I Don't Deserve Love: Alternate Ending

Chapter 10: The Absentee Note

The day went by without much more drama. I had to assure Iris I was fine a dozen times before she eventually believed me, but Kentin would not be convinced that I wasn't hiding my true feelings of pain and embarrassment. It made me smile when his eyes had gone huge and his chin had quivered, but he promised to defend me from anyone who tried to pick on me at lunch. Kentin hadn't been able to go through with his promise though because Dajan and his teammates decided to eat lunch with us, so anyone who had planned to tease me backed off. Dajan and I even traded phone numbers so he could text me if the basketball club ever needed any help.

After classes were over, I walked to the student council room while wondering what Nathaniel was planning on talking to me about. I knocked lightly on the door and I heard the scrape of a chair. Soon the door opened and Nathaniel smiled down at me.

"Thank you for coming, Opal. Come on in." I stepped in and Nathaniel closed the door behind me but stayed near the door. I leaned against one of the desks in the room and faced him.

"So, why did you want to meet?" I asked, feeling a little weird that the door was closed and it was just the two of us. Nathaniel studied me silently for what felt like minutes but was probably only a few seconds. I felt the urge to fidget nervously but I made myself meet his gaze with a questioning one of my own. Suddenly he leaned against the doorframe and sighed.

"Opal, you really aren't going to tell me who is responsible for what happened today?" I inwardly groaned. I had hoped that he would let it go. Apparently not, I thought tiredly.

"No. There's no reason for you to know."

"And if they had tried to hurt you physically you wouldn't tell me about that either, would you?" His tone had turned harder as if he wasn't really asking a question. I paused for a moment but then slowly I shook my head.

"I can take care of myself," I said, slowly but firmly. Nathaniel's eyes narrowed and he took a step towards me.

"That's your reason? I thought I was your friend. Why are you keeping this from me?"

"I've only known you for a week!" I said and then instantly regretted it. His eyes shone with hurt and a flash of guilt went through me. "I'm sorry, Nathaniel. I do consider you a friend but... The way I was raised..." I looked around uneasily, wondering how to explain without giving away anything. I sighed and met his golden gaze. "Nathaniel, I have always looked after myself. I don't expect other people to help me and I don't really know how to accept help from others. I don't want to cause you any problems. So, just let it go, okay?"

It felt strange to admit something like this to someone I was still getting to know, and a guy at that. I met Nathaniel's golden eyes and tried to plead with my eyes that he just let this go. Nathaniel's narrowed eyes slowly relaxed and a small frown turned his lips down. With a shake of his head, he sighed and walked over to his desk and sat down.

"Opal... I have heard rumors, lots of rumors about who put these pictures up and about what happened in the cafeteria on Tuesday." I sucked in a breath, not wanting to be the cause of anger between him and his sister. Nathaniel put his elbows on the desk, interlaced his fingers and rested his chin on them, looking at me steadily. "I really don't want to believe these rumors, Opal. But, I NEED you to tell me if it's true. Has my sister been the one bullying you?"

I folded my arms across my stomach and looked away from him. What am I supposed to say? I didn't want to lie to him, he'd probably see right through it and be hurt that I tried, but I didn't want to tell him the truth either since it would cause problems between Amber and him. I looked over at him cautiously and his position hadn't changed in the least.

"If I said yes, IF... then what would you do?" I asked, hearing the misery and hesitance in my voice. This is so typical of you, Opal. Why do I always ruin things for the people I am around? I thought to myself as my throat tightened with restrained emotion.