Relentless

Chapter 33

Juliet

Being eighteen feels weird. I feel like I have more responsibilities, but I feel like I'm still a kid.

I've been wearing the necklace Ashton gave me every day. I never take it off. I've never had something that meant so much to me in my life.

It's Wednesday morning and I'm waiting by my locker for Erica. Ashton was absent yesterday because he had to stay home and take care of Antonia because she's sick, so I don't know if he's coming in today.

"Hey there." Erica says, sitting down at my locker with me.

"Hey."

"So how's your morning going?"

"I feel so tired it's insane. What about you?"

"I feel the same way. The weather's pretty cruddy. That's probably why."

"I have rehearsal until six today."

"Sucks for you. I'm going straight home after school."

I go through my bag and pull out a granola bar. Every day I bring one and Erica and I split it. I break it in half and give it to her.

"So how are things in the boy department?" Erica asks.

"Amazing! I mean, have you seen the necklace?"

"Yes, Juliet. You show me every morning."

"I'm sorry, but I never thought that I would feel this way."

"What way?"

"In love. He's so caring and compassionate and loving and handsome and,"

"Okay, I get it."

"I feel like I'm living a fairy tale. He keeps telling me how much I mean to him and that I'm beautiful and it's... It's... Weird."

"Ha! It's weird?" Erica asks, laughing.

"Extremely."

"I wish I had a weird boyfriend, then."

"Yeah." I smile, playing with the necklace hanging on my neck. "He's my weirdo."

"Alright," She says, standing up. "You enjoy your stay in La La Land. I have to go to my locker in Realityville." As she turns and walks away, I snap myself out of my trance and run after her.

"Wait, I'm coming!" When I catch up to her, I see her giggling and I look at her. "What?"

"You're cute, Summers."

As we walk to Erica's locker, I see a group of Ashton's friends gathered in their little huddle, however, my boyfriend isn't there. But guess who is.

Brooke.

When Erica bends down to her locker, I lean against the wall and try to listen to what the group is saying.

"What do you mean? What type of excuse is he looking for?" Brooke asks.

"He practically said he needs to get rid of someone but he doesn't want to do it. He wants us to do the dirty work." One of the boys says.

"You're making it sound like he's going to kill someone. He just needs an excuse to get away from someone." The guy next to him says.

"Who?" Brooke asks.

"He wouldn't say. He's staying home today, so I'll go to his house after school and ask him for more information."

"Why isn't he in school?" Brooke asks.

"You're just full of questions aren't you?" The other boy asks.

"Shut up, Tyler." The more mature one says. "His sister is sick so he's stuck with her."

"I'll talk to him then." Brooke says. "If you boys are desperate enough to come to me then something must be up." And with that, she walks away.

She's going to Ashton's house. Without me being there...

Am I jealous?

The better question is, why does Ashton want to get away from someone, and who is it?