Trouble In Paradise?

Chapter Thirty Six

A/N: shit is about to hit the fucking fan.

Also wonderful cover by @paperheart_XO (I'll be posting some of the graphics she made in the next few chapters!)

Extreme language in this chapter.

Exactly one month later..

I had successfully managed to avoid everything related to my school life for months. No social media, no people, nothing. They were all gone from my mind.

Even if it hurt like a bitch whenever I thought about it. Therefore, I didn't think about it a lot. I just focused on watching every tv show ever created, since that's equivalent to the amount of free time I had on my hands.

Unfortunately, the school had demanded that I attend at least one study period before three weeks of final year exams were underway. This was it, the things that would determine my future university and my job. It seemed like the most important thing ever, yet I didn't think about it a lot. My thoughts were pretty empty nowadays.

I had tried to forget, but it hurt. I hadn't had best friends before, and now they had left quickly after we had truly bonded. Is this what all friends did? No way.

Being tired was a chore, and now studying and raising my IQ level had been my only relief. Facts were facts, and as long as I was focused I could stay away from intruding thoughts.

I planned to spend the day at school today. I hadn't attended for a while, but I had to try and stay out of Veronica's sight. I didn't want a confrontation, and I couldn't be bothered with it. She had already done what she said she wouldn't. The damage was done. I planned to spend the day in the library. It was warm, quiet and felt like a home to me at least.

I didn't want to go, but I was going to push through it anyway. My mother offered to drive me to school, and I gladly accepted the offer as I sat in the car in silence with an exception of the radio playing on low volume. I wasn't feeling well today, my head a little dizzy. I thought I looked pale in the mirror, but that might just be from all of the time I'd spent inside lately.

I stumbled getting out of the car, temporarily losing my balance. My mother yelped as I caught my footing at the last second.

"Are you alright, honey?" she asked worriedly. "This wasn't a good idea. We should go home."

"No, mum, it's fine. I'll be fine, I'll walk home when I'm done," I reassured her, waving goodbye as she reluctantly agreed and drove off. I, again, received multiple stares as I walked in and made a beeline for the library. It was a week of complete study, so there were zero classes on and everyone had the option to stay in study rooms or the library. The library wasn't very full, probably indicating that most had opted for study rooms.

I found a neat little corner to sit, pulling out my books and trying to remember the last time I had studied in here.

After a full hour of studying, my brain had started to get restless. I went on my phone to start playing a game when I noticed someone walking over to me.

"Amber?" I asked, a little astonished. "Girl I haven't seen you in forever."

"Tell me about it," she said, plopping her bag down on the floor and taking a seat next to me. "We all heard you were sick. And, uh, we heard a lot more too."

I frowned deeply. "I know. Thank the Queen Bitch."

"Just so you know," she said. "I never believed any of that shit. A lot of people did, and still do, but I knew it wasn't true. I'm sorry she did that to you. Want me to kick her ass?"