Once I had finished changing into a pair of black leggings with long sleeved purple sweater, I walked into my bathroom. It was Monday and I was going for that lazy look. So, I washed my face, brushed my teeth, did some light makeup, and put my hair in a messy bun.
Then, I quickly ate a bowl of oatmeal and grabbed my backpack. Time to go to school.
When I got on the bus, I was surprised to see Nick sitting in one of the middle seats. I smiled and took a seat next to him.
"I thought you were driving to school," I said as I set my backpack on the floor.
"I wanted to make sure you were okay," Nick began. "You haven't been to school since Tuesday." He pulled out a Sharpie. "And, I need to do this."
He began to uncap the marker. "Not here," I hissed. "I don't want people to see."
"Does it look like anyone's looking?" Nick asked, raising an eyebrow as if he has done this in public thousands of times.
I glanced around the bus. Most of the people either had earbuds in and were on their phones or they were talking.
"Okay, go ahead. But, be discreet about it," I added.
He nodded and I rolled up my sleeve. Then, he quickly took my wrist in his hand. He drew a semicolon over the faded one from yesterday. Since it was permanent marker, it didn't come off as easily as washable marker.
A few seconds later, I slid my sleeve back down, hiding the marks from last week and weeks past.
Nick pulled out a square with two holes in it and a piece that plugged into your phone at the end. I recognized it as a robosplitter. It has two headphone jacks, so that way two people can listen to music off of one device.
"Good thinking," I said as I pulled out my earbuds. I was not a morning person, especially on Mondays.
We both plugged in our earbuds and Nick turned on his music. We spent the remainder of the bus ride listening to music.
When we got to school, I walked inside, nervous butterflies flying around in my stomach. How many people know that I was in the hospital? Even worse, how many people know what I was in the hospital for?
As I was putting my backpack in my locker, I heard a familiar voice behind me. "Hey, Layla," I turned around to see Abbie.
"I'm so glad to see you! I need to ask you a question," I said.
"Sure."
I quickly wrote How many people know about what I did last week? on the small white board in my locker. Then, I handed Abbie the marker.
No one knows. Amiya and I told everyone that you had the flu. Only me, Amiya, and Nick know what really happened. she wrote, answering my question.
I hugged her. "Thank you," I said.
"You're welcome. I knew that you wouldn't want anyone to know what happened."
"You're right about that." I erased what was on the white board and closed my locker.
Then, we walked downstairs and sat at the table with Amiya. It was a great feeling to have a little bit of normalcy back in my life.
***
When I went to English, I sat down, feeling numb. I had been getting depressed throughout the day, but I continued glancing down at my wrist, thinking of the semicolon. But, here's where the true test of staying strong comes in. Am I going to break down when Josh says mean things to me? Or is it going to roll off my back?
YOU ARE READING
Just Have Faith
Romance"But, I can't do this anymore," I told him. "I have demons that I can't control." "Just have faith," he told me. *** A book in which Layla, a girl with depression who is atheist, meets a boy named Nick who changes her views. One thing that's differe...
