Dark Beauty

Chapter 23

For the next weeks, Lucas was treating me normally, although when we were alone he was a little colder. Around his friends he acted like we never had a fight. Maybe he acted that way because he didn’t want his friends to be nosy about our relationship. I still hadn’t talked to Lucas about what Jessica had said. Maybe I should just let it go. Lucas and I hadn’t had a fight for the past few days and I really didn’t want to start one again. After our last fight, he didn’t even talk to me through the whole weekend. On Monday he said we just should put it behind us. He said he forgave me, but he didn’t say he was sorry for shouting at me.
  My friendship with Jake and Avery was a little better. At least they talked to me in class. Even though we still didn’t see each other much outside of class. They did stop saying bad things about Lucas, though. That was a start. 

We were at lunch when Rebecca remembered I existed. Since that day at the lockers, she hadn’t looked at me or talked to me. Her friends only made some nasty comments about my clothes, which I ignored as usual. I started thinking that after what happened that day, she would stop bullying me, but I guess I was wrong. I was coming back from getting juice when Rebecca “accidently” tripped and her food tray fell all over me! 
I could feel the hot tomato sauce through my cotton dress. I was covered in pieces of lettuce and spaghetti. There was even food on my hair! 
‘OH MY GOD!! Sorry Leila … I didn’t see you there.’ She said with a fake worried expression.
‘What the hell!’ I shouted. ‘That was totally on purpose! What’s your problem?’ Everyone’s eyes were on me. 
‘It was an accident.’ Rebecca tried hard not to smile. ‘Let me try and help you.’ She then got a cup of water that was on the table next to her and poured it over my head. ‘There. Much better.’ She laughed. I could hear people laughing all over the cafeteria. I looked around and everyone was laughing and pointing at me. 
I could feel my face burning as lettuce fell from my dress to my feet. Lucas was right by my side. He had just sat down with his tray. Was he trying not to laugh or was that my imagination?
‘Lucas.’ My voice was shaking, and my eyes were burning from the urge to cry, but I wouldn’t cry in front of them. Lucas needed to help me. He was my boyfriend and big part of Rebecca’s hatred towards me was because I was dating him and he knew that. I hadn’t signed up for crazy ex when we started dating. 
‘This is your fight with Rebecca, don’t drag me into it.’ Lucas said. ‘Go try and clean yourself up.’ He looked at me as if he was disgusted. This just made the lump in my throat get bigger and bigger. I needed to get out of there so I just started running to the bathroom and leaving all the mean comments and laughter behind me. 
I leaned over the sink and looked at my reflection in the mirror. My dress was ruined. There was no way I could wear it today. It needed to be wash machine washed and not school bathroom sink washed. Tears blended in with the water Rebecca had poured over my head. I was so angry and embarrassed. I was trying to get the spaghetti of my dress when someone entered the bathroom. I turned around to see Avery holding a pair of shorts and a t-shirt.
‘Are you alright?’ She asked with a smile.
‘Do I look alright?’ I said with a sad smile. 
‘Well, right now with those puffy eyes and smelly dress, no.’ She walked up to me and took a piece of carrot that was hanging from my hair.
‘Why are you helping me?’ I asked. ‘I’ve been nothing but a douche bag friend for you and Jake.’ 
‘Well, even if you’re not being the best friend right now, I’m still your friend and I will always help you.’ Avery smiled.
‘Jake went to his locker and got his PE clothes for you, it will be a little big for you, but it’s what we got.’ She put the clothes on top of the sink. ‘I would lend you mine, but I don’t have extra clothes.’ 
I looked at the shirt and smiled. ‘Thank you Avery.’ My eyes started tearing up again, but this time they were happy tears. It was so good to know that Jake and Avery still liked me. 
‘Oh, in case you’re wondering, they are clean. Jake skipped PE yesterday. I don’t know why, though.’ She explained.
‘Is Jake outside?’ I asked. ‘I’m covered in tomato sauce. I don’t even care if they’re clean or not.’
‘He’s waiting for us outside and keeping an eye to see if Rebecca and her skanky friends are near.’ Avery pointed to the door.
I changed quickly. I put my dirty dress in a plastic bag and did the best I could with my hair. Jakes’ shirt had his smell, which I realized I missed so much. His clothes were too big for me. I rolled up the waist of the shorts so it wouldn’t fall off. 
‘Good as new.’ I said looking in the mirror and smiling.
‘Let’s go then, or Jake will think we died in here.’ Avery opened the door and there was Jake leaning against the wall.
‘Hey, not as bad as I thought you would look in my clothes.’ Jake walked up to me and put his hand on my shoulder.
‘Thank you for the clothes.’ I said. 
‘No problem.’ Jake smiled.
‘So do you want to go back to the cafeteria? Avery got your tray before they threw it away.’ Jake asked.
‘I don’t want to go back there, but I’m so hungry and I don’t want Rebecca to think that she won.’ I said walking back to the cafeteria.
I walked in, not looking at anyone, especially Lucas and the people at his table. I was mad at him. He didn’t even come to see if I was okay. I looked quickly at his table, he was laughing with his friends and Rebecca was sitting where I normally sat, next to him. 
I had forgotten how it was nice to sit with Jake and Avery. Sitting with Lucas was normally hearing about football or about some party. Lucas would try to make me fit in with his friends, but I just didn’t have many things in common with them, so I would normally stay quiet and sometimes comment on something about the game.
     I was walking from my locker after lunch, when Lucas stopped me. He didn’t seem happy or worried. He actually looked pissed. I just looked at him waiting for the fight because I could feel we were going to start a fight. 
‘What are you wearing?’ He asked, pointing at Jakes shirt.
‘Well, after your stupid ex-girlfriend dropped her tray on my dress, I needed clean clothes and Jake and Avery were the ones who went to help me.’ I was the one who should be mad at him. ‘They helped me while you were busy trying not to laugh at me.’ 
‘So you’re wearing another’s boy’s clothes because I didn’t go help you?’ Lucas raised an eyebrow as if he was talking to a little kid who did something wrong.
‘No, I just got the clothes Avery brought me.’ I said calmly, I really didn’t want to start another fight for a stupid reason. 
‘You could have gotten some clothes from the lost and found.’ He said.
‘I’m not going to wear some strangers’ clothes, Lucas.’ I crossed my arms and looked at him. 
He took a deep breath. ‘How do you think I feel seeing my girlfriend walking around wearing another’s boy gym clothes? People are talking, you know?’ 
‘Next time, you go out and help me.’ I said turning my back and walking away from him.
Lucas jogged up to me and grabbed my arm.
‘Do you think I didn’t want to help you?’ Lucas spun me around so I was looking straight into his dazzling blue eyes.
‘You sure didn’t look like you wanted to help.’ I said. 
‘What do you think would happen if I helped you?’ Lucas let go of my arm and combed his hair with his fingers. 
‘We wouldn’t be having this discussion right now.’ I answered.
‘Rebecca would be even madder with you.’ Lucas said. ‘I know that I’m the reason she did what she did today. If I ran out to help you, she would be very jealous and would try to do something again, I dated her and I know what she is capable of.’ 
Well, he of had a point.
‘I thought that if I didn’t do anything, she would see it didn’t affect me and she would stop. I’m sorry if you felt as if I didn’t care.’ Lucas held my chin and kissed me. 
‘I’m sorry too, I didn’t think about that.’ I said.
‘You always think something bad of me.’ Lucas said taking a step back. ‘It seems like you always want me to prove something to you.’ 
‘I’m sorry Lucas.’ I said.
‘I try and try but I’m never good enough for you, and now look what you do to me, walking in another boy’s clothes.’ Lucas really looked hurt. Again I was hurting him, why couldn’t I do anything right in this relationship? 
‘I’m sorry Lucas, I’m trying my best but I’m new in this dating thing.’ I said holding his hand.
‘Just leave me alone today. I don’t want to be seen with you wearing Jakes clothes.’ Lucas walked away leaving me standing alone.