I never told Laurance about Garroth. I think Laurance is the person I'm most afraid to tell. Vylad was easy, even if I didn't want to do it. He took it differently than I expected, but he seemed to understand, even if he was disappointed in me. Kandi will be angry with me for not using my head, but I can live with that. I don't live with her.
Today marks the biggest day of my acting career. While dad was convinced I felt ill and should stay home from school, Laurance saw right through my act and questioned why I didn't want to go. I couldn't pull the "I'm a good girl. I can have a day to myself" card because Cadenza likes that card. Instead, I came up with the excuse of "I have a speech I don't want to do." He understood, but I was still forced into the backseat of Cadenza's car. Couldn't fake a fever in time.
Continuing with the innocent act, there's a ribbon holding a chunk of my hair out of my eyes at the back of my head. My curtain bangs are left to frame my face. Cadenza did my hair after noticing I was in a funk. Laurance even made me breakfast. I don't eat breakfast.
"I realized I accidentally stole your sweatshirt last night," I comment, pressing my books firmly against my chest. Kandi walks with us, so we don't mention most things that happened.
Vylad shrugs before stopping at his locker. He carefully turns the dial on his lock before opening it. I quickly do mine and yank it down when it fails. I have to repeat these steps before it opens this time. We're getting rid of the stupid math books we don't need.
"Keep with it the others. Grow your collection."
I laugh at him before shaking my head. My hair feels loose, but I know it's secure. "I don't have a collection of Vylad Ro'meave sweatshirts."
Kandi shuts her locker and looks over at the two of us. "You could from how many you've stolen. Mom is growing confused."
"Zianna would be proud."
I regret turning around from my locker when I see Garroth passing by with Ivy next to him. Vylad reaches for my hand and squeezes it, and I can hear the confusion in Kandi's voice when she comments on it. Vylad fakes being uninformed with his response to her. I don't make a sound before hesitating with suggesting we go to history.
Lunch is even more awkward than normal. We've gone from stealing glances to refusing to look in the other's direction. I like to think that I'm keeping up my act pretty well, besides the little slip up from earlier. But then again, I can play that off as my reaction to the shock of Ivy being on Garroth's arm.
My mind travels back to last night. If Laurance were to look through my text messages, the truth would be spilled by him being a snoop. Though, Laurance and I have enough trust where there isn't a need for him to do that. It's an invasion of privacy, and I've never done anything before for the need to do it.
I explained my concerns to Vylad. I couldn't get over how he came over and listened to my rants before finding grass in my hair. I didn't want him to be a rebound, just because my mind is in a messed up place. If my little relationship with Garroth didn't mess it up, that would. He understood, but we can tell it's a sore subject for both of us. I just don't want to mess things up more than I have now.
"Cadenza is confused why she keeps finding Ro'meave sweatshirts in the washing machine," Laurance comments, eyeing both me and Vylad. Vylad and I look at each other before looking at Laurance unamused. I can honestly say those aren't Garroth's. . . or at least most of them.
"That's hilarious because my mom is really confused why Vylad's sweatshirts are disappearing," Kandi comments, digging at the two of us.
Laurance looks over at the two of us before lifting an eyebrow. "Did my little sister get her first boyfriend?"
I grow quickly annoyed before rolling my eyes and violently stabbing at the salad on my tray. Poor little lettuce never saw it coming. "Why does this conversation keep happening? I just get cold, and you're stingy with your sweatshirts."
"You could always use your own."
"Where's the fun in that?"
°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°
The one thing that I thought that I would get a sense of normalcy from was being able to stay in my bed reading when it was dark outside. Instead, there's a sudden knock on my window, and the window is opening itself.
I get up from my bed and roll my eyes, ready to shut the window even if it slammed on people's fingers. Garroth's face is before mine, and there's a loud, audible groan coming from my lips. "Why are you here?"
"We need to talk."
"There's nothing to talk about. Shouldn't you be shoving your tongue down Ivy's throat?"
He doesn't look amused by a response I thought to be highly clever. Instead, he stays at my window. He's crazy for thinking this is something that is normal now that we've broken up. Vylad doesn't even do this.
"We need to talk."
I look at my closed door and contemplate yelling or not. "Leave or I'll call for Laurance. He'll get here before you can climb down that tree."
A week ago, I would've let him in the room. Now he can sit dangling from a tree branch with the hopes of not falling. I'm not catering to a man anymore. He sighs before going down a branch before looking up at me. "You didn't tell Laurance."
I shake my head no.
