Tumbling Down (Dance Moms Fanfic)

Comeback (Ch.17)

Monday morning. As bad as they are, I feel a good day coming on. I'm full of energy for dance, prepared for all the tests or quizzes my teachers will throw at me, and...well, I think we all know the really real reason.

On the way to school, I'm actually smiling, but not enough for Rock to notice. But a loud beep from my phone ends that.

"Remember me? Oh you don't? Well maybe you remember these:"

And attached are like 15 pictures of me with Rock. Either us kissing or hugging or standing close. Half of them are in my house.

How are they in my house?!

Oh. My. God.

No.

I can feel my heartbeat speed up, but does say anything. I simply lock my phone and pretend everything is fine.

Rock: What's wrong?
Me: What?
Rock: Who texted you?
Me: Nobody.
Rock: Don't lie.
Me: It was nobody!
Rock: Your overreacting says it wasn't nobody.
Me: Well it wasn't.

I sit stiffly against the leather seat, not even daring to act like I'm not okay.

I feel his fingers lace with mine, but I don't let my fingers curl. The thumb rubbing the back of my hand doesn't comfort me either.

When we get to school, I don't even say bye to Rock; I just speedwalk away.

The first thing I notice is stares - which is weird because I never notice people. But they're all staring at me.

Why?

I slow my walk - stupidly - to my locker. The closer I get, the more snickers there are. Although they are quiet, they're amplified in my ears.

And my locker, of course, is easiest to spot: pictures all over it.

This is what she was waiting for. An explosion of my embarrassment. A way to exploit me big time, even though I didn't do anything.

This is bad.

Snickers turn to full blown laughs as I tear all the pictures away off my locker. My hand is pinched by the swinging garbage door as I throw out the pictures, but I don't care.

Girl: Doesn't matter if you throw those out. Everyone has copies.

I look up and behind me. Whoever was talking to me is gone.

But when I try to fight my way through the crowd, it consists of being shoved and pushed, me having to frustratedly jab and kick my way through. Finally getting to the stairs, which a pretty cleared out, I decide to take them instead of going to class.

My feet speed me down the steps, planning to take me to the back hallways and that are pretty much abandoned. Halfway there, I feel a hand on my shoulder. I turn around, though I'm half scared to death.

Half of me is relieved it's Rock, half of me hates that it's him.

Me: No.
Rock: Was that whole-
Me: No, stop. Just-

I take a breath.

Me: I don't need a knight in shining armor.

I turn on my heel, speeding away.

Once I hit the beginning of the back hallways, I begin to run. Once I round the corner, the warning bell sounds.

So relieving. Rock will be going to class and everything will be fine. I can throw my bag on the floor and cry.

But then I hear someone call my name. But it isn't Rock.

It's Drew.

Drew: What are you doing here?

I don't turn around, but I can hear his footsteps. I don't want to talk to him either.

Me: Just go away.
Drew: Can't.
Me: And why not?
Drew: Because.

I lean closer to the wall across from me. My hands support me and I lean against the somewhat rough and cool surface.

Me: Did you see it?
Drew: See what?
Me: Then no. Did he see it?
Drew: I really doubt it. Unless he just went to go see.

I let out a small cry and rest my head on the wall.

Me: I should go home.
Drew: No, you should go to class and learn something.
Me: I can't sit there and let everyone look at me!!
Drew: You are gonna have to face it eventually.

I turn around and lean my back against the wall.

Me: I don't want to. I'm not one to do that. I just...

I look up at him, hoping I can persuade him into it. All I get is a hug, but I'll take it.

~*~*~*~*~*~

It's so cold.

But I don't want to move. I like the cold. Even though my hair is probably freezing just like my bones are.

And the tears I cried hours ago are stuck to my cheeks.

My phone rings. Again. Before even looking at the caller ID I end the call.

But about a half hour later, I hear the gate to the fence open. I don't turn my body, seeing as how it always does that.

Drew: When did you leave? After you were told not to?
Me: Pretty much.

I keep staring at the cloud covered sky, not even looking over when he comes by the hammock.

Drew: How long have you been out here?
Me: What time is it?
Drew: 2:34.
Me: Then like 6 hours.
Drew: You're freezing.
Me: I don't care.
Drew: You will when you get hypothermia.
Me: No I won't.
Drew: Need me to drag you inside?
Me: I need you to leave.
Drew: Not until sense is talked into you.
Me: You'll die before that happens.
Drew: Yeah you're being dragged.

He pulls my arm until I fall off the hammock. Just so he'll shut up, I put my hands up in surrender.

Me: Fine.

We go sit on my couch, but I don't face him. Too many people are getting in the way of my being-upsetness.

Drew: Nothing that happened was really that bad.
Me: Oh so that happens all the time? The entire school calling me a whore is normal. I see.

He rolls his eyes.

Drew: No...but you can't just not go to school. They'll keep doing it until they know it's not bugging you.
Me: Yeah they will. They'll find some other way to do it.
Drew: No they won't.
Me: You've never been the target of anything. So shut up.
Drew: Fine. But if you won't talk to me, talk to whoever that guy is. He really cares.
Me: And he really is only around because Chloe isn't.
Drew: I don't think so.

I look over.

Me: Huh?
Drew: He really cares about you. You don't see it?
Me: I mean I guess but-
Drew: He does. I don't get it, but he does. Don't be stupid.
Me: I'm not stupid.
Drew: Not at all. But sometimes you do stupid things. Don't mess this up.

He stands, I'm guessing, to leave.

Me: So what do I do about everything else?
Drew: Just don't let them see it hurt you. Fake it 'til you make it and then they'll go away. But fix what you can fix right now. Now.

I look down as he leaves. The cold finally gets to me and I have to wrap myself up in blankets.

My mind races with inner-turmoil thoughts. I'm going down, I can tell. And I don't wanna take anyone with me.

But not many minutes later, my phone breaks its silence with a text message.

"Are you going to school tomorrow?"