It’s Tuesday.
I only realize it because I’ve been zoning out, staring blankly at the teacher’s calendar for who knows how long. My brain's foggy, like I floated into class without even noticing. Everything this morning was a blur.
It’s been three days since the last time my mother snapped. Since the screaming, the bruises, the way the air felt like it could shatter.
Class is almost over. I don’t bother rushing when the bell rings. I move slow. Calm and careless. I slide my notebook off the desk, tuck my pencil between the pages, and slip out the door with nothing but that, my flip phone, and the thirty one bucks I managed to save from last week. I didn’t feel like carrying my whole bag today. Felt too heavy for someone already dragging herself through the day.
Ethan had invited me out over the weekend. Just coffee, something small. I wanted to go, but the weight in my chest wouldn’t let me move. I spent most of the weekend buried under my blanket, watching the days melt into each other.
He’s still been texting, though. Silly cat pictures. Dumb memes. They actually make me smile.
I catch myself glancing at my phone more than I’d admit. Hoping for another one.
And then, eyes flick to the side. Adrianna.
She’s been staring since yesterday like she’s waiting for something. Plotting.
As if she hears the thought leave my mind, she makes her move. Steps right into my path, that awful smirk already pulling at her face.
“Well, well. Your savior ditched you already? Haven’t seen him today.”
I don’t answer. Just roll my eyes and keep walking, until she shifts to block me again.
“We’re not doing this today,” I say, firmly. My voice is flat, and sharp. I don’t even look at her.
I’ve got nothing left for games.
Adrianna scoffs like I just told her the dumbest joke in the world. “God, you act like you’re the only one with problems. Want a cookie?”
I stop for half a second. Just one smack. One clean hit to knock that smug look off her face-
No.
No, I’m over this.
She wants a reaction. She feeds off it. And I’m tired of feeding people who never leave me anything.
So I exhale through my nose, barely biting down the burn behind my teeth, and keep walking. No words. No energy wasted.
Let her choke on the silence.
Adrianna pushes me. “Don’t fucking ignore me.”
My body reacts before my brain does. I shove her back, harder than I intended.
She stumbles a step, and for a moment, there's shock in her eyes. Just a flicker. Then she’s smirking again like it never happened. She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, all slow and smug, like she's already planning her next move.
“Aw, look at you. Got a little fire in you now? You really think your little hero actually likes you?”
The sting of her words lingers, crawling under my skin. But I don’t flinch this time. I breathe in slowly, counting.. 1.. 2.. 3.. like it’ll save me from doing something I’ll regret.
I turn my head, eyes narrowed but calm. “Find someone else to play with. I’m not in the mood.”
I try to walk. Try to end it.
YOU ARE READING
When The World Turns
Teen Fiction"When the World Turns" follows Max Mei Lin, a girl struggling with bullying at school and abuse at home, she meets Ethan Gomez, a compassionate boy who offers her support and a chance at healing, sparking a connection that could change her life. An...
