Shattered Asylum

Chapter 34

I ended up sitting in Nora's car, staring out the window until they were ready to leave. I couldn't face anyone, not Brooklyn, not the gossiping girls, and definitely not Grayson.

The rest of the weekend, I hid out in my room, ignoring texts and avoiding the world.

No amount of avoidance could stop Monday from creeping closer. The thought of school, of seeing him three times a day, twisted my stomach into knots.

When I finally woke up, it was the familiar dampness of a cold sweat. My body was awake, but my heart felt heavy, dragging me down into the mattress.

I stared at the ceiling, refusing to move until my alarm blared, its shrill reminded impossible to ignore.

Do I really have to go? The thought lingered as I curled further into my blankets, my bed feeling warmer, safe, than it ever had. But deep down, I knew the answer.

I sigh, forcing myself up. Skipping isn't an option. My college applications depend on this. No matter how much I want to disappear, I have to show up.

~

I ignore the stares as I walk to my locker, pretending not to hear the whispers trailing behind me. Word gets around fast here. My heart pounds in my chest, and I force out a shaky breath, trying to steady myself.

"Hey, how are you doing?" Nora's voice cuts through the noise as she appears at my side.

"I'll be fine," I reply quickly, not wanting to dwell on myself. "What's up with you and Vinnie?" I ask, steering the conversation away from my mess of a life.

Her cheeks flush instantly, and she bites her lip, her shy smile betraying her excitement. "I didn't want to bring it up with everything you've been dealing with, but...he asked me out last week," she says, fiddling with the hem of her shirt.

I blink at her, processing what she just said. "Wait. What?"

"I wanted to tell you, I swear! I just didn't want you to fee like-"

I cut her off with a squeal, grabbing her hands and bouncing on my toes.

She laughs, joining me as we jump up and down in the middle of the hall.

"I'm so happy for you! You deserve someone like him," I gush, pulling her into a tight hug.

"I really like him," she admits as we pull apart, her voice soft and sincere. "Like, more than I thought I would."

"You should, he's a great guy," I say, closing my locker. "It's about time I get some good news."

But then something behind her catches my eye. My smile falters, and my stomach twists painfully as I spot Madison and Grayson pressed against the lockers, their lips locked.

"Let's get to class," I mumble, grabbing Nora's arm and pulling her away.

"What? Why?" She asks, glancing over her shoulder. Her eyes widen as she sees what I saw. "Oh. Yeah, let's go," she says quickly, turning back around to match my pace.

"Since when did those two become a thing?" She whispers as we head toward English.

"I don't know," I say quietly, staring at the floor. "I thought Grayson hated her."

Nora scoffs. "I bet you're a sensitive subject in their relationship, if you can even call it that," she mutters, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Don't say that," I snap, my voice harsher than I intended. I sigh, trying to soften it. "I just want to forget about it."

"Fine, fine," she says, holding her hands up in mock surrender. After a pause, she nudges me with her elbow, a sly grin creeping onto her face. "Enough about them. I saw you flirting it up with Brooks on Friday."