The Letter

The Letter |Ch. 3

I woke up to the sound of birds chirping outside my window. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the brightness, for the sun was beating down in my room.

I rubbed my eyes and yawned, taking a sitting position in my bed. A massive headache hit me, certainly due to last night's events.

I got up and took some children's Advil's I found on my desk to calm my pounding head.

I got dressed quickly and had just enough time to finish my homework before my alarm beeped, warning me my buss would be here to pick me up in 10 minutes.

I moved my door's barricade out of the way so I could exit the room. Once downstairs, I had a peanut-butter toast, and brushed my teeth.

As soon as I heard Derek's loud footsteps coming towards the stairs, I slipped on my hoodie, put my backpack on my shoulders and bolted out the door.

I knew I'd be safe outside. With the neighbours around, he wouldn't lay a finger on me. The bus soon came to a stop in front of me and I climbed in.

I saw Hailey texting in our usual seat, at the far back. (Yes, she has a phone. Understandable, since her family is filthy rich.)

I made my way over to her, barely noticing Emily Stewart sticking out her foot to trip me.

By the time I'd seen it from the corner of my eye, it was too late. I fell forward, stomach first onto the bench right after hers.

Her friends Jenna and Connor giggled at me.

"You think this is funny?!," I said, still in pain.

Emily answered for them all. "Yes, we do."

They all laughed even louder, including others listening in around them.

I ignored them and left to sit with Hailey, who hadn't looked up from her phone yet.

"Did you even see what happened?," I asked her, trying to see what she was doing on her phone.

She looked up from her screen. "See what?"

I sighed, rolling my eyes. "Emily tripped me!"

Hailey smiled and turned her attention to her screen again.

"What's funny about this?," I asked, frustrated.

"Nothing. It's just... I guess Emily was right."

"Right about what?" Look, I don't have to be the smartest person on earth to know Emily was almost never right.

She was just a little girl with a lot of money and a nose held too high.

"She said you lied and started drama for attention."

I looked at her in astonishment. Why would she ever concur to what Emily said?!

"Since when do you talk to her? And agree with her?," I asked furiously.

Hailey knew Emily and I hated each other since preschool.

"She gave me her number and we texted a little," she said like it didn't matter.

"Why would you want to do that?"

"Just because you don't like her, doesn't mean I'll pass on a good friend," she snapped.

A friend? Could Emily even be called a friend?

"I'm telling you, she's bad news."

"You're crazy. You judge her without even knowing her! Give her a chance."

"I know her very well. All you know is the nice, and fake, version of her," I said louder so Emily would hear me.

"You're the worst liar ever! Stop talking to me!," she yelled.