Welcome to My World

Chapter 20 Rayla's POV {Hounds and Hurt}

Author's Note: Woah, 20 chapters already? Well, thank you guys SO MUCH for reading this. You've really boosted my self-esteem XD let's celebrate with some fanart. ((Edit: Hey, guys on Wattpad. For fanart, bonus chapters, and the hype, please visit

https://www.quotev.com/story/12240348/Welcome-to-My-World-The-Fall-of-Xadia-Trilogy-Book-1 

Thanks!))

School is getting better in one way and worse in another. For one thing good, Callum and I are really close again. For one thing bad, Genelyn had been really mean. Normally, I wouldn't care. But seriously, garlic bread in my bag? What's the point of that?

Since I'm allowed to skip P.E., I sit on the bleachers and do my homework instead of going to the girls' locker room. Right now, I'm enjoying sitting here reading a book for English while Callum jogs around the gym, sweating hard.

A girl slides into the space next to me. She's got big, Harry Potter style glasses and blue eyes obscured by her brown hair. "Hey." She says. "I'm Benny. I just wanted to say that I love the book you're reading!"

I glance down at the book lying open in my lap. It's The Hound of the Baskervilles. "Oh, um, you read it?"

"Yeah! It's only one of the best books ever!" Benny says. Then she looks at me again. My bandages are off already because the hash healed, leaving a slight pink scar. "Wait, are you that girl who fell in Physical Education?" She asks, her eyes wide.

I lightly brush my fingers over the scar. "Um, yes, I am." I mumble.

Benny's eyes widen. "Oh, um, I guess." She says. "But you're also on the soccer team?"

"Yeah. I am." I confirm with a nod.

She falls silent for a bit. "So... Why don't you cover it?"

I don't answer to that, and she tries again. "So... Are all the things true?"

"All what things?" I ask.

Benny's eyes widen. "You know. Like you beating up Genelyn, and faking a concussion to get out of Physical Education, you cheating with Callum, the soccer team was worse with you on it and it was actually Ellis who made them win, and bribing the teachers?"

"What?!?!" I exclaim. "None of that is true!"

Benny shrugs. "That's what I heard." She says uncertainly.

I scowl. "Well, those are all lies."

She shrugs again. "Well, sorry then."

"It's fine." I say.

But still, I can't help wondering, what exactly is Genelyn trying to do?

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I like lunch. Now, Callum calls me to sit at his table and I enjoy freaking out his friends. Who cares if they think I'm weird? Fitting in is boring, anyways. I now prefer to but canteen food after the Great Potato Fiasco, and I just avoid Genelyn's table.

But this time, when I pass them, I hear them whispering.

"There she is!"

"Ok, tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah, don't forget the-"

Then they all whip around to face me. I drift through the day, wondering what the heck they're planning.

"Rayla, are you ok?" Callum asks.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just heard Genelyn talking about something weird." I reply.

An odd look crosses his face, like... Guilt. What's he hiding? I wonder. "Genelyn is actually nice, you know. She's just a little eager."

I stiffen, my blood cold. "What? What do you mean?"

He and his friends shot uncomfortably. "Well... She's not as bad as you think she is." Callum tries again.

"But she-" I start to say, then clamp my mouth shut.

"But she what?" Callum challenges.

"Nothing." I mutter.

"You know what? I think you're just jealous, Rayla Lunarson!" Callum says.

"What?! I am not!​​​!" I yell angrily.

"Oh yeah? Then what do you call that? You're yelling at me for suggesting that, you and Genelyn are fighting, and you keep picking on her!" Callum shouts back. By now, both of us are standing, shouting at each other. Everyone stares at us.

"I don't pick on her! She-" I stop suddenly. There's no way he'll believe me.

"She what." Callum says, his eyes cold. "She's better than you? She's being picked on by you?"

I clench my fists on my lunch tray. "Fine!" I scream. "Enjoy eating all her lies. Forget we were ever even friends. But stay away from one of us." With that, I slam my tray into his face, sending brown sauce and noodles all over him and his friends.

I dash out of the canteen, but before I exit, I yell over my shoulder. "And by the way, don't even bother hiding it. I know you kissed her." And with that, I'm gone. I can hear shouting. Callum and his friends are yelling back at Ellis and Alesa, and Ellis' friend Ez is also yelling, trying to get them to stop.

I don't look back.