Rancorous

Chapter 19

PRESENT

Herlina

Many eyes stared at the brace on my foot as I limped throughout the day. I was grateful it was a Friday, the end of the week. No prying eyes over the weekend to make me feel uncomfortable and embarassed.

Opening the door to the library, I relaxed. I usually made sure to spend productive time during my study hall, but I was so tired, I debated taking a nap instead.

I walked by some book shelves when a sob sounded on the other side. I frowned, my heart aching in sympathy at wanting to console whoever it was that needed it. Just then, someone exited the aisle in angry footsteps.

Haley?

She usually wore pretty buttoned down blouses, slim and fitted khakis, ballet flats, had her hair in shiny curls, and her makeup impeccable. She never failed to iron her clothes, appearance a special priority for her. It wasn't something she outright said, but it was something everyone knew.

So, I was beyond baffled to find her in baggy jeans, a faded bluish-grey jacket, dirty sneakers, and her hair messily pulled back into a pony tail.

Her faded eyeliner and mascara smudged creating dark tear paths down her face. She furiously wiped at her blotched cheeks as she exited the library.

Immediately following her departure, the noise of sloppy kisses could be heard where once Haley's sobs were.

I scrunched my face in disgust and hurredly wobbled as far away from whoever was on the other side.

Finding a nice solitary corner in the library, I dropped my backpack on a chair and took a seat. I frowned as I stared at the table and drew imaginary circles with my finger.

Haley had looked incredibly distressed. Though we never talked outside of when we played volleyball together, I felt this inclination to talk to her. She may have given me some mild bone bruising on my foot, but I knew it was an accident.

My eyes grew heavy and I quicky pulled out my phone setting an alarm to wake me up before my next class.

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"Did you just wake up from a nap?" Presley's bright eyes crinkled with joyous amusement.

"Is it that noticeable?" I self-consciously brought a hand up by my face, as if I could instanty remove the puffiness from my eyes.

Presley's glossy lips twisted to the side as she examined me. "No, not at all." As she turned her head to the side, I caught a glance at the dubious look on her face.

"Presley!"

She giggled, her infectious laugh making me grin. This happy feeling effervesced in my chest, popping, and spreading an air of radiance all around me.

"I'm just kidding hun, you look fine. I bet if you trimmed a centimeter off your hair, I would be able to tell. I'm just very observant." She shut her locker and we walked over to English class together.

I smiled, thinking back to my nap. Then, I frowned as I recalled the events before. "Presley, have you seen Haley today?"

Presley's face instantly turned sullen. Her curled lips straightening into almost a pout. "In the morning."

"Is everything alright with her? I saw her at the library and she was very," we entered our class and sat down. I turned around in my chair facing Presley, "Distressed."

Presley tugged her binder out of her bag, more harshly than I expected, before she dropped it on her desk with a loud thud. The few students that were seated and the ones that were drifting in all glanced at Presley in irritation. She slammed her sparkly pink pencil case on top of her binder and I blinked. She cleared her throat. "I heard she lost her dog this morning when she was taking him out for his early walk."