Weightless - Luke Hemmings

Chapter 2.

"Well look who it is" Michael laughed as I walked past him. Calum was behind him, Ashton beside him. Ashton was nowhere near as bad as the others. Although he still got that gleam in his eye when he saw my pain like them. It disgusted me. However, today there was someone with them, watching me in a different way to the others. He had a look of curiosity on his face, as he surveyed me and made his judgment. 

He had a blonde quiff and stunning eyes. He fiddled with a lip piercing, and I was instantly hooked. I was torn from my staring as I was pushed to the floor. My body smacked against the concrete, as my vision went shaky for a moment. I looked up at a laughing Calum, who high fived  the others. I sighed, standing up quickly and trying to make my escape.

"Where you going, weirdo?" Calum called, pulling me back. I looked at them all, sighing.

"I was thinking class" I said and they all laughed at me, as if I was being stupid.

"Well, I guess we'll see you after then." He winked, smirking at me.

"Bye freak show!" Ashton yelled as I walked off. Ashton was 2 years older than us, he was friends with my brother. I slipped into my classroom, on time for once. As I sat down, in walked the blonde guy.

"And you are?" the teacher asked.

"Luke. Luke Hemmings" he said, leaning against the door frame. So, he had a name. An ordinary name for an ordinary bully.

"Well Luke, take a seat beside Rose" the teacher said, gesturing to the seat beside me.

"But Mis-" I argued, being cut off.

"No buts, Rose" she said and I sighed. Luke threw his bag down, sitting down beside me. I could feel his eyes scan me up and down, judging me. I hated the feeling of his eyes on me, so I turned away quickly. As the bell rang, he tapped me on the shoulder.

"Hey, Rose?" he asked and I turned to him, expecting a slap, a punch, anything.

"What is it?" I asked angrily, determined to show him I wasn't scared of him.

"N-Nothing" he whispered and I turned away. Pleased.

"Whatever" I said, walking out, not daring to look back at him. I rushed to the bus, paid and sat down. I threw my bag down beside me, slipping a headphone into my ear. Just what I needed, another one of them. I stared out the window, ducking down as I saw Michael and Calum nearby. It was then I spotted Ashton and my brother, Finn, walk towards them. I watched them all stand talking, and I sighed to myself. Finn had no idea what was happening, what his best friends were doing, as far as he knew I was fine. I was a happy teenager who was just a little quiet. I pulled my hood up, wrapping my arms around myself. I heard a cough from beside me, asking for my attention. Looking up I saw Luke, his bag swung loosely over his shoulder.

"What?" I asked, waiting for the insults to start pouring out.

"Can I sit there?" he asked, pointing to the seat beside me. I looked up the bus, not seeing another spare seat. Sighing as I realised I didn't have a choice, I moved my bag over onto my lap and he sat down beside me. I put both headphones in, slumping into my seat. Luke kept looking over at me as the bus drove, as if he wanted to say something, but I ignored his gaze. I turned my attention to fiddling with my bitten-down nails. Old nail varnish was peeling off them, as I picked it at it. I watched as it fell onto my leggings, tiny purple flecks that fell gracefully. Just as I heard Luke clear his throat, about to talk, the bus got to my stop. I pushed past him, storming off the bus. I saw Finn come towards me, a smile on his face. I stopped walking as he hugged me. I stood there, feeling awkward from the display of affection. After a second, he let me go.

"Have you lost weight?" he asked, looking me up and down, but I shook my head.

"No, why?" I lied. I knew I had, I never had the time to eat anymore.

"You just feel lighter" he said simply, walking towards our house. I followed behind him, trailing back slightly. Nobody would've thought me and Finn were siblings. Finn was popular, attractive, his confidence practically radiated off of him. His brown curls and stunning green eyes, he was a catch for anyone. Behind him was the school loser. Ugly, alone and slumped over. Other than his hair colour, I hadn't inherited anything he had. My eyes were the dullest shade of brown, my skin paper white. I stopped thinking as we got to our house.

Our house was like every other on the street. Average size, with an average car outside. A red door, where the paint was peeling off in the corners. Inside, the carpet was dirty and paintings hung at awkward angles on the walls. The hallway light was broken, so it was always slightly dark. Shoes scattered one corner of the hallway, which is where mine and Finn's went flying too. In a split second I was upstairs, bedroom door locked. I plugged my iPod into the speakers, exhaling loudly as music filled the room. It was then that I heard the doorbell ring and Ashton's voice fill the house. His voice made the tiny hairs on my arms stand up in fear. I ran to my speakers, turning the music down enough to hear what was happening. Pressing my ear to the door, I could hear Ashton coming upstairs. He paused outside my door, before knocking loudly. I fell back, sitting as silent as I could.

"Rosie Posy, I know you're in there" he whispered teasingly. I didn't answer, but backed away from the door.

"Poor Rose, probably off cutting yourself, don't even act like you don't deserve it." he laughed and I gasped, covering my mouth as tears fell down my cheeks. I heard him leave my door, and I curled myself up into the tightest ball I could. I sobbed until my eyes burned, my chest ached and my head span. I was a mess, and the only thing that could calm me down sat in my bedside drawer.

I staggered over to it, searching deep through the mass of miscellaneous items before I felt the sharp edge of the razor catch my finger. My hand scooped it up, and I brought it speedily to my wrist. I was too busy shaking to feel anything as the blade pierced my skin. Blood began to bubble up, but I was too numb to feel it. I went deeper, until finally the pain began to fill my arm. I stopped, fumbling to put the blade back. I fell back on my bed, crying, not bothering to try and stop my arm from bleeding. It could've been a minute, or maybe an hour, before I fell asleep.