faded.

TWENTYFIVE

ONIKA

I walked into school feeling like absolute garbage. I was so stressed out that I could barely sleep and I pushed myself way too hard in the gym trying to ignore my feelings.

Unfortunately, it didn't work. Now I felt terrible physically and emotionally. It showed In the way I was dressed, I was wearing baby pink straight leg sweatpants with a matching pink zip up hoodie and a white shirt under.

I walked into my first period with an iced coffee that I finished within the first 15 minutes of class. That didn't help me in any way which frustrated me more than I already was.

I was probably the first person out of class just to see Bey posted up on the other side of the hallway. I acted like she wasn't even there and walked right past her.

"Onika!" I heard her call my name from behind me and kept it pushing. I had to get to class and the last thing I wanted to do was talk to her.

She didn't understand that I liked her so much and the fact that she could say those things to me and treat me the way she does. It hurt so much and I couldn't let her keep doing that.

I managed to pass a couple classrooms before I heard her call my name again and grabbed my wrist. "Why are you ignoring me?"

I snatched my wrist back from her while looking at her crazy then scoffed and kept walking. Why did she think it was okay to keep grabbing me?

I got to the stairwell and she pulled me into a corner. I folded my arms and refused to look at her in the eyes. She had about two seconds before I put all my time in the gym to use. "You just said you wanted to me to leave you alone, why are you in my way?" I didn't even recognize the tone I was speaking in. "I don't want anything to do with you anymore."

Her eyebrows furrowed and I could tell she was surprised. "Just listen-"

"No. I'm going to be late for class." I forcefully moved her out of my way and speed walked up the stairs.

I knew she was following me but it didn't matter. The very last place I would have a conversation ionw tie her was in a busy hallway because it was undoubtably going to turn into an argument.

I felt her getting closer to me and rolled my eyes. "Bab-"

I quickly turned around and cut my eyes at her. "Bey, leave me alone. I'm not your baby, and I probably won't ever be now."

"Oh my God, just fucking listen!" There she was.

The hallway was a lot emptier since the bell was about to ring so her yelling echoed throughout it. "Why do you think it's okay to yell at me like this? Can you not see how you flip like a switch and go from begging to this when I don't give in to you? I refuse to put up with this."

I was not someone with extremely low self esteem and I wasn't dumb, I had no reason to let someone continue to tell me they couldn't care less about me.

"What is going on out here?" I turned around and saw Mrs.Bassett holding her head out of her classroom.

I heard Bey curse under her breath and smack her lips. "We're just talking."

"I was actually going to class." I had never been more ready to learn calculus in my life.

"Onika, I'm not leaving until we talk."

"You're genuinely crazy or something, you need to leave me alone. Mrs.Bassett, can you get her?" I didn't even know what she was supposed to do, but I just needed the whole thing to be over.

She sighed. "Both of you go in my office and give me a second."

I felt her. It was way too early.

Bey didn't move a muscle until I started walking towards Mrs.Bassetts office. It was directly next to her classroom so it was a short walk.