I'm walking down the street and stuffing toast in my mouth, my eyes barely open and my head aching mercilessly. As you can probably tell, I'm a late riser. Definitely not an early bird, although I envy those who are. Also, as you may have deduced, I'm eating breakfast while walking because I don't want to be late to school. I already took the day off yesterday. But even though I have school today, and even though there's a high chance that I'm gonna get yelled at for being late, I don't mind. Because I have my best friend back.
The crash was horrific. They say she's lucky to have survived, even luckier to have escaped brain damage. She might be on crutches, her some of her bones might be fixed together with metal pins, and it's true that she's looking a little worse for wear, but she woke up. And she apologised.
As soon as Newt and I received that phone call, we were back on his bike, speeding down the streets to the hospital. I tripped up the stairs four times, something that only I could achieve. It might've had something to do with how fast I was running. I almost ran straight into stretcher, earning myself a disgusted glare from the nurse wheeling it. When the door to Lex's ward came into view, I pushed it so hard that Minho didn't have time to jump out of the way before it smacked him in the side. Only stopping to gasp a wheezy apology (which was almost impossible to hear behind the clamour of Minho yelling curses at me), I looked towards Lex's bed.
She was sat up. On one side of her, her parents were acting as joyful as they would if she had awoken from death, not just unconsciousness. On the other, Minho had sped across the room to join her, and was both clasping her hands protectively and throwing disdainful glances across the room at me. I couldn't stop the smile tugging at my lips, and was delighted to see Lex's expression mirroring my own.
"Mum, dad, Minho, can you give us a second?" Lex asked. Minho looked taken aback, but her parents obediently walked out of the room. Newt emerged from the shadows in the corner of the room and gestured for Minho to follow, thus finally we were left in peace.
I opened my mouth, but before any sound could come out Lex started talking. "Minho told me about the crash. He told me that he called everyone, but you were the only one he could get hold of. To be honest, you were the least likely person to do anything about it, thanks to how I've acted. I've been a complete stick, and I guess I just want to say I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have treated you like I have done, I've been a jacked up slinthead. The only thing I can do now is apologise. I'm so sorry. I messed up. You don't have to forgive me-"
I cut Lex of by leaping forward and hugging her harder than a person in a hospital bed should ever be hugged. I was crying, she was crying, there were enough tears to fill a bucket.
You might be thinking that I accepted her apology way too quickly. You're probably right. The thing was, when I suddenly had my best friend saying sorry for all the klunk she'd done, all I wanted was to erase those moments from history. I was so worried about her, so relieved to see her okay, I didn't care. The accident put everything in perspective. Life is really too short for us to turn our back on apologies from our best friends.
So now, as I'm strolling down the pavement and dusting breadcrumbs off of my jumper, I feel like there isn't a thing that can make this day go wrong. Nope, nothing. This sunny Wednesday will be a seamlessly beautiful day of celebration. Nothing can go wr...
Holy shuck.
At the end of the street, Kizzi is passionately making out with someone. I grimace. I do not want to see her with her tongue in Newt's mouth. That would be gross... Wait, since when did Newt have brown hair?
Okay, whoever that guy is, it's not Newt. I dive my hand into my pocket and rummage around until I grasp my phone. Whipping it out, I quickly open the camera. I tap my thumb on the record button. I want to look away, to walk away, to do anything to avoid seeing what I'm seeing. Newt's girlfriend is cheating on him. He's going to be so upset!
The stranger's face comes partially into view. Thick eyebrows, smooth coffee-coloured hair, square jaw - pretty attractive guy, in fairness. But still. Kizzi is cheating on Newt for this guy? Why?
I've seen enough. Ending the video, I spin on my heels and cut through and alley to avoid walking past them. I don't know what to do. Newt would want to know about this, right? Or am I going to break his heart? Should I even tell him? I don't know...
I walk into school just as the bell announces the start of lessons.
Even for a double maths session, my concentration has been awful. I know that. So does the teacher, judging by the grim way he keeps looking at me. Usually I'm alright at maths, but today...no. I've been planning how I'm going to break the news to Newt, and fretting about how he'll take it. For the first time, the ring of the bell isn't a welcome sound. I know what I have to do, I just don't want to. As I'm swept out into the corridor by the mass of kids in my class, I stare down the corridor for a sign of Newt. Sure enough, he's stood by his locker, leaning against it nonchalantly. He's talking to someone. Kizzi. Shuck.
Newt catches my eyes and smiles warmly. Kizzi, noticing this gesture, turns around and glares at me. Fortunately for me, though, Teresa appears out of the crowd and grabs Kizzi, dragging her off while waving her phone and pointing at something on the screen. Taking this opportunity, I hurry towards Newt. Seeing my nervous expression, his happy expression switches to one of concern. "What's happened?"
I don't know how to begin. "Um, Newt, can I have a second? And, er, do you know anywhere, um, private?"
I cringe. I don't think I could've worded that any worse.
"Yeah, sure. Any of the classrooms should be pretty empty. What's up?" Newt replies inquisitively.
"Just...come with me."
He follows me into a deserted maths classroom. I make sure we're out of earshot before I start talking. "Do you love Kizzi?"
Newt suddenly becomes very awkward. "Um, well, yeah-"
"There's something I have to show you. Don't speak. Just...watch." I say. My phone is in my hand, open to the video. I tap the play button. The footage of Kizzi making out with some random guy on the street fills the screen. I'm not interested in what's happening on the tape, though. I'm watching Newt's face. His eyebrows knit together and confusion is obvious in his chocolate eyes. His lips part slightly as he gasps in shock. Should I say something? Should I apologise? I'm not so certain I should've shown him anymore.
"I should've know," Newt declares. He's clearly trying to mask his sadness, pretend that he doesn't care. It's not working very well, though, I can see the mist of tears glistening over his eyes.
"Newt, I-"
Before I can finish my sentence, he storms out of the classroom. I rush after him. I want to make sure he's okay, but also, well, he's still holding my phone.
Before I can catch up, he's found Kizzi. He's holding my phone up to her face, wearing a surprisingly calm expression. Stood behind Kizzi are Teresa, Harriet and some girls I don't know, one who has shoddily dip-dyed blonde and black hair, another with vibrant red lipstick that is undeniably against school regulations, and the last sporting her own attempt at a messy bun, which has so much stray hair sticking out at odd angles that it looks like a porcupine.
I get within earshot of the conversation - not that that's hard, they're not exactly having a quiet and friendly chat.
"What are you doing in this video, Kizzi?" Newt asks darkly.
Kizzi looks both shocked and mortified. "Where d'you get that?"
"None of your bloody business. Answer my question."
"That's... I can explain, Newt! Don't look at me like that- shuck, it, Newt, isn't it obvious what I'm doing there?!"
"You never told me you were having an affair."
"Yeah, well, whatever, not like ya gave a klunk! Stephen-"
"Oh, so he's called Stephen? You'll have to introduce me sometime."
"Stop being so mean! It's not my fault! You're the one that left! Of course I was lonely! I obvs wanted someone else in my life, since you weren't there to date me!"
Newt steps backward, his stoic mask evaporating and revealing a look of hurt and utter betrayal. "You mean... You've been cheating on me for that long? When I came back, and for years since then, you've never bothered to inform me of your other love life? That's bloody pathetic, that's what-"
Kizzi interrupts him. "I knew you'd take it like this! That's why I never told you!"
"What, so you thought I'd never find out?!"
"Well, no, I was gonna get round to breaking up with you eventually."
"I wish you'd done it sooner."
With that, Newt leaves. He pauses for a second to pass me my phone, but then he just goes. Straight out of the door. He leaves school.
The bell rings, and his departing figure is lost in the mass of bodies which surges towards the lockers.
Brenda's idle chatter isn't really registering in my brain. I'm moving my uneaten lunch around the plate, rolling a cherry tomato in circles. All I can think about is Newt. Is he okay? I tried calling him as soon as the bell went for lunch, but he didn't pick up. I hope he's okay.
The other side of me, Frypan and Winston are engaged in an argument about whether or not chefs are more important than doctors. I don't think I need to tell you who's arguing for which side. Amidst the hubbub of the enthusiastic conversations across the hall, one voice is clear and menacing. It's also coming from directly in front of me.
"Oh, look, it's the little snitch. The one who just messed up my relationship. The one who is enough of a slinthead to assume that she's allowed to go snooping around in other people's private lives. Also the shank who's obsessed with my ex, and who's been plotting against me ever since she got jealous of how much he loves me. Some people are so low."
Suddenly there's a squeal of chair legs as Brenda leaps up and stands with her nose only centimetres away from Kizzi's face. "Hey, guys, look, it's that shucking pile of klunk in a skirt again! Y'know, the one that thinks she's a princess! Oh, don't tell her that it's not royal blood she's got - that's really just a frog she's related to, not a prince. Oh, yeah, that must be why she's such a stinking stick! If she had any decency, she'd accept the fact that she's the one here who deserves to rot in hell - after all, she cheated, lied, and acted like an absolute slinthead! But nah, she's too arrogant for that, instead she has to pin the blame on someone else. Of course, this pretty little darling could never do anything wrong-"
"One more word and I'll make you shut up."
Teresa has pushed Brenda backwards and is forcing her against the table. Before I realise what I'm doing, I've grabbed Teresa by the shoulder and landed a punch in her stomach. The next thing I feel is a kick aimed at the back of my knee, causing it to buckle. Then, someone else's knee in my back. Next, my head is slammed into the edge of the table.
The last thing I see is a squished pea on the dining hall floor, before my head collides with the table again.
I wake up with my head pounding mercilessly, and a rigid mattress beneath me. Where am I? What happened? Oh, wait. I remember what happened.
I stare up at the slightly stained yellow ceiling, and lean back on the bed. A tsunami of nausea threatens to overwhelm me, but I swallow it back and wince at the wave of acid now scorching my oesophagus. The school sick-room is unhygienic and grotty, only ever being cleaned when an inspection is due; the caretakers don't want to deal with the remnants of sick on the blue linoleum floor. The room smells as bad as an unclean nurse's room should: like bile, sweat and blood have been mixed together and turned into an aerosol. I can hear footsteps coming closer.
"Ah, your awake. The headmistress would like a word with you, missy," the nurse informs me scoldingly. Before I have a moment to properly get my senses back, she pulls me up by my shoulder and yanks me off towards what I know to be certain doom. Despite how lumpy and stiff that bed is, I'd still rather be lying in it than being paraded off towards the head's - after all, my head still feels like it's being attacked by a mini army carrying pickaxes.
I can't help but question the nurse's training as she drags me down the corridor and pushes me into the head's office. Seated in a circle is everyone involved in the fight. Brenda throws a concerned look up at me, but everyone else in the group glares indiscreetly. There's only one empty chair, and it's between Teresa and Kizzi. They both give me insulting looks as I sit down.
"Well, I'm sure you all know why you're here," says Mrs Paige irritatedly, beginning her speech before I can properly sit down. "Bullying, fighting, arguing and disagreements of any sort are not welcome at this school. You're lucky that no one was seriously injured."
What? Yeah, other than me being knocked out pretty nicely, sure, nobody got hurt at all.
"I know that you are all big, grown up girls, and you don't appreciate me telling you off. I'm going to be very lenient, here, because I will be sure to expect no more disagreements whatsoever between yourselves in the future. You will not be punished hereafter. But if I see so much as a glare between you, expect no less than a week's worth of detentions. Off you go, then, girls. I have important business to attend to."
None of us have any doubt that there is no such important business. This is just an excuse to get us out of the way. After all, Mrs Paige spends all her time cooped up in here, staring at her ancient computer and eating the crisps whose packets fill the overflowing bin under her dusty desk. In all honesty, I wouldn't mind knowing what she does do in her spare time - the only work I ever see on her desk is a variety of diagrams of brains.
The room files slowly out of the door, and we make our way to our different lessons. With my head feeling as though someone is repeatedly punching the inside of my skull, it's no real surprise that I'm not looking forward to the following class.
While I walk home through the city, I have my phone pressed against my ear in the hope that Newt will pick up. Twice now it's gone through to voicemail. This has got to be my last try. I don't want to seem desperate. I also don't want to annoy him. If he wants to be alone, I guess I should just leave him alone. He's suffering from post-breakup heartache, and I might not be the best sympathiser about something like that-
"Hey, Indie," greets a voice from the side of the road, interrupting my train of thoughts and making me jump so much I nearly trip into the road. As the passing car honks me, I throw Newt a look crossed between annoyance and relief. He doesn't look like he's been crying. There's no redness around his not-puffy eyes, and no dried tear tracks down his face. More than anything, he looks smug about the fact that I'm lugging my heavy bag full of homework whilst he is able to stroll down the street carefree. I have to admit, I'm shocked - both at his lack of emotion and ability to skive so effectively.
I look at him with as much contempt as I can muster. "It's not nice to sneak up on people."
He grins broadly, and my heart stutters. Wait, what? He's just broken up with his girlfriend, and I'm already letting different feelings absorb me. How long's it been, an hour or two? He's still looking at me. I can't deny that the butterflies in my stomach are seeming to breed, multiplying by the dozen until my chest feels like it's going to explode...stop, Indie, thi is never gonna work out. I guess I wish it could, though...
"I was just wondering if you would like to take a walk with me," he asks politely.
"Um, sure..." I reply, fighting to keep the blush out of my cheeks. I've never acted this bad before. I can't even look at him as he leads me down the street, heading towards a park at the end of the road.
As we walk through the gate, he suddenly stops me. "Thanks for telling me about Kizzi today. I guess I should've known, it's just...well, she's been there for me ever since I can remember, really, I just didn't want to think it could happen..."
"No problem," I reply awkwardly. "Just looking out for a friend."
But as I look up at him, I realise I want him to be more than a friend. I know it's too soon. I know I shouldn't. But maybe it's the light, because suddenly his lips look like a beautifully written invitation to an event that everybody wants to go to. I simply can't refuse...