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Odessa didn't know how much longer she could take all of the staring. Even when the rumor first started, she didn't get this much attention (Okay, maybe that was a lie). She was extremely tired. She was drained. She had no motivation to do anything but stay home in bed. She was just so sad. She felt this feeling before. Perhaps it never actually went away.
"Odessa?" She heard someone say her name.
She turned around and saw Sam standing behind her. She instantly shook her head. "Not now, Sam." She dismissed.
Sam grabbed her arm before she could walk away. "Odessa, please. I don't know what to say or do. This has been so hard." She pleaded.
"Yeah. Imagine how Miguel feels."
"i'm sorry, Odessa. I didn't mean for this to happen."
Odessa faced her. "Look, Sam, you know me. We were best friends. I don't hold grudges. And I don't know what happened at the party. I get it. You were drunk and hurting. But right now I don't want to be nice. I don't want to forgive. My best friend is in a coma because of something you and Tory started. Right now, I don't want to see either of you." She walked away without saying anything else.
When she walked by the staircase, she froze. It call came back to her. She closed her eyes and suddenly heard the fighting. She saw Robby and Miguel by the ledge. She saw Robby push him off. Then, the cracking of Miguel's spine. She felt nauseous.
Odessa sprinted down the hallway and rushed into the bathroom. She threw her backpack in the floor and ran into one of the stalls. She dropped to her knees and emptied everything in her stomach. Her throat felt like it was on fire and she was thankful that nobody was in the bathroom. She remembered feeling this way. She remembered the mental state she was in and the toll it took on her. She was afraid it was happening again.
Odessa battled herself about going back to the dojo. Thalia did everything to keep her going. Karate started this. It got Miguel and everyone else hurt. But then she thought about how it was the first place Miguel would go to if he was awake. She didn't want to give up. She owed him that much.
Hailey finally left her house after two weeks. She looked tired. She looked miserable. Grayson stood close by her side. He had been with her every step of the way. He knew Hailey couldn't handle something as big as what happened. It was taking a huge toll on her. Grayson was her saving grace.
Aisha was gone. After the fight, her parents moved her to a private school. Odessa missed her. She felt like her world was crashing down. She stood by Eli and the boy kept looking at her with concern. Her feelings towards him were still uncertain but she didn't have the strength to argue or stay away from him. At one point he was her best friend. He knew her like the back of his hand. She needed someone. She didn't care who it was.
