Into The Woods

Chapter 14

Lark:
She snapped at me.
Suzette Carrier snapped at me and for once she didn't tell me what was bothering her.
It was lunch and I couldn't find her anywhere. I sit at my normal table with Porter, Kendall, and Jake. Chasity slides in the chair next to me. She grabs my hand and smiles. I smile back but I want to pull my hand away. I want to leave and go find Suzette. But Chasity would probably think I care more about Suzette than her, which I do, but I don't want to make her feel bad.
"Hey Lark where's Suzette. I asked her to sit with us today and she said no." Kendall says.
"I don't know. Chasity?" I say.
"I don't know where she is." Chasity says.
"You guys are best friends." I say.
"Doesn't mean I always have to know where she is." She snaps back.
Two girls have snapped at me today. I can't take it anymore. I stand up and walk away. I hear Chasity call my name. I just want her to leave me alone. If she never would have came then Suzette could be my girlfriend. I go to the guys bathroom and a shadow appears behind me. Strong arms grab me and push me against the wall. I look into the green eyes of Tyson.
"What do you want?" I spit out.
"Who's Suzette?" He hisses.
"My friend." I say.
He opens his mouth to speak and then his eyes turn stone cold. He pushes against my throat with his arm and I try to gasp for air.
"Have you told her about Faith?" He says.
"No!" I gasp.
"You are not to tell anyone about Faith or me. If you do then I will hunt you down and kill you. Got it!" He says.
I nod.
My eyes feel heavy and I feel the panic rising in me. He sees me about to pass out and his arm moves. I fall to my knees, gasping for breath.
"And you still have to help us surprise Chasity tomorrow." He says.
I nod again.
"I'll see you tomorrow then. Maybe I can meet Suzette." He says with a smirk.
I growl low in my throat.
He laughs and then disappears out through the door. I throw water onto my face that is now ghastly pale. In the mirror my reflection has changed. My hazel eyes have black rings underneath them from loss of sleep. My blonde hair is long, falling over my forehead and shaggy. My hands are pale and my fingers look thinner.
"Oh god!" I moan.
What is happening to me? I want to find Suzette so that I can tell her about what just happened. She's the only one that will understand what is happening to me. I'm like a zombie now.
My phone goes off and my hands shake as I reach to grab it.
Unknown: You better watch out for your little girlfriend.
Suzette.
I rush to the girls bathroom because where else would she be. I walk in and I don't care that all the other girls are looking at me. They squeal and leave. I hear sobs coming from the stall in the end. I knock and whisper "Suzette?"
The crying stops and the door opens to a red eyed Suzette. I expect her to wrap her arms around me but she doesn't. She shoves me.
Hard.
I stumble backwards.
"What the hell Suze!" I say.
"Who do you think you are? You think you can just treat me like crap and then suddenly we are best friends again." She spats in my face.
I grab her by the shoulders and look into her eyes.
"YOU are the one who told me that you didn't want to be with me because of Chasity. God damn it Suzette! I wanted you more than I wanted Chasity. I don't even like Chasity. But I'm going to prom with her for you. Because I lo-" I start to say before she interrupts me.
"DON'T YOU DARE SAY YOU LOVE ME!" She yells.
She tries to pull out of my arms but I grip her tighter.
"You are going to let me say it because it's true and I'm not going to deny it anymore. You can say you don't love me back and that's okay with me. But I'm not going to lie about how I feel." I say.
She starts to cry and I brush her tears off her cheeks. I cup her chin and tilt her head up so her eyes are meeting mine. We bring our lips together. I can taste the moist salt of her tears but I kiss it away. I trace my hands down her sides until they rest on her hips. She leans into me and her lips part. I break away to breathe and she is looking up at me with love. But she's too scared to admit it.
"I love you." I say.
She pulls away from me and this time I let her. She puts her face in her hands and groans.
"No. I can't say anything back Lark. It's too soon." She says.
"Okay." I say.
"I don't think that we should talk to each other anymore Lark." She says.
"What!"
"I'm sorry but I can't." She mumbles.
"No come on Suze please don't do this. Your my best friend." I beg her.
"Lark you will always be my best friend but until prom is over I don't think we should be near each other. For Chasity's sake." She says.
She walks back towards me and I feel my breath catch as she puts her palm to my cheek. She leans forward and her mouth is at my ear.
"The reason I didn't say I loved you back isn't because it's not true but because of her." She whispers.
She leans back and smiles. She turns away and walks out of the bathroom. I stand there staring blankly after her like an idiot.
A girl walks in and she jumps in surprise when she sees me.
"Um this is the girls bathroom" the girls says.
I push past her and out into the hallway. I don't care that everyone is staring at me. I'm blinded by anger. I really want to hit something. Suzette told me I had to stay away from her and that we couldn't be friends. She told me she loved me or at least that's what it sounded like. For right now that's all I needed to hold onto.