⚙︎ Falling Apart ⚙︎

⚙︎ Teenage Angst ⚙︎

The rest of the day seemed to blur on, every subject bleeding into the next, until finally it was time to be released from Hell so we could run away back to the safety of our houses.

The bell rang for end of the last period, and as everyone went to get their things, our History teacher Ms Cooper barked "The bell does not dismiss you, I do!"

Everyone groaned and sank back into their seats.

I looked up from the piece of paper I had been scribbling on and saw my friends giving each other eye-rolls.

When they didn't make contact with me, I felt a small but unavoidable pang of sadness.

"Okay, get going." Ms Cooper ordered.

As students burst into chatter around me, getting up to leave, I shoved my book in my bag and zipped it up.

The zipper jammed.

Dam!

"Hold up, guys," I called to my friends. 

I did up the zipper as Ms Cooper sat at her own desk, glowering at the pile of papers she had to mark.

I finally did up the zipper and whipped my bag around, slipping my other arm through the strap.

I lifted my stiff head up and looked skyward; my neck ached from looking down for so long.

"Okay, now let's –"

I looked back down to see nobody in front of me.

I thought I had been talking to Casey, Skye, Gracie, or Lily.

But I hadn't. There was nobody next to me.

Because they were all gone.

<⚙︎>

My feet thudded on the concrete, sounding like thunder against the pavement.

I ran to Lyn's classroom and peered in.

She was still there, packing up her utensils and things, the only one left. I waited outside the door.

She finished and walked out, where I surprised her.

"BOO!" I yelped as she glanced at me.

"Heyup, Gypsy," she said instead.

Disappointing. Guess I'll have to surprise her a different way.

I walked with her to the gate, talking along the way.

"I heard Jason in chemistry likes you," I said with a straight face.

Lyn stopped and gaped. "Really? Where did you –"

I laughed. "Sorry, Lyn," I apologised. "He doesn't. But at least I surprised you now!"

Evelyn got really quiet and stared at the ground as she walked. "Not funny," she said.

I felt a sense of dread swirl inside my ribcage, like I had done something irreversible. "Hey," I reassured, "it was just a joke."

Immediately I realised that was the wrong thing to say.

Evelyn glared at me. "Don't joke about someone liking me," she said.

I felt the dread get heavier, more dense, more real.

"Sorry!" I said, forcefully. "I didn't know you'd get so defensive over it, I was just tryna play around!"

"What's wrong with you?"