Chapter 2
"Oh, okay then. Well, um, Mel... I was wondering if you wanted to go out with me this tonight, to like the cinema or somewhere." He says, blushing nervously.
Melanie is silent, shocked by her invitation of a date. I nudge her arm to bring her back to the present. "What? Oh, yes. Yes, please! To see what?" she asks him, smiling.
He looks relieved. "Silver Linings Playbook? It's just it's got great reviews, but if you don't want to see it, that's fine."
"Oh, no! That's sounds brilliant," she grins, delighted. I know I should be annoyed with her, but frankly, I find my jealousy minimal.
"Cool, well, I'll pick you up at seven, then. I gotta go speak to Mr Sharon, catcha later." He says, winking at her before getting up out of his seat.
After he has left, Mel turns to face me, her eyes more alert and excited than I have ever seen them. "Oh, my gosh. Wanda! He asked me out! Jared Howe asked me out!"
I send her a smile, but can't bring myself to extend it. "That's brilliant, Mel." I lie, "I can't wait to hear all about it when you get back." More lies. When on earth did I become so good at it? I gather up my books, chuck them in my bag and sling it over my shoulder. I wave goodbye to my sister and go to find Ian - if we have to walk together I might as well get it over with.
I see him leaning casually against one of the lockers, talking to a girl. And guess what? She's a cheerleader.
"Uh, Ian?" I ask, tapping him on the shoulder.
"What?" he demands, an angry glare on his face.
"You said we had to stick together. I wondered if you were ready to go to the first lesso-" but I am interrupted by his strong grip around my throat, slamming me against the locker.
"Ahhhhh!" I try to scream, but his hand closes around my mouth. My legs flail in the air as I try to attract attention, but for some strange reason the corridor appears to have emptied out.
"Listen, Wanda." he hisses, exaggerating my name. "This is my new chance here. To be popular. And I don't want a little nerd like you messing up my chances. Got that? Now scram." He demands, dropping me to the floor. I scramble to pick up my backpack and sprint off down the corridor as fast I can. There are no new students or teachers left in the corridor - no one to witness what he did to be. My breaths are coming out all raspy from where he held a grip on my neck and I can feel a bruise developing already. I know that I am in no fit state to get to class, so instead I rush into the nearest girls bathroom, praying that Ian isn't following me. Luckily no one is inside, so I open the door to one of the cubicles and lock it behind me. I pull the toilet seat down and crouch on it, hugging my knees to my chest. Why did everyone pick on me? I know I am small, but does that make me any different, really? Melanie says I look heavenly with my blond hair cascading in locks down my back and my silver eyes, but I don't believe her. When I look in the mirror I see a sixteen year old who looks twelve.
I don't have a phone or anything to pass the time, so I end up reading all the graffiti messages scrawled across the wall. Some are rude, others are funny.
...RW+LB Forever...I Can See You...Goodbye, from the class of 2012...I Hate Math... I Hate HV...Everyone fancies Kyle O'Shea...
That last one catches my eye, there's something about that name I recognise, but I just can't think what it is. Kyle... Do I know any Kyles? No. And that's when it hits me: O'Shea. Ian - my tormenter - is called O'Shea. I read it on his timetable. So, just my luck, it looks as though everyone in the school fancies a bully's brother. What a healthy image that promotes.
After what my watch says is twenty minutes, but feels considerably more like hours, I hear the bathroom door open, and someone's cough as they come in. I can hear their footsteps walking up to my cubicle and I pray to myself that they don't pull on the door. But, of course, just my luck they do.
"Sorry." I say, my voice still croaky. "This one's taken."
But instead of the 'Oh, sorry' I was expecting, the girl said something else. "Wanda? Is that you? Why are you in there?" It was Melanie, of all the people.
"Uh, yes, it's me." I answer, figuring there is no point in attempting to lie to my sister. She can always tell when I am. "And I'm in here, because I needed the loo." I say, seeing as it is only a half lie. I did need the loo after all, that's just not the reason I originally came in here.
"No, you didn't." mutters Mel, I can hear the frown she must be wearing on her face just from the tone of her voice. "I know, because your teacher came into my class wondering where you were. I lied and said you felt ill and went home, you should be grateful, Wanda. You could get in serious trouble for bunking off, and it's not like you." She says, going into the cubicle next to me. I feel really bad after she says that - I made Melanie lie to a teacher.
I thought she was just going to the loo, until she cries "Ha!" and then "Oh, my gosh! Wanda, what happened to you?"
I glance up and see Melanie's face peering over the top of her cubicle, looking distressed. I can only imagine what my face looks like right now: blotchy from crying, my neck swollen, my hair in tangles. There is only one word to describe me: hideous.
"Who did that to you?" frets Mel, climbing down from her toilet and banging on the door to mine.
I reluctantly let her in. "Ian." I mutter, casting my eyes downwards.
"Ian?" she asks, incredulous. "As in, hot new boy Ian?"
I nod my head. "I asked him if he wanted to go to the next lesson together, and he slammed me against the locker, saying that I, as a nerd, would ruin his chance of becoming popular at this school." I tell her.
She reaches forwards to hug me, rubbing my back as I begin to cry freely.
"Shh, Wanda, honey. It'll be okay. We'll get that jerk, alright?" She tells me.
A/N Sorry for the immensely long wait, but here, finally is Chapter 2! I promise I will update more often, it's just I have been busy with my The Selection FanFic called Chasing The Crown. It's under a different pen name, but still me! So, once again, sorry!
Thank you a million times to everyone who followed, favourited and reviewed! It means so so so much to me :)
P.S I am English, so if any words in there don't make sense to the guys in America, just ask in a review or PM me.
Next chapter up soon xxx
