Golden (Book 1 of the Golden Series)

Chapter 11

Thought I'd include an old cover I made for this book.

Over 700 reads already! I seriously cannot deal with you guys and how quickly you all respond to new chapters!

This is dedicated to @DragonsonginTn for not only reading this version but the previous too and giving such amazing feedback! Thank you so much!

You guys asked for it and I promised after 3 comments you'd get it so here it is: chapter 11! Little shorter than usual but it's one you're probably not going to like too much!  

School that day was quiet for me. In classes, I kept very much to my self, my head low and my chin basically in my turtleneck. It was pulled right up so that no one could see the slight discolouration underneath.

I'd noticed it this morning when I had gotten out of the shower and I didn't know what would happen if someone at school saw it. It was hard keeping a good reputation, especially when everyone's eyes were constantly on you and you felt suffocated by their questioning stares. And so, even though it was a million degrees outside and I wanted nothing more than to wear a nice cami, I had chosen to wear a turtleneck.

Luckily, for me, this wasn't the first time I'd had to do something like this and so I had a large wardrobe, ranging in a type of outfit for every occasion. The turtleneck I chose to wear was thankfully short sleeved and cropped at my waist, so that the pleated skirt I chose to wear with it looked like a solid outfit, as well as being one that I could breathe in.

When I'd walked downstairs and seen my father leaning against the island in the kitchen, a pot of coffee brewing in front of him, I'd fled out of the house without a second glance.

As always Matt had been waiting for me, his pick up truck parked precisely outside my driveway so that there was no way to avoid him. As I walked to the car, I could feel my hands brushing up and down, smoothing out non-existent creases that I felt like Matt could see.

He didn't say anything about the night before when I hopped in the car and instead just kissed my cheek and started driving, his voice singing along to a song on the radio.

It was as if it never happened.

Like usual.

When we pulled up to school he kept his arm around my waist and walked like that the whole way to my locker, not leaving me alone for even a moment. When guys from the football team stopped him to talk he would just drag me beside him and I'd stand in silence, waiting for their conversation to be over while politely smiling.

He'd even walked me to every class that day, and picked me up– his golden boy grin coating his face whenever he would see me.

I had to admit that as much as I knew he was probably only doing it to try and keep Trent away from me, I was enjoying it. He hadn't acted like this in months, maybe even years. And the sweet expression he looked at me with the entirety of that lunchtime reminded me of the boy he used to be, the one I fell in love with.

He even cut Tracey off once at lunch when she tried to make a sly dig at my turtleneck. Afterwards, he'd pulled me in for a kiss and whispered that I was the most beautiful girl in the world to him. And honestly, I kind of felt like it.

This morning when I'd first seen him I was so scared of how he was going to be, so terrified that he'd ignore me or shout, or something worse.

But he was acting better than ever.

At the end of the day, he stands waiting for me at my locker and I feel my heart swell when he flashes me that charming grin, motioning for me to come over to him. Beside him stands Carter, who doesn't look too pleased with Matt's infatuation with me but he doesn't say anything, instead he just chooses to shoot me glares for the whole two-minute conversation he is involved in.