In the stars. | A collection of short stories: B.E

Bully.

A/n: This is another chapter where Octavia has nonverbal autism. Also, there is a brief mention of someone committing suicide (No detail whatsoever just those words) - so I'm really sorry if that triggers you, you're in no way obligated to read this chapter, you could skip this one, maybe the next one I publish will be a better read for you! I love you all, please eat and drink enough... I've come to realise how important it is! My dms are always open. <3

Octavia walks with her head down, notebook clutched tightly in her hands her headphones playing only one song on repeat, Snowfall. Her eyes darting around on the floor, taking note in her mind of everyone's shoes and which direction they were walking by the position and direction of their shoes; so nobody would touch her. She hated it, it made her feel like she was drowning.

"Isn't that, that mute freak that just transferred?" Jason chuckled, eyeing his group who each nod. Billie hesitated for a moment, as Jack's arms wrapped around her shoulder tightly she nodded.

"I'm pretty sure she's non verbal-" Billie mumbles under her breath before Jack squeezed her tighter making her wince. "Never mind." she whispered.

"Hey watch this," Bella chuckled, walking purposefully in front of Octavia making her jump and flinch away. Gagging without sound, as she shakes her head repeatedly, pulling at the corner of her notebook.

"Nice one Bell." Wayne chuckles, Billie's heart ached to see the torment these people who used to be her best friends would cause others; however she couldn't shake the guilt that she had ever since she was 15. Billie used to be a bad person, used to tease and torment people just for her own amusement, however, one night on the last day of the term she got a chilling set of Karma. The person she used to bully took their own life and they made sure Billie knew it was her fault.

"You know maybe we shouldn't-" Billie's small voice attempted to suggest when her boyfriend shifted his arm from her shoulder to her waist. "Jack.. can you not." she questions her voice hushed and Jack scoffed before shoving Billie away from him.

"You never want to do anything with me. It's annoying." He grumbled walking away Billie set herself straight brushing her hoodie as she two made her way to class.

˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗

Octavia could still feel Bella's shoulder against hers, the drowning feeling still lingering as she fiddled with the corner of her desk. Her attention waned momentarily until suddenly her maths teacher, Mr Saunders called on her. "You... uh," He pointed at Octavia, trialling as his eyes drifted to the seating plan that he had just sketched up, "...Miss Ashford. Do you have the answer to question four?" He finished, looking back up at Octavia.

Suddenly all eyes fell to her, Octavia's hands trembling as she fumbled for her phone, her only way of communication. "Miss Ashford? Would you care to answer me." He pressed, his eyebrows furrowing, as Octavia pulled her phone out, her shaky fingers doing her password forgetting that her phone had Face ID as it unlocked recognising her face she accidentally clicked on the wrong app, still thinking she was doing her password. She groaned as she swiped up before her shaky fingers clicked onto her text to speech app, as typed in what she wanted to say and hit enter.

'I'm sorry, I can't speak. But the answer is 23x + 25y.' A robotic voice announced, and Mr Saunders eyes widened.

The class erupted in laughter, Octavia's cheeks turned a shade of pink as she huffed returning her eyes to her phone thinking she had pressed the wrong button but... she hadn't.  She looked around confused before back to the board to see Mr Saunders had a more unimpressed look on his face.

"Why can't you speak? I should've been told, on a slip or something. Saw throat?" Mr Saunders asked with quite the lack of care. Not having time for this 'distraction' Octavia bit her lip, as she typed what she wanted to say.