Falling In Love With You

Chapter 8. The Party

Trigger Warning: this chapter contains some violence

The minute Bex walked into school on Monday, she felt as if something were wrong. The atmosphere felt different. Everyone seemed to be watching her, but pretending not to. Bowie wasn't waiting for her at his locker, like he always did. She knew he had been sick, and wondered if he was still absent. She hadn't seen or talked to him over the weekend, since her parents were watching her every move. She waited for him for a while, then, when the first bell rang, she went to homeroom.

The her immense relief, Bowie was sitting at his desk. She smiled and waved to him, but he didn't seem to see her. "Bowie," she said, as she set her books down on her desk. "How are you feeling?"

He looked at her briefly, but didn't answer.

She frowned. "Bowie? Hello? You okay?" She waved her hand in front of his face.

"Take your seat, Ms. Mack," her teacher called.

Bex sighed and sat down, still glancing back at Bowie.

****

When Homeroom ended, Bex waited outside the classroom door. She grabbed Bowie's arm as he started to leave the room. "Hey! What's up with you?" she asked him. "Is everything okay?"

He shook his head. He looked tired; his beautiful eyes were rimmed with dark shadows, as if he hadn't been sleeping. "I've heard the things people say about you, Bex, but I never believed them. How could I have been so stupid?"

"What are you talking about?" she asked. She stifled a laugh, thinking he must be joking and hadn't yet delivered the punchline.

He gave her a sad look. "I'm sorry."

"I don't understand," she said, her voice trembling. "Bowie? Are you breaking up with me?"

"I've gotta go." He turned and walked away.

"Bowie, wait!" she called. But he didn't turn around. Her stomach sunk when she saw Hayley catch up to him.

****

By the next day, Bex still hadn't spoken with Bowie. He hadn't shown up for lunch, disappearing from school all together after homeroom. Bex had tried to call him, but her calls went straight to voicemail. Something was very, very wrong.

It weighed on her shoulders all day, and sunk down to her stomach, creating a knot. When it was time for gym class, she knew she didn't have it in her to participate.

She dawdled around the locker room, pretending to fold her clothes carefully, waiting for everyone to leave. The locker room was silent, and a little eerie. Above her, she could hear sneakers squeaking on the gym floor.

She'd just closed her locker door when she heard a rustle of movement, accompanied by giggling, and realized she was no longer alone. She crouched behind a block of lockers, hardly daring to breath, and let anyone know she was there.

"Miss Darling is such a witch," a girl's high voice said, referring to the PE teacher. "It should be our choice what we wear for gym." A locker door opened with a metallic clang.

"Do you have an extra hair tie?" a nasal voice asked.

Bex recognized the voices. They belonged to Natalie and Hayley. The two of them were forever trying to get out of gym class by pretending to forget their gym suits. She guessed Miss Darling had caught onto them and sent them down to change into something appropriate.

"Yeah, here," said Hayley. Bex pressed against the lockers, trying to breath as quietly as possible.

"Have you picked out your outfit for the bonfire yet?" Natalie asked her friend.