Tainted

CHAPTER 17: BE MINE, ONLY MINE

Fae's P.O.V.

"Three more laps, I raised you shits better! Come onnnn, oh please Francis I know you run faster than that when fucken Prada is on sale. Daniel if you don't finish that lap in the next two seconds then you'll be the towel boy for the rest of the week!"

I picked up my pace before the coach could throw an insult at me. I was back in the pool. It had been two weeks of living with Viv, two weeks of not one word from Mom, two weeks since Hayden disappeared without a trace. I was excused from the probation of sports and was practically healed. Which meant I was blessed with the hell that was currently coming out of the coach's mouth.

I was the first to finish the laps, so I hoisted myself out of the pool. As my feet hit the tile, I felt a towel go around my body. Looking up, I saw Jay smiling with dimples fully peeking out. He rubbed the towel up and down my body. He was done with soccer season, so he usually watched my swim practice or hung out with me in the library after school.

He hadn't advanced further since the kiss we shared two weeks ago. I felt like time was going much slower and he was just there to make it pass by quicker. He was funny and did most of the talking. I didn't mind Jay around as long as he kept his hands to himself.

"Wanna grab lunch together?" He asked me getting close to my face.

"I have to study for an exam." I lied, not caring enough to give a good excuse.

"Ok no prob." He said giving me a smile, then he went over to the other girls and said something to produce a fit of giggles.

It didn't bother me at all, that he could ask me to hang out with him then turn around and make-out with another girl. I shrugged the stares off, and walked to the locker room.

Quickly showering and changing. I thought about Jay, he was in most of my classes, surprisingly he was a top student and athlete. Why did I even like having him around? I had thought over the kiss we had shared, and correctly labeled in a mistake. I didn't want another.

Replacement. The thought crossed my mind, and I quickly turned it away. Was he? Jay never asks questions, never wants to know anything about me, he was just there.

Tying up my sneakers, I ran my hands though my hair, trying to comb it. I walked through the hall without a glance spared my way. I stopped at my locker and pulled out a few books, exchanging them. When I saw the notes slip out.

I crouched to pick up the various colors of sticky notes.

'Whore. Bring Hayden Back. Fuck you. I HOPE YOU Die. You think your all that. I hate you.'

Something caught in my throat and I couldn't breathe.

I stuffed them back into my locker and practically ran into an empty classroom. I pressed my back against the door, trying to catch my breath.

Did I really make Hayden leave? Did he leave the school because of me? Was he really gone?

My books tumbled to the ground, I clutched my head in my hands. He hates me so much that he doesn't want to see me. I miss him. I want to see him.

I clamped my hand on my mouth, surprised what my thoughts were voicing. I don't care for him. I don't. I need to concentrate on my grades. Nothing else. I could feel tears warm the corner of my eyes, not here, not today.

Finally, when I got my thoughts under control, I left the classroom for the computer room.

I jumped on a computer and started searching for jobs that were easy to get to but no one would find me at. Then I started looking for close by apartments I can sublet for a year. My head started to ache when I saw the prices. I could not afford an apartment, but I couldn't crash with Vivian much longer.