Apricity

14❥The Closet

I break the silence after sitting with Naomi for a total of three minutes in quiet tension. "So how do you want to..." She looks up from her phone to shut me up with a cold stone glare.

"I don't," is all she says and goes back to her phone.

Mrs. Jericho left us all to spread out on this floor of the school to find somewhere quiet we could work with our partner. We were first supposed to get to know our partner before discussing ideas on our project.

I tap my pencil on my notebook as she continues to ignore me. I wonder what luck Roman was having with his partner right about now. Daniel was a super quiet kid who had lots of nervous jitters. I hope he would be okay in the company of someone as moody as Roman.

Naomi was a smart student. I remember that she made good grades. That's how I knew she was more than capable of helping me on this project, but this was an outright refusal from her end. She didn't want to work with me at all. I knew for a fact that if I had been anyone else, she would've been working just fine by now.

She looks up her phone after another handful of silent minutes. "Look, I think we already know each other well enough, don't you think? I'm the girl you stabbed in the back and you're the little slut who doesn't know boundaries. Why don't you pick our topic and main ideas for us, Briar? I think it's the very least you can do for me."

It was way too early for this type of hostility. It's not like she would have listened to me if I denied what she thought I was. I swallowed the lump forming in my throat and excused myself to find a bathroom. I didn't care for confrontation in any circumstance, especially this one.

I pass a few other pairs of partners on my way. I had a habit of ignoring the way people would look and talk about me when I walked through the halls, but right at this moment, it was a lot harder than usual. I wanted out of this negative environment.

I didn't actually need to use the bathroom, I just wanted some privacy. To do what, I didn't know. But then I realized that if I had given myself any time alone right now, I would probably end up in tears and the last thing I wanted to do was cry.

I found a teacher at the end of the hall who noticed me at the same time. "Oh, would you be a dear?" She asked me as I walked closer to the closet she was working in. "I still have so much work to get done in my classroom. I just need one person to finish stacking these is all. Do you have time? Is this a free period for you?"

"Sure Ms. Peters," I smile. "I can finish this for you." She didn't need to know I was technically in class right now. I decided this was a perfect distraction from my feelings and sitting in tense silence with Naomi.

"Oh thank you, Briar. You're an angel! Just move this box out of the doorway when you're done. It doesn't stay open on its own and you'll need the hall light to help you."

I look up to observe the dead bulb on the ceiling of the closet, then I send a smile to Ms. Peters. "Sure thing, I got this."

She left me to stack the boxes on my own. It was a very simple task that required little to no strength, which was perfect for me and my noodle arms.

This part of the hallway was out of the way from the main halls, which meant there were no loud noises to break my peaceful working. I don't know how long I was there stacking and organizing things in the closet but it gave me time to make myself feel better about this whole situation.

Naomi doesn't know me like she thinks she does. Her opinion doesn't matter anymore. Nobody can make me feel less than I am. I only care about the opinion of those who love me.

It was something I constantly repeated in my head to boost my self-confidence, ever since the rumors first started spreading about me.

I heard a scuffle while I was wrapping things up in the closet. I didn't get the chance to turn around and see who it was before the door shut on me. Darkness surrounded me immediately afterward, only a small line of light shining through the bottom of the door.

I follow that light and push the door out. It barely budges. This door doesn't lock automatically, then why isn't it opening? I give it a harder shove and it stays firmly in place.

"Hello?" I call out. I hear the snickering of a few people outside of the door before I hear the footsteps running away. I bang on the door a little more desperate now. "Hello? I'm still in here!" The last line felt completely hopeless, considering the laughing and the running away meant they specifically knew that fact.

I reach in my back pocket to call someone and to use my flashlight. Only, my back pocket is empty and I quickly realize I left it with my other things. A small whimper escapes me and I take a deep breath.

Class has to be ending soon, someone will notice I don't come back. Someone will come looking for me.

No one cares about you, a little voice in the back of my head tells me. You're in a secluded hallway, they won't even hear you.

I refuse to let that negativity take over my thoughts. I refuse, even though Naomi would leave my stuff behind and not give it a second thought. Even though the majority of that class were either friends with her or sought her approval.

But not Roman, I think hopefully. He has to know I won't come back, he has to.

It'll be okay, I tell myself. It'll be okay, it'll be okay, it'll be okay. Because even if Roman doesn't notice, Valentina will eventually. This isn't forever and I'll be okay.

It was just a matter of continuing to make noise and wait it out...

✎ A/N: Next update will be Monday !!

LIFE UPDATE: I talked to him. He finally came up to the counter and I asked what his name was and we talked for a little bit.
He was so cute and sweeeeet.

BUT 😩 UGGGHHHH!

I won't be working there for the next few weeks bc I asked for time off to catch up on my studying so....

I will not be seeing him for a while </3 don't even know if he'll be there when I get back.

Shoot the shot ladies. Ask that man for his NUMBER. Don't be dumb like me (: