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Chapter Twenty Two // The Shower Room

- Priya's POV -

I walked through the boarding house with my white converse in my hand, now covered in mud from me and Elizabeth's adventure. I was conflicted about the kiss I shared with her, maybe we were both just caught up in the romantic moment of a freezing cold lake. It felt like she wanted it to happen though, I feel slightly bad for kissing her even though I'm not sure on how I feel.

Elizabeth is obviously very beautiful, who wouldn't notice that? She's a great listener and she forgives very easily, she seems to be the type of person who would be there for anybody in a time of need. I like how she is trustworthy, I know that everything I told her wouldn't leave her mouth to any other soul.

I headed to the shower rooms in the boarding house, every dorm had one. In one dorm there were eight bedrooms which meant twelve girls shared a shower room. It was empty inside which was good, I completely forgot that I needed a towel and a new change of clothes after showering because I was too wrapped up in my thoughts as I got undressed and jumped into the first shower.

I stood under the warm water for a minute or two while sighing happily, it felt good to not have numb toes like I did over an hour ago. I began to hum a tune while dancing around and giggling at myself, god knows why.

Suddenly I jumped because the shower room door burst open, I almost fell over onto the shower floor. I stopped dancing and froze in case it was a murderer.

"PRIYA?!" Ashley's voice echoed around the empty shower room, I peeked out of the curtain before realising how angry she looked. Carrie-Anne was standing behind her with a nervous expression on her face, she smiled at me. Ashley stared at me angrily before approaching the shower I was in, I took a step back slightly and covered myself with the curtain.

"I don't like being lied to, you know that?!" Ashley said, she spat in my face while speaking. I looked at her in confusion until I glanced at Carrie-Anne, realising that she looked even more terrified than she did when they entered.

Did Carrie-Anne tell Ashley everything about my abusive dad and my breakdowns?

The shower room was silent for a moment..

"This random guy I don't even know told me that you refused to kiss him and then you ran off crying. You told me that you hooked up!" Ashley shouted, I began to laugh nervously while making up a lie in my head.

"He clearly meant somebody else, I did hook up with somebody at the party" I told her before smiling, she crossed her arms and looked away from me.

"You better be telling the truth Priya.." She muttered while looking back at me, I rolled my eyes.

"I promise Ashley, why would I lie to you?"

"Good. I don't want to be friends with a headcase. If you ever lie to me you're dead" Ashley threatened me while pointing in my face, I nodded and then Ashley left. I sighed with relief once the door slammed behind her, Carrie-Anne stood awkwardly by herself.

"Why didn't you back me up?!" I shouted angrily at Carrie-Anne, she sighed loudly as if she knew this argument was coming.

"I'm a bad liar! I would probably spill everything to her if I opened my mouth" Carrie-Anne said in a sassy tone, she put her hands on her hips. We stood in silence for a minute but I just wanted to be left alone to dance in the shower.

"..Are you okay by the way? What did you do today?" Carrie-Anne asked, I shrugged my shoulders as I thought about Elizabeth and the lake.

"Nothing. Could you go get me clothes, a towel and some shampoo please?" I asked her nicely, Carrie-Anne sighed once again before leaving the shower room and bumping into Jade who was entering. I rolled my eyes because I wasn't going to be alone.

"Oh look it's the lesbian" I shouted out while hiding behind the curtain and standing under the warm water once again, I heard Jade laugh slightly as she walked passed the shower I was in.

"You really are the centre of attention aren't you?" Jade randomly said from the bottom of the shower room, I chuckled slightly.

"Um, obviously? I knew that was going to happen" I said while grinning.

"I heard about your breakdown, interesting stuff. The whole of first year are talking about it" Jade told me, my eyes widened and I peeked out of the curtain again.

"That was a lie Jade, the unpopular girls seem to like making up bullshit" I said confidently, how does everybody know about that? Did Carrie-Anne tell them?

Jade got out of her shower and saw me looking out, she flashed an evil smirk because she knew that I was upset by people talking about me. She approached my shower before staring at me, I felt like she could see right through me. She could see all my secrets and insecurities.

"Not so perfect now, are you?" She muttered before smiling, I stared at her angrily as she walked off and left the shower room. Who does she think she is?!

I stomped my foot angrily on the floor, I forgot that I was completely naked and that would hurt on a tiled floor. I grabbed my foot and hopped on the other while frowning to myself, I don't want to be the talk of the school. Well, I did want to be but not in a bad way.

I feel so much guilt in my chest because I continuously lie to my closest friends in the boarding school. Ashley wouldn't understand my situation and how much it has messed me up, if I told her she'd probably say;

"But that was the past? Let it go"

It's very hard to let it go, do I look like Elsa?

The most heartbreaking thing is I can't tell my best friend of eleven years that I am actually a lesbian and dated our friend who passed away in November. Something tells me she'd think I was joking, what if she's secretly homophobic?

I sat down on the shower floor and brought my knees to my chest, I suddenly felt incredibly alone in this school. There are some things you just have to keep to yourself.. I sighed loudly, leaned my head on the tiled wall and closed my eyes tightly.

Thoughts of Sydney arrived in my head, it's weird how memories of her will appear at random times. I remembered how beautiful she was, how she would listen to me for hours and that she would always forgive me after I said the stupidest things to her. She was always there for me even if I was hard to handle, I trusted her with anything and everything.

I took a deep breath and opened my eyes to see Sydney sitting at the other side of the shower in her school uniform, the last outfit I saw her in before she left.

I smiled at her and she smiled back.

"Hey".