Butterfly Wings

Chapter 30

Toby's POV

It was a week after the fight. I did the same old thing. Got up and went to school, avoided Ethan, and went to work. I came home to eat dinner and go up into my room to hide away like I did before Ethan. It didn't really phase me either, that I was alone. We had only been together for a month it wasn't like it was a cycle I had grown up on. Maybe the first couple days it hurt, but now I just brushed it off. Oh well, another person to have left me.

I got into my car and drove to school. I turned on the radio and a new Bea Miller song was on. It was "Force of Nature". I listened to it the entire way to school. Everything in the song was like me and Ethan. I tried to "tie my heart down and board up all the windows". He was the "force of nature" I tried to hide from, but he broke down my walls. I guess because I had been thinking of Ethan, I pulled into a space right next to his car. I looked to see if he was in his car and he was. "No point in driving out." I thought. I unbuckled my seat belt and grabbed my bag. I saw him get out and I put my head down. I guess he hadn't seen me because he walked into me as I walked up to the doors.

"Oh, sorry." he said automatically. Then he looked at my face and he softened. I gave a small smile.

"If you're so sorry are you going to move?" I asked quoting our first words to each other. He smiled and opened the door for me. I headed to my homeroom, not wanting him to follow me to my locker.

*******

I walked into the lunch room and sighed when I saw Ethan was at the table with Jason. I turned to walk out when Jason called my name. I was going to pretend I didn't hear, but he decided he was going to walk up next to me.

"Hey." he said.

"Hi." I muttered as I hitched my bag farther up my shoulder. I wanted to get out of here so Ethan's eyes would stop burning into my soul.

"Where have you been?" he said without noticing my body language.

"Around." I said as I looked around the lunch room. I saw Ethan quickly look away.

"Is this because of the fight with Ethan?" he asked with a brow cocked.

"No." I said as I tried to leave, but he grabbed my arm and I sighed.

"Yes." He said as he turned me to face him. "This has gone on long enough." he said as he began to lead me over to the table.

"Jason, no." I protested, but he was relentless.

"Just come on." he said as he continued to drag me.

"No." I said again.

"Toby-" he said as we were getting closer and closer to the table.

"NO!" I said as I shook off his hand. I had everyone's attention on me. I looked down as Ethan stiffened. I ran out of the lunch room and to the library. I migrated through the book cases and sat down in the back corner. I hugged my knees to my chest and let out a quiet cry. I pushed my bag off of me and it laid on the floor, the contents spilling out. 

I didn't like avoiding Ethan, but I wasn't sure what to say to him anymore. We had gone so long without talking, I figured there was no hope. Maybe this was for the best anyway; I knew Ashley still didn't want us together. My nerves had also been shot when I had everyone's eyes on me when I shouted in the lunch room. I just had all this built up and it needed to come out, I just wish it hadn't had come out while at school. I stayed there crying until the end of lunch.

******

I went into English a little late and sat in my seat hiding my puffy face.

"Toby." Mr.Collins called from his desk. I got up and walked to the back of the class. Ethan looked at me and then quickly darted his eyes away.