The kitchen was so silent, that the ticking from the old clock on the wall seemed to completely fill the room. Mrs. Clarissa sat on the chair across from me in deep thought, her glasses rested on the table as she propped her chin up in her palm. My eyes scanned her worriedly, still a little worked up from having to retell the entire situation between Ethan and I.

"You know honey, if there's one thing I've learned in life, it's that things may not always be as they seem. I think you need to give it some time, it's very likely everything will become clear soon enough," she smiled, looking so tired and frail. She never wore her favorite burgundy lipstick, or that sweet perfume I used to love as a kid. We had been taking pieces of her all this time, and now she can barely keep herself up. I felt so guilty.

My shoulders deflated as I stared at the orange juice sloshing in my glass as I tilted it, wondering how much I'd have to push for it to all flow over.

"I really like him, mom," I sighed, before quickly tensing at what I had just said in my moment of vulnerability. With a small chuckle and shake of her head, she simply carried on with a new twinkle in her eye and a small smile playing on her lips.

"I believe we should at least set up a therapy appointment soon, anything less would be a bit irresponsible of us, don't you think?" She tilted her head to the side playfully.

"Yeah. . . I know," I sighed, slouching further down into the wooden chair. "I shouldn't have ditched school, but I just didn't know what to-"

Mrs. Clarissa set her hand on top of mine, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I understand. I've excused the absences, no harm done. But I am so proud of you for calling me to get help, that was the best thing you could have done."

Nodding, I stared back down at my phone as Mrs. Clarissa stood, faced with the last message I sent to Ethan as I waited in the street for Mrs. Clarissa:

Today 10:37 AM

Nothing will ever mean as much to me than the time we have had together. Thank you.

~

"I'll start riding the bus from now on, I don't expect you to keep driving me, Vera," I mumbled as we walked through the hall to our first class, the usual morning softness was now replaced with rushed chatter. A new sense of urgency fueled this innate desire within the student body to spread gossip throughout the school- especially now that Ethan Matthews seems to have disappeared.

I couldn't help but feel bad for Chloe, jokes about how sex with her was so bad that Ethan had to flee the country seemed to be the new hit thing. A couple of guys at the lockers to the left of us began whispering to each other and staring at me, making my skin crawl and forcing me to grip the straps of my backpack tighter.

"The fuck you clowns staring at? Bunch of mouth breathers is what you are," Vera snapped, shocking them out of their dazed stupor before they began taunting Vera back. I picked up my pace, just wanting to get the day over with so I can move on to tackling the next one. That's the only way I've managed to keep myself together so far.

"Ivan, no. It's fine. I really don't mind, okay? You're going through a lot right now and I don't want to leave you on your own," she says, rummaging through her canvas bag as I sat at my desk and stared out the window. The trees were almost bare of leaves now, their branches spindly and dead looking. The pain I felt yesterday was suddenly gone, now all I felt was hollow and completely gutted from the inside. Nothing seemed like it would ever be okay again.

"Why is everyone looking over here? Christ, we should just start charging them for photos," Vera grumbled, slamming her notebooks around as she glared at the onlookers. Nervously, I scanned the room to see people still whispering and staring at me like the guys in the hallway were, and something just seemed. . . off.

One kid named Dale, a real class clown, suddenly stood and inched closer to Vera and I as his friends snickered at the front of the room. With a mischievous grin, he weaseled his way over and stopped in front of my desk, rubbing his buzzed head as he glanced back at his friends.

"Isn't it illegal for you to be here?" He grinned, pursing his lips in an attempt to keep his smirk under control. I stared up at him, my eyebrows furrowed and lips parted in shock. What?

"Excuse you?" Vera scoffed from next to me.

"You know, since predators can't come within five hundred feet of a school," He choked out, chest puffing out slightly as he held his breath.

My eyes widened in horror, not even needing to look around the classroom to know that everyone's attention was on us, intense gazes eating up every bit of the exchange. Even Vera seemed to be too shocked to come up with a rebuttal.

"You totally came on to Ethan, that's why he had to leave, right? Can't take no for an answer, huh?" Dale's pudgy face was red from trying to suppress his laughter, before he finally broke into guffaws and whispers filled the room.

"What are you on, Dale? Get out of our face," Vera stood and crowded into him, to which one of Dale's friends yelled about that being the first time Dale has ever had the body of a woman up against him. The teacher eventually came in and scolded the class for being so rowdy early in the morning, before beginning her lesson debrief.

"Don't listen to him, Ivan. Dale is a dick," Vera whispered sharply.

My knuckles turned white with how hard I was gripping my chair. I couldn't run again, and I was trapped in a room with wild animals, ready to tear me apart for sport. I used to be one with the shadows, a fixture in an otherwise uneventful background, I wasn't used to playing a role in the greater scheme of things. Ethan ripped me away from that life, and then left me to fend for myself. I didn't have any energy left to even be angry at him, I just wanted my friend again. I can change for him, I swore to myself.

~

Being alone at the lunch table after that event in first period felt like torture, I was so hyper-conscious of everything I did, knowing it was being judged at every angle. Where the hell was Vera?

Deciding that it would be better to sit in a bathroom stall than suffer through this, I grabbed my backpack to leave right as Vera burst through the double doors next to the table. She had a fire burning in her hazel eyes, her curly hair now up in a bun, the golden hoops she was wearing in her ears now gone.

"That two faced, conniving little bitch. Wait till I get my hands on her-" she ranted, slamming her things down on the table.

"W-what?" I spluttered, quickly sitting back down. "Why did you come from the band room?"

"I just spoke with Emma, Dale didn't make that shit up himself," she growled, popping her knuckles and rattling the table with her bouncing leg.

"Wha- what do you mean?" I whispered, my heart starting to beat painfully.

"Chloe's spreading rumors. From what Dale said, I think you can figure out what those rumors are."

"She- she's saying I tried to rape him?" I laughed incredulously, although I was filled with anxiety and sadness. It was like every laugh was a sob, and while my brain failed to properly express what I was feeling, I felt it on the inside. The despair.

Vera had a really alarmed look on her face, but seemed to chalk it up to me just being hysterical. That wouldn't be entirely wrong either.

I stood, startling Vera who had only just begun to eat her sushi, and strode across the lunchroom to where Chloe sat, waltzing right into hostile territory. Heads turned to follow my every movement, attracting more and more attention as I approached the group that surrounded Chloe, including Chase and some others that had gone to homecoming.

Everyone's faces were filled with bewilderment, as though they were shocked I would ever have the guts to approach them. Chase had an eyebrow cocked, his muscles tensed, while Chloe's eyes flitted between her friends before settling back on me, slack jawed. The cafeteria was so silent, you could hear a pin drop. I had no doubt some teachers were cautiously closing in, poised to stop a potential fight.

"How drunk was he?" I snickered, giving her a sickly sweet smile.

"Get the hell away from me Ivan, you're so weird," she rolled her eyes, continuing to try and keep up the display, but her nervous laughter was a dead giveaway. Her friends didn't laugh with her, now they all just looked incredibly worried.

"You know he wanted to go as friends. He just felt bad your boyfriend broke up with you right before homecoming. Couldn't take no for an answer?"

Chloe stood, slamming her hands on the table. She brought her hand up to jab a finger in my face. "I hate everything about you. You don't know anything," she hissed, tears beginning to well in her eyes as she scampered off, some of her friends rushing after her.

"I'd suggest you get the fuck out of here," Chase growled, pulling up his sleeves and balling his fists as he got in my space and used his height to intimidate me. Teachers began to rush in and force him to back up, as Vera grabbed my arm and dragged me away. If things weren't royally fucked before, they are now.

~

Where do you all think Ethan is? Any ideas on why he is acting so out of character? Remember to vote if you enjoyed this chapter!