Socially Awkward

Chapter 10:

The next morning is awkward-even more awkward than me as a person.

I don't look at my father once. I only know of his presence by the sound of his voice.

My mother and sister treat him like the world's best father. They don't know what I know and it's killing me not to blurt it all out now. We've been fooled this entire time.

Rosie sits beside me at the kitchen table.

I try ignore each of her attempts to annoy me up until I break my record of silence.

She realizes nothing will get to me and leaves the kitchen.

I don't even realize my father has sat down next to me until he talks to me, "Luna, can we talk please?"

I stare at the wooden table in front of me rather than his face.

"Luna, your father is speaking to you." My mother tells me as if I hadn't realized.

"I'm aware." I say to her.

I pick up my things and leave the house.

My dad follows me out the door and thankfully, my bus comes to stop in front of my house.

I find the first empty seat available and sit down. Looking out the window, I see my father walk back inside my house.

When I arrive at school, I storm past people, shoving anyone and everyone who's in my way.

I somehow manage to walk through the hallway of scattered football players without a thought or care in the world.

Camille and Brynn call my name, but I don't look back once. I'm in no mood for them to force me into socializing with the biggest assholes of the school.

I ignore all the stares I'm receiving from people and head straight for my locker.

Kelsey notices my sudden change in attitude.

"Hey, are you okay?" She asks me.

"I'm fine." I grit through my teeth.

"Are you sure because you seem a little-"

"I said I'm fine!" I loudly cut her off.

A few people turn heads and Kelsey looks horrified at my outburst.

"Sorry." I apologize.

"It's cool. Just take it easy okay?" She lightly pats my back and leaves.

I put my books into my locker and when I slam it closed I nearly jump at the sight of Camille and Brynn standing on the other side of the locker door.

"What the hell is going on?" Brynn questions me.

"Nothing. I just need some time to myself, okay?" I try to walk passed them but Camille grabs my arms and turns me around.

"Listen if this is about James and Nadia-"

"Just stop!" I cut her off. "Do yourselves a favor and leave me the hell alone."

I squeeze through the small space between them and find myself back in the hallway I dread the most. To make matters worse, James spots me.

"Hey, Luna. Wait up." He chases after me and eventually catches up.

"I called you like a hundred times yesterday. What happened?" He questions.

"How did you even get my number? I don't remember giving it to you." I rudely reply to him.

"Brynn and Camille gave it to me. What's wrong with you?"

We end up walking into an empty hallway.

"What's wrong with me?" I laugh a laugh that lacks humor. "Why are you even talking to me? Shouldn't you be getting back to your precious girlfriend, Nadia?"

He stops walking and so do I.

"So that's what this is about?"

I shrug my shoulders, "Partly."

"Alright, one, she's not my girlfriend. Two, even if she was my girlfriend, you shouldn't be ignoring me just because you're jealous." He says.

Anger builds inside of me. "Jealous? Is that honestly why you think I'm mad?"

"I think that's exactly why you're mad."

He moves closer and closer to me, slowly decreasing the space between us.

Our faces are close to each other. I know what he's trying to do.

"I'm not Nadia", I say before pushing him away from me.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He questions, offense evident in his tone.

"I may be sensitive and fragile, but I'm not stupid. It'll take a lot more than a scene from almost every book and movie to get me to kiss you." I inform him.

He frowns at me. "You know, Luna, it's great that you have walls to keep yourself guarded, but I hope you do realize it's possible to have too many."

With those as his last words, he walks passed me, leaving me stranded in the abandoned hallway.

His words sink in and it makes me feel like banging my head against a wall.

I just want to pour it all out to someone. I just want someone to understand the battle going on in my mind. I'm screaming and trying to break down the walls, but for every scream and attempt to break them down these walls somehow rebuild and become ten times stronger.

"Oh my goodness! Are you alright?"

I don't realize my eyes are closed until I open them to see the teacher knelt down in front of me.

I don't realize I'm crying until I notice the wet feeling of tears sliding down my cheeks and how blurry the world has become.

I don't realize I'm on the floor until I feel the hardness of the wall against my back and the feel of my arms wrapped around my knees, holding my body close together in attempt to prevent it from falling apart.

"Come with me." The teacher holds out her hand for me to take.

"W-where are we going?" I ask her.

"I'm taking you to your guidance counselor."

"No! No! Please don't! I'm fine! I'm okay! Just please!" I shout without realizing that my shouting only made me look crazier.

The teacher drags me to Ms. Blue anyway.

I give her a dirty look before she closes the door and leaves me in her office.

"Welcome back." Ms. Blue says with a smile.