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5. The Worst Day Of My Life

Rosé

“Robin!” As she turned her head I grabbed her arm. “What the hell?” I yelled. “What are you doing?! Are you seriously blowing me off for this guy of all people?”

Her eyes grew in horror. Guess she didn’t expect me to spot them like this. Her boy toy interjected. “Who exactly are you referring to as ‘this guy’-”

“Shut up, Manny!” My palm shot up to his face. “No one was talking to you.”

Robin’s face turned red and she frowned, folding her arms above her chest. But she wasn’t angry at Manuel for interrupting like I was. Instead of being on my side, she pulled me away, leaving Manuel to stand alone by himself. She brought me to the wall and let me go.

“What is your problem?!”

“What? I’m not the one sneaking around with my enemy while keeping it from my friend.”

Robin squeezed her nose. “We were just talking.”

“That doesn’t look like talking to me. Do people talk by sucking off the other’s tongue?”

“Oh my god, you’re so overdramatic!” She started passing back and forth, her blonde ponytail bouncing against the back of her multi-color sweater with each step. “We were just holding hands! In no way did you see us kiss.”

“Not today at least.” I listed off moments using my fingers. “You kissed below the staircase on Monday. Over the weekend you two hung out at the park. He gave you a peck on the cheek just yesterday at lunch before I came to sit with you. And those were only a few out of all the times I caught you sneaking around with him.”

“W-well…” She rubbed her arm sheepishly. “It’s not like I wanted to hide it… I really like Manuel. I think he’s funny and interesting, not too obsessed with looks or the type to put people down. Unlike you.”

A soft gasp escaped my lips. “E-excuse me?”

“It’s all your fault. Have you ever thought that maybe you misjudged him? You always bad mouth him saying he’s this or he’s that! How do I know you’re not just saying that because he broke up with you?”

Cool wind cut across the campus and blew some hair into my eye. I laughed as I pushed it aside. I couldn’t help it. “Is that what you thought all this time?” I asked. Robin averted her gaze. “He lied to me, Robin. If I wanted to make up some lies about him I would have conjured up something more convincing. He wanted good grades because he was failing that class. He pretended to have an interest in me, kept me away from friends and stole my presentation! Then had the nerve to frame me for copying him instead. I had to take summer classes to make up for my grades.”

Robin remained quiet.

“And he bullied me afterward and called me a dunce.” I sighed. “You know that, Robin, you’ve seen it. That’s how we met when you found me crying in the bathroom. Remember?”

“Just because that happened with you doesn’t mean it has to happen with me.”

My body stiffened, and for a while, I was unable to move or talk. “Wha… what?”

“Maybe it’s different this time,” she continued. “Maybe you didn’t do enough to keep him. He compliments me every day. Tells me how special I am. Takes me out on dates! All the time he has been the perfect gentleman. I don’t care what impression you have of him but you’ve got it wrong. Alyssa was right.” She glared with an expression so cold it sent chills down my spine. “You are just a bitter girl with no life ahead of you.”

Lots of feelings took over my body at once. I wanted to cry, scream, and call her all the worst names imaginable. But the most evident feeling was betrayal. I didn’t feel like doing any of those things. So instead I simply lifted my gaze and looked at her.

“You know, I wanted to look past it and wish you the best, even if I didn’t like Manuel. Alyssa was right. You are someone who stayed by my side because you could only raise your self-esteem by sticking with people less fortunate than you.”

It became hard to look at her, so I didn’t. If Robin planned to say something else I couldn’t tell. I already started walking away, past Manuel, and away from the school. I would have normally taken the bus but I didn’t go to where the buses were stationed either.

I let my legs carry me until I arrived right outside the city. There were suburban houses lined up on the street. I found a large tree on the sidewalk I could lean against. I placed my entire right arm on its bark, rested my forehead on it, and cried.

I allowed myself to sob and cry until my stomach ached. To think I liked either of them, to think I thought we were close.

“Why do people in my life keep letting me down?” I muttered aloud between sobs. “Everyone keeps making me out to be an enemy. What did I ever do to them? All I did was… exist.”

Tears trailed down my face and I wiped them off. I needed some time alone.

Striding through town with a distressed face and red eyes wasn’t my idea of a peaceful stroll. So I took a more barren road, one with fewer people.

It was more of a shallow neighborhood with houses far apart along a mountain. I could breathe, watching as the sun began to set. My head managed to calm down a bit but my mind was still in turmoil. It wouldn’t be long until I arrived at the park. Maybe fifteen, or twenty minutes at most. No one bothered me or said anything as they went about their business. Their footsteps also helped to distract me from my own thoughts. But there was a pair of footsteps that kept me on edge.

Someone was following me. I don’t know why. This person, whoever they are, has been at it for a while now. I inhaled deeply, then turned around. I was right. It was Steve.

I rolled my eyes, somewhat grateful that it wasn’t a stranger. Not that I was happy to see Steve, it was more like at least he’s not a creepy old man.

I slowed down so he could walk past. He did. For a moment.

Then he stopped, looked me in the face, and grabbed my arm.

“Don’t touch the bitch, he said.” Steve started speaking, more to himself than me. He didn’t seem to hear me as I shouted at him to let me go. “Don’t even talk to the bitch, he said. Just because he’s Alpha he thinks he can say and do whatever he wants. Without me, he wouldn’t even be a candidate.”

“Steve, are you fucking mental?” I yelled. Houses disappeared behind me. There was an old stone bridge beside us. I glanced around. No one was there. An unsettling feeling erupted in my stomach.

Before I could shout again Steve slapped me with the back of his hand.

The world spun.

My free hand grazed the spot he hit.

The next thing I knew, I was seeing in spirals. He threw me down the slope and I couldn't stop spinning. When I landed at the bottom, I could see him smiling. Like harming me somehow brightened his mood. I didn't care about the bits of stone lodged in my arms or how much my shoulders hurt. I knew that if I didn't make a move now, I would end up in big trouble.

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