Wish We Could Turn Back Time m.c

Chapter 26

The only thing I could say to describe me after I learned about Al and Charlotte was numb. I was numb to everything, didn't care about anything, and basically just went through the motions for the last few weeks of school. Going to classes, getting good grades like my mother expected, going home to an empty house and sleeping except of course when I actually needed to sleep. I was a zombie.

Talking to Jasmine was really the only variable in my life, and even that didn't happen every day. She had a ton of final exams coming up as she was finishing out her year at college. It kept her and Rachel extremely busy, but she still found time to FaceTime me and message me on Twitter. Huh. Boring, pathetic life except for my one internet friend who lives in America. It seems I'm right back to where I was at the beginning of the school year. Yay.

As far as Al and Charlotte, the school's newest power couple, their lives seemed to be going swimmingly. I bet Al didn't even miss me at all, especially in the way I miss him. Every time I see those two in the hallway lately, they're always kissing and that just never seemed like something Al would do, make out in public. Charlotte's changed him. Made him a show off and a manipulator and a life-ruiner just like her. I couldn't even sit outside for lunch anymore because all the PDA at Charlotte's table disgusted me so much. I mean come on, some people are trying to eat out there. I guess that last part isn't really that big of a deal anyway. I haven't been eating much lunch lately at all.

Not too long ago, I was walking home alone from school (which I do now that Al rides in Charlotte's Corvette apparently) and I had to stop at the cross walk that takes you across the highway. I'd pushed the button and was waiting for the little walking sign to show signaling that I could go, when that shiny white corvette pulled up and stopped at the red light practically right next to me. What I saw through the window practically made me want to vomit and I couldn't get out of there fast enough.

"C'mon babe, just a little kiss! The light's not gonna turn green that fast," Charlotte whined, her nasally voice carrying all the way over to where I was standing on the side of the road. Al was driving and she was in the passenger seat, facing him and leaning in trying to get him to kiss her. Why did Charlotte have her boyfriend driving her car anyway?

"No Char, I've gotta keep my eyes on the road," he side glanced out the window and saw me and his expression was one of utter embarrassment. "There are pedestrians." I snorted and covered my mouth with my hand to keep from busting out laughing. It may have just been my imagination, but I thought I saw the side of Al's mouth turn up in a small smile.

"The fucking pedestrians can just-" I couldn't see that far into the car without being too obvious from where I was standing, but I'm pretty sure Al reached over and put a hand on her thigh to push her away a little bit and to get her to calm down. Charlotte just sat there and pouted, looking out the opposite window. Now it was taking all I had to keep from laughing out loud. After seeing that, I wasn't sure Al was as happy about his new girlfriend as I thought, but it still didn't really make me cheer up much about the whole situation.

That same afternoon, I headed home to my townhouse with it's familiar sky blue exterior and sunshine yellow front door. The red shutters and the green grass in our humble front yard made it look straight out of a child's picture book. My mother painted it that way on purpose when she got divorced and moved us away from dad. I guess she figured that if we couldn't be the perfect happy family, at least we could have a perfect happy house. I hadn't thought about that in awhile, but that day it made me smile.

As usual, the house was empty with my mom at her afternoon job- now her only job- and Wendy and Darren at their various after school activities. Hats off to them for actually getting involved. I rolled my eyes when I thought this and stomped upstairs to retreat into my cave, I mean my room. Jasmine had said she' wanted to FaceTime today so I was in better spirits than I usually was after my particularly depressing days at school.

When my ringtone went off (Micheal Clifford and Calum Hood's air-horn song from the Good Girls video), I knew it was Jasmine and I dived across my bed to retrieve my phone that I'd set on the side table. "Hey weirdo," I smiled when it'd finished connecting and I could see Jasmine's wild blonde curls filling up my screen.

"Sup Dork! How was hell today? Still hanging in there? Still successfully avoiding Al and Shart-lotte?" She giggled at her own pun.

"Yeah, I guess. I did see an interesting sight when I was crossing the street today though," I told her about what I saw go down in Charlotte's car and this time neither of us had to hold back laughter.

"That's pathetic," Jasmine said wiping tears of laughter out of her eyes, "throwing yourself at your own boyfriend in your own car and getting rejected? Good God Sharts, get a life." We laughed some more.

"Why do you insist on calling her that? Her name doesn't even sound like sharts," I asked, curious about Jasmine's nickname choices.

"But her personality does," that sent us into another fit of hopeless giggles, mostly because it didn't even make any sense. That's how Jasmine's jokes usually go.

When we'd finished having fun, I sighed, again feeling melancholy. I didn't know what was wrong with me. Even when I'm happy and laughing with my best friend, there always seems to be that underlying sadness. Jasmine noticed.

"Hey, it's okay Lace. You didn't need Al anyway. Friends or more than friends, it doesn't matter. Whatever y'all had was only fake if he's just going to up and leave you for Shart- Charlotte," Jasmine said, trying her hardest to be serious after all that banter.

"I guess. I'm honestly just glad that school's almost over for the year, then I won't have to deal with them or any of the other assholes at school all summer," I said.

"There you go!" Jasmine excliamed, proud. "You just gotta look on the bright side!" She gave me a big cheesy grin and I smiled.

"You're the only thing that keeps me going, Jaz," I said honestly.

"Hey, what're friends for? I couldn't survive without you either Lacey, you're the best," we both 'awwed' at out cheesiness and then laughed. We were a mess.

"Well, I better get going, even with only a couple weeks left, the teachers keep piling on homework over here," I said reluctantly.

"Okie doke. Stay strong, Lace," she gave a hand heart.

"Love you Jaz," I hung up for the night and hugged my phone to my chest for a minuet. Even for all it's craziness, I wished I was back in America hanging out with Jasmine and Rachel. Anything would be better than here.

I kept pretty much the same attitude until senior graduation finally rolled around. I watched Lance graduate and announce that he was going to some university on a football scholarship. I wished he was taking Charlotte with him. I didn't have anybody sign my yearbook or anyone ask me to sign theirs, I collected the summer homework packet that my school always makes us do an finally after what seemed like an eternity, the bell rang and I walked out of that building, never to return for two and a half months.

And when the white Corvette rolled by me, I was glad I was walking home alone.

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End of part 26.

YAY Lacey's terrible school year is finally over! (So is mine woo hoo!) I don't know about y'all but I am just so glad it's summer if you can't tell.

I'm not saying this to like, beg for votes or anything cause if y'all don't wanna vote that's completely fine, but I feel like some people are forgetting to vote cause they always comment but don't vote so this is just a friendly reminder. :)

I'M DYING TO GET SOME MERCH I hope I get some money soon so I can buy some. It's an ongoing aspiration of mine.

Song of the day: Hurricane by Panic! at the Disco

Have a lovely day. <3

-SJ