Invincible

Get it on

Chapter 7

The house was empty when Tori stepped inside, her footsteps echoing in the silence as she shut the door behind her. Dropping her bag on the floor, she let out a long, heavy breath, feeling the weight of the day sink in. She'd walked home alone, letting her thoughts swirl and replay everything Meur had said. "Don't go back to who you were. Don't let them break you again."

She couldn't shake his words. The intensity in his voice, the way his gaze pierced her like he could see everything she was hiding—he'd stirred something in her, an anger mixed with longing. She wanted to be someone who stood up for herself, who didn't let people like Alexa push her down. But could she be that person? Or would she just keep drifting, blending into the shadows of Glenwood High, the girl nobody saw?

As she moved down the hall, her mother's voice shattered the stillness, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Skipping school now, Tori?" Her mother's tone was as sharp as her eyes, filled with a familiar disappointment. She was sitting at the dining table, arms crossed, a look of disapproval etched into every line on her face.

Tori braced herself, trying to keep her voice steady. "I just needed a break, okay?" she said, forcing herself to stay calm. "It's not like anyone even cares what I do."

Her mother's lips thinned, her gaze hardening. "Maybe if you didn't make everything about yourself, people would care."

Tori felt her stomach twist, anger flaring up like a spark that caught fire. How could she not see? Her mother had no idea what she went through at school—how every day felt like a battle, how she spent every moment dodging ridicule, biting her tongue, trying not to crumble under the weight of other people's cruelty. But trying to explain that to her mother was like shouting into the void; it would only echo back as judgment.

"Oh, right. Because everything that's wrong in my life is my fault," Tori shot back, her voice laced with bitterness. "I'm the problem, as usual."

Her mother's gaze narrowed, a flicker of irritation flashing in her eyes. "I'm just saying that maybe if you didn't waste your time with boys like Meur, you wouldn't be so..." She paused, letting her words linger, a smug look on her face. "Distracted."

A lump formed in Tori's throat. She wanted to scream, to make her mother understand that it wasn't about Meur. It was about her, about how he made her feel like she could be something more than just the quiet girl everyone overlooked. But she knew her mother would never get it. She'd never understand the loneliness that gnawed at Tori's insides, the way every look, every whispered comment chipped away at her until she was left hollow, fighting to keep herself whole.

"Whatever," Tori muttered, turning away, fighting to keep her voice steady. She didn't want to give her mother the satisfaction of seeing her break.

As she stomped up the stairs to her room, she felt the familiar sting of tears prickling at her eyes. Her room was the one place she could breathe, where the world didn't feel like it was caving in. She shut the door behind her, pressing her back against it, letting out a shaky breath. For a moment, she let the silence fill her, let the anger simmer until it faded into a dull ache.

Meur's face floated back into her mind, his dark, intense eyes, the way he looked at her like she wasn't invisible, like he actually saw her. She didn't know why she felt this connection to him, this pull that scared her as much as it thrilled her. But every time she was around him, she felt like she could breathe, like the walls around her didn't seem so high.

She grabbed her phone from her bedside table, half-expecting a message from him, some reassurance that he was there, that she wasn't alone. But instead, her screen lit up with a text from Alexa: "Nice try playing badass today. But you're still a joke."

The words cut through her like a knife, each one a reminder of how cruelly people could tear you down. Alexa was relentless. No matter how much Tori tried to ignore her, the hurt always lingered, gnawing at her, leaving her feeling small and hollow. Every time she thought she was finally breaking free, Alexa was there to pull her back down.

Don't let them break you. Meur's words echoed in her mind, his voice steady, unwavering. And for once, she felt a surge of defiance, a fire that burned away the hurt and left only anger. Without thinking, she typed out a reply, her fingers trembling as she hit send: "Keep talking, Alexa. Maybe one day you'll actually matter."

She stared at the message, her heart pounding, a thrill of satisfaction flooding through her. She'd done it. She'd finally stood up for herself. And for once, she didn't feel weak.

But the feeling faded as quickly as it came, leaving her with a hollow emptiness. What would Alexa do now? Was she going to come after her harder? She'd never felt this exposed, this vulnerable, and it terrified her. But she couldn't take it back. She didn't want to.

Her phone buzzed again, and she glanced down, half-expecting another taunt from Alexa. But it was a message from Meur: "Meet me at the tracks. You'll feel better."

She hesitated, staring at the screen. Part of her wanted to ignore him, to crawl into bed and forget the day ever happened. But another part, the part that burned with defiance, craved the thrill of being with him, of feeling alive. Before she could talk herself out of it, she grabbed her jacket and slipped out of the house, her footsteps soft as she made her way down the stairs and out the door.

The night air was cool against her skin, a welcome relief from the stifling atmosphere of her home. She walked quickly, her heart pounding as she headed toward the tracks. She could see Meur standing there, his silhouette illuminated by the glow of a nearby streetlamp. He looked up as she approached, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Thought you wouldn't show," he said, his voice teasing.

Tori shrugged, trying to play it cool, but she could feel her heart racing. "I needed to get out."

Meur studied her, his gaze intense, as if he could see right through her. "Rough day?"

She nodded, the weight of everything pressing down on her. "My mom... she doesn't get it. And Alexa... she just won't leave me alone." She hesitated, glancing down at the ground. "I finally stood up to her, but I don't know if it was worth it."

Meur's face softened, and he reached out, his hand brushing against hers. "It was worth it, Tori. You don't deserve to be treated like that. And you're stronger than you think."

The warmth of his hand sent a jolt through her, and she looked up, meeting his gaze. For the first time, she felt like someone understood her, like she wasn't alone in this. And in that moment, she realized that maybe, just maybe, she was stronger than she'd ever given herself credit for.