You Don't Know Me

The Night Before The Exams

CHAPTER 23

After what seems like hours later, I safely arrive home. I go to the kitchen to get a drink before I go upstairs and I'm greeted by Lily's mum who asks 'is everything okay? Lily told me you went to the hospital.'

'Yes, everything's fine.' She smiles but doesn't look convinced.

'You do know that you can always talk to me can't you?' I nod my head because I don't trust my voice. 'Okay, good luck with your exams tomorrow and if you need me, I'm just in the living room.'

'Thanks,' I say and finish my drink. I walk up the stairs and go to the guest room but Lily calls out 'Kiera?' I sigh because I've been busted but say 'yeah?'

'Come in here.' I roll my eyes and walk into her room. I notice that she's not alone because Lucy is there. I'm pretty sure Liz is somewhere here too. They're sat on a small sofa in Lily's room, trying to revise. 'How did it go?'

'Fine.' I lie.

'It can't have been fine because you've been crying.'

'Lucy!' Lily nudges Lucy with her elbow and Lucy cusses under her breath. 'We're trying to revise, do you want to join?'

'I don't have the energy to revise Lily.'

'So you'd risk failing your exams?'

'There's this little process called retaking and it's where stupid people retake their exams.' I say sarcastically and Lucy laughs but shuts up when Lily gives her a glare.

'No need to be sarcastic.'

'I know but I couldn't care less about these exams, I was only doing them to please my mum anyway.'

'You're the only one in the whole school doing five A-levels and you practically have only one spare period. Why the hell do you want to fail now?'

'You don't understand Lily.'

'Then make me understand.' I sigh because she really is pushing me. 'My mum is freaking dying and I'm sorry but the last thing on my freaking mind has been revision, so I really couldn't give a damn about failing or passing because she won't be here!' I don't realise I'm crying until Anna comes in the room asking if I'm okay. I just nod my head and go to the bathroom.

I look at my reflection and barely recognise the person staring back at me. I have black circles under my eyes that you can practically see from a mile away. I look thinner and it's not the good kind. I'm exhausted- mentally and physically. I quickly splash cold water all over my face and rub my eyes. I can't stand my horrific reflection so I head back to the guest room. It's really boring because I have nothing to do I go back into Lily's room. Lucy notices me first and says 'hey!'

'Hi.' Lily doesn't say anything, she just smiles. 'Sorry,' I mutter but I know they heard me.

'It's okay Kiera.' Lily replies and I smile.

'Are you okay?'

'Yeah Lucy, I am.'

'You don't exactly look it though.' Lily just stays silent.

'Well, believe it or not I am fine.'

'I choose not to believe it.' Talk about stubborn.

'Lucy.' Lily warns and that's all that is needed to shut Lucy up. 'I'm sorry about Liz.' My whole body tenses at her name.

'It's fine Lily'

'No, it's not, she shouldn't have said that.'

'Forget it, I already have.' I say to Lily without any emotion evident in my voice then.

'Did Mr. Whiteside actually say those stuff to you?' Lucy asks and I just nod my head.

'I'm going to get a drink, anyone want one?' Lily announces but Lucy and I don't reply. 'Okay then, just one drink for me then,' Lily mutters to herself before walking off.

'Do you believe it?'

'I honestly don't know what to believe.'

'Hey can I borrow your phone?' Talk about random. I don't think anything of it so I just say 'sure,' before giving it to her.

'Did he say in all of your subjects?' Again, I nod my head. 'Do you want to revise Biology with me?'

'My answer is still the same and I thought you didn't want to help someone who doesn't revise them self remember?' I say, quoting what she said when she and Lily were revising for the biology exam and she laughs. 'How did the hospital thing go?' The letter that I read springs to my mind and as a result tears come flushing out of my eyes. 'I didn't mean to.'

'I know its fine. My mum was asleep.'

'So you watched her sleep?'

'No, but I read a letter she wrote for me. It said she had a miscarriage when I was seven. Apparently her and my dad was desperate for another kid so they basically treated me like trash.'

'Seriously?' Lily asks as she comes in sitting next to me on the bed, leaving Lucy alone on the sofa.

'Yep, it sucks.'

'Yeah.' She agrees. I don't even realise the silence until Lily's phone beeps, breaking it. She looks at it before announcing that 'Liz wants to come over.'

'Now?' I find myself asking and she nods. I don't say anything so Lily says 'I can tell her I'm busy, if you don't want her round. I get it.'

'How could you possibly get it?' Silence answers my question so I say 'if she wants to come over, then let her. It's not like me to ruin your fun.' Before anyone has the chance to reply, we hear the doorbell ring.

'I thought she sent that text a minute ago Lily?' Lucy questions as she raises her eyebrows.

'Yeah, that's what I thought.' Liz must have been near Lily's house before she sent the text to Lily. Before we know it, Liz is in Lily's room. 'Hey!' She shouts enthusiastically until she notices my presence. 'What is she doing here?'

'What am I doing here? What the hell are you doing here?'

'Calm down!' Lily says while holding my arm.

'Liz, Kiera is staying here, I told you.'

'Oh.' She mutters coldly. I want to leave the room so I say 'I'm just going to go to sleep.'

'Now?' Lily asks surprised.

'Yeah, now. I'm tired.'

'Thank God.' Liz whispers and I say 'if you have something to say, say it to my face.' Cliché, I know. She just rolls her eyes and says 'whatever.'

'Kiera, your phone!' Oh yeah, I was going to forget about that. I walk over to Lucy and take my phone saying 'thanks.'

'You're not welcome,' replies Liz which is seriously immature. I giver her a cold stare and she just says 'What? I was joking.'

'If you really want a joke Liz, then I strongly advise you look in the mirror.' I reply before walking off. She totally deserved that as she brought it on herself. I go to the bathroom to brush my teeth before walking into the guest room. I start looking at my phone as curiosity wins me over. I know Lucy didn't put her number in because I already had it, so I look at what she did but I can't find anything. I give up and plug my earphones into my phone, putting on some music before slowly drifting off to sleep.