Avonlea High

Chapter 7

TRIGGER WARNING (for the next few chapters): substance/alcohol abuse, mentions of suicide etc. sorry 🤷🏼‍♀️

Anne
The halls were too crowded. I couldn't be seen with all these people around. He was bound to be one of them. I already have to face him in half my classes. I couldn't bear to do it in the halls either. I pulled my red hoodie tighter over my face. I couldn't bear the horrid stares either. Those were the worst. I put my locker combination in three times before finally getting it open. My hands were shaky and they wouldn't stop. I grabbed my books for the day and headed off to Math. The place where I would have to sit right next to him. I heard the first bell as I was halfway to class. I slipped into the classroom taking my seat before role. I had my notebook out and was already working on the introductory problem. And then he came in. Just as the second bell rang. I don't know why my eyes insisted on looking up at him. But he didn't look good. He looked tired. He looked angry. He wore dark circles under his eyes and a scowl among his lips. This was all my fault.
He sat down beside me dropping his things loudly to the floor. Mr.Bailey gave him a warning. Gilbert scoffed pulling out his things slamming them in the table as he sucked liquid up a straw from his water bottle. It was on purpose. The slamming in the table. To make a point to me that I screwed up. I made him that way. Mr.Bailey gave him a second warning. And Gilbert decided it was best to talk back to the teacher. That got him a detention and was told to leave the class.
       "Gladly," he growled leaving.
The period passed and we were in another class together. He did exactly as earlier this morning. But he only got sent out of class. I raised my hand to go to the bathroom. Well that's what I said. But it was to chase after the angry boy. I left the classroom looking to both ends of the hall. I saw him slam the door forward. He was leaving school all together. I ran down the hall catching the door before it shut loudly. I pulled myself outside.
       "Gilbert!" I called.
He stopped in his tracks. He turned with a glare in his eyes. Darkness.
        "What do you want Carrots?" Venom laced his words.
The nickname I had grown to like now hurt. It was like a stab to the heart. One that scared me more than hurt me.
       "Where are you going?"
       "Home. I can't be here," he turned to walk away.
       "Why?" I asked.
He began to laugh. Not the joyful laugh I couldn't get enough of hearing. It was nowhere near that. It was dark, demented. He chuckled like he thought I was joking. Like he was laughing at me.
       "You gotta ask?" he scoffed.
       "Yeah I do."
       "Figure it out Red. You broke me. In my eyes, for no goddamn reason. Have a good fucking day."
Sarcasm laced his words. Beside those three. Saying I broke him. Those, I could feel that pain and truth in them. With that he left. I watched him saunter away. I saw his hands move to his face like he was wiping away tears. I broke him. The person I didn't want to hurt.

Was I right?

It was Diana. What she had said yesterday. I don't know how she knew that I wasn't in class. Or that Gilbert and I spoke. I looked at my phone and saw a tear drop onto the screen.

I broke him Di. I thought I was doing this for the better. I only made it worse

I know

I looked at those two words she sent. She stopped signing her messaging. So I knew that it was serious. I had to go back to class. I forced myself to push myself through the day. A notification pinged on my phone at lunch. It was a post on Gilbert's photography account on Instagram.