The Unveiling

Chapter 20 - One Step at a Time

I stayed home all week and finally went back to school Monday. Sleeping was easier but I still would get nightmares and wake up in a sweat. I couldn't get a good sleep. Not like the other night with Mason.

But my bruises were almost gone. They were green and yellow now. It didn't look great but I knew that meant they were healing.

It was Monday morning and I got dressed and ready. I wore some leggings and I stole one of Adam's dark green hoodies.

I went downstairs for breakfast.

"Nervous to go back?" River asked me as we ate.

"A little, I just want a normal life. I hope nothing else crazy happens."

"I feel you," he nodded.

We all went out to the garage.

"Is that my hoodie?" Adam asked.

"Nooo," I said, obviously lying.

He gave me the stink eye and got in the driver's seat.

We got to school and we all dispersed. River walked with me to class. He said it was to see Deshaun but I think he was playing the older brother role.

We walked down the first hallway and people were staring at us.

I instinctively pulled my hoodie up more to hide my neck. I had covered it with makeup and put my hair down.

"Hey Cassie," Deshaun said when we got there. He seemed sentimental which was not him at all. He must have heard about everything. He was River's best friend.

"Nice to see you Deshaun," I said then I walked into the classroom.

I got all my missed work from the teacher and went to work. I had to play catch up... again. Hopefully, this will be the last time. No more hospital trips, no more getting pulled out by social services, no more fights. Hopefully.

Deshaun kept cracking jokes and complaining the entire class period. He would look at me every once and a while to see if I laughed at his joke. It was nice of him to care, but I needed to get my shit done.

I went to math next and came face to face with the one and only Jacklin.
"Why are you here?" She asked bluntly.

"Uh I go to school here," I walked past her to sit down.

"But I thought DSS moved you?" she said.

"How did you know that?" I glared at her.

She smirked, "Everyone knows, darling. Whatever, I'm sure they'll come back to get you."

When River came in she quickly moved away from me and sat closer to him.

Everyone knows? How? Was it one of the boys? I mean Deshaun knew. So did Hope, Natalie, Emma, and Rylie.

The next class was English. I walked in and was attacked with hugs from Emma and Rylie.

"We missed you sooooo much."

"I missed you guys tooooo."

We all sat down at our table and we talked just like before. Like nothing changed.

Evan wasn't there. Rylie heard that his parents were pissed and put him in a military school.

I hope he hates it.

At lunch I went to the library. I didn't want everyone looking at me in the lunchroom. I also needed to work on makeup work.

Rylie gave me all her work for economics. Then I went to biology.