Broken

Part 8: Hell and Back

Monday. I love Mondays and to say the opposite would be a lie. However I do dread school. Mondays are only fun due to my Double Math; one hour of math and one hour of Trig. I can't wait.

My thoughts are interrupted, walking down the hall by the most wonderful girls in the world, well so they think.
"Hey Sabrina, look, it's that ugly fucking slut," Lori shouts, laughing at me.
I fucking wish Charlotte was here.

I ignore Lori and continue my walk to get to class early. I keep my head diwn, my hair in my face. A force hits me, my feet losing their grip and my books spraying out in all directions as I fall against the hard, cold floor. People around me laugh as I collect my things with one or two people passing me back a lost book. I don't look to see who pushed me. I don't fucking care.
"Good job, Corey. That was hilarious," I hear Sabrina say.
"I know right?" He laughs. I wait a moment, giving myself time to gather my thoughts before I get up. Shocked as all the air leaves me, when someone strikes my stomach with their foot, knocking the air out of me. I don't move, just struggle to breathe. I refuse to fight back. I close my eyes, a fist colliding with the back of my head. Again and again. Constant punches and kicks. I don't know who is doing what at this point and I don't really care. Slowly the minutes pass by, feeling like hours. I let my hair hang in front of my face, hiding my tears.
I'm shocked as it becomes light, the wright of someone finally lifted from me. I gaze up to see who has come to my defence. It's Charlotte, grabbing each of them by the hair and pushing them away. I spit blood onto the floor and wipe my face. She offers me a hand up and I take it, wincing in pain as I finally stand, making eye contact with Corey as he leans against his locker. Charlotte bends over picking up my fallen art book or as Charlotte likes to call it The MCR Bible. 
"Thankyou," I whisper.
"Charlotte, you're ruining our fun," Lori pipes in.
"You call this fucking fun?" Charlotte says through gritted teeth. Quickly she glances around and pushed her forearm against Lori's chest, shoving her against the lockers. Sabrina and Corey look on silently.
"Get the fuck away from me. Stay away from Cadence. Nobody likes you and frankly, we are sick of your shit!" Charlotte continues. Lori's mouth is agape with what I assume is great shock, I purse my lips together in attempt to not do the exact same thing. I feel awkward and surprised to see Charlotte seething with so much hate. A part of me smiles on the inside, proud to see her do that. The other half of me is in too much pain to physically smile. She really cares about me.
"And you," she point as Corey. "You need to back the fuck off."
"I'm sorry Charlotte. You should know your friend works on her back," Sabrina says, acting innocent. Charlotte pushes harder against Lori.
"She is not a slut. You shut the fuck up."
Charlotte finally releases her as Mr Sales walks towards us. "You are just a desperate bunch of sad people."
Charlotte takes my hand and squeezes it, heading towards math.
"Lesbians! Lesbians!" Sabrina screams.
We try to side step Mr Sales, but naturally to my exact expectations, he stops us.
"Girls, what was that? What happened?" I let go and leave Charlotte their and run to math. Walking in I'm startled to see Brooke at the back, sitting their sadly. I have no desire to hide my tears when she looks at me and I take my seat at the front, so no one has to look at me one they sit down too.
"Cadence," Brooke mumbles. I say nothing, nor do I turn around. There is nothing she can say to me that I want to hear.
"Cadence please," she begs quietly, more so to herself I think. I nod, still not facing her.
"I saw what happened. I wish they didn't treat people like that.  I'm sorry. I need new friends," she admits. I'm taken back by her words but I agree. "Yes you do,"
"I'm so sorry."
I nod and unlock my phone as it vibrates in my palm.

Dom -
Hey. How's everything? Are you okay?

I sigh and smile and begin to text back.

Not good. No I'm not.

I send it and plug in my headphones, turning the volume almost completely up. The world lost in the sound of My Chemical Romance. I open my art book and doodle lyrics. I receive another text and look at it appear on my home screen.

Dom -
Tell me about it?

I lock my phone and push the text aside. I don't want to fucking talk to anyone. Fuck off.

I don't even hear the bell due to my music but assume it rung as the students drag themselves trough the door like their walking through the doors to hell. I continue to scribble in my book when Charlotte takes a seat next to me. Through my peripheral I see the look of annoyance wash over her face quickly replaced by the overbearing sympathy I know she feels. I turn down my music and pull out a single headphone to listen.
"What happened the other night?"
I shake my head. Nothing. Not a thing. Go away.
"Please tell me,"
"No,"
"Okay. Fine. I'm here though. You know that. Does anyone know?"
I nod, refusing to spill Dom's name.
"No. You two, out of this class," Mr Sales orders. I look up, amazed to witness Mr Sales kicking Lori and Sabrina out the second they step into class. "Chelsea, would you please walk them? It would seem that these two got lost last time and need supervision to get to the office," he says, slightly amused by his own words. Small snickers and jokes break out through the class as they too are just as entertained. Chelsea rises, happy with her task as she unsurprisingly is not a friend of them, which makes sense as to why she doesn't hate on me. I think it's not so much that people hate me they just think I'm weird and it is probably not best to talk to me. Which, necessarily isn't a bad thing in my books. I watch their unimpressed faces as they step out of class and are disappointingly led away.
"Okay, now we have those two out I am going to mark the roll in just a second. I just have to take care of one extra thing. "Cadence, Charlotte and Brooke...a moment with you three, if I may?"
I immediately leave with no hesitation and wait for the rest. Why Brooke though? What has she got to do with anything?
"So," he begins. "What exactly did I witness this morning? Can someone tell me?"
I say nothing, half expecting Charlotte to speak for me as she's quite accustomed to it. Not a single word from either of us.
"Sir," Brooke starts. I'm stunned to see her talk. I hadn't anticipated that at all.
"Well, Lori called her a slut and Corey pushed her over. While she was done they were kicking and punching her. It was quite terrible. Charlotte came over just as Cadence was gathering her books. She was only defending her."
"I see. And was Cadence doing anything to provoke this?"
"No sir, of course not. Does she ever?"
"Where were you during all of this Brooke,"
"I was...I was at my locker,"
"That's true sir. Brooke wasn't a part of this," adds Charlotte happily. "It happened exactly like she said,"
"Cadence?" Mr Sales prods.
I nod, looking up, allowing him to see the fading bruise on my cheek and the freshly bloodied lip.
"Okay thank you girls. You may go back in now."
I wait behind, assuming he still wants to talk to me.
"Are you okay?"
I shake my head.
"I don't want to tutor Corey anymore if that's okay sir,"
"I wouldn't ask you too. Fighting is not on at this school. You have to tell Principal Mathews. My door is always open too,"
"I know,"

I turn and head back into class leaving those as the last words.

~xoxoxoxo~
Chemical Halo 😋 xx
Shitty fill in chapter. Sorry.
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