The Hooded Beauty

Hood Up

I drive around for ten minutes, debating on whether I should go to school or just go home. I don't want anyone to see me.
I decide that my attendance is too poor so I need to attend or else my grades will start failing. I don't have time to start worrying about grades too.

It's period 5 by the time I reach the school, which means there is only 30 minutes until lunchtime.
This sends a mix of happiness (because food) and anxiety (because people) through me.

But, period 5 means that it is Maths class.
Great.
Mrs. Smith. She hates me for some reason.

Come to realise it, a lot of people hate me. But yet, I have done nothing to them. Strange. Actually, it's probably to do with my family.

Hood up.
Head down.
Let's go.

I knock on the door.
The door slowly creeks open and reveals a petite grumpy old lady.
"Why are you late?" She demands not letting me in before I answer
"I'm sorry, I had an appointment" I say bluntly. She opens the door and I walk in.

All eyes are on me.
Whispers of 'she's wearing the hoodie again' fill the room while I walk off to the back row in the corner and plonk down.
Trying to keep my head and hood down so I don't reveal my face.
I settle in my seat and eyes soon dart back to the board.
I begin writing everything I had missed in the lesson so far.

I feel a burning stare.
I shouldn't care but I do.
I cover my face as much as I can and peek over.
Jace is staring straight at me.
There's 15 minutes left of class.

I look out of the window and before I know it I'm daydreaming, well not dreaming, more like thinking through my head how I am going to fix my face.

Suddenly a blob steps into my vision and blocks my sight.
"Are we bothering you Miss Lincoln?" She tuts. Grumpy old hag.
"No" I say as I look up at her. As soon as I look up, gravity decides to work against me and my hood falls down, exposing my face to everyone.
My hood is returned to my face within a split second but in that time everyone has already seen. I hear gasps and whispers of people wondering what happened to my face. As my lip was still bleeding.

I see a hand reach for my hood to pull it back down and I move away quickly and slam into a wall.

"Kady, what on Earth happened?" She gasps
"Nothing" I reply through gritted teeth.

I pick my bag up and I make my way out of the classroom in a rush.
This is the last place I want to be.
I shouldn't have came in today.
I begin to run down the halls, trying to reach the exit before anyone else can see me.
My feet just take me, where? I don't know, I don't pay attention, I just keep moving.
I hit a wall and I stop moving, instead I slide my back down the wall and curl up, I hug into my knees.
I lay my head down.
I try to catch my breath.
I feel myself having a panic attack again.

Breathe, Kady, breathe.
In through your nose and out through your mouth.
My neck begins to feel tight again so I try to loosen the hoodie's grip around my neck as I struggle to breathe.
The lack of air into my lungs is making me feel faint.

In the distance I hear footsteps. But they're not at a walking pace. They begin to speed up and get louder and louder which only means they're running in my direction.
No, I don't want to see anyone.
Just leave me alone.

The footsteps stop right infront of me.
I fucking knew it.
I look up.
I'm surprised to see another face inches away from mine.

The face belong to Jace.
He's crouched down infront of me.
He looks concerned which is weird to see. He looks around my face analysing my injuries.
I want to hide and disappear.

He places his hand on my cheek and wipes away my tears.
He tells me to calm down and that it's okay but his voice sounds so far away.
What is happening to me?

Everything starts to get blurry and I remember him being an asshole.
I still can't breathe.

Then, everything just goes black.