A Symphony of Devotion: The Start [Demi Lovato]

[35] Chestnut

"Are you going to sit with us at Lunch today?"

I spin at the sound of a voice so close to myself, my hands automatically bringing a book up to shield my face before I recognize the owner of those words and drop it, a blush making its way onto my cheeks.

It's been a rough day. No one's talking to me. Not Julian, not his friends, not any that I thought were mine. I've been receiving notes too. I found one in my locker when I arrived at school, one more waiting for me on my desk in Spanish, and one thrown at me as I was walking from Algebra to Biology. And then, right as I was walking out if class just minutes ago, some boy threatened to wreck my face for breaking Julian's heart.

Bullfuckingshit, but I'm taking the threat seriously.

"Lunch. Today," I repeat, as my mind races to find an excuse to decline. I don't want to have to sit amongst people who hate me while others stare and judge. Anything but that.

As I speak, Devonne reaches a hand out and pushes my hood off my head. She smiles brightly. "Why do you always keep your hood up? I love when I can see your hair. It's so pretty."

"Well, uh.." I'm sidetracked by her comment, my mind clearing of everything apart from that she complimented me. "No, sorry. I have to meet a teacher about something for extra credit."

Devonne's face falls, and she pouts as she steps a little closer. "Aww, fine, then."

I immediately step back. She still hasn't explained herself for the last time she disappeared, and fuck her if she thinks she can just make everything go back to normal just by pretending nothing happened and she wasn't a total bitch.

"I'll see you in music," I mutter, as I slam my locker door and turn.

I've barely made it a couple feet when I hear someone yell, "Hey, Kenzie! Here's a fucking rock for you!" My eyes widen when I see the stone hurdling towards me, and I quickly duck, hearing it clunk loudly against the metal of the lockers behind me.

I turn, grab the large-ass stone which would have caused serious damage to my head -had I not ducked- put my hood back up, and run for the music room.

I flick the light on, angrily hurling my bag across the room and watching it make contact with the piano. Then I pick up the stone and read the messy handwriting scribbled onto the paper attached to the rock.

'ROT IN FUCKING HELL, DYKE. YOU DON'T DESERVE TO LIVE.'

Well, that's fucking encouraging.

I kick the stone into a corner, fury building inside me as I pace the room and dig my nails into my palms.

It's not fair. It's not fucking fair. I'm never the one to cause the trouble, but the blame always lands on me. It's not fair! I try my hardest to stay out of people's way and make friends, recently, and everything's just going wrong again.

The door flings open behind me, and I whip around to see Devonne.

She holds her arms out to me, her face creased with worry. "Baby, it's-"

I step away, glaring at the girl. "Stop it! Get out! I don't need your fucking sympathy!"

"Baby, come on, it's okay. Were Julian's friends mean to you?"

"Why do you care?" I yell, her sympathy only causing me to be mad at myself for letting someone make me feel so weak. "You were the one who left first! You were the one who didn't give me a fucking explanation. You can't just waltz in here and pretend you didn't say you hated me and told me I was a fucking attention whore! I don't need to be grateful just because you supposedly saved my fucking life! You think that would just fix everything? Well, guess what? I really wish you'd have just left me there on the floor!"