Journeys(L.H)

Chapter 53

I didn't move. Even if I could, where would I go? I couldn't chase after her and beg for mercy.
But why do I care so much? I completely skipped the junior year and went straight to senior, because my grades were so high. Mainly, I'd only skipped a grade to get away from everyone else and the bullying because of my cancer.

A sudden, terrible thought crossed my brain pan. What if Annabelle had started the rumors, way back in sophomore year? The memory flashed back to me, something that I'd desperately wanted to forget.

It was the last day of freshman year and basically when my cancer had been diagnosed. I'd tried as fast as I could to pack up all the stuff that I'd shoved in my locker throughout the year out and into a large garbage bag. I wasn't the only one rushing to be out that day. On my way to throw out some science flash cards, a girl rammed into me, sending me tumbling. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" She apologized in a squeaky high pitched voice. "Wait a second, aren't you Brinley the druggie?" She said with a sly smile on her face.
Once I had dusted myself off and gathered my flash cards, I questioned, "Um, excuse me?" I was beyond confused.
"Y'know, do you sell drugs? I could totally use some weed this summer." She said so casually, even though teachers stood out by their doors and waving to students.
"No way! Why would you think that?" I scoffed, getting more confused and angrier.
"Because there's a rumor going around that you sold some crack to a homeless guy then started a business." The fact that she was so bubbly and happy about it blew my mind. It made me mad.
"Well how bout you go tell everybody this; I don't sell drugs and I'd rather not have to talk to any idiots like you again." I said with s blank face before grabbing my bags and walking as fast as I could to get out of that school.

Just remembering what happened gave me the chills. The drug incident, and countless other said rumors were all made up by her.
My face paled and my mouth dropped open. It was her, all this time. She was supposed to be my friend. She knew everything about me, my deepest secrets that I hadn't told anybody. She could ruin my life and somehow, everyone would know about it.
    Since she had already graduated, I felt a sigh of relief when I realized that none of the people I had gone to school with would all find out.

   I was about it turn around to go after her and shove it into her face. Until, I got a notification on my phone. I looked down to see a tweet coming in.
    Shaking, I slid it to the left to open Twitter. Annabelle had tweeted.

@annabelley100: Don't you hate it when your friend hooks up with famous people by drugging them? Not throwing shade or anything but @BrinleyTommo and @Luke5SOS seem to be a thing...if he even remembers last night😁

   My body shut down. Anger reeled into my mind and all I saw was red, red like blood, red like the fury and fire rising up and boiling in my stomach. She could bruise me, hurt me and punch me but she will never hurt him. She won't touch him. Not unless I have something to do with it.
Another short ding signaled another notification.

"@annabelley10 has direct messaged you"

I opened my dm's and read her message to me.
"Oops. Guess it just slipped out. 😏"
The words made me so angry that I felt like the Hulk, getting madder and madder until I punched something.

When I looked up from my phone, she was gone. Nowhere in sight. She'd sauntered away thinking that she had the last laugh. I let her get away.
I locked my phone and began my long run back home.

*************************************

    When I walked in the door, I was surprised. My older brother stood in the doorway, waiting for me to come home. His bags were piled up behind him. "Louis!" I exclaimed. "What are you doing here?" I asked suspiciously. "I thought you were on tour." I stuttered out.
He squinted at me and put a tiny fake smile on his face. He puckers up his mouth and kind of has this pissed-off look in his eyes. "I had a day off. I decided to visit." His jaw clenched and he opened his arms for a hug. I slowly hugged him back, but loosely. Then I saw my mum standing behind him with her arms crossed.
   So he was putting on an act just for mum. And then I knew for sure that he had seen the tweet. Of course he had. Lots of people had probably seen it and believed it by now. Annabelle was very popular at school and has a lot of followers. I plastered a fake smile on my face and let go of my brother's body.
    "So how long are you here?" I asked him while brushing off my shirt.
     "Just today. We should go catch up." He said in a cheerful voice. He turned around and said to our mother, "We'll be upstairs talking." He put a stiff arm around me shoulder and guided me up the stairs to his bedroom, which was deserted most of the time.
      
    "So how've you been?" I asked him as I sat on the edge of his bed. Louis paced in front of the bed and glared at me.
     "Don't pretend like you don't know what we need to talk about, Brinley." He spoke sharply to me. It made my face fall and my back to straighten.
    "I need to explain, Lou. Don't do something irrational." I put a hand up to stop him with furrowed eyebrows.
   "Explain what? It's pretty damn clear in that tweet!" He shouted at me.

    "Why don't you ever believe me?" I was eyeing so frustrated with him these days. I'm losing him to the fame.

A/N: terrible ending sorry whoops. I'm on a plane rn yay(not) okay byeeee🕶