ISOLATION

Epilogue

TWO DAYS LATER

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"So are you going to tell me about that girl you were with when you got off the bus, or am I going to have to do some digging of my own?" my mum said as she placed a plate in front of me on the dining room table.

I could feel the blood rush to my cheeks as I blushed, looking down at my plate and fidgeting with my knife and fork.

"Her name is Lauren Knight," I said quietly, refusing to look my mum in the eye.

I wasn't worried to tell my mum that I was dating a girl. She was stern and strict, but not prejudice or homophobic. I knew she would support me and my choices, as long as I was making the right ones. The sex however, I wasn't going to tell her about that.

"How come I've never heard of her before?" she questioned me further.

"We weren't really friends until camp," I said casually.

'Friends'. That was one way to put it. I had already told myself I wasn't going to tell her about the bullying. It was in the past, Lauren had changed, and I was happy now. I didn't want to open old wounds.

"You seemed to be a bit more than friends to me," she said, and I finally looked up and caught her eye.

She had a smirk on her face and I couldn't help but break out into a sly smile. I could feel my cheeks getting redder by the second and I covered my face with my hands.

"Mum, stop!" I whined, and I heard her laugh loudly next to me.

"So...is it Facebook official?" she asked.

"Oh my god, mum. You did not just say that!" I laughed, and I spent the rest of the night telling mum all about how Lauren and I had grown closer at camp, albeit leaving out a few...major...details.

That night I tossed and turned in my bed, nervous but excited for the following day. Lauren and I were yet to be together in a normal school environment and while I was sure of her feelings for me, I wasn't sure how being at school would effect how she acted around me. As I lay staring at the ceiling my phone vibrated loudly next to me.

Lauren ♥️: can't wait to see you tomorrow, goodnight x

I smiled to myself as I sleepily wrote back a reply.

'Me either, goodnight L xxx'

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TWO WEEKS LATER

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"Scar, wait!" I heard Lauren yell from behind me, her voice accompanied by loud and fast approaching footsteps.

I didn't acknowledge her calls, instead keeping my head down and continuing to walk towards the school gates toward the bus stop. Unfortunately my speed was no match to Lauren's and she caught up almost instantly.

"Why are you ignoring me, Scarlet?" she asked me, her tone short and hurt.

"Forget it, Lauren. If you don't know what you've done then I don't want to talk to you right now!" I snapped at her.

I knew I was most likely overreacting, but this was the straw that broke the camels back. Dakota had told me during lunch that she saw Lauren talking light heartedly with Emily and Louise in the bathrooms, not even an hour after Louise had purposely knocked my unfinished art project off my desk, smashing it to pieces. Lauren had promised me she would have nothing to do with those girls ever again. Obviously I was stupid for believing her.