You Can't Choose Your Family ➸ Demi Lovato

{Chapter 16}

I didn't even know where I planned to go. I stormed out of the school building and just walked, walked away from the place where everyone thinks I'm a liar.

I ended up in an unfamiliar part of Albuquerque. I stopped, looking around to see if I recognised any buildings. Only then I realised I was still crying and also shivering madly. It must be something like 50 degrees and I was outside in a pair of jeans and a thin sweater. I regretted not grabbing my jacket from my locker before leaving.

Oh and another problem - I didn't recognise any of my surroundings. I was lost. Great. I guess this isn't one of my good days.

I decided to carry on walking, at least I'd keep a little warmer.

I almost fist punched the air when I stumbled across a coffee house about ten minutes later.

The warm air that hit me as I opened the shop door made me smile in relief. I walked over to the serving counter, grateful I kept notes behind my phone case.

"A medium mocha please," I asked the lady, handing over a five dollar bill.

"You alright ma'am?" Her voice took me by surprise. You know I just expected her to take the money and make my coffee, that's normally what they do...

"Yes thank you," I replied slightly shakily, my anxiety rising. I'm really bad at interacting with new people.

"Is it raining out there?" She said in surprise whilst peering over my shoulder out of the window. I stared at her like she was a madwoman. Firstly, it hardly ever rains in November here and secondly that is the most random question ever. "No it isn't," she shook her head and sighed thoughtfully before wandering off to get my mocha.

Mid way through drinking my mocha (which by the way was amazing and succeeded in warming me up nicely) my phone started to ring.

I looked at the caller ID. Cole. Shit. I really didn't want to answer but I knew if I didn't I would pay for it that evening in the form of being shouted at endlessly and possibly hit a few times.

I reluctantly pressed the answer button.

"Finally I found the fucking bastard!" I heard my step dad sarcastically snarl down the phone.

"Hi." I simply said, no emotion evident in my voice. That's something I've learnt in the past five years of living with him. If I show him any signs of weakness he'll dig into them and only make everything worse...

"I just got a call from your fucking principle saying you got chucked out a class and blah blah blah and then you decided to do a runner." His annoyance was obvious in his tone. "Where the hell are you because I've been instructed to bring your stupid fat ass back to school."

Ah. Shit.

"I-I," I stuttered. Even if I did know where I was, I wouldn't want to tell Cole.

"Spit it out fucktard." He growled. I stayed silent. I wouldn't admit to him I was in a part of town I didn't know and clueless of where I was. See that would be showing weakness. I wasn't going to be weak in front of Cole ever again.

Several silent moments passed where all I could hear down the phone line was Cole's angry ragged breathing.

"Don't come crying to me when you get expelled." He sniggered harshly before hanging up.

Oh geez. I've really screwed up this time.

It hadn't previously crossed my mind that I could get chucked out of high school for this. I put my head in my hands and let out a long sigh in defeat. I'd eradicated any future prospects. Getting into collage would be impossible with an expulsion on my record. I doubt I'd even get into another high school...

Saskia. You're overthinking again. You haven't been expelled. Well not yet, anyway.

I continued to mentally beat myself up for a few minutes before heading to the coffee house's bathroom.

Whilst washing my hands, I glanced up at the mirror on the wall above the basin. The sight infront of me was horrific. I literally looked like I had just come off the set of filming a horror movie.

I had mascara streaks down my cheeks and my eyeliner had smudged all over my eye lids.

I now see why the coffee lady thought it was raining. It does kind of look like I got caught in a storm or something.

I used tissues and water and started to scrub at my blackened face. Ten or so tissues later, my reflection looked slightly better. My face was now just bright red from all the harsh rubbing. Oh well, it beats the 'caught in tropical rain' look.

My phone buzzed yet again in my back pocket.

Kaitlin: been looking for u for ages 😤 where the hell r u??!! Anna told me u got chucked outta math but I didn't c u at lunch?

I ignored the message, not caring that she'd be notified that I'd opened it. I was too embarrassed to say I'd legged it out of school and plus she was with Anna so in my mind she was now grouped with the bullies, who obviously I don't want to talk too.

I could just picture Anna and Kaitlin sitting at their lunch table with all the other 'cool kids'. They're probably laughing at my cowardly disappearance whilst the soccer team goggled at them.

Wait, the soccer team. Joel. I had a date with him in... I checked the time on my phone... in under two hours.

I had to find my way back to school in time to meet him at Starbucks. I wasn't passing up an opportunity to date the hottest guy in the school because some stupid girl practically forced me to run away from school.

***
Er so I really don't know if this chapter turned out good or not?
Oh and the photo at the top/to the side is of Zac Efron (duh you already knew that) and I imagine him as Joel in this fanfic...☺️
Comments and votes are really appreciated- I love hearing from y'all💖