Alone

Chapter Five The Picnic

One week passes.
Two weeks pass.
Three weeks pass.
And I still am slowly moving forward.
"She such a" I hear as I pass by.
"Dang, there goes that" a boy says.
I mute out there voices.
"Hey" says Laura.
"What do you want?" I ask.
"Harsh much" she says.
"Oh sorry" I say. "I'll try again." I clear my throat. "What do you want? Oh look it's still the same."
"Anyway, you should come with us after school to the park."
"No."
"Please" she says "for my birthday."
I stop dead in my tracks. I forgot its her birthday today. "Happy birthday" I say suddenly having a rush of guilt for being mean.
"Thanks" she smiles. Does she think we're going to be friends again? "So are you going to come with us today?"
She stares at me hoping I'd say as as she bits her lip. Something comes over me. "Yes" I reply.
"Yay" she screams. "Remember us pretty girls have to stick together." She leaves before I can reply. She's been brain washed.
I continue to walk and hear more snarky remarks.
"So you're hanging out with Lauren and her crew today" says Sam.
"Where'd you hear that?"
"Oh you're the talk of the school. So is it true?"
"Yeah but only cause it's Laura's birthday."
"Just be careful." Sam looks at me with intensity. "Don't turn your back in them. They made me annoying pieces of... toe fungus but they're evil pieces of... toe fungus."
I start laughing and Sam can't help but laugh too. I like that she doesn't swear though. It's comfortable not to be around someone who curses every five seconds.
We sit at our easels and start painting. Will who rocks is painting Emma Roberts now. He's so into his work that he has yellow paint smeared onto his face.
"Will" I say. He turns to me with his eyebrows furrowed. "You have something on your face."
He touches face and smears more paint onto it. Mixing the yellow with green, red, and blue turning his face grey.
I throw him a small towel I use to dry my paintbrushes before using them. He wipes his face and the pale exterior of him is visible.
"Thanks" he throws me the towel back.
"No problem." He's the only one other than Sam that hasn't said something nasty. Unless he said something behind my back.
My own paints is of a tree with children playing around it. Perhaps one of my greatest paintings.
When Mr.Evans tell us to pack up, I hesitate. I feel safe in art. I don't want to go to lunch.
When the bell finally rings and I take my time leaving class I decide to skip lunch and go to the library. That is until I tripped. I steady myself before I hit the ground and hear loud laughter coming from the audience I just embarrassed myself in front of.
I notice a guy named Josh put out his leg to make me purposefully fall.
I continue down to the library hiding the tears from dripping down my face. Harry Potter, Divergent series, Shatter Me series, anything to make me forget about what just happened... it worked.
I found myself mouthing spells with the hogwarts residents and telling myself to be brave.
When lunch finished I found myself pumped and ready to go.
I change quickly and head out to the track. When everyone gets here we're set to run for the rest of the period.
I run with Sam. Laura keeps looking at me and smiling. I don't try to upset since it is her birthday. Today she is fourteen.
I wonder where Laura is going to take me after school and why.
School finally ended and I went to the park. There they are. Lauren and her crew.
"Yay" screams Laura. "You came!"
"I knew you wouldn't be able to ditch her on her birthday" says Lauren more to herself than me. "Come with us." They lead me down a narrow forestry path. "Sometimes we come down here for picnics and since today is Laura's birthday, it's the perfect time to do one."
We see a picnic table with food on it. I have to say its kind of fun.
"Rowan come with us for a minute" says Lauren. " We need to show you something."
They lead me down a damp part of the forest. Looks like no one ever comes here. "So what's out here?" I ask. As soon as those words come out I my mouth a sharp pain starts in my side.