My mom is letting me borrow her car. I'll come pick you up.

I left her on read, and reluctantly clicked on Peter's messages.

12:03 AM- Alina, please come back. I'm so sorry.
12:04 AM- Alina, where are you? Its cold and dark outside!
12:05- Alina, please! I'm worried sick about you!
12:15- I fucked up, okay. I'm so sorry. For everything.
12:30- I love you. I'm sorry.

I couldn't read any more of the messages, so I locked my phone and tossed it somewhere on my bed.

I truly felt like shit. What a great way to start off the New Year.

I sighed as I grabbed out some grey sweats and a maroon hoodie from my closet, quickly throwing the clothes on. I tossed my hair up into a bun and popped my glasses on. I slid my black shoes on and grabbed my phone, going downstairs to wait for Giselle. Within a few minutes she was at my house.

I must've looked bad, because when she saw me her facial expression dropped. She looked angry and sympathetic. I got in her car and looked down at my knotted hands, tears welling in my eyes once again.

"He didn't even defend me, Giselle." I choked out, tears spilling from my eyes uncontrollably. She wraps her arms around me, resting her head on top of mine. My shoulders shook uncontrollably, my sobs quiet and sorrowful.

"What happened, love? He just came home last night and was frantic about calling you to see if you were okay." She says, unbuckling her seatbelt. She held me at arms length, only to see the unraveling mess that I was at the moment.

"Liliana's back." I choke on my words like they're acid. Giselle's jaw drops.

"She's... what? She's back? There's no way..." She trails off, panic setting over her face. Liliana made Giselle's life hell, but Peter was too blinded by love to even see it. Liliana would torment Giselle on her physical appearance, the way she dressed, spoke, acted, anything she could find to pick on about Giselle. Giselle didn't necessarily tell Peter these things, because at the time, he would've taken Liliana's side over hers any day. That girl's done some major damage around here, and the nerve of her to reappear and ruin everything once again truly kills me.

She was like a real-life mean girl. Thankfully, she graduated last year, so she's in college now. What she's doing back here, is what we'd love to know. She was going to school all the way in Virginia last anyone heard.