About You Now

Redemptions Start

It had been weeks since Homecoming, still, there were whispers in the halls. Although it had been a successful school dance, a far better one than the year before, the main talk had been the Carrie act when Miz and Maryse were crowned king and queen. For the most part, Maryse had ignored the whispers and the looks of pity other students sent her way, but it was clear it was getting to her, her once shining smile had been dimmed over the weeks, slowly becoming sadder until it disappeared entirely. Miz and the others of the Mix and Match group had done all in their power to brighten her school weeks and mood but nothing seemed to work. Especially when the cheerleaders and jocks apart of the cruelty still laughed at her and made jokes at her expense.

The night of the dance, after Brie had handed herself in, she'd explained everything to those who mercilessly questioned her, admitting to her part in the entire plot and willingly accepting any consequences thrown in her direction. Knowing she deserved to be punished for what she'd taken part in, even if she had backed out at the last minute. Cena too had admitted his part, like Brie he'd accepted the punishment, and offered an apology to Maryse. Even doing all he could to swade the chatter on what happened, if only so Maryse could recover sooner and her bright smile would return once more.

Daniel and Serenity, on the other hand, were the opposite. Both making excuses and blaming everyone else for what happened. They spoke every excuse they could conjure in order to get themselves out of the sticky situation they found themselves in. Both had fought against their deserved punishments yelling it was unfair, especially Daniel who had been removed from all sports teams, being replaced on each by someone each team coach thought was deserving. Both had continued to complain through all detention both breaks and after school, always saying they did nothing to deserve such treatment, even when they knew they had. Still, both refused to apologize for their wrongdoings, always attempting to brush off their actions as a harmless joke, even when only the cruelest of students saw their actions as funny.

"Brie" called Daniel upon seeing her near the school gates almost a month after the homecoming incident. The moment the younger Bella Twin heard his voice, she stiffened briefly then walked away from him, further into the school grounds, acting as if she hadn't heard him calling to her. It had been weeks since they last seen each other properly. After homecoming Brie's mother had grounded her, refusing to allow her to go anywhere except school and work after she found a weekend job. Additionally, she had taken away all electronic devices and given her an old phone that only had the ability to call and text, as well as the old snake game on it.

To say things had been shakey between Daniel and Brie since homecoming was an understatement. Since Brie had turned herself in and owned up to her actions, something had been different. She had been different. No longer did she torment Nikki and make fun of JJ, instead she picked her brother up from school and asked how his day was, she spent time bonding with Nikki in an attempt to fix their broken sisterhood, even going as far as to scold those who tormented the members of the Mix and Match group, and putting distance between herself and them. It was almost as if Brie had put herself on a redemption journey, and because of it, her relationship with Daniel was suffering.

She declined phone calls now, when he phoned the Bella residents, whoever answered always said Brie was busy. Messages were left on read and emails went unanswered. And now Brie avoided him and their friends, especially Serenity. Almost as if she was shunning them. Cena too had begun to do the same, when he wasn't serving detention, he had opted to hold small sports lessons for younger students, and he'd roped other students from the same year in too, if only to show his peers he could be a constructive member of the student body and was capable of helping others rather than tearing them down.

"Brie" called Daniel again, this time jogging to catch up with her. The feeling of dread gripping him, almost as if he knew when finally he caught up with her, she would deliver a striking blow. So much had changed, too quickly in his opinion. Cena had avoided him and all their friends, even going as far as to unfriend each of them on social media, and barely answered texts and calls. Brie was quieter now, as if she had done self-reflection and realized she wasn't who she wanted to be, as if she saw their friends differently as if she saw him differently. "What's up with you lately, it feels like you're pulling away, likely you're becoming ..." he spoke, stopping the moment he saw her dark eyes alight with something he had seen directed at him before, anger, fury, hatred even.