Life of A High School Student

Chapter 12: Too Far

12th Week of School...

Monday

With everything that's going on I haven't been able to socialize a lot with my friends. But since midterms are officially over, I plan to have a lunchtime with no studying for once and try to catch up with them a bit.

School went by swiftly since we were just reviewing for our midterms later this week and because of my love for studying, I got through it fairly quickly. I practiced my clarinet, made a study sheet for math and reread Macbeth for English, everything was going as planned for today.

By the time lunch rolls around I'm excited to finally have some time to relax and talk to my friends. Since Abby has been avoiding me since the call I had with her and, our friend group had gotten a little smaller.

Nonetheless I line up for my food and decide to give myself Lasagna and Oreos today, my favourites. With my tray I start walking to the table we usually sit at and see Irene and Maria already there. They greet me with delight as I continue to walk towards them, I see Dante across the cafeteria and once he notices me he waves. Smiling I wave back then sit myself down beside Maria.

"Hey!"

"Kiara we were just talking about you!" Irene smiles gleefully knowing full well what they were saying.

"Sorry, I still don't like anyone at Lakeshore yet."

Disbelief still on their faces as I face them,

"Come on, you're surrounded by someone that obviously has feelings for you and you always turn a blind eye!"
Maria starts stating not believing me for a second.

What who? Oh.

"You mean Dante? But we're just friends! I care about him deeply but he knows I'm not looking for a relationship right now. Besides, there are hundreds of girls in this school that like them, he gets their pick out of the litter."

Dante was naturally a sociable person unlike me and that's what made him so well-liked. He's multi-talented, plays multiple instruments, does sports, and has decent grades. He got along with almost everyone and knows how to make the most awkward situations comfortable. The main two points though is that he's sociable, and good at sports, so that's a bell-ringer for girls here, surprisingly.

Second to him would probably be Andrew, he didn't join any sports teams in our school except his plan to join Badminton and Baseball at the end of the year, but he was a very active participant in our school with fundraisers and clubs that teachers loved him. The fact that he has a reputation for being one of the smartest in our grade, he isn't seen as the stereotypical nerd, unlike me.

It's only been about two months but's it's as if everything has already fallen into place as the two of them are arguably the most popular within the Freshmen.

Andrew and Dante met this year when I introduced them to each other. They got along fairly well but they're in different friend groups so I doubt they talk to each other often.

"Look Kiara, we're not trying to rush you or anything but it's high school, this is the time to branch out and to look for others. Sometimes it doesn't work out but in the end its worth a shot."

"Yes, I know...I'm sorry again Irene. Honestly, if I find the right person than I'll go for it, but for now I need to really focus."

They nod and we continue to silently eat our food, I reach out to grab my fork but then I realized, I had forgotten to get one and didn't know until after I finished eating my Oreos first.

Face-palming myself I sigh as I tell Irene and Maria I have to go get the utensil and line up again.

The eating area was shockingly empty today and a lot of tables were vacant, I heard though that a coffee shop was opening up nearby today, so that's possibly why a lot of people aren't here.

As I'm walking past all the food, another person comes up from behind and stops me in my tracks. I avoid his gaze.

"Nathan...I already said no so please leave me alone." I shake my head remembering my previous conversation of not wanting a relationship right now.

He continues to stare at me with no emotion, he had been trying so hard for the past few weeks but I continuously ignored him. Hoping he'd give up, I wasn't someone who he should want to date anyway,

"Come on Kiara! I know so much about you already! I got you your favourite flowers! Courted you for weeks and you still won't change your mind!"

I scoff at his remarks, "Court as in stalk me? That's not how you get someone to give you a chance! Don't mix up being possessive and in love. Now for the last time. Leave. Me. Alone."

I walk away not bothering to get my fork but Nathan grabs my wrists refusing to let go.

"Don't be like that! What is it you want! I'll do anything! Don't walk away from me now!"

Groups of people start paying attention to us and in a panic I start to look around for the supervisor. I mutter under my breath remembering that they usually monitor the halls at this time and start to struggle under his grip. Dante starts walking towards us, but I shake my head not wanting him to get involved.

I take a deep breath and look up at Nathan again.

"Nathan, stop it."

"You'll see! Just come with me and give me a chance!

He starts dragging me outside the cafeteria

"Let go of me!"

Once he started to hold my wrist tighter, I winced at the pain. I look for a way out of this and I raise my hand up, without thinking I make contact with Nathan's cheek. Slapping him as hard as I could.

Shocked realizing I just hit him, his face morphs into anger as he pushes me down on the ground hard as he could and I fall. I hear shouts erupt into the cafeteria as I try to get back up but I feel nausea overcome me. I had hit my head on a cool surface and see blood dripping on the floor as my vision starts to blur.

Nathan starts approaching me again, a crazed look in his eyes but before he could get closer he falls onto the ground as someone punches him in the face. I hear a few voices that I recognize.

"YOU CROSSED A LINE!"

"DANTE STOP"

I see Dante in the front and Andrew behind him, and in anger, he continues his assault on Nathan but Andrew tries to hold him back from doing any more damage, Irene appalled about what just happened tries to get me to stand up, but I feel too weak right now. I attempt to put weight on my arms and push myself up, but I know I'm losing consciousness by the second.

Once Andrew was able to calm him down, Dante turns around and finally gets a good look at me, his anger morphed into hurt as he starts approaching, but before he reaches me, my body gives and I black out.