Brawl For Defense ✔

Chapter 28

Chapter 28

I walked into the advanced calculus classroom and sat down on my seat next to Chase. The teacher started handing out sheets of paper, announcing that we had thirty-minutes to complete the test. I took out a pencil and an eraser from my bookbag, before looking down at the amount of numbers and equations on the sheet of paper.

"Good luck," Chase whispered beside me, and I barely glanced at him. Ever since I left the shooting range, I have been somewhat avoiding him. The fact that it was yesterday didn't really make it easier for me.

I scribbled my answers down on the paper and eyed every problem twice, feeling how my brain burned. Advanced calculus was fun at first, but the teacher stuck to his word and it had been quite challenging. Now, I wouldn't be complaining if it didn't make my brain burn constantly. I finished the test with five minutes to spare and grabbed my stuff. I slung my bag over my shoulder and handed the teacher my sheet of paper with a bored expression.

"Nobody is leaving until the bell rings," Mr. Mosely said once he eyed my things.

"Says who?" I asked and walked out of the classroom without a care in the world. Everyone stared at me as I walked out, but I didn't pay any mind to it. The stares and whispers were certainly nothing new to me. The teacher could send me to detention for all I cared.

Danielle, Kenneth, and Izzy rounded the corner by the lockers and I heaved a sigh. The reason I still came to school was beyond me. I should’ve dropped out a long time ago.

"Amelia!" Izzy called and hurried over to where I stood. "I heard about your mother, is she alright?"

"She's living," I answered simply with a clipped tone. 

She frowned at me and I narrowed my eyes at her. The memory of her talking to Gregory still burned in the back of my mind, making me suspicious about her. 

"Do you know Gregory?"

She seemed taken aback by the sudden question, but answered, nonetheless. "Yes, I've spoken to him. Why?"

"You shouldn't," I warned. "He's no good news."

"What do you mean?" she asked, furrowing her brows.

"Don't you remember how he threatened me at my birthday party?"

"It was more of a warning," she pointed out, and I gave her a hard glare. 

Was she serious? 

She sighed and gave me a small smile. "Right, sorry, but he hasn't done anything to me."

"He used to ‘do nothing’ to me either and look how it ended up. Getting into fights with me and chasing me down out of anger. It's still a mystery as to why he hasn't come up to me for almost a month now. Just be careful," I told her, and the warning bell for next period rang. I walked away without another word and headed to my next class. I sat down at my usual seat and zoned out, not paying any attention to whatever the teacher was saying.

The rest of the school day went on like that. Danielle and Kenneth watching me from afar, me somewhat avoiding Chase, and Izzy furrowing her eyebrows at me whenever we made eye contact. 

I glanced at my watch as the last bell rang—signaling the beginning of lunchtime—and everyone rushed out. I still had about forty minutes to get to the gym, so I decided to crash at the hospital for a bit. My house was currently abandoned due to the fact that it was still under investigation, and I didn’t dare step a foot inside.

I arrived at the hospital in twelve minutes and walked inside my mother's room. Her eyes were closed, and she breathed evenly. Her bruises were slowly fading away, but the scars were very prominent. The tube that she had in her mouth when she was brought here first had been taken out yesterday. She was healthier, to say the least, but the trauma of what happened was still nagging at her.