Falling Away #Watty 2023

•Chapter 13•

She stopped the car at an open entrance into the woods. We both walked through the woods to a clearing where the sunset was clearly visible, casting a warm glow.

"There's more," Mrs. Becca said as she walked further, and I followed, trying to keep up with her pace. It felt like that part in Alice in Wonderland when she follows one door to another enchanted place. It was almost like that for me at that moment.

Suddenly, it was as if we left the woods and arrived at a small beach. I could feel the wind blowing against my skin, making my hair dance. The smell of saltwater was strong, and the sound of waves hitting the beach was deafening. The sunlight reflected off the water, creating shimmering patterns.

Surrounded by trees, with the sounds of birds singing and insects buzzing, I didn't notice when Mrs. Becca grabbed my hand and began pulling me closer to the water. There was nothing around us except sand, the shore, and the sea. The ocean seemed to be calling me, urging me to dive in.

Mrs. Becca sat on the sand and gestured for me to sit next to her. Her eyes were focused on me, watching my every movement as if she were studying me. A sweet smile spread across her lips as her gaze drifted to the sunset.

"The best part is yet to come. Once the sun finally sets, this place will illuminate with the moonlight," Mrs. Becca said, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Wow, I love this place," I finally said, trying not to be hypnotized by the view.

Mrs. Becca turned to me. "This is the best place to clear your mind. My mom took me here years ago when I was struggling with depression. She always said it was the perfect spot to find clarity."

I gazed at the sky. "I love it here. The air feels so fresh. It's like it can read my mind," I said.

"No one would discover a place like this and want to share it with someone else. My mom used to call it our hideout," Mrs. Becca smiled.

She pulled her gaze away from the view and got up, looking back at me. "Let's watch the sunset together."

She held me in her arms, pulling me close. "I want you to know that there's so much in this world for you to explore. You have your own life to live, and your parents have already done their job by bringing you into this world," she said, her voice soft yet filled with wisdom. "Don't let their misunderstandings ruin your life. I think you should go back to doing what you love."

With her words sinking in, I realized she was right. Ever since that incident, I had lost sight of what truly made me happy. "Basketball. That's what I love to do. It makes me happy."

"So what are you waiting for?"

"Nothing."

We watched the sun disappear as darkness surrounded us. "Thank you for showing me the way. I'm sorry for being mean to you all these years," I said, feeling a sense of gratitude towards Mrs. Becca.

"It's alright. Let's enjoy this moment while it lasts."

That night, Dad came to my room and sat on my bed next to me. "Sweetie, I heard what happened. I've spoken to the principal, and I'm sure the person responsible is facing consequences," he said, looking at me with concern.

I nodded in response.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you," he said quietly, his fingers lightly brushing my hair away from my forehead.

"Don't blame yourself, Dad. It's just a normal high school thing, and besides, I wasn't exactly nice to them either," I replied. "I'm just glad it's all over now, and I can move on from the hurt."

Dad looked at me, a mixture of relief and concern in his eyes. "I'm glad you're okay. Ashley was worried sick about you. She almost called your Mother," he added as he walked towards the door. "Your sister cares about you a lot. I think you should be nicer to her."

I took a moment to process his words and with a deep sigh, I replied, "I will, Dad."

THE NEXT DAY, I was sitting on the couch in the living room with a bowl of French fries while watching an action movie. I couldn't really tell why I decided to watch it. I love action movies - ones that involve betrayals, killings, fighting, and bloodshed.

But when it comes to love, I'm irritated. I'm not the lovey-dovey type anymore after Josh broke my heart. Sending tons of messages to my friends and never getting any replies only proved to me that they weren't my true friends. They never loved me.

What would you do in such a case? I didn't rat out any of my friends' secrets, and they won't let me explain things to them. Dropping my phone on the table opposite me, I grabbed some fries out of the bowl and tossed them into my mouth.

I took the remote control and changed the channel to an action movie. If I'm going to watch TV, it doesn't have to be a movie that reminds me of my misery. Mrs. Becca came into the living room and stood by the couch with a cup of tea.

"Zoey, your friend from school is here to see you!"

I jumped up to my feet, happily. I knew it! Caroline and Betty were true friends. Thank goodness they finally realized the truth and came back to me. I've missed them. But unfortunately, it wasn't them; it was Gemma.

She stood in the doorway, hands behind her back and wearing a smile. I smiled back. "Hey, welcome to my parents' mansion!" She came inside and sat on the couch.

"It's really big," she smiled.

"My dad owns two others in LA and San Francisco," I said proudly.

"I was looking around for you in school today, but Daphne told me you didn't come."

"After all that happened, I don't want to go back there and see that jerk's face," I grumbled. "Plus, I'm tired of being bullied. The teachers are too stupid to even understand how bad things turned out."

Gemma chuckled. "I can imagine how difficult it was for you. Speaking of jerks, Liam was suspended for two months for causing chaos in the hallway and for manipulating students."

I scoffed. "Manipulating? I wonder how he does that."

But the next thing she said made my jaw drop. "I was there that day when Caroline told him about her affair. She..."

"No, no, you must be kidding. If she did that herself, why blame me about it?" I interrupted.

Gemma laughed. "Because she didn't remember telling him. The words just slipped out of her mouth."

I found it difficult to believe Gemma, but deep down, I think she might be right. I need to clear things up with Caroline; she needs to know. Almost like Gemma was reading my mind.

"Caroline knows that she told him herself; she later figured it out," she added.

I was interrupted from my thoughts when Gemma's eyes widened. She looked at me suspiciously. "You're thinking hard. Stop it."

"No, I'm not," I stood up, placing my hands on my waist, and changing the topic. "Do you know how to play basketball?"

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