Chapter Fifteen - Outcasts
In the span of a week, I’ve been receiving death threats. Whenever I’d open my locker, it would be stuffed with letters written in red, telling me that I deserve to suffer and that I'm a trash who needs to be exterminated.
I tried putting a lock on it to minimize my problems, but to no avail they broke it and the threats just kept on coming like a stream of water.
These idiots had also started to become more aggressive and more straightforward, from just scribbling on my desk to writing on the board and saying all stuff about me that isn't likely true. I (miraculously) managed to hid it all from Tom and Emily. They don't need to know. This is my problem and them barging in would make it worse.
“Good morning, Avery!” Tom cheered, waving his hands enthusiastically at me as I walked close to him with my hands gripped on the straps of my bag.
“Yeah,” I say in reflex as we began to strollling the sidewalk, cars speeding past us.
“Is there something you're hiding from me?”
I glanced at him with furrowed brows. “Why’d you say that?”
He scratched the nape of his neck, glancing at me with slight concern. “You've been glum. You're always saying yeah or something brief. I feel like something’s bothering you.”
I looked down at the ground and to my school shoes, seeing that it's getting dirty from the muddy trail due to the rain last night. “Nothing’s bothering me.”
“You can always talk to me about it,” he placed his hand on top of my shoulder, squeezing it gently. “--I'm your friend, Avery.”
“Sure,” I briefly mutter, fastening my steps as to make him walk a few steps behind me. I needed to get to school first or he'll find out.
I don't want him to ever find out. I don't want to see the pity he'll give me or to barge in and make everything better. I'm used to this. This was my life before. It's just a minor set-back. Yeah, it's just a phase.
Once they realize I won't do anything, they'll shake it off.
“Why are you walking ahead of me?” Tom hollered.
I stopped on my heel, not turning around to look at him. I murmured, gripping tightly on my straps. “It's best if you don't stand beside me.”
“Why?”
“Just because,” I grit my teeth. “—and we should talk less in school.”
“Avery wait up!”
. . .
Emily decided that she wanted to buy some food at the cafeteria since she never brings one and while I declined, deciding to just stay and wait by the garden, she fussed and forced me to go with her anyway.
She said that she would feel lonely if she went alone and that I should at least try some of their pastries--which I wouldn't.
I begrudgingly tagged along and hissed, wondering why Tom gets to stay behind and I to tag along with her.
As we were walking to line up, a girl with high ponytail whispers. "Poor Emily. She sunk bottom to the point she's hanging out with the cursed one."
"It's because she's a slut, always pretending to be kind but would steal your boyfriend if you turn your back," a voice chimed in.
"They're perfect together," another one giggles. "---freaks belong to the same group after all."
I opened my mouth to say something when I feel a cold, sweaty hand grab mine. I bobbed my head sideward to see Emily giving me a small smile.
