HIGH

Chapter 2 Insensitive

*****brvdfordmalik.tumblr.com****

I had given up on trying to cover the mark. No matter how many times I had applied the concealer, there was still a purple tint to it. The clothes I wore now let it peak through, given the fact of course my top didn't cover that one spot on my collarbone. I resorted to the last option and changed clothes completely. An old sweatshirt and some comfortable lounge pants. I couldn't even force myself to go to work now. I felt so humiliated. Somehow someone would find out. Somehow someone would spread it around. And somehow I'd have to find a way around it.

My eyes were red and puffy from crying. The damn concealer couldn't even hide that. I sat down on my couch and pulled out my phone. I had to tell someone. That way at least one person would know exactly how it happened and what had happened. I didn't trust the gossip and rumors to do it for me knowing that it'd be twisted and pulled in the wrong direction.

Actually, I didn't want to tell anyone yet. To be honest, all I wanted was to sit back and pity myself for being a victim. But it was a bruise. Just a small mark on my collarbone. No one would care if they saw it, they'd probably just assume that it was from my boyfriend or something. Not that anyone would know if I had a boyfriend or not.

Which I don't. But I'd let them think that.

It wasn't anyone's business anyways. And nobody saw me in the alleyway. The pale faced guy was just trying to scare me. He did save me though. I owed him that but nothing more.

What an eventful way to start the day. It was now only 12:16 in the afternoon. I had called into work complaining I was sick in bed. I was sort of regretting that now, it was really only a spur of the moment. I was fine now. I wasn't going to let them get to me.

I got up off the couch and made my way over to the kitchen. There was practically nothing in my fridge or cupboards. I mentally cursed the pale one for making me leave my bag there. It had all my money for groceries and a few other things from work. It's not like I could go back and get it. I sat back down on my couch and glared at the blank TV in front of me.

That stupid asshole. All I had to do was reach out and I would've been able to grab the damn bag. But no. He has to go be a dick about it and make me leave it behind. Him and his pals were probably out using my hard earned money on drugs or something. Except John, John wasn't his pal. At least I think they weren't pals. The look the pale one had given John was almost too scary to think about. It seemed as if they each had something on one another. I don't blame the pale one for not liking John. I don't like him either.

I texted my friend telling her to come over. Brooke was one of my best friends. She was one of the only people I could talk to about literally anything. She responded quickly informing me she would be there in ten minutes tops.

And sure enough, ten minutes later there was a knock at the door. I quickly stood up and ran to the door. I unlocked it and opened it to find no one standing there. I poked my head out and looked down the hallway. Nothing.

"Brooke?"

No answer.

I stepped outside of the doorway and felt my foot hit something causing it to fall over.

My bag.

A whole new kind of fear washed over me. They knew where I lived.

"Brooke!" I yelled, starting to panic. What if they saw her coming through the lobby? I was about to walk down the hallway when a familiar brunette turned the corner.

"Ava? Holy shit you'll never guess who I just saw!"

***

"Brooke, I'm scared. I think they know where I live." I said in a small voice. I had explained everything to her and answered all the questions she had. I was eager to know if she had seen one of them in the building but I didn't want her to think I was interested in it. Because I wasn't.