In The Rain

Chapter 9

"Elections is next Monday and she missed a day of campaigning yesterday." Some girls were chatting before class about the latest gossip.

Jade sighed feeling down about it all. She had been wondering if Leigh was officially leaving them for what happened the other day. No one needed to laugh though. Lots of people have weird looking toys that they're attached to and suck their thumbs. It's not that big a deal. She told herself. She'd been pretty upset at everyone but no one seemed to notice or care.

Lilly shrugged feeling triumphant. A lot of people seemed to think lowly of Leigh-Anne now. Leigh was not here to get called names or anything but she knew how the students felt. Pacifiers had been drawn on all of Leigh's posters and people laughed at them. Mission accomplished.

Andre shook his head at her. Why did he feel like Leigh moved away before he got a chance? That wasn't fair. And it was all my fault.

"Well if I were her I wouldn't come to school either. What happened last she was here was nothing short of mortifying." Perrie added to the conversation. She had a text book open in front of her but was not studying. She actually felt sorry for Leigh though. She did not find it all that bad that Leigh carried a toy around. She used to do so too. It wasn't anything to laugh at. "Oh well."

"Oh well is right. She's out." Lilly tried not to laugh evilly. I am a f*cking genius. She could see her winning speech already.

"Good morning everyone."

Jade looked up and blinked in surprise. "Leigh?" A smile grew on her lips.

The girl nodded at Jade then went to her seat with her head down. When she got there she sat and rested on the table, trying to ignore everything. She sneezed and used a tissue to wipe her nose then rested her head again. She had seen what had been done to posters of her in the hall.

Everyone in the class was looking her way.

Lilly smiled and got to her feet. She walked up to Leigh's desk. "Why weren't you at school yesterday huh?" She had her hands spread out on the table and felt like the real deal when kids gathered to watch in excitement.

Andre wanted to tell her to stop. "Stop it Lilly." Man I'm bad. Lilly did not seem to care though.

Leigh-Anne brought her head up and sniffed. She wiped at her eyes which watered from the flu as well as lack of sleep . . . and sadness. "I was sick. I still am but I can't miss more school." She coughed in her tissue then sniffed. "You should stay away from me."

Lilly smiled at the kids around. "She probably caught germs from sucking her thumb guys." She looked right at Andre.

Some kids giggled. "Germs are a bitch." A guy snorted, it was Tommy.

Leigh-Anne did not want to hear it. "Could you go away please? I'm not in the mood. I don't feel well." She rested her head again.

"Aww, where's your rat doll huh? Did he run away?"

Leigh sniffed with her head down. I don't know where he is to be honest. Maybe he never existed in the first place.

"Did he Leigh?"

Leigh sat up straight with a frown. "I threw him away." She coughed because it hurt her voice to talk.

"Why? I thought you needed him to- oh that's why you look so tired." Lilly and some other kids laughed. "Poor thing. Why did you throw him huh?"

Leigh-Anne shook her head. "Why does it matter to you? Why do you even care?" She asked angrily. She was just so done and tired and sick and nauseous and everything just hurt.