Friends Forever, huh?

Chapter 35 | a return to normalcy

I wake up the next morning with an extremely sore neck. I'm disoriented for a moment, unsure of where I am and why I'm here. Then I glance over my folded arms and see Cole. Everything comes flooding back.

He doesn't look any different than he did last night, I realize with dismay. Unfortunately with my habit of setting too high expectations, I thought maybe he'd be magically healed when I woke up.

My mother yawns from the corner, drawing my attention, "Ashley, we should probably take you home and get you ready for school." I shake my head emphatically. I'm not ready to go back to school--not ready for Shelby's barrage of taunts.

"I'm sorry," she says quietly, "You have to go. I promise I'll have Jack call you if anything happens." I glance toward the weary eyed Uncle Jack in the corner. He nods his affirmation.

As soon as I enter the building, I know it's going to be a long day. The mere sight of people talking and laughing infuriates me. How can they be so happy and carefree? Don't they know what's going on? My bad mood follows me like a storm cloud, but I could argue that it's justified. I shouldn't be happy today. Not while Cole is in a hospital, potentially fighting for his life. Not while I have the knowledge that if I had said things differently yesterday, he would be in these halls with me. I slam my locker shut with so much animosity that the freshmen at the locker next to me jumps.

I try to smile at her, but it feels incredibly fake as I force it onto my lips. I walk to English as quickly as I can, keeping my head down. Shelby walks up to me, but I brush past her. When she doesn't follow me, I exhale a sigh of relief. At least for this moment, I don't have to speak to her.

Miss Greene greets the class with a smile, announcing that today is the exciting day in which we will finally get our graded Romeo and Juliet project. She smiles as she hands mine back, "Good work on this!" My lips curl into a small smile as I see the red 98% written on the corner. We pulled it off! Cole and I 's crazy, almost all nighter payed off. My smile drops when I realize that he's not here to share in my excitement. I make it through the rest of the period, dutifully answering her questions and filling out a sheet of notes.

However, since that class passes without incident, of course Shelby would come up to me in the hallway. Of course she would have to nullify the calm demeanor I've been perfecting for the last forty-five minutes.

"I saw Cole get into your car yesterday," Shelby crosses her arms. Narrows her eyes, "what did you do? Take him home? I thought I had made myself clear, tramp. He's mine." The implications of her words infuriate me. Suddenly, every ounce of pent up anger releases and I slap her across the face. Hard.

"Stop." The pent up exhaustion and anger inside causes my body to shake, "You're too self absorbed to consider that maybe he isn't interested in you, and maybe that isn't my fault. For your information,I did not take him home last night. I talked to him and then had to go visit him in the hospital because now he's in a coma. Like it or not, he cares about me and you're in part to blame for the fact that he's unconscious."

My words are driven by a deep seated rage that I wasn't even sure I possessed. For too long I've taken her words quietly--taken her taunts, names, and insults. I've had enough. Because of her, the last few years of high school have been miserable. This school year has been something straight from a high school horror movie. She's been awful and I've cowered in the corner in fear of her bullying becoming worse.

"He's where?" Shock permeates her next words, as if my admission about Cole's hospitalization is all she heard.

"The hospital." I repeat, but don't give her an explanation. I walk away, leaving her there with her jaw slack.

"Oh, and Shelby?" I say as an afterthought, turning around to face her, "Just stay away from him. And me. You've caused enough damage." The adrenaline from our fight is faded and I think over my words, trying to determine if I should have truly said what I did. My words were a little harsh but she deserved them! Besides, she was egging me on--trying to get me to fight with her. Well, fight I did. To be quite honest, it felt good. After all those days of being the victim, I got to put her in her place for once.

I settle into my next class, feeling the start of a major migraine. A familiar voice gives a somewhat excited, "hello!" behind me, and I turn to see Caroline there. Despite myself, I return her smile, letting the conversation take my mind off of Cole for a few minutes.

However when she asks, "how have you been?" I can't seem to summon up the usual "fine" as easily as usual. Instead, I shrug and respond quietly, "I've been better."

She nods her agreement and I notice the purplish bruise on her arm. I frown, "is that from..."

Shelby? Asher? One of the two that now has it out for you since you interrupted their perfectly plotted bullying.

"It's fine." Caroline responds, enforcing my belief that it was indeed those two that causes the bruise, "It was much worse at my old school."

"Don't let them push you around, Caroline." I say, unsure of where my words are coming from. They're a little hypocritical: I almost always let them push me around. Maybe that's the reason for my words: I don't want her to repeat my mistakes.

She glances away, looking as if she doesn't intend to follow my advice. I don't blame her, it's terrifying to stand up to bullies. But I've seen her. She's done it before.

"Hey," I say gently, waiting for her to look back up at me, "You stood up to Asher and Shelby in detention for me."

"It did nothing," she mumbles in response.

"It doesn't matter if it did anything. You stood up to them, and that, my friend, takes courage." Caroline's eyes meet mine now, seemingly considering my words, "If you can stand up for someone you barely know, I know you can stand up for yourself."

***

Aw, I kinda like this chapter...especially the Caroline/Ashley part. This is the kinda turning point chapter for Ashley in terms of bullying, she's really done taking Shelby's digs and insults. To which I say...HALLELUJAH AMEN! ITS ABOUT BLOODY TIME, CHARACTER OF MINE.

I'm not entirely sure if I'll be able to update again today. I have to babysit for a few hours, and I'm having some friends over. So look how kind I was not to leave you on a cliffhanger ;) *pats self on back*

-J