Huntington Avenue | ✓ [PV REWRITE]

Part I: Chapter 22

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Chapter 22 | ❝ When did you become so hypocritical? ❞

Tuesday, October 9th, 2018 - 11:30 a.m.

THE CAFETERIA OF Oceanview High was unlike any other room of the school—unbelievably loud, chaotic, and simply a mess. Sometimes, Kelsey wished she had gone back home for lunch due to the overwhelming environment.

The blonde looked down at her grilled chicken sandwich, which seemed appetizing before, but not at that moment. Kelsey almost glared at the food item, somehow angered by how delectable it appeared to her empty stomach with the full brioche bun, lettuce, tomatoes, and even a little bit of bacon she had found in the refrigerator that morning.

Instead, Kelsey quietly opened up her small bag of chips and left it on the table. Her mind was working too far overtime to think properly and to enjoy her food, so she decided not to eat it at all. A gentle tap on her right shoulder and a shift of Kelsey's field of vision revealed a concerned Phoebe.

"Are you okay, Kelsey?" she asked in her melodic voice. "You've hardly touched your food."

Kelsey's hazel eyes bore into Phoebe's deep brown ones with the realization someone noticed her mental and emotional dilemma. "I'm okay, just thinking."

"Do you want to talk about anything?"

"I don't think now would be a good time," Kelsey politely turned down Phoebe's offer. "Thank you, though."

Phoebe smiled in her direction. "Alright, but if you need anything, I'm only one call away."

"Did you just quote Charlie Puth?" Kelsey snorted at the unintentional pun.

"Yeah, I guess I did."

The two friends laughed together at the small bout of happiness, but it was enough to bring a smile to both of their faces. Even though it was only momentarily, Kelsey found it a little bit difficult to smile over the past twenty-four hours.

Ever since she saw Jaylen, Lyla, and their two other friends, whose names were Kaiden and Miriam, at the cafe the previous day, she had no idea what to think. Kelsey's own boyfriend had barely been paying her any attention due to all of the drama which had been occurring lately-- from Lyla stealing Zach's notes to Jaylen and him getting into an unnecessary fight.

Kelsey rarely found it difficult to forgive, but in certain situations, Jaylen made it so.

She did not understand Jaylen's point of view, which seemed less and less valid the more Kelsey thought about the situation at hand. The blonde beauty did not believe violence, especially towards one of her good friends, was the answer to Jaylen's problems.

Kelsey spared a glance at Jaylen across from her, who was having a conversation with his three friends who he had noticeably gotten closer with over the past week. His grayz eyes pierced into her own with an unreadable emotion before they flickered away and towards Lyla, who was seated next to him. He whispered something in her ear and the four of them stood from the table.