Straight To You

thirty-two

A week from the night of the party, I'm walking down the school hallway and end up passing Lacey on the way to my locker. Our gazes lock as we move in opposite directions, Lacey's blue eyes icy as they narrow into a death glare. If looks could kill, I'd be long gone by now. I shudder once our encounter is over, wondering how something as simple as a glance in my direction can get under my skin, while also pondering how seriously Lacey is going to take the threats she used against me at the party.

Turning the combination into my lock, I pull open the door to my locker and try to tell myself the glance I just shared with Lacey doesn't mean anything. I haven't even spoken to her once since the party, and—as far as I know—neither has Jack. Lacey's last attempt to tear me and Jack apart didn't work, but that doesn't mean she's not going to try again. And the more time that passes after she threatened me with nothing but silence from Lacey, the more uneasy I become. I mean, she can only be laying low because she's planning something, right? I doubt Lacey would ever just accept the fact Jack and I are together. All of this worrying is becoming exhausting, however. In all honesty, part of me wishes Lacey would get her revenge on me for "stealing" her boyfriend over with already. That'd be better than feeling on edge all of the time, constantly expecting the worst and waiting for Lacey to make her next move.

Since Jack and I first started dating, I've caught Lucas and Lacey huddled together in the hallways multiple times, which is the sketchiest part out of all this drama. It's no secret that Lucas and Lacey have never liked each other, yet all of a sudden they seem to be inseparable. Whenever I spot them talking to each other, I always notice their heads bent closely as they whisper amongst themselves. The second they notice me staring, they always pull away from each other quickly, scattering down the hall before I can piece together what could be going on between the two.

I try not to let the sight of my ex (boyfriend and friend in general) and my boyfriend's ex together bother me too much, yet it's harder than it should be to let it go. As far as I know, Lucas and Lacey have absolutely nothing in common, unless you count me and Jack. I don't want to believe that either of them are the kind of people that would seriously go out of their way seeking revenge after a high school break up, but I'm not so sure anymore. Of course, I could just be paranoid.

But I can't shake the feeling that I'm on to something.

I shake my head and exhale sharply as I close my locker, trying to release my thoughts. I just need a moment to myself; need to find somewhere I can clear my head. I end up in front of the door to the office before I know it, my feet leading me to the destination without any thought. I guess my subconscious knew a visit with Elena is just what I need to take my mind off of everything else I have going on, as she never fails to make me laugh and feel better when I'm down without even having to try.

I've grown pretty close to Elena in the time since I've moved here, stopping by the front office to see her whenever I get the chance. She grew up here in Aster Pines, and even went to school with my father. I haven't had as much time to visit her lately, and this thought makes me realize just how much I've missed her. Elena is always fun to be around, and it's almost as if she's just another student. She has a tendency to make me laugh no matter what mood I'm in, and she's loaded with stories of my father when he was in high school.