Shattered Asylum

Chapter 43

Today is Monday, and I've been dreading going back to school, especially since Grayson won't be back until Thursday. Nora's Halloween party is this Saturday, and she's still insisting I dress up with her.

As I step inside the school, my stomach churns with anxiety. My eyes dart around, scanning the hallways for any sign of him.

He could be anywhere. I bypass my locker and head straight to class, keeping my head low and my steps quick.

Relief washes over me when I make it into the classroom unnoticed. No sign of Daniel. My plan for today is simple: ask Principal Doyle to switch my second period class so I don't have to be anywhere near him.

I sit down at my desk, pulling out my phone to distract myself while waiting for the bell. Students trickle in slowly, and the familiar buzz of morning chatter fills the room. When Nora walks in, I can't help but smile and wave.

"I didn't think you'd show up today," she says, standing beside my desk.

"I can't miss any more days until next semester," I reply, locking my phone.

"Well, I'm glad you came. Are you still thinking about switching classes next period?"

"Yeah, I think-" My words falter, and time seems to freeze as Madison and Ashley, my stepsister, saunter into the room.

Anger flares up inside me like a wildfire as my gaze locks on Ashley. Her lips curl into a devilish grin, her eyes gleaming with malicious delight. It's a grin that promises trouble, sending a shiver down my spine.

"Aven, don't be rude," Madison drawls as she closes the distance between us. "Say hi to my new friend."

I scowl as she wiggles her fingers in a mock wave.

"Oh, how I missed you," Ashley sneers, her tone dripping with mockery.

I scoff, rising from my chair. "How are you even here? I know your daddy doesn't have the money."

Madison's grin only widens. "Me, actually. Daddy gives me whatever I want, and I wanted a friend who doesn't stab me in the back." Her sharp glare cuts to Nora.

Nora's laugh is cold and hollow. "Last I checked, I wasn't the one who stole your boyfriend and criticized everything you did."

"Better watch out for Aven, then," Madison snaps, her eyes narrowing. "She's really good at stealing other girls' boyfriends."

I smirk. "You must not know Ashley, then. She'll fuck your boyfriend right in front of you."

Madison's confident expression falters, her eyes widening as she looks at Ashley.

"You didn't," she gaps.

Ashley smirks, nodding with pride.

Madison giggles, holding up her hand for a high-five, which Ashley eagerly slaps.

Immaturity at its finest. I roll my eyes, done with this entire conversation. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch a group of girls behind Nora hanging on to every word we say. They quickly avert their gaze when I glare at them.

The bell rings, mercifully ending the standoff. I sink back into my chair, already drained. Madison can think whatever she wants about Grayson. It's funny how she's convince I "stole" him when he was never hers to begin with.

~

I talked to Principal Doyle about switching out of my second period class, but he refused. "It's too late in the semester," he'd said, his tone final. I swallowed hard, nodding as if I understood, but the knot in my chest tightened.

Now, as I make my way to Science, I fight back tears. It's bad enough that Daniel is here, but with Ashley? My life is officially a living hell.

The moment I open the door, all eyes turn to me. My stomach twists under their collective gaze.

"You're fifteen minutes late," Mr. Owen says, his voice edged with irritation.

I lift the note I got from Principal Doyle, wordlessly waving it in the air. He snatches it from my hand and tosses it onto his desk without even glancing at it.

Tight-lipped, I turn toward my seat, avoiding the sea of faces as I weave my way through the desk.

My gaze lands on Daniel, smiling, but it's the kind of smile that never reaches his eyes. My chest constricts, and I force myself to look away, fixing my eyes on the floor.

When I finally sit down, the empty seat beside me feels like a gaping hole. I guess Vinnie isn't here either today. The absence of his apologetic grin only makes the classroom feel colder, more suffocating.

My hands tremble as I pull out my notes, the paper crinkling under my touch. I try to focus, but my mind keeps drifting, mostly to Ashley.

She's always been my shadow, but not in the comforting way a stepsister might be. No, Ashley was like a storm cloud, following me around, her resentment dark and all consuming.

Everything about her oozed envy, her sharp glares, her biting comments, the way her lips twisted into a smug smile whenever she though she'd bested me.

She moved through the halls with an unsettling grace, her steps deliberate, her head high, a picture of practiced confidence. But behind her smile lurked venom, a poison she wielded with cruel precision.

There was no mistaking her disdain. If I achieved something she wanted, the curl of her lip said it all. If she had to acknowledge me, her voice dripped with frost. I wasn't her stepsister, I was her rival.

And she made sure I knew it.

Ashley thrived on ruining me. She spread rumors that clung to me like smoke, poisoning everything they touched. She lied to Joe, her words crafted to enrage him, and I paid the price with bruises and pain that lasted long after the blows landed.

But her cruelty didn't stop there. She flaunted her relationship with Daniel, draping herself over him like a prize. She kissed him, touched him, whispered things meant for me to hear. She thought she was breaking me.

What she didn't know was that I thanked her every day. As long as she had his attention, I was safe.

The bell jolts me out of my thoughts. The classroom is already emptying, chairs scraping against the floor, voices blending into a dull hum. I didn't even realize I zoned out.

As I gather my things, a familiar, nauseating smell hits me, a mix of cheap cologne, weed, and sweat. My stomach twists.

"Hey, baby." His voice is low, almost sweet, and far too close.

I freeze as Daniel's arms snake around my waist, pulling me back against him. My body starts to tremble, the fear crawling up my spine like ice.

"I've come to a decision," he says, his tone laced with mock affection. His head rests on my shoulder, his breath hot against my neck.

I can't speak. My throat feels like it's closing, words trapped somewhere deep inside me.

He starts rocking us back and forth, like some sick imitation of comfort. "We're going to try for another baby," he murmurs, his voice syrupy, a honeyed poison dripping into my ear.

The walls seem to close in, the air thick and suffocating. My chest tightens, my heart hammering so loudly I can barely hear anything else.

I try to breathe, but it feels like I'm underwater, drowning in fear and despair. My vision blurs, the edges darkening until the world around me is nothing but a narrowing tunnel.

His whispers become muffled, overtaken by a high-pitched ringing in my ears. My legs buckle beneath me, and I feel his arms tighten, holding me up as my strengthen drains away.

The room tilts, spins. My limbs feel impossibly heavy, as if I'm being dragged down into the earth. The light at the center of my vision fades, dimming until there's nothing but darkness.

And then, with a loud thud, the world disappears.

Word Count:1315