Dead Roses

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Chapter Four

London's P.O.V

Trailing through the cafeteria, bodies of students flood the room scavenging for empty tables or leeching themselves onto cheap deforested meals. Imperfect lines of people wait impatiently drooling over the meals made from 60% plastic.

My eyes skim the cafeteria, in search of an empty table. After spotting a nicely unaccompanied bench, I plop myself down. Food scraps litter the tabletop, along with a puddle of milk smothering the far right side. Students avoid inviting themselves to sit with me, due to my blazing stare directed to anyone waltzing there way towards my table. I'd like to keep my bench VIP instead of hearing sympathetic people turn my incident into there own. I greedily sink my teeth into my apple, filling my stomach with anything other then nicotine, I invite the vague tastes covered by smoke, to plant themselves onto my tastebuds once again.

A figure towered over me as I ate, I look up shooting the person above me a deathly glare just I as had done with the other pitiful students.

Fucking Nyke.

His cornflower-blue eyes bored into mine as I attempted to intimidate him with my glare, but he seemed to be anything but intimidated as he gained a humorous look in his eyes and a low chuckle rumbled from the back of his throat.

"May I sit with you Lonnie?" He asks ever so politely. I nod as response. "I'm sorry."

"I don't want your pity," I spit before biting into my apple.

"What makes you think I pity you?" He began. "I am sorry, I caused all of this" he gestures to the half-eaten apple in my hands.

"You did nothing," I say truthfully.

"I tested the waters with Greyson and as a result of that, he hurt you. I'm so sorry Lonnie," genuine lacing his voice.

"Alright," I smile a small smile.

"Are we still strangers?" His smile mirrors mine.

"Yes, indeed we are," I playfully glare at him.

***

My head lies heavily, dependent on the brick wall holding it up, as sympathetic smiles perch my way, walking into the premises of the school.

The class I've dreaded all day is happening... in less than ten minutes. Through all my excuses and scenarios that have played on a continuous loop all day, I can't bring myself to walk through the classroom doors. I can't begin to fathom our relationship status, has he moved on? Will he still be by my side? One part of me craves Greyson, another part is attempting to drag me away, forcing me to see he isn't the person I said 'I love you' to countless times. But can I take what's about to happen? Will this be another reason to push me further over the edge?

"Hey beautiful," speak of the devil, "Can I sit?"

"Sure," I respond flatly. Greyson sits beside me keeping our distance, but he lightly tucks strands of my loose hair behind my ear.

"I've missed you," he begins to gently stroke my arm.

"Greyson," his name feels foreign as it rolls off my tongue. "What are we? I haven't heard from you in weeks. And as far as I'm concerned, you could have been hooking up with other girls. We haven't been us," I finish.

"I love you still, I'll prove it," he adds with a wink.

"How?" Although I understand exactly what he means, I question it, pushing him to confirm my consciousness that's been rattling inside my head with the answer.