The Unbreakable (Book 2)

Chapter Eighteen

Gif above: Rachel (Madeline Carroll)

(Rachel's POV)

High school, I almost forgot how terrible it was.

Our mother dropped Brady and I off bright and early, our backpacks heavy with the work we spent all day and night doing.

"Have fun," mother says excitedly, turning around from the front seat of the car, "You'll finally be able to see all your friends again! Brady- smile a little, it looks much better than that scowl, and Rachel," she sighs, "be the girl you were before all of this, happy, bubbly-,"

"I wasn't happy before all this either," I point out, cutting her off, "remember my panic attack?"

Mother purses her lips, "That was a onetime thing, nothing to worry about. Now come on you two, have fun!"

Brady and I both roll out eyes, "Mom, this place is not fun," Brady snaps, "and it's especially not going to be fun with these on our ankles."

He pulls up the tan slacks of our school uniform, scowling at the bracelet.

"At least you can hide yours," I sigh, "mine's like a badge."

And I'm not exaggerating, while Brady's uniform is just a green blazer with a mustard yellow tie and tan slacks, mines a green and yellow criss-crossed sweater with a matching pleaded skirt and long white socks that come up to my knees.

I tried to pull the sock up, to hide the ugly black bracelet, but it was useless, trying to hide it only made it even more prominent.

Kids are slowly starting to dawdle into the school, laughing and gossiping with their friends. I stare at them through the car window, my stomach churning with nerves.

I've only been out of school for three months, but it feels like years.

I've missed so much, and not just academically. Friendships, relationships, drama, gossip, I've never been into all of that- but being totally out of the loop? - Like I said, I've missed too much to redeem myself.

Why do you care, I chide, who cares about what they think about you?

"It'll be fine, just for today I'll pick you guys up in the afternoon, and maybe in celebration of coming back- I can buy you a treat," mother smiles. She's trying. I know how desperately she wants us to go back to the way things used to be.

But no matter how hard she tries, no one can erase the past.

"That sounds great mom," I sigh, "Thanks."

"Yeah, thanks," Brady adds dully, as I push the passenger door open.

"You'll have fun!" mom calls as we both exit the car.

I force one last smile to her, as she pulls out of the drop off section- and just like that she's gone. Brady and I, alone, staring up at Reginald High School, in all of its ugly glory.

"I'll meet you for lunch," Brady murmurs as we make our way up to the front doors of the school, already whispers and laughs are being thrown our way, "so we can talk."

I shake my head, "We can't, you're a freshman- I'm a junior. You know we don't have lunch together."

"So what?" he asks, "Rachel, I've been to jail with you, do you really think I'm going to let some teacher tell me where and where not to go?"

I bite my lip, "Well I guess I kind of expected you to follow the rules for our first day back-,"

"Well I'm not," he snaps, "do you want me to visit you or not?"