Oblivion

Chapter One

Dedicated to my loyal Keeping Traditions readers: jezza2017, _cupcake_maia, instructions0000000, kagelover, BitchIsFabulous, freyaw100, and BelindaSmit! (I can't tag you, sorry.) Thanks so much, all of you. I hope you enjoy my own series as much as you did the fan fiction that started it. Your votes and comments keep me going!

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I slammed the door to my bedroom and threw myself onto the twin bed, lying face down to muffle my sobs. My parents, of course, weren't home when I came in from my absurdly long day of preparatory academy. Most days I was able to at least change out of my uniform before I broke down.

Not today.

Today had been the worst yet. I had gotten used to being bullied by the other girls over the years. I had learned to tune it out. Today, however, they found a new low.

I had met a guy I really liked a few months ago and we started dating after a couple of weeks. Everything was perfect with our relationship. He was kind and caring and always thoughtful. Every date was the best time I had since the last.

We had a camping trip over the weekend and had sex. It was my first time and I thought it was magical. But then, today, at school, there he was talking to my bullies. I watched him hand them my underwear from that night, stained with blood. They gave him a wad of cash in exchange and I felt my world break apart.

I felt dirty.

I looked around my neatly appointed room filled with stuffed animals and academic awards starting during my first year of school. I thought it would make my parents happy with me, or force them to spend time with me. It hadn't worked. I didn't exist to them.

Why do I bother? I always wondered.

I looked at my bag knowing those papers wouldn't write themselves, then heard my phone chime from my pocket. I slipped the slim device out and tapped the screen to see the notification preview. My parents were both out of town until the next week, emergency business trips. I rolled my eyes and shook my head tossing the phone at my pillows where it safely landed.

I caught sight of my reflection and grimaced. My eyes were red and swollen from crying, my mascara and eyeliner leaving streaks down my cheeks. My braid was coming undone, stray hairs floating all around my face and shoulders.

Defeated, I stripped out of my uniform and climbed into bed. I couldn't face another minute of this day. Crying so much, for so long, had worn me out. Sleep easily swept me away once I got comfortable.

I woke up to my phone ringing somewhere near my head. It took a moment to remember what happened after school. Ready to go right back to sleep, I checked who was calling and the time before I answered.

"I was sleeping," I complained.

"Are you serious? What? Are you, like, eighty and I just didn't know it?" my best friend, Jessica, replied on the other end of the call. "Dude, it's eight at night. What's wrong?"

I told her everything that had happened. She knew about my, now, ex-boyfriend. She knew about my plans for our camping trip, I had called her while I got ready. Halfway through telling her I was in tears again and her previous attitude vanished as if it never existed.