Wild

Chapter 19

this chapter goes out to teds for the awesome brand new cover! request covers from her (amazing!)

Astrid's POV

Surprisingly my parents said nothing to me. Not at all. The whole weekend was spent in silence and mostly me doing nothing, jumping on my bed and doodling some useless things.

Monday. As everyone knows, it's one of the worst day in a week. Usually it's just a normal day for me, but today, my head is heavier than ever. Trust me, this is not because of Xander.

As I said, I love school and hate it at the same time. So, as of today, my parents had made the spontaneous decision to reenroll me into Lower East High. Note my sarcasm. Seriously, I am happier than you can imagine to meet Veronica and Darwin again, but going back to school isn't the best thing in my life right now. I could use the distraction in class to take my mind off Xander, but let's be honest, it's not like I'm going to pay attention and let alphabets and numbers take my attention away. I admit, I have a really short attention span.

I woke up at dusk and the sun was already up. I just sat on my bed and went on the internet. Typical teen stuff. It was around seven when my parents called me downstairs and asked me to get ready for school. How can I be ready? I'm a total mess.

Even so, I went back upstairs to get ready. My hair looks like a bird's nest and the bags under my eyes can literally compete with a panda. That was when I panicked. I grabbed all my makeup from my backpack and placed them on the table, starting to paint my face in dust and creams so no one will ever see me this way. I looked like a nightmare, but after five minutes, I was a daydream. Okay, that's a lot of bragging, but I literally started using make-up when I was seven and learned it from the internet.

I pulled my hair up in a messy bun and walked into the car where both my parents were already talking inside. They went quiet once they saw me. I sat in the backseat, fingers crossed, hoping they won't talk to me right now. Car rides are meant for radio songs, not pep talks.

"Astrid." This is going to be way more awkward than I thought. "This morning I received a call asking if you are willing to be interviewed."

"What?" My eyes widened. This isn't possible. "Interviewed?"

"Yes, it's the reporters. They know what happened the other night and it took them so long to get the whole story, and now that they've got our number by gods knows how, they won't stop." Mom explained. Well, just my luck.

"Just tell them they've got the wrong number," I said, sighing.

"Astrid, your dad and I are incredibly curious about what happened the other night, but we won't force it out of you unless you want to tell us. But what I want to make clear is you running away is unexceptionally- unexceptional! You had us worried for days ever since the school found out you and that Xander kid were gone! You..." Then mom's voice drained out of my brain. I think dad added in a few things too, but I didn't bother to listen.

When we finally arrived at the school, my mom and dad went into the principal's office to talk to George whereas I sat outside on the bench. There was not a single person outside since classes started an hour or half ago. Just when I was pacing outside of the office, I saw a tiny figure jumping towards me.

"Holy macaroni, Astrid!" Veronica said as she pounced on me and embraced me in a tight hug.

"Oh my god, V!" I exclaimed. I was so glad to see her, of course.

"I missed you so much! I saw you just now outside the window but wasn't sure, so I just faked a stomach ache." She explained, playfully twirling the ends of her curled brown hair. "Anyways, why are you here?"