The choice

Chapter three

I picked myself up off the floor and looked in the trash bin. My beanie sat on top of old chunk of moulded and greasy pizza. I held back the urge to vomit as I reached down and plucked it from the bin. The beanie was ruined and coated in stinking grease and garbage. I threw it back in the trash and walked away felling my heart dink to the floor. "It's just a stupid hat anyway." I tried to tell myself, but I could feel tears begin to fill my eyes. I'm not going to cry. That means they've won. I told myself. And I refuse to let them beat me. 

I walked up the stairs and to my first English class to start the day. I  stared at the door knob in front of me. I didn't want to go in. I exhaled and took the cold handle in my hand and turned it. 

"This was a master piece made by non other than-" Said Mr.Kelion was in the middle of saying. He stopped and looked as me as I entered the room. "Miss Opal you're late." he said annoyed. "I'm aware." I said walking to my seat. "Then you must also be aware of the consequences. Detention." he said in a more energetic tone. I flopped in my chair and groaned. "Yes sir." 

He turned back to his lecture and I lay my head in my arms on the desk. Mom's not going to be happy about this. I thought to myself. My body still felt stiff and angry from the encounter and it played over and over in my mind. "I could have done something. Why didn't I fight back." I muttered. I thought back to Rowan and how he had done nothing as Danny tormented me. I thought of the way he sat slumped back on the stairs and had watched in silence. I cursed under my breathe at the two of them. 

"psst." called someone. I lifted my head slightly but set it back down to rest. "Don't ignore me." The voice called again. I pulled my head up and looked around to see who was calling to me. A blonde headed girl sat two chairs to the right of me. Her hair was almost white from being bleached so much. Hey green eyes fixed on me. She smiled, "You're Opal right?" she asked. I nodded confused. "Why?" I whispered back. She motioned toward my arm. "You have blood on the elbow of your shirt." she whispered more quietly. I pulled my arms in quickly. "Oh" was all I could manage to get out. "Are you okay?" she asked. Her eyes looked kind but they way she looked made me question. She was far to pretty and nice to try to look after someone like me. 

"Ya I tripped on my way up the stairs." I lied through my teeth. She nodded taking my lie hook line and sinker. "You should wash it off or it might get infected." she smiled. I took her words into consideration. "I have a shirt you can use too." she assured me. I thought about my small body. "I don't know." I said still unsure of her intentions. "Come on." she said as she stood up. My eyes widened. I didn't think she was being serious. "Mr.Kelion, Opal and I will return shortly. She's hurt." 

The class turned to look and me and my face turned hot. "I-I'm really okay." I stuttered in embarrassment. "It's justxd a scratch." I ushered everyone. Their eyes stared daggers into my skin. Mr.Kelion sighed and waved his hand in the air. "Just take care of it." he ordered. I shakily stood up and walked after the blonde headed loud mouth as she walked out of the class. The door clicked behind us as we entered the hallway again. "We can go to the bathroom or the nurses office. Do you have a preference?" she asked. I watched her as she walked onward. "I don't care really." I said. "We should go to the nurse then. She'll have a better idea of what to use on your arm." she babbled. 

I listened to her as she chatted my ear off as we walked down the stairs again. Something about her felt uncomfortably familiar. "I don't mean to be rude-" I started, "But do I know you." She stopped on the stairs and I froze in my tracks as well. She turned around and small and sad looking smile crossed her face. "Not really. We've had a few classes together but we've never really talked..." she trailed off lost in what I assumed were memories. I giggled nervously to myself, "I could have sworn that I rem-" "We're here." she interrupted. She looked up tight and she played with the rings on her fingers. Something I noticed as a nervous habit.