The Ghost Of My Past Will Never Leave (Melanie)

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I can't believe that teacher. How DARE he compare me to Amy. I should get his stupid ass fired!
I was blind with anger and running through the halls to get away from Mr.Jorge and his bullshit. Turning the corner faster than I should have, I collided with a boy who was about my height with bright green eyes and messy black hair. I realized quickly that he was the same guy I was sitting next to in Mr.Dickhead's class. 
He fell onto the wall, and I fell flat on my ass, with my books flying out in every direction as a heavy blush flooded my cheeks.

"Shit! I'm so sorry!" He said to me while offering his hand to help me up. I ignored his hand and pushed myself up, snatching my books before he even had a chance to help.

"Whatever." I spat.
"Sorry..." He repeats in a shaky voice.
"Is that all you know how to say?" I ask in an annoyed voice. 
"I-" he began but I cut him off by saying," Learn how to walk you newb."

After that I stomped off, feeling kind of bad for saying that to him. It was my  fault that we crashed the way we did, but I blamed him to his face.

Luckily, I didn't see him again for the rest of the day, and I was thankful for that. I was eager to go home and edit a new video for my YouTube. I'm glad no one at this stupid school knows about it, or it would be ruined.

***

Once I'm finally home, I slam my car door and go straight to my room. My Dad must still be at work, because he doesn't bother me as I begin working on my computer. After a while I decided to log onto my favorite game, www.SuperStarGalaxy.com, and I feel instantly calm to see the familiar login screen. I type in my user: Smile Because You're Alive - and log in. I'm pleased to see that two of my three online best friends are on, Val and Chris. I send them both messages, and then check my inbox, to see if I missed any messages while I was at school. I respond to a few and then click over to a different tab to check my Twitter.

Five minutes later, the message sound had gone off three times. One from Val, Chris, and another from my favorite best friend, Jakey. I stopped editing to talk to Jake, happy to see him online. We talked for about ten minutes until he says something that made my heart skip a beat.

JacobTheLame: I was in Oregon, just moved to California last week (:

Oh.My. GOD. What had the new kid said earlier?

Mr.Jorge: "Where did you move from?"
New Kid: "Oregon."
He even said his name was Jacob! How fucking stupid am I? I met Jake today! AND I had treated him like shit. I quickly logged off, in shock. He has no idea. He thinks I'm some girl named Cecelia from Ohio! I lied about everything. My name, my looks, and even my location. But here he is! Jacob. The boy I first 'met' two years ago, a month after the... Amy Attack. He brightened every single day for me since then. I've even gotten emotional about him over the years, not that he knows that. We were so alike... he always listens and I would always listen to him when he needed it. Every time I talked to him he made me feel like, even though my life was all shades of fucked up, that maybe, just maybe, everything is alright. 

And now here he is in person. All the times I have imagined meeting him and it happened in the worst way. I even called him a newb! which is a terrible insult to people on SSG. I want to be close to him but he only knows 'Cecelia', not Melanie. What if he feels the same way about me as I feel about him? I would have to tell him the truth, that Cecelia is me. Melanie.

No way, I'm getting way ahead of myself. He never has to know, maybe I can make him forget CC and just get to know Mel? BUT I AM CC! Fuck. What kind of mess have I caused? I lied to him and if I didn't he would have recognized me as Melanie. We could have been real best friends, maybe more.

But Lydia. He said he met Lydia. She can, and will ruin everything. She used to be my best friend until.... the Amy Attack. I shut everyone out, and made online friends instead of keeping her or anyone else around. A year after we stopped speaking, she hacked into my Snapchat account, and sent nude photos of HERSELF to everyone on my list, and said the pics were me. People believed her too, the pictures had no face in them. For months, people had taken screenshots, and re-posted the photos of "me" everywhere, until I became known as the city slut. As if what Amy did wasn't bad enough, Lydia had to make it all worse. She also had a blog last year, and called it "Melanie Dedroze's Personal Secrets!" She posted a bunch of bullshit, but people believed it anyway. I got Google and the local law enforcement to take it down, and Lydia was charged with harassment and stalking.

Suddenly, my thoughts were interrupted when my phone made a Snapchat noise. 

Snapchat: Max The Man added you as a friend!

Max the man? The fuck? I added him back out of curiosity.

Max
Hey

Me
Hi, who is this?

Max
Open to view.

Stupidly, I open the snap. Oh lovely. I fucking dick pic. I block and report "Max" and start crying. This is the fifth time this week this shit has happened. Shaking, I open a contact I haven't called in two years. She answers on the first ring.
"Hey bitch." She said, a smirk in her voice.
"Lydia." I say, my voice breaking.
"What do you want, Miss Whore?"
"You need to stop this."
"Stop? What? Stupid? Ass?"
Tears pour down my face as I try to make words come out.
"Are you fucking crying? God damn drama queen, what's your problem?"
"YOU!" I scream it into my phone. "Stop giving my Snapchat to pervs!"
"You're the one who accepts them."
"You are fucking sick." I whisper in anger.
"Pretty sure you're the ones who is sick honey."
"What is that supposed to mean?" I growl.

"You sound more like Amy. Every. Single. Day."
I froze. How could Lydia sat that to me? She's gone beyond too far.
"Fuck you, I hope you burn in hell."
"Noted, bye Amy Junior." She said, and then hung up, leaving me hurt and angry. 

I decided to just go to sleep, tears rolling down my cheeks and soaking my sheets.

***

When I woke up the next morning my dad was still home, and was in the kitchen. Which was weird, he should be at work already.

"Morning Skippy." He said. Oh god, let me explain that awful nickname. He calls me Skippy because since I was 4 I've been obsessed with that Skippy brand peanut butter. Don't judge, that shit is good.
"Hey Dad."
"Did you eat last night?" He asked.
"Yea." I lied, "Picked up a corn dog."
"That's good to hear Skip. I was worried."
I forced a smile, "No need to worry Dad."
He gave me one of his 'happy dad" smiles that made the corner of his eyes crinkle.
"That's my Skippy."
"Love you Dad, but I gotta get going."
"Have a great day Mel."

I sat in the front seat of my Dodge Charger, and sighed. I hate lying to my dad, but I don't want him to worry about me any more than her already does. I drive into the school parking lot about ten minutes early. After I parked, I sat in the picnic area for a few minutes. That's when I saw Jake getting out the passenger side of a green Jeep. Without thinking, I call out to him.
"Jacob! Over here!" He turns around and looks at me, surprise on his face.
"Melanie?" He asked.
"Yea, that's me! Care to sit here?" I say with a warm smile. What if he thinks I'm bipolar or something? I'm acting so different from yesterday. But he walks over, smiles, and sits down across from me.
"About yesterday- I am so sorry. I was having an awful day, it was my fault we crashed."
"Don't apologize, I totally understand." He looked at me and I saw sympathy play across his features. I knew right away he must of heard about my past.
"Oh my god, you know." I gasp.
"Know what?" He asks, shocked.
"About Amy."

He sits silently for a moment, and I know I'm right.
"Did Lydia tell you?"
"Lydia? What? No."
"Than how do you know?"
An adorable blush covers his face, and I look down before he sees me flush.
"Well.. I was curious.. and Googled your last name." He said shyly, "I hate that people bring that up to you. It isn't like you did it." 
Finally, someone saw my point of view.
"You truly have an amazing mind Jakey." I say with a slight smile.
"Jakey?" He asks. WHOOPS. NOT MY NICKNAME FOR HIM- THAT'S CECELIA'S.
"Oh, I'm sorry.. Can I call you that?"

He seemed confused but said, "Yea, sure."
I hope he isn't getting suspicious, that was a really big slip up. Fuck.
"Do you want to.. hang out after school?" I ask.
His face lights up and he grins, "I'd love to!"
I laugh a little. "Great, I can give you a ride home in my car afterwards."
"Sounds like a plan."
"Awesome." I say, smiling nearly ear to ear.




Author's Note: This chapter is a bit shorter than I like, but please, leave feedback! I love hearing what readers think, it helps me be a better writer. Thanks!

-C


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