Dollhouse

Chapter 2

This was the worst school day ever.

At lunchtime I found Jack with another girl. That was unexpected. I thought he wanted us to live together. I found myself shaking with anger and sadness. Everything was blurry, but I know he saw me. I made a scene.

"Jack?" It didn't bother me that he hung around other girls. What bothered me was that he was holding her hand. Laughing.

"I can't believe you." I couldn't see him anymore, but I know he saw me. She saw me too. She, one of the girls who had stolen my bags and thrown them in the dumpster so I had to fish them out after school. She, the girl who tripped me on several occasions so I would be embarrassed for the rest of the month.

Julia Creeds.

I ran to the bathroom crying my eyes out. Of course he didn't come after me. No one did. I just figured I wasn't worth caring about anymore.

I was forced back to class, still crying a little. It was so embarrassing. How could I have trusted him?

When school ends Julia and her group of friends walk past me, laughing. They take my backpack and dump it all over the school in the front. I can't breathe, I'm crying so hard. The wind blows and I can only get a sample of what I had in my backpack.

Worst day ever.

I ride home with Jack in his dented white Dodge charger. My backpack is full of scattered papers and books.

Why do I ride with him? Because if I walk those girls will keep bullying me. That is the only reason.

The ride is quiet. I refuse to talk to him. I'm still crying. I'm tempted to jump out and run.

My tears have finally dried but my head still pounds. He drops me off at my house and I don't even give him a second glance.

"I'm sorry," he calls.

I stop walking. The tears come flooding again. I feel my face go hot and my head thumping with each heartbeat.

I think about turning around, about telling him it's over. I think about a lot of things to say to him.

Silence is worse.

So I keep walking.