Bruised Innocence

Chapter 21

     *A month after the assault*

I was walking down the hallway towards my locker as quickly as I could with my recovering legs but it felt as if everything was happening in a slow motion.

"I heard he was jumped." Someone said. I tried to keep the voices out. I just needed to get to the class.

"Did you hear? He tried to kill himself."

"Yeah and it happened in the stinky neighbourhood of his."

"Yeah, it was bound go catch up on him, someday."

I wanted to turn back and leave already but then the conversation with mom came back to me.

"Are you sure you want this? Kids your age are not like you, they can be really mean. I don't want you getting hurt again!"

"I won't mom! I have to do this. I need to go back to school!"

I took a deep breath and walked ahead.

I could do this.

"Sinclair told me that there were drugs involved."

You don't need to hear to reply to them.

I told myself and kept repeating the mantra in my head.

Voices and whispers followed me. Most of them didn't even bother to keep their voice down.

"....Augur told me that his parents dealt before and made some dangerous people really angry."

That really made me stop and turn to look in the direction the words came from.

".....?!"

Two girls were talking with each other. One of them held books in her hands and the other one had a small bag hanging of her shoulders.

They didn't even look bashful at having been caught. I quickly turned back and tried to hold in my outburst.

My parents are not drug dealers!

I wanted to shout at them but held myself. I couldn't afford to give them more fodder for gossip.

"......"

More whispers followed.

I wanted to shut my ears with my hands and run to the class but resisted the urge.

I had to do this.

Most of the students openly stared. Some looked at me in morbid curiosity, their eyes trying to find out the scars and wounds, anything that would give away details about the--assault.

I had this intense urge to cry but I couldn't, not with all of them watching.

Some of the faces held smirks, it didn't really surprise him. For them, I must be a source of entertainment and I was back.

Then there were those that held sympathy and quite a few of them, those were the ones that made him want to hide.

They would ask questions and demand answers. Answers, I didn't really have.

"Arwin," someone tapped my shoulder and I flinched away from my locker.

"I didn't expect you to be here so soon," Rowan stated. I frowned. It has been so long since he talked to me. In fact, I didn't remember him talking to me at all this year.

"I heard that you lost your memory. Do you remember anything about it?"

So, that's what it was about. He was here, just to pry.

It made me angry. I didn't even bother replying to him. I turned to my locker to put out the books I didn't need before lunch and locked it again before walking towards my class.

"You know if you ever feel like talking about it, " before I could walk away, he wrapped his hand around my wrist to stop me and the world turned black.

He was saying something but I couldn't make out the words.

I looked around frantically, trying to breathe but I couldn't. Panic, it was panic. I tried to tell myself. It will pass. I just had to breathe. I started counting to ten.

I heard a cry of surprise and a thud. The pressure on my hand released. My other hand moved to rub my wrist and I realised that I had closed my eyes.

When I opened them, I saw that Rowan was lying on the floor, groaning. I looked at him, horrified.

Did I do that?

No! I wouldn't hit people.

I looked at everyone else in he hallway. They were all gaping and staring. A few even had fear in them and then I noticed that it wasn't directed at me.

They were looking past me. Someone started walking behind me and their footsteps sounded loud in the pin drop silent hallway.

I turned to look at them and saw a tall boy walking away to the senior wing. He looked a bit familiar but I couldn't remember his name.

I held my hands to call them out but then brought it down.

Instead I turned to help a groaning Rowan up, "What happened? Are you okay?" I asked and my voice came out really small.

He stared at me and spat, "Get away from me, you filthy rat!"

My hands stopped just inches away from him and I flinched. I was very close to tears but I swallowed them down and replied, "Suit yourself!"

The firmness in my voice surprised even me. I saw the two girls making their way towards us and moved to pick up my bag.

After picking up my bag, I started walking to my class, completely ignoring a groaning and gaping Rowan on the ground.

He didn't even ask how I was or if I was okay. I didn't owe him anything.

Though it made me wonder. Who was that senior? More importantly,
what just happened?

*I know, it has been long but I am here and I hope you guys like the update. It would make me really happy to hear your thoughts about it.  Updated on 27/08/20*