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Part 26: Misery loves company

In school, I do all I can to stay focussed and try to make up as much work as possible. But my head isn't in the right space. I pass Violet up a couple of times in the hallway, she keeps her eyes down and walks forward. I feel bad the way we left things but I still can't put it behind me. If she values are friendship so much, why couldn't she stand up for me? People are saying that I skipped school for a week because of the video. If they only knew...Rose hasn't said anything to me either. Everytime we see eachother she looks the other way. Which I couldn't be happier with. I'm glad she's finally left me alone. I head to my next class; I notice the empty seat in the corner. Did she ditch? I didn't think Violet ever ditched any classes. At lunch I sit at an empty table and take the opportunity to text Lola. I'm not ready to text Justin, I give the excuse that I'm just swamped with school work. She responds instantly, asking how I'm doing. When was the last time I contacted them? After school I waited outside, dad said he was going to drive me to school and back to Ian's house. It's basically the only way we'll see each other.

"How was school?" It's funny how simple questions like these become so difficult to answer.

"It was...difficult."

"Difficult as in hard to understand or adjust?"

"Both." Silence...

"How is it, living over there?"

"It's odd, but I'm getting used to it." I can feel the atmosphere become tense. He stops the car and drops me off. I say goodbye and head inside the new house. I step inside and spot Ali, I walk over to her. "Ali?" She snaps her head.

"Hannah, Hi!" She gives me a frozen smile. "I was just here to check on you!"

"Oh..." Why is she acting so odd?

"So, have you been?" She hugs herself with her shoulders raised.

"Okay I guess." I strain. She frowns.

"Hannah, it's not every day you get kidnapped. It's perfectly normal to feel like this."

"Thanks Ali, I really needed to hear that from someone. I mean, you're the only person that I can talk to about this."

"I know, and Hannah...whether you know this or not, you're an innocent in all of this. You know that right?" I nod my head. I figured by now.

"You can talk to me anytime, okay?" I smile at her subtly. Another day goes by, and It's the same routine only at different house. I thought it would be harder to adjust here, but I'm finding it oddly easy. School is more draining ever since the incident, it takes me longer to process things and function. I'm so tempted to call dad and say I changed my mind. But then I think about it, and realize that I'm not getting any better staying there alone. I just have to bare through it. I really need Violet. Even though she wasn't a good friend, she was at least someone I can talk to and would distract me from all of this. Now I have nobody, except Ali. Thank goodness she showed up in my life. I don't know what I would do without her. Well, at least people stopped mentioning the video. I honestly forgot about it. Everyday feels just as dreary and meaningless. The only thing I enjoy is sleep now, it's all I look forward to. I see Violet less and less, I wonder if she's ditching to avoid me? I hope not. Everytime I see her she glances at the floor, now that I think about it...I haven't seen her hanging out with Rose either? I want to text her to see if she's okay but she might not even answer. I could just be overreacting, but what if I'm not? The next day, Johnny runs over to me by my locker, he doesn't seem mad. That's a good sign, but he doesn't look happy either? He pants.

"Have you seen Violet?" I guess she didn't tell her family about our little fall out.

"No, but to be honest me and Violet aren't talking."

"Well, keep an eye out for her for me okay?" He sprints through the hallway. Didn't he hear me? I could've been mistaken but he seemed panicky? On my way to my third hour class I see Johnny on the side with his phone to his ear. "Come on, pick up! Pick up!"

"Johnny?" He lowers the phone and looks directly at me.

"Was Violet in homeroom?"

"No, I don't think so." I glance at him oddly, hoping for him to let me in on what all this is about?

"Maybe she slept in past her alarm." He mumbles. It's like he's unaware that I'm here?

"Or she ditched." I add.

"Ditched?" He snaps his head. "You haven't seen her in her classes lately?" So now I exist?

"Come to think of it, no." His hands clench.

"Hannah, want to go visit Violet?" He asks out of nowhere. His tone is stern and serious.

"Uh..sure." I surprisingly say.

"Great, let's go!" He yanks my arm, through the hallway to the parking lot. He releases my hand and sits at the driver's wheel. I sit in the front with him. He takes the car out of park and speeds out of the driveway. I clutch my seatbelt, why is he driving dangerously fast? He speeds through traffic.

"Johnny, slow down!" He keeps his eyes fixated on the road. What the hell is going on with him? He ignores me completely. By the look in his eyes, I can tell he's not himself. It's like he's spaced out or something? We arrive at their house, Johnny rushes out, not even bothering to close the door. I run in after him, "Johnny, what's going on?" He doesn't answer me.