Falling Back: Alex Rider FanFic

~Chapter 25~

A/N: I am on a roooolllll. I have been in the car so much recently and I have been freakishly inspired! I have another part that I have ready to post to! Plus I have 2 more days of sitting around with nothing to do, so im sure ill get tons more done!

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I finished getting ready for school, trying to push away the lingering fatigue. As I made my way downstairs, Lucy was waiting by the door, her keys in hand.

"Ready to go?" she asked with a warm smile.

"Yeah," I nodded, grabbing my backpack and bending down to scratch Hope behind her ear, whispering a quick goodbye.

The drive to school was quiet, the early morning sun casting a golden glow on the passing scenery. Lucy glanced over at me a few times, concern etched on her face.

"You sure you're feeling okay?" she asked softly.

"I'm fine, Lucy," I assured her, trying to sound more confident than I felt. "Just a bit tired."

She nodded but didn't press further. When we pulled up to the school, she turned to me. "Remember, if you start feeling unwell, just call, okay?"

"I will," I promised, giving her a small smile before stepping out of the car.

As I walked into the school building, I was greeted by the familiar buzz of students bustling about, lockers slamming, and friends chatting. I made my way to my first class, math, and tried to focus on the lesson. However, my mind kept drifting, the events of the previous day still weighing on me.

By the time lunch rolled around, I was feeling more drained than ever. I found a quiet spot in the cafeteria and pulled out the lunch Lucy had packed for me. I stared at it for a moment and just as I was about to take my first bite Polly appeared behind me, leaning over my shoulder. "Hey Alex!"

I nodded at her, "Hi Polly." She grinned, taking the seet next to me. "Bubbly as ever." I mumbled.

She chuckled, "I heard you got sick yesterday! Glad to see you back!"

I smiled up at her, "Glad to be back."

She pulled out her lunch box and I turned my focus back toward my own food. My smile fell, I forced myself to eat, knowing I needed the energy, but every bite felt like a chore. As I finished the last of my sandwich, a wave of nausea hit me and the content of my stomach threatened to make a suprise appearance.

I tried to ignore it, but it only got worse. I said goodbye to Polly and headed towards my next class. On my way I ran into Mack who shared the next class with me. My frown was still firmly plastered onto my face and he took notice of it quickly. "Are you okay?"

I nodded firmly, but kept my mouth pressed shut, not trusting myself to speak. We both slid into the classroom taking our seats next to each other. Mack attempted to spark a conversation but I was too distracted by my nasua to give much effort into responding. THe class began a minute later and I was thankful for the distraction, although I quickly found it did little to disuaide the sickening feeling that slolwy filled my body. About 20 minutes into class, my ears grew hot and the contents of my stomach decided to be true to their threat. I stood up quickly, muttering an excuse to Mack. "I'll be right back."

"Alex, are you okay?" he asked, concerned in his voice.

"Yeah, I just need to use the bathroom," I said, already moving away. Many eyes in the classroom fell onto me but I ignored them, running out of the classroom.

I barely made it to the bathroom before I threw up. I leaned over the toilet, my body wracked with heaves. When it finally stopped, I slumped against the wall, exhausted.

A moment later, the bathroom door creaked open, and Mack walked in. "Hey, are you okay?" he asked, his face a mix of concern and worry.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I lied, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.

"You don't look fine," he said, sitting down next to me. "You look like you just threw up. You should call Lucy. She'd want to know."

"I can't," I said, shaking my head. "I have to go to soccer practice. After making a whole show of finally standing up to him I can't let him think he's won."

Mack frowned. "Alex, it's not worth it. You're sick."

"I have to do this," I insisted, my voice more desperate than I intended. "I can't let him push me around anymore."

Mack sighed, but he didn't argue further. "Alright, but if you start feeling worse, you have to promise me you'll call her."

"I promise," I said, lying through my teeth.

After a few minutes, I managed to pull myself together and went to my next class, English. I tried to concentrate, but my mind was elsewhere, and I could still taste the bile in my mouth.

When the final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, I made my way to the locker rooms to change for soccer practice. I was still feeling weak, but the thought of facing Chase gave me a surge of adrenalin.

As I stepped onto the field, I saw Chase and his cronies standing together, their eyes immediately locking onto me. I squared my shoulders and tried to look confident.

Practice started, and I threw myself into the drills, pushing past the dizziness and fatigue. Every time Chase tried to trip me up or make a snide remark, I ignored him, focusing on the ball.

During a break, Chase cornered me near the bleachers, his friends flanking him. "Thought you'd stay home sick, Alex," he sneered.

"Guess you thought wrong," I shot back, my voice steady despite the nerves.

Chase's eyes narrowed, and he stepped closer, his presence menacing. "You think you're tough now? Just because you stood up to me once?"

I didn't back down, even though my heart was pounding. "I'm not scared of you, Chase."

He laughed, a harsh, mocking sound. "We'll see about that." Before I could react, he shoved me hard, and I stumbled back, hitting the ground. His friends closed in, but just then, Coach's whistle blew, signaling the end of the break.

"Break's over, everyone back on the field!" Coach shouted.

Chase gave me one last glare before turning away, leaving me on the ground. I got up slowly, brushing the dirt off my clothes, and joined the rest of the team. Despite the encounter, I felt a small victory; I hadn't backed down.

Practice continued, and though I was exhausted and feeling sick, I pushed through, determined to prove that I wasn't weak. By the end of practice, I was barely standing, but I had made it through. As I left the field, Mack walked over to me, his expression worried.

"You really should call Lucy," he said quietly.

I frowned, mumbling. "She's probably already here to pick me up, no point in making her worry."

Mack offered me a supportive smile. "You did good today, Alex. Don't let Chase get to you."

"Thanks, Mack," I said, feeling a bit of the tension ease. "I won't."

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A/N: Yaaallll get ready, this next chapter is a doozy ;)

-Grace