The Switch

Chapter 24

Emory

The weekend went by faster than I would have liked, and I wasn't ready to leave when Jessica, Georgie, and Aria came to pick me up. The car ride back was spent with Jessica asking how my weekend was and Georgie telling me all about his. Apparently he found a marble in the back yard. Aria had her headphones in and spent the whole drive texting someone. Part of me wanted to ask her about how Bentley was doing, but I knew it was probably for the best that I didn't ask. That would have just caused a fight, and I didn't feel like arguing in such a confined space. I mostly just listened while Georgie talked, too busy thinking about what Brett had said. Where did I consider my home to be?

I felt so displaced now, New River felt so far away, even during my visit it felt as if everything had already shifted and adjusted to no longer having my presence. It had only been a month, and half of my friends had stopped texting me, really only Brett still talked to me. The others would just send updates everyonce in a while. Things like, can't believe who's teaching us this year, you would hate them. School sucks, swim practice is boring now that the season is over, but nothing that could really lead to a long conversation. After a week they had stopped caring how I was doing in general. And one by one they stopped sending updates. It made me wonder how long until Brett did the same. Would my messages to him go unread for days the same as when I had texted Carole and lacy. Would I get a "sorry, got caught up with friends," reply, I'm respons to half a week of no contact? I know.he was going to eventually find someone else to be his best friend, but that thought kind of hurt.

Then there was aunt Katie, I love her and Scott together, but I'm not a little kid. I know that after they start living together, it'll be easier to forget that I'm not there. What happens if she becomes too busy for phone calls and weekend visits. If her and Scott get married and have kids of their own, I would definitely be forgotten then. I knew I was just being selfish though. It just felt unfair, because they still had everyone else, and I had to start over, with complete strangers. Yeah Jessica and Anthony were technically my parents, but I've only known them for a month. I still felt like a stranger being forced to stay in their house. I did make new friends, but sometimes I feel like a little kid to them. The other day Arielle asked if I needed help with my homework even. I think that's why I liked being friends with Bentley, It felt easy with her, not like I was trying to fight to belong. Don't get me wrong, I really liked hanging out with Cody and then, but when they talk about they're classes and the act's or SATs in Arielles case, or even looking at colleges, I feel so out of place. All the inside jokes I never get, and then they have to explain to me, and the weird thing Cody said about Will, all of it just made me feel even more like an outsider.

By the time Monday rolled around, I felt so overwhelmed by all of it, I didn't even wanna get out of bed. So I didn't, I stayed there, until Jessica came up to check on me. I had my blanket pulled over my head, when I heard the door open. I roll over to look at her, she was dressed today. Which was. Odd because typically in the mornings she would still be in her pajamas. "Honey, is everything okay, are you not feeling well?"

She reaches out to touch my forehead, but I shake my head. "I'm not sick, I just don't want to go to school." I tell her, surprised by how small my voice seemed to come out.

She takes her arm back, but then gives me a more serious look. Not stern, but definitely not as gentle as before when she thought I was sick. "Is there a reason you don't want to go? Or are you just not wanting to go in general?"

I couldn't do another day of feeling like an outsider. In addition to the fact that I don't think I was mentally up for dealing with Cassidy today. I didn't want to tell Jessica that, so i just looked at her pleadingly, "please don't make me go."