Pixie Dream Girl

Chapter 2

{Character in picture: Aaron Tviet as Tyler Zielinski}

{Song in video: Tove Lo - The Way That I Am}

I felt so groggy and out of it the next morning that I wondered if what happened yesterday was actually just a really bad dream. I checked me and Katie's texts and sure enough it was about the Tyler Zielinski incident. Nope not a bad dream, just a very unfortunate event in my life.

I got up out of my bed and went into the bathroom. I looked in the mirror and noticed my eyes were still a little puffy from crying my eyes out yesterday. I took a quick shower and put on a plain gray t-shirt and shorts. Even though I didn't feel like looking pretty, I put on my usual winged black eyeliner and red lipstick.

When I went downstairs to pour myself cereal, my mom noticed I was moving a lot slower than usual. "You okay sweetie? You seem a little out of it," she wondered.

I cleared my throat. "Um yeah, just unusually tired this morning," I said and ate my cereal quickly. The doorbell rang. "Well that's Katie. I've better go to school. Bye mom." I gave her a kiss on the cheek and walked out of the door.

Katie and I got into the car and I played "Without Words" by Park Shin Hye on repeat until we got to school.

"Are you going to keep listening to that? I bet you had it on repeat yesterday," Katie said while getting out of the car.

"Yeah I did," I said flatly.

"Today will be a better day. The worst is over with." Katie walked but I stood there feeling numb. She turned around. "Ugh you've got to come to class! And I can't believe I'm saying this. Usually it's the other way around. You telling me I've got to get to class instead of me telling you." She took my hand and dragged me inside the school. We stopped by our lockers which unfortunately were next to Mr. Zielinski's class.

I took my English book out and tried to stuff myself in the locker. Since I was only 5'1 and weighed 98 pounds, I fit in there perfectly. This is the safest place here. I don't want to come out ever.

"Raven what the hell are you doing? Get out of there!" Katie tried to pull me out but I stubbornly didn't budge.

The classroom door opened. "Raven and Katie, stop messing around and get to my class," Mr. Zielinski said sharply, clearly annoyed. He stood outside the door.

I slowly got out of the locker. I didn't dare make eye contact with him. While we walked in the class, Mr. Zielinski said to me, "I see you're still in my class." His piercing blue eyes stared into my soul.

I was caught off guard, so I jumped a little. "Um yeah I couldn't switch out," I said softly and went to my seat.

He took attendance and then began class. "Today we're going to write about lies and betrayal."

I gulped. This is not going to be an easy year in this class.

"Raise your hands if you were lied to or betrayed by someone close to you, like a friend, family member, boyfriend, girlfriend." Everyone in the class raised their hands, including Mr. Zielinski.

"Doesn't that suck? It happened to me recently," he glared at me. "Anyways, I want each of you to write a poem or short story explaining how you felt when you were lied to or betrayed." He kept his eyes on me.

Katie raised her hand.

"Yes Katie?" Mr. Zielinski asked, with a slight edge to his voice.

"Why don't we write apology letters to the ones we've lied to or betrayed? Because I'm pretty sure everyone has done that to someone," Katie said. "Everyone raise your hand if you've ever lied or betrayed someone close to you, but felt bad about it later."