~My Teacher Hits Me~ (Book 1) [Rewritten]

Chapter 20: Blake and Rylan sitting in a tree, K-I-L-L-I-N-G

"It only takes one person to break the dam of silence." - Patrick Jones

Rylan decides it will be best not to use her bathroom for a while. She hates what she sees when she looks in the mirror; she hates what she has become. All the lies have to stop. She can't keep pretending everything is fine when it isn't. It's time to put an end to her suffering once and for all.

Rylan gets dressed and ready for the day in the most comfortable clothes she can find, and then she uses the kitchen sink to brush her teeth.

"Are you really sure about this? You can still choose to back out." Mr. Winchester urges for the thousandth time.

Rylan spits in the sink and sighs. "I'm positive."

She wipes her mouth, turns to face her dad, and says, "I'll be fine."

The words are as much to reassure her father as they are to reassure herself. Mr. Winchester steps forward and kisses Rylan on the forehead, careful not to disturb her stitches.

"You just make sure you come home in one piece," He demands. "I love you."

"I love you too." Rylan repeats back.

"Don't do anything unnecessary, you hear me?"

"I won't."

He studies her face for a moment, then says, "Alright, let's go."

Mr. Winchester drops Rylan off at the entrance to the school, but he doesn't unlock the doors yet.

"I'll pick you up at three." He checks, glancing at Rylan through the rearview mirror.

"Yeah, I'll be here." Rylan replies.

"Try not to be late."

Rylan nods.

Mr. Winchester flicks the unlock switch. Rylan exits the car and meets her friends halfway to the front doors.

"Hey." She greets cheerfully.

Tuck smiles and Dani grins widely in response, but Cas only nods his head curtly, leaving his face impassive much like the first day he and Rylan had met. Rylan doesn't like it. He is shutting her out again. She smiles quickly, then, without another word, she enters the building with her friends in tow. Although they are acting pretty cheery, their unusual silence and Cas's seriousness are beginning to freak Rylan out. Coming back is already nerve-wracking and her friends aren't helping in the slightest.

"What's wrong?" Rylan asks.

"Nothing." Dani replies.

"You're all so quiet. Is it me?"

"No, of course not. It's just been a while since we've all hung out together at school." Dani explains.

"Okay."

Rylan lets it go, but she has a strange feeling that her friends don't really know how to talk around her anymore. She slows her pace so Dani and Tuck can turn the opposite direction to their homerooms. Cas lags behind next to her.

"So what's the plan?" Cas asks quietly.

The question startles Rylan; She hadn't expected him to speak.

"I don't have a plan." She whispers back, glancing from side to side, but no one pays any mind to them.

"You're serious about doing this?" He asks calmly, but Rylan can tell he is one step away from incredulous.

She stops walking and hisses, "Yes. Why else would I be here?"

"You don't have to prove anything, Rylan. Don't put yourself in danger again, especially if you don't have a plan."