No Pills

Sing for them

WARNING: This chapter contains swearing and abuse. Read at your own risk.

Mia's P.O.V

Thursday.

I am working at a nightclub on Thursday.

I didn't have a say. I still don't.

Aunt Lisa said we needed the money. She said our bills won't wait for me to return to work next month. She said I was just going to sing. She said nothing wrong would happen. She said, and through it all, I just nodded. I can't fight with her or any crazy girlfriend or any pervert or anybody again. I'm tired of this.

Screw it; let's sing or whatever.

On Thursday, I find myself hyperventilating for no reason, like during the calculus test yesterday. That one was so sudden that Noah got scared and gave me his answers, thinking I had test anxiety.

"-Mia."

"Hey, Mia!"

"Earth to Mia!!"

"Huh?" I snap out of staring at the hour hand to meet hazelnut eyes.

"Congratulations on your test score," Noah motions to the 98% on the sheet between my fingers. I clear my throat, "urr... Thanks?"

"Urr... Welcome?" He mimics me, resulting in me returning the smile.. or trying to.

"You ok?" He tips his head sideways in concern.

"Mhmm. Thanks for helping me cheat," I chuckle, so he stops looking at me like a lost puppy. He turns to Mrs Peters, who is marking our homework, then muses,

" You didn't submit yours the last time."

"Ya, like probably half of the class." There is a brief pause.

"You hid in the washroom too long."

"If I didn't know better, I would say you are obsessed with me."

"Huh, in your dreams," he replies, clicking his tongue, "I'm just a concerned citizen. You keep looking worse than shit every day, so I was curious. Aren't you friends with Casey? Surely you should have some concealer if you hang with her crowd."

"Isn't Mrs Peters reading your assignment?" My head sways in her direction. Fortunately, that veers his attention to the teacher as she closes the last book and massages her temples.

"Na, what I wrote is better than whatever is giving her a headache," his smile wavers a bit. The woman stands.

"Tomorrow, you are all going to read your poems and maybe convince me not to quit my job, ok?" She grunts to no one in particular.

"Yes, Mrs Peters," we match her lack of enthusiasm.

"Good, now disappear." Everyone does gladly.

I don't make it past the door when Casey appears, panting. Before I can even accustom myself to her hand on my shoulder, she smiles. "Hey, you. Let's go. "

"Go where?"

"I don't know, just come with me."

When my frown deepens, she slides her hand under my elbow and pouts. " I am trying to make it up to you for what happened with Harry. I should have stood up for you, but I didn't know what happened until Jeremy told me."

"That's fine, and you don't have to make it up to me," I mutter appreciatively, but she relents. Somehow, she lures me to the pool, where her friends leave puddles as footsteps towards us.

She hops to them, after muttering that I should wait for the coach. That's when the favour she's trying to offer me starts registering. I humour her by sitting on the bench as their training begins, knowing that her plan won't work anyway.