It had taken me some time to make my way back to class all the way from the library. I was almost late but luckily I got there before the late bell rang. My hands felt sweaty as I walked into class and saw Logan. He was looking down at his lap and was probably on his phone as usual, thankfully. Besides Logan I could feel Lacey staring at me but instead I ignored her eyes on me and rushed to my seat.
I slide my bag down and set it besides my chair on the ground. I lean back up, resting my elbows on my desk and closing my eyes for a brief second. The sound of the late bell blaring through my ears shakes me and I breathe in sharply. My elbows shoot off the desk and my arms pull towards my chest on instinct, but on they way the hit the edge of the hard surface and a low ow sound escapes my mouth.
"Grace, are you alright?" I look up to see Ms. Thomas. She's turned facing me, the dry erase marker in her hand as if she stopped writing halfway to check on me. I simply nod to answer her question.
I glance to my right and notice Logan turn his head in my direction. A smirk crawls onto his lips and he sends me a wink. I frown slightly and turn my attention back to the board. I couldn't pay any mind to Logan. I just had to pay attention to Ms. Thomas and Ms. Thomas only for the next fifty minutes of class. He brought people like Lacey, who never before even thought to acknowledge me, giving me warnings and even had Alyssa asking me questions. I didn't need any of that right now, or ever.
That was my mindset for the whole period. I may have snuck a look once or twice, enough to see the smirk was gone from Logan's face and something was upsetting him. The glare that I felt coming from Lacey's direction eventually faded too. She obviously had better things to do with her time than to stare me down for almost a whole hour, though I'm sure she could have.
The bell rang, and Ms. Thomas belted out a few words before allowing everyone to leave.
"Remember that your projects are due this week guys! Don't forget!"
Well, I wouldn't dream of it.
I grabbed my bag and slipped my binder in before the feeling of someone behind me crept up. I turned to the side and stepped out of the aisle to get out of whoever's way I was in. Lacey stepped forward and then around me, heading towards Logan's direction.
"Hi Grace." Lacey spoke. Her voice was coated in fake niceness, and she wore a smile on her face to add to it. I lifted my bag up and turned towards her, returning a small fake smile while trying to get out of the same classroom. I hurried past the two of them, catching the look that Logan sends my way but I still ignore it.
I connect the two of my hands together, swinging them in front of me as I walk down the hallway. I didn't realize how suffocating it felt in there sitting next to Logan. It wasn't as if he was ignoring me that's for sure, but I was ignoring him. Thoughts of him cloud my mind. The look he shot my way not so long ago paraded around in my head. The way his eyebrows furrowed and his jaw clenched as I walked by him without saying anything.
My head hangs down as I walk which turns out to be a huge mistake. Before I know it my body collides with someone else. My bag slips off of my shoulder and falls down towards my inner elbow. My feet stumble back and I end up tumbling down onto the ground. A wince leaves my mouth as my butt comes in contact with cold floor. I look up to see a few people have stopped to look at me and laugh. Others continue walking but shoot me a rude look before they do.
I frown as I look back down. My frown deepens as my arm gets grabbed and I'm roughly pulled back onto my feet. I rush to grab my bag and hurriedly I push my hair back and away from my face. A soft sorry leaves my mouth as I walk around the person,too embarrassed to even look at them.
A pair of rough hands grab me and pull me back. I hiss out in annoyance. My eyes drift upwards and meet a pair of ones that I hate. Ethan glares down at me and I freeze. It's clear he's refraining from lashing out at me in front of everyone else. Suddenly his eyes narrow and his face turns into a look of disgust. His blonde mass of hair flops downward as he leans towards me.
"What is that?" He fumes.
I snatch my hand out of his grip and make a move to leave again but he side steps into my way.
"Answer me." Ethan demands. I roll my eyes at his snappy attitude, but at the same time I cant help but feel self conscious of what he's talking about.
"I d-don't know what you're t-talking about." I stutter. He was like a ticking time bomb, seconds away from blowing up right in front of me. The late bell rings and he shoots me another dirty look before shoving past me. I turn around, watching as he stalks down the hall.
Curiosity ran through my body as I wondered about what he was speaking about. My eyes looked over my body. My jeans looked fine, my sweater looked- oh. My sweater had completely dipped forward. The hood was pressed completely up against the back of my neck and my collarbone was exposed. I quickly fixed it before rushing to my next class.
Why would it even matter to Ethan? Besides, I was already a slut in his eyes. I knew I wasn't. Until yesterday, the only type of physical interaction that I've ever received from a male was abuse. What would it matter to him if he saw one hickey on me? That's all he's ever expected from me anyways.
I wasn't trying to prove anything to him, but if its what he expects why is he angry about it?
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The leaves around my feet blew around on the ground as I trudged up the block. I didn't plan to walk home today. When I got out of the building after the day was over I looked over at the bus stop. The line was far too long and another bus would take too long to come. Besides it was freezing. At least walking would build up some body heat.
I turned on the familiar block and looking up ahead I stopped dead in my tracks. The sight of my dad's car parked in the driveway made unsettling grow in my stomach. Why was he home so early?
My legs felt heavy as I dragged myself up the porch. I was slow to pick my keys out of my bag, dreading to moment I'd have to step foot in the house. When I finally opened the door I stepped into the house walking through the hallway and into the kitchen. He wasn't here. I looked sideways into the living room. He wasn't there either.
I walked up to my room quietly, passing his room when I heard his voice angrily whispering. I peeped through the tiny space of the doorway. He was standing there in the middle of the room dressed in pajamas with his phone pressed up against his ear.
He looked stressed out. The person on the other end of the line must have been speaking because he stood there silently with his eyes closed. Suddenly his voice became mumbled. My dad didn't sound anything like how he sounded when he spoke to me. Nothing like how he sounded when he was shouting at me.
His voice was tired, almost like he was worn out. I leaned my body against the side of the wall, no longer watching him but just listening to him speak. I stood there for a while, and for a while he didn't talk. The conversation was most likely over now so I stood upright and began to walk to my room. Before I could reach my door I heard his voice again.
"Don't call here again." He chokes out.
I proceeded with walking into my room and placing my bag on the ground and then kicking off my shoes. Who could he have been talking to? Why was he home and not at work? He wasn't here when I left this morning. I pulled my drawer and took out a pair of black leggings in exchange for taking of my jeans. I examined my legs before tugging on the leggings. One of the bruises at the side of my thigh was beginning to fade, and another was almost completely gone.
