Chapter 4: Aftermath

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Thank you all for reading my story, I really appreciate it!

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"Something big, I feel it happening, out of my control. Pushing and pulling and its grabbing me, feel it in my bones like; whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh ,oh, oh ,o-"

I finally had caught onto something that felt like my phone and added pressure to the power button, effectively shutting off my alarm. Lifting my head off of the hard surface it was laid upon, I looked around. I was in the dining room, at the table, in a chair, papers and textbooks spread in front of and under my chest that was pressed onto the table. I had slept in the dining room, on top of incomplete math homework.

Oh my goodness, I thought, wiping some drool off my book and face with my onesie sleeve.

The light that streamed from the curtains in front of me finally caught my gaze and I hissed like a vampire, shading my eyes from the harsh brightness with my phone. That's when my finger slipped over the power button and switched on my phone. The screen light up profusely, making me shriek and shut my eyes.

"Ugh, so...bright," I muttered distastefully.

 Then, choosing to rather walk blindly to my room, I got up from the chair I had my butt firmly pressed into and stood up, in the intention of walking. But, turns out my body had other purpose, so I staggered and stumbled over, and thanks to my sloth-like reflexes, I fell, landing face first into the pot plant stupidly placed next to the dining table and dropping my phone.

I groaned, stifling a scream of irritation to not wake my parents and to not swallow a handful of dirt. Lifting my face out of the worm infested soil, I felt my face for any signs of the aforementioned worms. None. Thank God.

Well, what a bad morning.

I mustered up all of my strength and lugged my body up to my bedroom. Thankfully, a hot, refreshing shower was just what I needed and right after, I brushed my teeth that still reeked of morning breath. Two caps of mouthwash and a breath-mint later, I was buttoning up my white shirt tucking it in a tartan miniskirt. This was our school's new and improved uniform for the female students ever since 2014 and the change was voted by the student body and sanctioned by the principal herself. Every girl had to wear it, even the chubby girls that didn't have fast metabolism like some.

I was too lazy to wash my hair so I just threw on a beanie over it, leaving  it open, then packed my bags and travelled to the kitchen where my parents were sipping at hot, alluring coffee.

"Mornin' sweetheart," My father greeted as I side hugged him and did the same to my mother. "How was the homework party?" My mother asked. Lie, lie, lie, I thought to myself desperately. That's when I saw my mother's eyes flicker to my homework that was definitely not complete. I waltzed to the coffee machine and reached above me to grab a mug as I spoke, "Oh, her parents wanted us to leave early to get sleep so I didn't get to finish all the homework."

She seemed pleased at my answer, because when I turned, my mother nodded and took a sip of her coffee. Silence ensued as we sat at the counter; my father read the newspaper, my mother reading a book in her robe and me, sitting awkwardly  and sipping my coffee soundlessly, afraid that if my slurps were too loud, I would earn scrutinizing glares from both sides.

Then, my salvation arrived.

"Oh, that's the bus, got to go! See you after school." I yelled a bit too enthusiastically as I placed my empty mug onto the counter and raced to the front door, shouting a quick, "love you!" as I grabbed my unfinished homework on the dining table and shutting the door.

I exhaled as I sank into my seat, packing my homework into my backpack. Okay...

<II>

"You okay? Your eyes look like they got their bags from a department store?"

I rolled my eyes for the twelfth time and mumbled a, "I'm okay, Melanie," to my best friend without looking up from my lap. She had harassed me the minute I stepped on school grounds and was peppering me with reassurances and copies of answers to the extended homework I had got from paying commission to Tyler Curtis. I was of course extremely grateful and now ever in her debt for her kind efforts to help me.

But she still bombarded me with questions that I soon got exhausted of answering. And, guess what?

First period was cancelled.

Yeah, apparently Mr Wessils had broken his hand in an attempt to fix his car and a hammer fell from a shelf and resulting in scream of agonizing pain and lack of substitute teachers.

So, this gave Melanie even more time to irritate me. And even though she was, I couldn't do anything. She was my friend, after all.

Although soon, her voice faded to nothingness because just then, Crazy Cassie and her Crew sauntered in through the front doors.

There was an arrogant smirk on Cassandra's face as her steely eyes flew over everyone, nodding to a few in acknowledgment and fist bumping along the way. That's when shit happened though,

Cassandra's eyes landed on me.

"Crap." Melanie and I muttered simultaneously.

It seemed as though her even more overbearing, pompous smirk widened to a half smile, sinister and sick. Her whole crew teetered after her as she advanced towards- not Melanie and I, me specifically. It was like her main focus was on me, not anyone else, that the school didn't exist and it was just a one-on-one with just the two of us.

"Well," Cassandra said when she stood in front of me, "Isn't this our little guest from last night?" A few people including the Crazy Crew cheered, "Yeah, why'da leave so early? Daniel here was waiting for you in the bedroom." her gaze journeyed to another dark haired boy in the back that winked at me. I shrivelled back. A laugh bubbled from Cassandra. "Awe, look at that? Gabby here's a bit shy. Well, that's okay, you'll come back to us."

No, I won't, I screamed. Well, to myself. I was fuming mad by now. The infuriating words that came out of Cassandra's stupid mouth burned deep into my mind, making me clench my fists and my face grow red. I really hated her. She manipulated, frightened and scarred many people. She antagonized me. It was maddening how she could just do these things with out a care for who got hurt or punished for her doings. It was safe to say that I was enraged and staring at the ground like it killed my family.

I looked up her, "You know, you're a self-centered cow that will probably end up in jail for good some day, but until that time, I've got one thing to say to you," I glared at her with such intensity that a snippet of fear flashed in her eyes.

"I'm not afraid of you,"

At that point, my clenched fist flew to her face and a satisfying crunch was heard in a sickenly loud volume. Cassandra fell back into Viscous Valerie's arms and I stared at my fist throbbing with pleasing pain. Everyone looked at me, then Cassandra - who was hazy and staring up at me in shock with half-lidded eyes - then me and Cassandra again, then finally applauding me when they spotted blood leaking from Crazy Cassie's now disfigured nose.

Melanie spun me around to look at her and we grinned in shock, speechlessly staring at my fist.

"You okay?" She screamed over cheers. "Hurts like a bitch, but feels great!" I answered back. I possible, her grin widened. "Celebratory ice-cream it is!" She said, and dragged me through the crowd, me still feeling badass and glad that I went to that god-forbidden homework party.

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Hello, my homework buddies!

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This short story is finally finished and I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Wow, thanks for your support and commitment even when I didn't update for two weeks, I apologise.

~Heather~

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