Finding Tomorrow

4 - Blaire

“Blaire, you need to wake up. I’m leaving now.” Tyler was whispering in her ear as he lightly shook her. She stirred awake, her eyelids fluttered as she tried to cope with the current situation. Tyler was already dressed in a pair of nice jeans, a tight black shirt, and his hair was messy.

Also - 

“Do you have your fucking contacts in?” She sputtered as she quickly sat up in her bed. Tyler absolutely never wore contacts. Only once, when they were on vacation and that was only because he didn’t want to lose his glasses in the ocean. 

“Um,” He shifted awkwardly, moving his weight to his other foot as he slung his backpack more comfortably onto his back. “Does it - does it look okay?” He stammered, his cheeks reddening instantly. Blaire couldn’t help but crack an open-mouthed smile, which was followed by a series of laughs. 

“Yes, it looks okay. Are you trying to impress Charlotte?” She asked in between breaths. Tyler was glaring down at her, apparently assuming that she was laughing at him. 

“Shut up, Blaire,” he grumbled, shaking his hair until it fell in front of his face, hiding most of his pretty blue eyes.

“I’m sorry!” She allowed a last, satisfying chuckle before she composed herself. “I’m not making fun of you, it’s just the most adorable thing you have ever done before. I think you look very handsome.” Though she stopped laughing, she couldn’t stop the wide smile on her lips. She was proud of him, to say the least. 

“Does it look weird? Should I change?” He asked self consciously, looking down at himself. She shook her head.

“No. It looks normal. Go to school before you’re late and then the Tyler I did know would truly be demolished.” She shooed him off, which he quickly responded to. He was gone before she could even add in another word. 

Blaire scooted off her bed and quickly dressed in simple sweats and a hoodie, running a brush through her hair before she took off, herself. There was no longer a bus to take and she didn’t have a car yet. She was going to have to walk. 

More alone time with her own thoughts. Joy. 

“You’re going to have to get up,” a woman, the familiar woman with blonde hair and green eyes, ushered Blaire quickly. She didn’t see her face, she just recognized the sweet, Alabama accent. 

“I can’t,” Blaire choked out, coughing heavily from the dust that had settled in her lungs.

“You can and you will. Right now.” There were hands wrapping themselves around Blaire’s waist as the woman heaved Blaire onto her feet. It was only a futile attempt, however, for as soon as she let go of Blaire she crumpled back to the ground. 

“You’re pathetic,” the woman hissed, grabbing Blaire again as she slung her over her shoulder.

“Let me go,” Blaire pleaded, kicking and screaming now as the woman did not listen.

“Shut up, Blaire.” The Alabama accent was no longer there. Instead, it was Tyler. She was slung over Tyler’s shoulder. 

“What -” she blinked, though when she opened her eyes again, the woman was there. 

“Blaire, so glad you could make it today.” Theodore greeted Blaire at the entrance to the school. A cop car was parked in the parking lot and the reality washed over Blaire as her stomach tightened into a ball. She didn’t say anything as she matched step with his own as he escorted her into the office. 

A girl with brown hair was sitting in the other chair beside Blaire’sown regular. She knew who that was.

“Have a seat, please.” Theodore motioned with his hand and Blaire sat down cautiously. She had a bad feeling now. A very, very bad feeling. Charlotte’s eyes were downcast, her fingers twitching as she fiddled with something. It was her nervous habit. 

There was no time for an exchange of words as a cop walked into the room. His badge was shiny, as if he polished it specifically for today. She could hear the jingle of his belt as he walked up behind Blaire. She winced away from him, feeling as if he was watching her every move. She could basically feel him breathing down her neck.

“Um, Theo-”

“It’s Mr. Rooz, Blaire.” He cut her off, his eyes hard and cold. She swallowed, feeling the fear rising in the back of her throat now. 

“Mr. Rooz,” she corrected herself through gritted teeth, “What exactly is going on that Charlotte has to be in here for, as well?” She asked, bobbing her head over in Charlotte’s direction. She has yet to even move, which was only making Blaire far more suspicious.

“I thought your situation was tough enough as it is.” Mr. Rooz began as he leaned back in his chair, his gaze still locked firmly on Blaire’s face, “Then, last night I received a very odd phone call.” He placed his hands on his lap as he lightly twirled his thumbs.

Blaire wasn’t looking at him anymore, though. Her eyes were stuck on Charlotte. What did you do, Charlotte? 

“It was a bunch of rambling. I couldn’t quite understand at first or even make sense of the situation. Then, a student shows up on my doorstep. I was obviously pleasantly surprised to see Charlotte standing there with the final piece to this massive puzzle.” He smiled wickedly and for the first time in Blaire’s life, she wanted to shatter every piece of decoration that there was in the room.

“Charlotte, would you care to show Blaire what you showed me and studied yourself?” Mr. Rooz asked in a pleasant tone. Charlotte made eye contact with Blaire, her eyes terrified as she mouthed the words “I’m so sorry,” before presenting the thing that caused Blaire snap.

The sky was blue. So blue. She watched it with passionate intensity. The sun kissed her face ever so lovingly. She breathed in deep, allowing the smell of pure water, soil, and sunlight to wash through her body. There were no sounds out here. There was peace, there was gentleness. There was a presence that Blaire never felt before.

“Hold her down! Hold her down!” Theodore was screaming, but it wasn’t to Blaire. She opened her eyes, only to see a small pool of blood on the floor that her face was smashed in to. Her hands were fastened behind her back and a knee was pressed into her spine. Blaire cried out in pain, though the sobs of Charlotte were louder than anything else in the room. Blaire cried out again, though it wasn’t from physical pain, but rather emotional. She felt betrayed, but even worse - she felt exposed. Her personal, darkest secrets were now exposed. They knew everything, every vision she has ever had. Every thought she had about it. Everything. They knew everything. 

“You fucking betrayed me!” Blaire screamed, squirming until she could see Charlotte’s face. She had been crying for quite some time now. Her skin was blotchy, her eyes bloodshot beyond red. They were crimson. Blaire was seeing crimson, too. Her vision was clouded in it. Crimson. Blood. 

“Blaire, calm down!” Theodore ordered. The cop showed no attempt of releasing Blaire any time soon. She couldn’t take it anymore. Her emotions snapped into a frenzy. Of all things she thought she would do in this situation, she did the last thing she thought she would have done. 

Blaire wept.