A Symphony of Devotion: The Start [Demi Lovato]

[22] Oniochalasia

I don't know what I did wrong.

All I know is that I keep fucking things up for everyone and myself. And I hate it.

Biology is the first class I have the next morning. I step into the classroom at the same time Kayleigh does, and quickly fall back to let her enter first. The class is already half full, but Devonne isn't here yet. I stare awkwardly down at my hands as I sit across Kayleigh, refusing to meet the girl's eyes.

After Demi threw me out of her concert yesterday, I did nothing but pace the outside of the arena out of shock and complete confusion. I'm still lost as to what I did wrong, but all the thinking I do only leads me back to one thing.

The kiss.

The chair beside me scrapes back against the floor, and I see Devonne sit out of my peripheral vision. She looks as exhausted as I feel, and even as watch, she rests her elbows on the table and drops her head into her hands.

Looks like I'm not the only one who got no sleep last night.

I look up only when the teacher walks into the room, who goes on to write a list of instructions on the board for our group work. Devonne pulls a piece of paper from her bag, then goes back to resting her head on her hands. I tentatively reach forward, take that piece of paper, and find out that it's the answer to everything on the board.

Devonne doesn't make eye contact with me. Not once. Having completed our assignment, none of us have to really work, so we sit in silence for a while. Devonne doesn't raise her head at all, and she seems oblivious when Kayleigh starts talking.

"So I heard you went to Demi Lovato's concert last night."

I watch as Devonne's hand clenches into a fist.

"Where did you hear that from?"

Kayleigh laughs. "I make it my business to find out when people take my ex-es on dates. I heard that Julian said it was a complete bust, by the way."

Devonne squirms a little in her seat.

I arch an eyebrow. "Really? Because that's not what he told me when he took me home."

"Well, boys change their minds fast, you know?"

Hatred builds in my chest. I may have been scared of Kayleigh before, but we're not in Britain anymore. She's not my girlfriend anymore. She has no power over me anymore.

"I don't care what you say," I snap. "I like Julian, okay? And he likes me back too."

Kayleigh opens her mouth to speak, but the ringing of the school bell cuts her off.

"Hand in your groupwork before you leave," the teacher shouts out above the many conversations that had sprouted instantaneously at the sound of the bell.

Devonne had gotten up and left once the bell rang, so I turn the paper in myself. English is next, so I grudgingly head towards the class, not wanting to be met with more looks of despise on Devonne's part.

I stop at the door when I hear her voice, though, and take just a little peek to see her standing at Annabel's desk, which is right by the door.

"Please, please, please," Devonne is begging. "Trade seats with me."

"I don't wanna sit next to Kenzie! She scares me."

Something else deflates inside me as tears prick my eyes. I thought of Annabel as one of the few people in the world who liked me, at least a little bit, but now I see it was only for Devonne's sake.

"No, please, Annabel!" Devonne groans in frustration. "Do this for me. Just one lesson, okay?"

"But she freaks me out! You're not scared of her; you go sit there."