StarFall (Completed)

Ch. 8 - Consequences

I took my mom's generous offer and stayed home Tuesday. I did not want to leave my bed. As far as I was concerned it was the only true constant in my life right now. Everything else was this thick, heavy mud that just appeared underfoot, leaving me confused and trapped. 

I still remember that look of utter defeat held on Bobby's face as he crashed to the floor, and his world along with it. I had ruined him. What he did was still unjustifiable, but what about what I had done? 

When Wednesday rolled around and I made my way back through those doors, the halls felt heavier than they ever had before. I know no one was looking at me, but it felt like they were, it felt like they knew. I tugged the straps of my backpack tighter as I shuffled down the hall. Students gathered round one another's phones, and I could still hear the sounds of Bobby screaming. His cries captured in digital format for the entertainment of teens with too much time on their hands. Leave it to high school, one student's personal humiliation becomes everyone's public enjoyment, the proverbial lynch mob at the ready for any student dumb enough to be caught making a mistake, to be caught being human. 

What was wrong with me, Bobby deserved to be treated this way after what he did. And who knows, maybe it'll all blow over soon. I mean, again, this is high school. Attention spans are few and far between. I'm sure he's already laughing it off with his bros, or whatever.

I let myself believe it for a moment, almost relieved, but then I saw it. A group of guys were huddled around Bobby, and they did not look like his bros.

"What's the matter, daddy's boy, gonna cry again?" A boy said as he shoved Bobby away.

"Come on, don't say that, you're gonna hurt his wittle feelings," another boy said, shoving Bobby right back.

Bobby just stood there, and took it. They laughed, pushed him some more, and then tripped him. I watched as Bobby Ferrari, my once infamous crush, was brought to his knees. Justice?

Miller came bolting down the hall, and slid to a stop next to me. "Where were you yesterday?" He caught his breath.

"I stayed home. I wasn't feeling up to high schooling it. Why, what's wrong?"

He pulled his phone from his pocket and played a video. "This."

I held the phone in my hands as I watched a news report play.

"As you can see, the situation has escalated. It has been confirmed that the celestial bodies in the sky are indeed meteors. The threat level they possess is still unclear."

I handed him back his phone. "What's this?"

"It's getting worse. I think we should skip school today, the book's in my car, we can go somewhere and figure all this out. We need to." 

"You want to skip school?" I raised an eyebrow.

"I want to save our town from being blown away."

"Okay, you don't have to be all dramatic. I get it."

"Do you?" His voice lowered.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I snapped back.

"Are you still using your powers?" He grabbed my arm lightly.

I paused. "That's none of your business." I pulled my arm away.

He looked at me with a heavy expression, mouth open, eyes focused. "Sorry. Thought we were friends." He turned from me.

"Miller, wait." I rushed after him. I had done it again. Way to go, Adeline.