Starting Off Wrong [𝐠𝐱𝐠]

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟐: 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐨𝐞𝐬

I stand at the stairwell, taking in another spoonful of strawberry yogurt. I don't feel like eating lunch with the other girls, though they did offer when they saw me.

Yesterday happened to be one of the worst days of my life, worse than Saturday.

After I burned the letters, I hid myself away from Aurelia the best I could. The only way I could do that was stay in bed the rest of the day. I was just about to fall asleep when I heard her walk into the room. I pretended to already be asleep until I actually was. I couldn't face her.

The next morning, I called my friends. I skipped the outing with the other girls, claiming I didn't feel well. They changed the plans to next weekend.

I woke up early, before Aurelia could, washed up, headed to the library and stayed there until the librarian told me I couldn't stay there any longer. There wasn't any point in studying. I did manage to get some done but most of the time I was thinking about Larissa and Bridget and of course, Aurelia.

I went the entire day without speaking a word to her. It hurts more than it should. I shouldn't get so attached to someone without knowing who they are first. It's only been one week and I was calling her my best friend.

I take my last spoonful of yogurt and throw my trash into the bin. Before I can throw my napkin away, someone wraps their hand around my wrist. I turn around in panic, but come face to face with Aurelia.

I open my mouth to say something. I have so much to tell her, but I can't put any of it into words. It's an awful feeling. If only she could seep into my brain and figure it all out for me.

"Please, Odette," Aurelia says, still holding onto my wrist. "Please speak to me again." Her voice cracks and fills me with some indescribable pain. How could I care about someone this much in so little time. I doubt I'd even care if my own family were in this state.

"Aurelia," I wince. Thinking she's holding me too tight, her hand slides down my wrist to my hand where she gently squeezes it.

"May we go somewhere more private," I request, acknowledging every pair of eyes staring at us.

Aurelia immediately lets go of my hand like it burned her. She nods. Now, where to do? If we hide behind the vending machines, some girls might spot us and I am sick of the rumors that are already going around. If we head upstairs, they might think the same thing. The only thing is if we head outside and find a quiet space in the quad.

"Let's head outside," I suggest as my shoes join the tapping of the other girls going outside. Aurelia joins me as we wash away in the crowd, no one noticing the tension between us.

Once we're outside, I scan the campus. I proceed towards a tree where there's quite a bit of distance between the next group of girls chatting.

"Now, will you please hear me out?" Aurelia asks once we reach the tree. I nod, but the pit stays in my stomach.