New Girl

The Aftermath

Y/N's POV:

I don't feel like going to school on Monday. Like at all. I wouldn't even have bothered to go to bed early yesterday if I hadn't been so tired. And I don't mean physically tired.

Just when I thought I could do the same as my parents and just live my own life and maybe even be happy here, everything came crashing down. And it was my best and only friend who broke the news to me. Well, I guess Laura's not even my friend, and never was. Just a pretty damn good actress who took advantage of my feeling lonely.

I really had hoped that I wouldn't ever have to feel so betrayed again. Like everyone is conspiring against me. But I ended up getting stabbed in the back twice. First by my parents and then by Laura. And Sophia I guess.

It's somewhat comedic that the only person I thought was my friend really is my archnemesis's friend. The few acquaintances I made thanks to Laura probably are the same. I can imagine them laughing at my foolishness and nativity behind my back. They must have had a blast this entire time. Great. I love being everyone's source of entertainment.

To be honest, I really have been imagining their sneers and hurtful comments all weekend long, because if I do that, I don't have to face the bitter truth: in the end, I have no one.

That thought has been lingering at the back of my mind since I woke up though. More aggressively than ever. Like it's just waiting for the perfect moment of weakness to pounce. The moment when my anger eventually fades completely and leaves me as vulnerable as I truly am right now.

For that exact reason, I have been refusing to get up, even though I've been awake since before dawn. The risk that I'll walk over to one of the windows that face Sophia's house is too great, and I can't say what it would do to me. Maybe it would fuel my anger but maybe it would push me further toward the utter helplessness and grief that I know is already there, somewhere in my chest.

What I'm not prepared for, however, is the shrill ringing of the doorbell. I turn my head to look at the clock on my nightstand. It's 7:35 am, around the time Sophia usually picks me up. But no - this can't be Sophia. She wouldn't dare, would she? But maybe she would, a small part of me thinks, just to rub it in my face that she's finally won.

But has she won?

The doorbell rings again but I don't move a muscle. After the third attempt, I think I hear a car's engine roaring. Then it gets quiet. And it stays that way.

~

It takes a long while before I leave my bed and then my bedroom. I don't bother to change out of my pajamas, just like I haven't bothered for the last two days. It's not like I plan on leaving the house anyway. But in the afternoon, someone rings the doorbell again. And this time, they won't leave.

Eventually, I give in and open the door. Laura rings the bell one more time before she realizes that the door is already open. She seems surprised that I opened it at all.

I don't say anything and just wait while eyeing Laura cautiously. If she wants to talk, she'll have to start. Then I'll decide whether I want to hear it or not.

"Hi, Y/N", Laura begins shakily.

"Hi." My tone is hostile and I can see Laura swallowing.

"Look, I'm really sorry I just went to your house and dropped all of that on you", she apologizes.

I raise one eyebrow. "That's what you're sorry for?"

"Yeah, I mean, of course-"

"Look, if that's what you wanted to apologize for, save it! You should've told me a lot sooner!" I turn around and get ready to shut the door.

"No! No, Y/N, wait! I'm sorry for everything! I still want to be your friend! I mean it, I promise! I didn't want to do any harm!", Laura hastily gets out.

"Well, it's too late for that." With these words, I shut the door anyway. I don't even know what to think right now. But I know one thing: Laura didn't say that she didn't want to make me leave.