WHITE LIAR

Chapter 28

Chapter 28

 

 

Lifting her chin up a notch, Chloe took one last deep breath and mounted the familiar steps of Westbrook High. For three years she had gone to this school. During those three years she shared both some of her fondest and some of her worst memories in this building. It was here that she found her first boyfriend in Craig, shared her very first kiss with him and after being so callously dumped by him, she even experienced her first walk of shame. These events were all memories that highlighted those particular years; events that now, more than anything, she only wanted to forget.

It was only a couple of weeks ago when Chloe had found out that she and her mom were moving in her with her Uncle and Aunt. Erica had laid on her sob story about Justin and with a thread of new hope lingering in the air she felt that this was her one chance for a brand new start. She had a purpose now. She wanted to teach players like Craig and Justin a lesson. Straightening her spine with a new resolve, Chloe had turned her back and walked out the same two doors that now stood in front of her, mocking her for .

At the time she had thought that when she walked out on that particular sunny day that it had been for good. She was going to a new place, a place where she wouldn’t be so stupid to fall for guys like Craig again. No, Chloe Miller had put on a new façade and had arrived at Northeast High thinking that instead of repeating her mistakes, she was going to teach guys like Craig and his buddies a lesson.

She should’ve known better. Things didn’t go so well as evidenced by John’s hospital visit. She was willing to admit that maybe she had been wrong about Justin, Trevor and John. Even though in some ways they were the same as Craig with their pretty boy looks and their charming personalities, there were also many things that were different.

Either way now, it didn’t matter. She was back at where it all started and the nerves in her belly were already threatening to cartwheel out of control.

Holding her book bag close to her chest, she kept her eyes facing forward. No matter what happened today she was determined to keep her head up. She refused to let any of them see one iota of weakness in her. They may have broken her once, but she would be damned if she would give them the chance to do it again.

Craig, Tyler, Bo and Cory… No matter what they had to say, she would refuse to listen to them; refuse to let them get to her. None of it mattered anymore she told herself. She didn’t care what they said to her or how they treated her. She was here for one reason and one reason only.

To graduate.

After graduation, she planned to leave this town and all of these people behind her. They would be nothing more than a distant memory to her, a memory that she wanted to forever forget.

Pushing open the doors, Chloe walked into the sturdy two story brick building as the cool breeze from the air conditioner grazed her cheeks. She stopped and shivered at the sudden chill in the air.

Just several feet in front of her, students swarmed the commons area. They all chatted in their groups, laughed with and at each other; boyfriends held their arms over their girlfriend’s shoulders. It was a bizarre sense of déjà vu that suddenly swept over Chloe. How many times had she walked in this very same door and stared at this same scene only to seconds later melt into the throngs and become a part of the scene herself? Hundreds… thousands maybe?

“Chloe?”

Turning around, Chloe stiffened at the sight of the one girl she had once considered her best friend.