Little Miss Nosy

Chapter Thirty-Six: This Time it Will

- Edited -

My vision blurs as Ashton pulls into the student lot. I jump as his hand brushes mine, not realizing how he'd already put the car in park.

"Are you tired from yesterday?"

"A little," I nod, shaking out a yawn and stretching my muscles as a wake-me-up.

"Aw," Ashton coos. He moves a piece of hair out of my eyes and I find myself resting against his palm, on instinct as if it could bring me as much comfort as my pillow. "That'll teach you to stay up so late." His tone was teasing, yet he was the reason I stayed up until two in the morning. One minute we were on FaceTime for three hours, the next I woke up late with a dead phone because we both fell asleep while still on the line.

"Still sore too?"

"Oh, no no no." Trevor has both hands over his ears, like a child in the back seat of his parent's car. "I love that for you, truly. But I don't want to hear this."

"I do!" Macey's eyes twinkle with excitement as she glances between Ashton and I.

"Nothing like that!" I try to remedy the situation with no help from Ashton who smirks at my flustered form. He blinks slowly, tired. Beautiful blues trained on me that say 'you're on your own' as some sort of restitution for being the primary cause of our sluggishness this morning.

Because, okay...he tried to end the call several times last night but I repeatedly found something new to talk about. And he, being the wonderful boyfriend he is, smiled tiredly and listened to me rant.

"Ashton is training me."

"In?" Trevor quirks a suspicious brow and sends a murderous glare to Ashton.

"Self defense. I told him about the note from Logan."

Trevor's hands fall to his lap. He's suddenly very serious as he nods in understanding.

Sensing the uncomfortable shift in tone, Macey claps excitedly. "First day of our last semester! Who's excited?" Hopefully she caught the grateful smile I flashed her way for taking the spotlight off of me.

"I'm excited for yearbook. I mean...it's yearbook. That hour of sleep will be amazing," Trevor grins. Instead of sitting on the opposite side of the car, Macey sits right in the middle. There isn't a centimeter of space between the pair as their legs brush against each other.

"I'm excited for half days. I have enough credits to leave early on Tuesday and Thursday," Macey adds, pushing her phone in Trevor's hand to use the camera as a mirror while she touches up her hair. He leans over the edge of the phone allowing the camera to get a good look up his nose and blocking Macey's view. She bats at his head playfully.

Ashton sighs. "I should be excited for half days, but 'they don't look good when applying to college,' so I'm stuck here." His whiny voice mocks his mom who was adamant he does full days. So, tired Ashton meets grumpy Ashton today.

I stretch again once we're out of the car. The tension leaves my body as I scan the building looming over me; the students who toss glances my way every once in a while. Some cautious, some impressed, some still hateful. The video of the incident made its rounds on social media. Not from Bella's perspective of course, but as embarrassing as it was for me most people were on my side and hyping me up as I finally stood up to the big bad bully.

It was refreshing. But I quickly noticed the people building me up in the comments were the same ones that tore me down when I was at my worst. This was all fake.

And in five months I'd be free.

"I'm excited for a fresh start. For all of us." I'm met with soft smiles as everyone else gets out of the car.