𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐔𝐑𝐓𝐒 𝐌𝐄

─ ❝ act xxxiv ❞

⎡ act xxxiv - confusion ⎦

┊❝ What... happened? ❞┊

── "(Y/N)!" Sawyer exclaimed the moment he saw (Y/N) walking from her car the next morning, Shariah, Kira, and Alina right behind him as he lightly grabbed her arm and pulled her off to the side. "Are you okay? We couldn't find you after you went to the restroom, and then those photos... they were sent to everyone! And... we each received emails of suspension!? What... happened? Was it Dylan and Ian again?"

"Dude, seriously... how badly are they hurting you?" Kira questioned with furrowed brows, her eyes reflecting nothing but worry. "Those photos and that damn email... that kinda shit is uncalled for. I mean, we can handle being suspended, but... that means we won't be here at school with you."

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Shariah questioned softly.

"Anything?" Alina tacked on.

"I'm fine," (Y/N) muttered out as she gently pushed Sawyer's hand away, missing the confusion and the hurt and the worry flash across his gaze whilst he hesitantly took a step back, an invisible type of wall or barrier shielding him from getting too close. "Sorry I left without saying anything, guys. I texted you I felt sick. That's all." Turning away from them to continue walking towards the school, she called back, "I'm sorry about the email. You probably shouldn't be around me anymore, guys, so that kind of thing doesn't happen again. I'm sorry."

Just like that, she disappeared inside the building. Leaving behind the few people who stood up for her and wanted to stand beside her, (Y/N) could feel her very soul shriveling in on itself just as Dylan and Ian so desperately wanted.

It left her with a bad taste in her mouth.

But what could she do?

What, when they so easily threatened her?

Walking into the restroom and leaning over the counter, (Y/N) peered into the mirror at her rather haggard expression which showcased the dark bags underneath her eyes that suggested a night of bad sleep. Running a hand over her face, she turned the faucet on and bent over the sink so she could splash some cool water on her face. Unfortunately, panic flooded her veins in an instant when she felt someone's hand on the back of her head pushing her down. With her nose and mouth plunged into the small pool of excess water that hadn't emptied yet since the school's draining system was crap, (Y/N) floundered under whoever was holding her.

Her air was quickly running out, and if she didn't do anything soon, she would end up passing out.

Gripping the edge of the counter tightly, (Y/N) strained with all of her might against her attacker to throw herself backwards, successfully knocking them off balance so both they and her crashed to the floor. Landing on her hands and knees, coughing and wiping the water from her face, she snapped her head up with a sharp glare to meet Carmen's piercing blue eyes.

"What..." (Y/N) coughed, unsteadily standing to her feet. "...the hell are you doing!?"

"Showing a fucking bitch her place," Carmen scowled as she too stood up, running a hand through her now frazzled blond hair, somehow the act making her even prettier when doing so. "Dylan has been acting weird since that damn party. He barely answers my calls or my texts anymore. So, when I saw him heading up to the roof yesterday, I followed him to find out what the fuck was wrong. And let me tell you that what I saw was really fucking wrong."

(Y/N)'s lips twitched.

The forced kiss that she had shared with Dylan was scorching, shame igniting her body the longer she stared into Carmen's cruel gaze.

"I didn't want that," she finally proclaimed. "If you were there, then—"

Carmen cut (Y/N) off by slapping her across the face, the stinging of her cheek barely setting in before newfound pain sprouted from her scalp upon her hair getting violently grabbed and tugged. As Carmen shouted out a sling of curses down at (Y/N), the latter was far too consumed with trying to interrupt her bout of pain to listen. Jerking her arm forward, she sharply elbowed Carmen in the gut, thankful when she indeed released her to stumble backwards, gripping her stomach in pain.

"You... fucking... whore!" Carmen screeched as she lunged forward to tackle (Y/N) back onto the ground, her eyes animalistic by that point.

Grabbing (Y/N)'s collar, Carmen shoved her against one of the stall doors, watching with satisfaction as she collided with a loud bang and a choke from how the air rushed from her lungs. Panting, (Y/N)'s eyes narrowed as she raised her fists in front of her face before striking out, catching Carmen in the jaw. Her brief wave of satisfaction was all but quelled when Carmen then tried to kick her in the gut, something she thankfully blocked before then getting pushed down anyway by her other foot to her back.

Stumbling, her hand pressing to the tiled floor, (Y/N) could feel her vision blurring from the sweat that dripped from her forehead.

She felt weak.

Tired.

Absolutely exhausted.

Before (Y/N) could even hope to move, she was kicked down before a foot was grinding down painfully onto her hand. Screaming from the contact, tears now being the prominent factor in her skewed vision, she gasped when the bathroom door slammed open to somehow reveal Shariah and Sawyer.

"Help..." (Y/N) weakly groaned out as she stretched her other hand out to them.

She felt so pathetic in that moment.

But as Shariah rushed Carmen with absolute anger flashing along her expression, pinning her to the floor so she couldn't retaliate, (Y/N) only felt relief. Then, when she felt someone pick her up and hold her tightly to their chest, their warmth enveloping her in a safe embrace, she felt comforted. Looking up at Sawyer through clearly eyes, she parted her lips to whisper out a 'thank you,' but the only thing that escaped was pained gasps.

"It's okay, (Y/N)!" Sawyer rushed out as he hurried out the bathroom and down the hall—presumably to the nurse's office. "You're gonna be okay!"

His words eased her.

If he said it, she knew it was true.

Slowly, she closed her eyes and allowed herself to drift off into the realm of unconsciousness.

__________________________________

To be continued...