White is for Virgins

Chapter 13

.EMERY'S POV.

I didn't expect much from Fox, but I couldn't deny that the smallest inkling of interest pulsating through my veins was curious as to how he planned on fixing the mess he'd made. Mondays, as I've said before, were not my days. They never are, never had been, and I would never expect them to be. But I also never expected the situation to escalate... Boy, did it escalate.

Everyone was whispering my name as I walked by; it usually was followed by a rumor of some sort. I tried shutting it out as best I could. Exiting the stall, I walked to the sink to wash my hands before heading to 4th period. My stomach grumbled, and I regretted not eating something for breakfast, but I was a nervous wreck. The whole school thought I was some slutty STD spreading leech. I doubted my body could function right as it was, and I didn't want to burden it with having to digest anything.

The mirror, much to my horror, was covered in lipstick and eyeliner. Words like 'slut', 'whore', 'white trash', 'pregnant cow', 'HIV positive' and 'nasty bitch' were smeared under two bold words at the top of the mirror: Emery Price. I hadn't expected them to go this far. I hadn't expected to care if they went this far, but try as hard as I freakin' might, I did. I hadn't expected to cry, because I should've expected the rich bitches to spread stuff like this. I hadn't expected them to get so caught up in me – the short, quiet new girl. But they did. In short, there was A LOT that I hadn't expected.

The tears silently made their way towards the sides of my eyes, where along with a few particles of mascara, they slid down my cheeks at a snail's pace. They were warm, but I felt cold as ice on the inside. Numb, even. As I shoved my way past the bastards in the hallway, I bumped into a firm and familiar figure, whose hands spun me around as I tried to shove past him, too.

"Em, history is this-" he started to point out, but he must've noticed my face because he then asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing you don't already know about," I choked, glaring at his perfect features and his merciless emerald eyes. Then with one strong tug, I pulled myself out of his hold and ran for the gym. I knew it'd be free this period, and I could care less that I was skipping history. For once, I could've cared less about grades and behavior and attendance and being the perfect student.

I let it all out, whimpering like a freakin' baby. I had a good cry, letting the warm tears rain down my cheeks and plop into my lap and onto my shaking hands. Why was it so hard to just... blend in? To just wander throughout the school year like a ghost? A ghost who got good grades and aced her tests? Why? Why wouldn't they just leave me the hell alone?

Two words: Fox. Evans. I wish he'd been smart enough to just spend the night at the party; at least made it home without getting caught with DUI. He was such a dumbass, and it was all his fault that I was getting all this unwanted attention. The worst part of it? He didn't give a damn about who he hurt. I bet he could care less about all the drama and stress I'd been dealing with. He was such a heartless pig I wished he would just –

"Emery?" a voice whispered softly from behind me. I slowly twisted my head around, and my fears were confirmed. There stood Ms. Tibble, in the flesh.

"Honey, what are you-" she stopped, and rephrased, "What's the matter?" I sat there for a long time, the trails my tears had left on my cheeks were starting to dry and my eyes were probably all puffy and my makeup all smudged, but it didn't matter to me.

"What are you doing here?" I muttered, staring aimlessly at the pattern on my uniform skirt.

"I saw the mirror in the bathroom, and I tracked you down in history to make sure you were ok, except you weren't there," she said in the same soft, almost caring voice. She tucked her skirt beneath her thighs as she took a seat on the bleachers beside me for whatever reason. "Emery honey," she said, placing a hand on my shoulder, which I shrugged off quickly. Honey? Only Nina called me honey, and I liked it because I knew she wasn't half-assing it.