Her Will to Live

Chapter 8: The Unexpected

GRACELYN'S POV
My eyes flutter open and I yawn after awakening from my slumber. My head is pounding and as cliché as it may seem, I feel empty on the inside.

I make the decision to wag school again and lazily allow my feet to direct me to the bathroom. I guess if I at least wash and change, I may begin to feel slightly better than I do right now. I've also chosen to ignore all social media knowing the news about what supposedly happened would be all over it.

I hang my towel back up on my stainless steel heated rack, and throw my damp hair up into a loose bun. Today is 33°C so I've dressed myself in baby pink cotton shorts and a baggy white top. I'm not going anywhere and I will be home alone for a long while, so I don't bother trying to hide my damaged skin.

After flicking through the shows on the TV for a while and finding nothing, I switch to Netflix and settle on watching The Vampire Diaries.
It's my comfort show and despite the tears, it always brings me joy. Instantly my mind is relieved from all of the stress and I feel myself stifle a small smile at the sight of Stefan and Elena.

I was so engaged in the TV that I didn't hear someone knocking on the door. I race up out of my seat, but realise my clothing isn't appropriate for my appearance. Quickly I wrap myself up in my weighted blanket that I was snuggling up to on the couch, covering my arms and legs. I plaster on a smile before opening the door.

Earlier that day

XAVIER'S POV
"Cmon guys," Casey nags, "you both got to choose everyday last year so it's my turn to decide where we sit, and I want to sit in the cafeteria!"

Kyle smirks at him. "I'll race ya there."

"Yo what about me?" I question before hurrying to the table they're racing towards.

"Damn you actually won for once Kyle," I chuckle.

"Oh shut up," he rolls his eyes.

"They're so hot!" One girl exclaims.
"Gracelyn is a bitch for the stunt she pulled on him." Another girl states to her friend, looking directly at me.

"Stunt she meaning Gracelyn pulled? What about the bimbo barbie bitch who most likely spread the rumour! That girl," Casey says pointing towards the red head who is talking to her friend, "should be talking about the person who actually pulled the stunt."

"Hush. They might hear you bro," I say sternly and lean back into my chair.

"Wasn't Gracelyn like hella popular though?" Kyle asks.

"Yes she was, but thanks to this idiotic rumour we are now." I state happily.

"Well why haven't we questioned the fact everyone is suddenly ganging up on her? Wouldn't they at least try and side with her first? Heck even her closest friend Zahia fell for their shit." I see where Kyle is coming from.

Casey states the obvious. "Damn you got a point dude."

I watch Falon enter the room as her eyes study it almost as if they're searching for someone. Shit they are. They're searching for me. I do have something I need to talk to her about though.

"Hey, where are you going?" Kyle asks, but I'm already face to face with Falon by the time he finished his sentence.

"Hi babe!" She screeches before pecking me on the cheek.

"Uh- I have to talk to you about something.." she indicates for me to continue, "in private..."

"Already? Yay let's go." She pulls me down the hall and into what seems to be a janitors closet. Why it was unlocked, I guess I'll never know.

She leans in to kiss me again only this time on the lips causing me to step back and lose my balance falling on the solid ground.

"Oh my baby are you oka-"

"Yes I'm fine, get off me." I brush her arm away. "I'm here to ask you a question."

"Shoot." She smiles hideously at me, I can see the foundation cracking at her smile lines.

"How does everyone know- uh how did they hear about what Gracelyn don- well nearl- actually how she.."

"Oh, how we found out about her forcing her drunk self onto you? Easy. I took- I mean this picture was taken and shared anonymously of her wrapping her arms around you in bed. You look very uncomfortable to say the least." She admits.

"Wait what?" I snatch her phone to see the picture she got up. "What the fuck? What kind of sicko spies on people like this! I have to go." I shove her phone against her and storm out.

***

The boys and I sit in silence on the grass outside the school building in silence.

"Y'know Xavier, I think we should really end this now. It's gone way too far and that image.." Casey says.

"Hold on a second," Kyle shushes Casey, "you never told us what actually happened when this picture was taken."

"Okay." I sigh. "Well after the party that night, I was heading home and saw something that looked like a person's figure lying in an alleyway. I pulled over and found it was in fact a person. I was correct as usual." I wink in their direction. "I took Gracelyn home and placed her sleeping self in the guest bed. I'm assuming she doesn't remember any of this, but she asked for me to stay because she was scared of being lonely. I couldn't say no to her. She looked too...well ya know?" Casey and Kyle smirk at each other. "So I hopped into bed with her. She wrapped her arms around me for comfort and I uh."

"You what?" Kyle asks me, glaring into my eyes.

"I had to sneeze." I admit sheepishly. "The picture must have been taken when I struggled to hold it in so I wouldn't wake her. Afterwards, I practically ran out of the room."

"Woah woah wait so you're saying the you, Xavier Luke, enjoyed the company of a girl and only left because you had to sneeze." Casey sounds astounded and I awkwardly nod in response.

"Damn this is golden." Kyle acts as if he's just found out he won the lottery..in a weird way.

"Well we can't go around school trying to help her case now. They have 'evidence.' It'd be hopeless." I groan in annoyance.

"Then we're going to go and talk to her. You know where she lives since you dropped her off, right?" Casey doesn't wait for an answer and pulls our arms off the chair and leads the way to my car.

The present

GRACELYN'S POV
In front of me stands three boys who's faces I'd never hoped to see again. They aren't that much taller than me I've noticed. My eyes are in line with the chin of the shortest boy who has scruffy brown hair that is mostly hidden by his hood. Before I give any of them a chance to speak, I slam the door shut and feel myself begin to shake. The same as yesterday. I think I've been having panic attacks. I used to have them sometimes when I was younger, but lately they've been pretty severe. I wish Mum was home. She'd know what to do.

The knocking on the door begins again. I try to move, but my feet are stuck planted on the ground and my eyes become hot. Tears run down my face leaving small puddles either side of the blanket that remains wrapped around my body. The shaking increases and I begin to feel light headed.

"Please let us in Gracelyn. We're sorry for what happened, but I swear we had no part in this." I believe that voice came from the taller boy who had blonde hair.

Thud

I land on the floor, slightly conscious. My head is pounding so bad I just want to die. Right here, right now. Blood begins to drip down my wounded arm. The cuts must have reopened. Shit.

I can't feel the pain anymore. I feel...light. It's like I'm no longer in my body. Maybe this truly is my end.