Rise (Colton Dixon)

Chapter 22

Alexis
I wake to another warm morning, but everything about it seems utterly cold. I leave the house before either of my parents are out of bed. Apparently, Dad doesn't work today. Unless he lost his ******* job too.
As I walk to school, I pull out my phone to start some music. But instead of going to my library, my finger taps YouTube. And before I know it, I've searched Colton's name.
What is freaking wrong with me?
Whatever. I don't care. If my subconscious wants to listen to his music, I'll let it.
I choose a YouTube playlist and start it. I'm not really listening to the words anyway. Of course, he isn't the only artist on the list. I don't really care until I recognize Joel and Luke's ******** "Priceless" starting. I promptly skip it.
Finally, as I near the school, I yank out my earbuds and put my phone away. Here goes another day in absolute paradise.
I keep my head down as I walk through the halls, my arms crossed over my stomach in my usual posture. Just keep walking.
"Just 'cause you cover it up doesn't mean it's not there, Alexis."
I glance up momentarily, just long enough to see the face of Diana Carol, her gaze locked on where I'm covering myself with my arms, before my eyes snap to the ground again.
"You talking about her ******** arms, or how ******* fat she is?" her boyfriend, Marcus, asks with a smirk.
"Both, Babe," she replies easily.
"Well, they're both her own fault," he taunts. "She's just too much of a ******* loser to do anything about it."
I just cannot take this today.
"Would you just freaking **** off?" I snap.
Anger flashes over Marcus's face. "What makes you think you can talk to me like that, you little punk?" he half-yells, and steps forward before I can duck away, taking firm hold of my arm and raising it above my head as he yanks back the sleeve with his free hand. "Look at the loser." He is yelling now.
I try kicking him in the shin, but he doesn't even seem to feel it.
"******* let me go!" I gasp desperately.
He ignores me. "Yeah, this is how not to live you life!" He shakes my arm in a terrified freshman's face. "This little girl can't handle life!" He smiles at me maliciously. "Because you've got family issues, don't you, Baby? Your daddy's a jailbird and your mommy's a drunk. Poor Baby."
"**** off!" I scream back, feeling more and more eyes pass over my hideous arm.
"Oh, poor little baby," Marcus sneers, though he finally lets me go, slamming me into a locker for good measure. "How about you go and kill yourself, punk?"
And he and Diana walk away, laughing. I bite back tears, yanking down my sleeve, and continue to class.
Because I guess I deserved that.

I don't even bother saying goodbye to Lacey as we part ways after school.
Why should I? I mean, if I died tonight, she wouldn't even give a **** about it.
Seriously, "Would It Matter". My life.
Except it would matter. Because there would be so many people celebrating my death.
My phone chimes, and I look down at it wearily. Colton. Fantastic.
hey, so i have some friends, in a band called OBB, and they're coming to denver this weekend. when I told nich that we'd made a friend there, he said he wanted to meet you. You up for another concert?
I swear silently. This cannot be happening.
how much did you ******* tell him?
He responds quickly.
chillax, girl. When he said they were headed for colorado, I just told him we'd made a friend while we were staying there, and he said he'd love to meet her and that I should tell you to come to the concert and then head through their signing line afterwards. They're even willing to give you a ticket for free.
I sigh.
i don't need their charity, and im not really sure why id even want to go.
come on, for me? Please? Even just cause ur bored?
The sad thing is, he has a point. More importantly, though I hate to admit it, the fewer nights I have to spend at home with my father, the better.
how much are the ******* tickets?
free.
I would like to punch him right now.
colton...
I can just see him laughing at me.
ok, ok. they're like twenty bucks.
I still have ninety that I don't know what to do with. This is just sad.
okay whatever I'll get a ticket
thank you! :)
I just shake my head and swear out loud.
don't think im happy about it.