Prepsworth Academy

Chapter 8 - "Who told you that?"

Elle

When I woke up the next morning, at five am on the dot, I was full of mixed emotions. I'd stayed at the party a lot longer than I had expected, and had ended up dancing with quite a few people. It was like the opposite of my normal life, and not completely terrible. After the party was over, I'd went and talked to a bunch of girls, before finally going to sleep at four am. I was completely exhausted, yet somehow jubilant. I wasn't exactly the social type, and while I definitely wouldn't go to parties all the time, part of me had enjoyed just letting loose and having fun. However, during the one hour I'd gotten to sleep, I'd barely slept at all. I'd kept thinking about Dylan, and while part of me wanted to like him, the other half hated him. He was Dylan Adams, for god's sake and the one person I never thought I'd ever talk to at school, for multiple reasons. Every time I thought of him, I wanted to either laugh, smile or scowl. Just as I had sat up, my phone dinged with a text. I picked it up, and saw that it was from Dylan, I was about to read it, but then shook my head incredulously. How could I do that? I had the world at my fingertips with the highest marks in the school, being able to do several high end subjects for my HSCs and taking scholarship tests for Ivy League universities and I wasn't about to throw it all away for a boy, particularly not Dylan Adams.

Emma

I didn't sleep at all the night of the party, I just couldn't get Harry's heartbroken face out of my head, I felt an overwhelming sense of guilt and pain. Because the truth is, I like Harry, he's kind and considerate and funny and has a sense of pride, like me. I just couldn't get Harry out of my head. And that was why, when I walked into first period Science and I noticed he wasn't there, I felt upset and strangely disappointed. All through Science I thought about him. I answered the questions monotonously, without thinking. I still got them right, as always. I thought about asking his friend, Millie, about him but she seemed confused and there were red rims around her eyes, a sure sign she'd been crying, and I didn't want to upset her again. Every second that ticked by seemed like a hour, time agonisingly slow, and I kept worrying about Harry, if he was okay and how he was doing. I kept glancing at the door with the slightest provocation, like footsteps or a slight sound, and Harry was never there. By the end of the first period I was worried and emotionally exhausted, before finally marching over to Millie, and tapping her on the shoulder, frowning.

"Do you know where Harry is?" I asked, torn between sounding like I cared and sounding like I didn't. Millie turned around glaring at me like I was dirt on her shoe and said acidly 

"He's in the hospital." And then broke down crying helplessly.

Jake

When I woke up, I got changed, showered and walked straight of the dorm room. I had no interest even seeing Lukas after he had dumped Rose so blatantly. I walked towards the girls dorms and knocked on Rose's dorm's door. Lily answered the knock, looking openly suspicious about me being there.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, her eyes narrowed.

"I just wanted to check on Rose and see if she's okay." I answered honestly. Lily looked ready to slam the door on me but Rose's voice stopped her

"Let him in Lily, he's okay.". I stepped into the room and saw that Rose was still wearing her clothes from the party which was practically unheard of. Something about her seemed so vulnerable, sitting on her bed with her knees curled up to her chest. I awkwardly looked away and murmured;

"Are you well?"

"As well as I can be in this situation." Rose answered, her voice slightly bitter and ironic. I turned around, finally staring at her and saw the sadness and hurt in her eyes.

"Lukas is an idiot, you know that, right?" I told her, feeling indignant on her behalf.

"He isn't worth any of your pain or stress!" I continued, pleading with her.

"I love him. We've broken up before, and we will again. I just – I can't believe he picked Eve over me. It hurts." Rose admitted, her hair hiding her face. I felt a sudden surge of hatred for Lukas and all the pain he caused Rose.

"He doesn't deserve your care, your love!" I exclaimed, my voice rising because I desperately wanted her to understand he didn't deserve her. Rose's lips curved downwards into somewhat of a pout.

"Find me at lunch, okay?" Rose asked quietly. I looked up at her, eyes quizzical, before finally sighing and looking at the ground, letting everything go.

"Okay."

Lukas

"I bet that Rose is in bed crying right now." I told my mate Charlie. Charlie laughed, leaning back against his bed.

"Might be time for me to make a move." He joked and flicked his hair back. I scowled and turned to Eve.

"What to do you think happened to Jake?" I asked her. I'd guessed she'd reply with a shrug, so I could start a crazy, if fun rumour, but unfortunately, I'd get to do that.

He went to see Rose." Eve replied simply, eyes sparkling with gossip. I froze in shock and felt anger and betrayal course through me. How could he? Jake was my best friend, someone I'd always thought had my back. We'd been inseparable since the first day of Year Seven, and Eve was telling me that he went off to see my ex girlfriend? This couldn't be good. I swore and stared at Eve.

"What do you mean he went to see Rose?" I asked incredulously, still not wanting to believe it. Eve looked at me right in the eye and began telling me exactly what had happened after I dumped Rose:

"After you dumped her, when we were dancing, I saw Jake run, literately run after Rose and say something to her. She kind of just smiled at him and then she kissed him on the cheek. Super early this morning he went to go "comfort" her or whatever. Basically, he's trying to date her. And now he's still talking to her, and it's really desperate and pathetic, but she kind of is, so..." Eve finished the story with a simple shrug as if to say "I can't do anything about it."

"Who told you that?" I asked Eve, slightly harshly. I didn't want to it to be true, but I knew it was. Why would Eve make this up? Besides, who wouldn't go after Rose? But...Jake? If he'd been crushing on Rose from afar and had kept it a secret, were we really friends? I'd shared all of my secrets with him, had brought him up the social ladder with me, and this was how he repaid me?

"Amy, you know, dancer girl, was in the dorm at the time. She came out for dance practice and seemed annoyed so I obviously asked what happened, because, well, gossip.." Eve laughed but to me the situation was everything but funny. It took me a while to fully process, the world swimming before my eyes as I desperately tried to ignore the truth, but the true meaning had really sunk in. Jake loved Rose and he had betrayed me for her. I just couldn't believe I'd been oblivious the whole time.