red | e.d

forty

EDEN-JADE THURLOW

My hands gripped onto the tray of food as I walked through the cafeteria, a few pairs of eyes following me with every step I took. This was the usual, but today was different. They watched me with disgust, as if I had done something terrible that I myself wasn't even aware of.

As I was about to reach our usual lunch table, someone had jumped in front of me, stopping me from moving. His eyes glanced up and down my body quickly before he smirked, and I couldn't help but shift all of my weight onto the other foot as I waited for him to speak.

" You got a B on that Biology paper, yeah? " Jonah, a teammate of Luke's, asked me with a fake smile on his face, as though he had just plastered it on.
I raised my eyebrow at his words and eventually nodded my head, noticing how he glanced back at his dickhead friends, whom all watched us with anticipation. They were giggling, and I already knew what he was here to do.
" I was wondering if you could, I don't know, tutor me. I failed and- " He tried to say and I instantly let out a sigh, my eyebrows narrowing.
" The school year is nearly over, Jonah. Why would I tutor you now? " I asked, and the smile instantly dropped from his face, as if his plan hadn't worked.

The annoying boy looked back at his friends and they all laughed at his expense, however when my eyes met with theirs, the cheeky looks on their faces vanished.

Jonah already seemed embarrassed and when I leaned forward so that I was a little closer to him, I felt his body stiffen, his nostrils flaring out of anger.
" Listen... If you just wanted to get your dick wet before you go off to college, I'm not the girl to try this with- " I whispered with a smug smile, all before he cut me off by shaking his head, cheeks flushing bright with red.
Boom. There it is.
" Forget it. I just thought you were easy "

As Jonah walked away he muttered these words under his breath, and I couldn't help but feel a sudden flush of anger run throughout my body. That was when I started to walk back in his direction, where he was about to sit back down at a table with his friends.
" Hey, Jonah? " I asked, everyone turning back to look at me, including him, before I swung my fist directly into his nose, knocking him back against the edge of the table.
All of the boys gasped, whereas Jonah covered his nose in shock, blood covering his fingers where he desperately tried to cover the damage that I had done, out of embarrassment.

All of the boys watched Jonah now, some laughing and some staring out of shock, but one didn't. A boy, whom I recognised from around school, where he always lingered with his teammates and jock friends, stared at me, with no expression on his face. His name was Brandon Davis, and he was known for being part of the most popular group of guys in school, but also for keeping to himself. I didn't know anything about him, besides the fact that most of his friends were assholes. I couldn't quite make out the way that he was staring at me, whether it was out of anger for hurting his friend, shock, or simply intrigue. But I didn't want him to.
" What the fuck are you looking at? " I practically spat, the boy instantly tearing his eyes away from me, all of the guys around him turning to face him.

That was the last thing I said before Principal Marino burst through the cafeteria doors, eyes furious and his fists practically curled up into balls.
" Eden-Jade, come with me. Now "

RED

I rolled my eyes as Principal Marino opened the door for me to leave his office, my eyes instantly landing on Ethan, who was slumped down in the uncomfortable chair outside. When he saw me he jumped up, his eyes wide and almost filled with what looked like confusion. Either that, or disappointment, I couldn't tell.

" What the fuck was that about, Eden-Jade? " Ethan whisper-yelled, the use of my full name making me roll my eyes dramatically.
I walked straight past the boy and he didn't hesitate to follow shortly behind me, bombarding me with questions.
" I was going to say that you sound like my fucking dad but A, he's dead and B, he didn't give a shit anyway, so- " I mumbled under my breath out of anger, before I felt Ethan grab my wrist.
His touch was gentle yet filled with the intention to stop me, something which showed that he cared and didn't want to be forceful, but that he also wanted me to talk to him. This was enough for me to stop dead in my tracks, looking him in the eye.

" It was nothing, I just lost my temper " I blatantly lied, looking down at the ground before I met with the boy's intimidating yet extremely inviting hazel eyes, afraid to get lost in them.
" Bullshit. You had a clean record for weeks, Jade- You were doing so well " Ethan sighed, shaking his head before he glanced to the side, not wanting to look at me.
I felt guilty, beyond guilty, now. All Ethan wanted was for me to try the best I possibly could to stay out of trouble so that I could get into the college that I wanted to go to, and I had failed him yet another time.

I placed my hand against the boy's face gently and turned him to look back down at me, his eyes staring so deeply into my own. I pouted jokingly and let my other hand rest on the back of his neck, my fingertips gently running up his hairline.

" If it makes you feel any better, Marino let me off with a warning. He said that I've been doing surprisingly well recently, and he didn't want to ruin my chances of having a clean record.. Since, you know, colleges look for that king of shit " I announced, watching as Ethan breathed a sigh of relief, raising an eyebrow as though he were about to ask one more question, before I spoke again " And yes, I'm still allowed to go to prom "

This made Ethan's lips break out into a smile, all before he leant downwards, placing a soft peck against my lips. My eyes fluttered shut at the feeling of pure bliss, all before Ethan had pulled away, reaching behind his neck to take my hand in his. He examined it and when he saw the dark bruise that was starting to form on my knuckles, he instantly groaned.

That was when he leant downwards once more, pressing his lips against each one of my knuckles, as if he were trying to kiss them better. I smiled at him as he did this, whilst he spoke up.
" What did he say to you? " Ethan asked me in a low and quiet voice, as though he wanted to know what people were saying about his girlfriend, but also that he didn't want to know for his own sake.
Ethan would have been hurt if I were to tell him Jonah's exact words, simply for the reason being that it upsets him when people trash talk his girlfriend.
" Nothing I haven't heard before " Is how I responded, wanting to leave it at that.

It was true. I'd heard countless people call me a slut, call me desperate or call me easy, like Jonah did. Words hurt, especially when it first starts. But now, after years of living through the reputation that these cruel names have built for me, the words only sting. One day, I won't feel anything about them at all. That could be a good thing, I would have overcome my insecurities. But that could also mean that these harmless words have tore every ounce of real feeling out of my body for good. And that is not a good thing.

To get over something, you need to allow yourself to feel it first. You need to feel it, accept it, and then, you can move on, and heal. But what if there's nothing left to feel?

Ethan tilted his head to the side as he stared at me, trying to analyse what I was thinking or whether I was truly okay. I was, and when he knew that, he let out yet another sigh, and glanced down at his feet.

" You're the strongest person I have ever, and will ever meet "