told me all the nonsense that was going on. If you need anything, you’re more than welcome to come to me. In or out of school, okay?” Nodding, I gave her a grateful smile and walked into the classroom, murmuring a quiet acknowledgment for her holding the door open for me.
I appreciated her help. Knowing I had at least one person on the faculty—other than my counselor Ms. Rogers—backing me was a good boost to my security, but when I sank into my seat, the pang of sadness grew anyway. Reid wasn’t here to give me a silly face, tell me some ridiculous joke, or tease me mercilessly, but it was temporary, and I knew I could get through school and my mom all on my own.
It may suck, but if I can survive Brad and his stupid boat shoes, I can get through this too.
History and AP English passed in sort of a blur, my mind so focused on scribbling notes across the page that I had little time to think about anything else. Kingston was content to just walk with me through the halls to my next class, his thumb rubbing soothing circles on my lower back. Since we’d met, he had always known how I was feeling, could see right through the façade I wore, so he knew my mood was precariously balanced on the line between sour and decent and didn’t push. Instead, he chose to show his support through his actions—a gentle touch, laidback grin, and a toe-curling kiss.
Before I knew it, I was seated at my desk in Nutrition. I could tell Ashley and the twins had questions, their gazes just brimming with eagerness, but the bell rang, and Mrs. Sanders called the start to class before they could ask what they wanted to. I wonder… the previous thought about Brad and his behavior started to filter in before I pushed it away. I don’t want to know if he’s done this to someone else, not right now anyway. With that somber reminder, I focused on my teacher.
The period passed like all the others, scribbling a quick doodle in the corner of the page, then a haze of information filtering in and my pen flying across the paper. At least until Mrs. Sanders called us to study by ourselves or in small groups for our upcoming anatomy test.
Here come the questions.
“Hey, Emma,” Ashley greeted with a tentative smile, surprising me with the fact that she got my name right.
Over the last few months, the gossips of Arbor Ridge and I had come to a tender truce; they came to me for the truth, and I trusted them to counter any crappy lies the student body was trying to listen to.
“How’re you holding up?”
I chuckled softly, the sound barely holding back the intense wave of emotions that flooded me. One simple question and I was already about to spill the waterworks.
“Uh,” I started, struggling to make the simple lie that danced on the tip of my tongue come out, but after another moment I couldn’t stop the truth from tumbling out instead. “Not great, but you know… pushing through.”
“I can only imagine,” Right Twin said with a sad smile.
“It must have been super difficult to go up on that stand,” Left Twin took over, “but I mean… it’s pretty awesome that you did. I mean… you know, standing up for what’s right.”
“Thanks,” I murmured. The signature burn of tears filled my eyes, but I blinked them away, knowing they wouldn’t do anything other than inspire more gossip.
“I, uh, think it’s brave,” Ashley whispered, and something filled her gaze, but it was gone before I could figure out what it was or if I had truly seen it at all. “Do you have to testify against Brad?” Her voice was soft and held a hint of worry that confused me, but I brushed it off. With the way things had been going today, it was probably just me overanalyzing.
“I don’t know yet, but I’m sure I will,” I told her. “Though the thought kind of makes me sick to my stomach.” The statement was filled with a bubble of laughter, almost too tense to sound real, but based on their sympathetic smiles they understood. This wasn’t a laugh of happiness but one to keep myself grounded amidst the storm.
Ashley hesitated for a split second, seeming to be debating with herself before opening her mouth, but Mrs. Sanders’s reminder that we were supposed to be studying silenced