Broken

Chapter 6 - Caroline

Chapter 6 - Caroline's Point of View

It’s 10:30 p.m. Michael left about three hours ago. Thank God. I hate him. I hate him so much. He’s the worst person I’ve ever had the displeasure of meeting in my life. Actually, no. I take that back. Aaron is the worst person I’ve met in my life. Michael, who is the guy he was before middle school completely, fucked him up.

Today was the absolute worst day of my life.

Sure, I’m used to the fact that Jack, Kylie and Jane all hate me. Oh and Michael too, I guess. I don’t know, I don’t really care what Michael thinks. I’m in my room, lying in bed feeling disgusting. Michael left and I came up here and cried for about thirty, thirty-five minutes.

There’s a knock on my door, but I don’t say anything.

“Caroline?” My mom’s voice calls.

I don’t respond, wanting her to think that I’m asleep. The door is locked, thankfully.

“Caroline? Are you awake?” She wonders.

Again I don’t reply, leading her to believe that I actually am sleep.

I hear her footsteps retreat down the hallway - good - and I sit up in my bed, my fingers freezing from holding my ice packs. My phone rings and I reach around my bed, under the pillow until my fingers wrap around it. I pull it from under and answer.

“Hello?” I say, my voice sounding dry and hoarse.

“Caroline, hey. Don’t hang up.” Michael’s voice says.

“How’d you get my number?” I ask, my voice hardening.

He sighs, “It was in the student directory. I, uh, I just wanted to call and see if you’re okay.”

“I was fine when you left, I’m fine now.”

“Gracie, come on. Please.”

“Stop calling me Gracie!” I shout through the phone, probably blowing the pretense that I’m sleeping.

“I’m sorry. It slipped.”

I don’t say anything and the line is quiet for a minute.

“Well? Is there any other reason you called? I need to go to sleep, because unlike some people when I go to school I have to depend on my brain to get me through the year.”

He clears his throat, “I know. So uh, after school tomorrow, what are you doing?”

“Homework.” I say, flatly.

“And that’s it?”

“If you come over, then I guess we’ll do some more tutoring.”

“Other than that?”

“Nothing.”

“Oh, well how about we watch a movie or something?”

“I’d rather not.”

Michael sighs heavily. “Gr-Caroline. Why are you so mad at me? I said I was sorry.” He says, his voice full of plead.

“I’m going to sleep now.” I say, ignoring his question. I ignore it because it’s so absurd. Like he doesn’t understand why I’m mad at him. Sure, he stopped being my friend like six years ago, but still. I mean, if the situation was reversed, I wouldn’t have ditched Michael for some other people just because I thought I could be popular. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow, I guess.”

“Goodnight.” He says quietly.

“’Night.” I mutter, pulling the phone away from my ear and hanging up.