Worse for Hope- Book #2 in the WF Series

Chapter 25: Silent Treatment

✿Bethane's POV:✿

Rider hasn't spoken to me or near me for a week now.

He's been full-on avoiding any interaction possible. He leaves the room right as I enter, uses his phone, or does anything else to avoid any type of conversation with me, and he doesn't even give me a glimpse of a look.

What did he expect me to do when he came to the office that day? He wouldn't leave me alone and let me move on with my life. He doesn't get to come back and get a second chance. I know it's been three years, I'm aware, and I know it was a high school thing, but that doesn't excuse anything. Most people date in high school openly. I barely let anyone even near me and was very closed off, yet I still let Rider get close to me. I told him things that I had never told anyone because I thought I could trust him. I'm allowed to feel this way even after so long.

And you're probably wondering if I'm happy now. If I'm pleased with the fact that me saying all those awful things to Rider and him finally leaving me alone is helping me move on and think about anything and everything else. You would imagine that a sane person would think that way, but obviously, I'm losing my mind.

Instead of doing what I should be doing which is, I don't know, using common sense, I currently have a stack of pictures in my hand and am reliving a time when everything was peaceful and far less complicated, especially with him.

I really should stop doing this.

Flashback:

Tuesday, October 31

It's been more than a week and I have now successfully avoided Rider.

In home Ec, we've only been taking notes, so there's no reason for us to talk anyway. I've also learned that staying near Roman means that Rider won't talk to me about a specific issue with my cousin by my side.

The day had just ended that particular afternoon when Chloe and Nora whose names I learned decided to walk up to me and suddenly accuse me of being a home-wrecker. I made it very clear about my morals and Rider understood them, and I told Nora that nothing ever happened, though, that didn't stop her from slapping me right across the face. I was shocked, but mostly angry because of the adrenaline pumping through my veins which is half the reason I hit her back. The other half was Alex always taught me to always fight back no matter what, so I took her advice.

What happened after with Rider was a big bowl of I don't know.

In the beginning, I knew I couldn't fully blame him because how was he supposed to know about other people's actions, but when he looked around to make sure no one was near us as if he was almost embarrassed of me, I lost it unintentionally.

Maybe I have anger issues.

Yasmin, Ben, and Faith found out about what happened with Chloe and they kicked her out of the band. Yasmin was first in line to offer the idea. Apparently, Chloe had told Nora that I had sex with Rider when they were together.

First of all, what made her go straight to sex? I just had my first kiss a few days ago and that was after they broke up. Secondly, we did not, and third, how the hell did Chloe even create that story and get Nora to actually believe her?

I told Yasmin to not kick Chloe out of the band because of some petty drama, but she said it was already done. Faith and Ben always wanted to be a duet anyways, so they were thrilled. Plus, they said they never liked Chloe and always thought she was the biggest bitch they'd ever met.