Fine Line

chapter sixteen

The Cycle Begins Again

Mum had been on the phone all morning, all weekend, ignoring both my father and I. Neither of us could hear what she was saying, and the few snippets we did catch didn't make sense. At this point, I didn't even care; no matter how much I wanted it, she didn't seem to want to care about asking me about what had happened in the six months she's been away. I could tell her all about Jaden, about the club, about Dad and how he refuses to sleep in their bed whilst she is away. But she doesn't care.

And I hadn't heard anything from Conner or Jaden since last Friday. I had no idea what had happened, where Jaden had gone after he had dropped me off, or when I was next going to see them. If I even was.

I got on the bus alone to school, there wasn't much else I could do. With mock exams coming up, going there was my only option. And I would get more conversation there than I would at home. But when I got there, it turned out that I had no time for conversation.

Jaden hadn't made an appearance.

Everyone was whispering.

Everyone was judging.

My mind was swimming in thoughts that I couldn't process in speech. I was barely listening to the conversation that was going on around me. I was behind in all my class revisions for mocks starting next week.

And then I heard his name.

"What?"

The whole lunch table, which consisted of only six people, went quiet.

"I heard Jaden dropped out," Damien, one of Austin's teammates, repeated for me. He was covered in acne, and he wasn't very strong at all, but he was fast which they all appreciated.

"I heard he's done more than just that," another guy spoke, not from the five others who sat with me. This boy walked over with a girl on his arm, his eyes locked on me with an expression full of thought and judgement.

Austin side eyed me from his seat, anxiety written all over him.

"Yeah?" I responded.

"Yeah." His eyebrows lifted up and his tongue pushed out his cheek. "I'm sure you already know."

"He's off fucking his next victim right about now," the girl laughed. "Much better way to spend his time than being in this hell hole." Her boyfriend laughed with her. I rolled my eyes and looked down at the table.

"Problem, Valerie?" the girl sneered.

My heart started pounding in my chest, as if knowing what I was going to do before I did. "What?"

"You. Got. A. Problem."

"With you? Don't we all?"

Her mouth turned downwards and her eyes shrunk as her forehead creased, but ignored my comment. "We can stop talking about your loverboy if you'd like."

"I don't give a fuck about what you have to say about him."

"I mean, it must be hard having him all to yourself for a night, but never hearing from him again. Maybe you're thinking you're the reason he has left. Trust me, you're not. It's something so much bigger than that. Although, you probably know why, don't you, since you did spend all Friday night with him."

How did she know that?

"Or maybe you don't, and you're just mad he forgot your name."

"Quite the opposite, actually. But I really don't give a shit about your opinions. Voice them loud and clear, see if I care."