The Bet

Chapter 15

"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on." -Robert Frost

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I'm going to have a massive hangover when I wake up.

Just like I thought last night, I woke up ten minutes ago feeling like death. I have the biggest hangover I have ever had. The biggest dumb ass award goes to.... None other than Aria Quinn. I woke up not craving a klonopin. Not craving Devil's Lettuce. And for once not craving any alcohol. Shocker, I know. What I want is the sunlight to quit peaking through my curtains like a peaking Tom. What I need to do is invest in blackout curtains. I groan in frustration over the sun or from the massive headache I have. Maybe it's both.

I pull my blanket over my head to block out the light. To try to ease the pounding going through my head. Through my ears. Quite possible, through my soul.

"Aria. You getting up for class today?" Emilia asks through my cracked door.

"No." I groan put from under my covers.

"You missed two weeks straight. You can't keep doing work from inside your room babe." Leslie calls out from the kitchen.

"I can for today." I yell out. Wincing as my voice rattles my brain.

"Tomorrow you're going to class. You can't keep doing this. You'll get kicked out of school." Delilah says in a stern yet warning voice. Did I care if I'll get kicked out of school? No. The golden child didn't give two fucks. Aria years ago would be slapping me. She would have never let her crushed soul from a boy stop her from attending classes. But, I'm not the same Aria as I was then. I have changed.... And not for the better. One day, I'll seek help or one day I'll magically get better. But that isn't today or in this week to be exact. I need time to heal and being here isn't going to help me heal any.

Maybe tomorrow I can mask the hurt. But today isn't the day to try. Today is the day to recuperate from the major partying I done the night before. Today my bed will be my best friend until my headache goes away. I stay cozied up in my bed for the morning and most of the afternoon. My head isn't lightheaded. I don't have that intense headache. And when I move, I don't feel like throwing up. My body doesn't seem to be playing the floor is lava game. I get dressed in a baggy grey tee shirt that's Devin's and some black leggings. My slip on my fuzzy black boots and toss my unruly and possible tangled mess of a thing called hair into a bun. I put my shades on as I exit out my dorm. I walk surprisingly well to the Book Cafe to get some food. My stomach rumbles in agreement.

Food is the right choice.

I take my usual window seat. I order from my phone Frijol Colado dip and chip. To go with it I order Empanadas while I wait for my actual lunch to arrive. My lunch is a veggie burrito and a cheese quesadilla. My appetizers come out before I could hit send along with my strawberry lemonade. As I'm halfway through my second empanada; Noah and his delinquent crew walks in. Soon after they arrive, so does my brother and his little delinquent crew. Noah looks my direction with angry scowl again. However, instead of taking off like bitch; I sit and let it not effect me any. I quirk my brow up at him and continue to eat my food. I don't know if it's dangerous, if it's a bad sign, or a good sign... But I feel hollow. I don't feel anything anymore. It's like my body is completely numb to where his scowl doesn't phase me anymore. Maybe I'm just a shell. A hollowed out cracked open pumpkin or maybe an egg. Devin guides his crew which contains my roommates to the other side of the cafe. Leaving me completely alone. He probably understands that I truly need to be left alone for the day or for awhile. For once, it's an odd feeling not having Devin and his delinquent friends around me. Since Owen, they've always been the annoying gnats that swarmed around me. The pesky mosquitoes that fly around you. For once, I wanted their annoying selves next to me. For once, I have started to craved them. They became my second family except for Devin. I glance to where they sat at and see Noah and his shady friends sitting next to my group. As my order of food comes out, I inhale it pretty much. I have no clue how I ate so quickly but the food was in front of me one second and has disappeared the next. I stack my plates up neatly and pull my phone out.

Aria: I decided to take your advice. I'm dropping out of school for the remainder of the year.

Devin: I didn't mean for you drop out. I meant for you to take a leave for a few weeks or a month. Work from your dorm not drop out.

Aria: I know. It's just something I need to do to fix myself.

Devin: Think this through. Stick out the rest of this semester. We only have what? A month left. Maybe six weeks at the most. Take a break next semester and come back in the fall. Don't drop out. You worked too hard to drop out. You just need a break. That's all.

Aria: We will see how I feel after this semester. Don't get your hopes up too much dear brother. It might not end how you want it too. It just might be you conquering this campus.

I tuck my phone in my pocket as I stand up to leave. My decision right now is to drop out, but it might change at the end of the semester. I might just take a break instead. Who knows, only time will tell.

"Aria. I love you." Devin yells out from across the cafe.

"As I love you bubba." My voice is small. I probably sounded like a mouse.

"I'll see you in class tomorrow?" He asks with uncertainty in his voice.

"Wouldn't miss it in the world." My small voice fills the suddenly quiet cafe. I glance at Noah and see he's starting into my soulless eyes again. With a small tug of my lips, I turn on my heels and exit the cafe.

Tomorrow is a new day. One step at a time Aria. We can do this. Time to rebuild ourselves from the ground up.

: ¨·.·¨ :
' ·. 🦋
╱|、
(˚ˎ 。7
|、˜〵
じしˍ,)ノ