Part 17
*
"How have you been?" she asked me, careful not to meet my eyes but I could tell she was studying my face, my reaction. The red-head standing next to her was keeping absolutely still.
If it wasn't for the fact that my body had rooted itself to the spot from shock, I'd have slapped myself over and over to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. My mouth wouldn't open and inside, my heart thudded and thumped against my chest. Blood rushed to my head and I could almost see me passing out again.
"Shane!? What the fuck...!?".
"Oh my god!".
From the distance, I could hear Jenny and... Becky? Finally looking away from Shane, I turned and saw Jenny and Becky marching towards us. Jenny looked pissed. Becky looked amused, a slight smile turned into the corners of her mouth.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing here!?" Jenny screamed at Shane and I grabbed her back from going any closer.
"Jenny" Shane began, moving closer, "Let me explain, I freaked out and left, and I'm so sorry but I couldn't handle it anymore, my feelings for Carmen—" wow, left me a little shocked, I gotta say, "—But now I'm back because I want to make amend with things, I've grown up".
Jenny scoffed as Becky eyed the red-head.
"Who's she?" Becky asked, eyebrow raised.
"Becky!" Alice hissed.
"I'm Joanie" the red-haired girl smiled.
"Take it you're Shane's new girlfriend?" Jenny barked.
"No, she's not" Shane said defensively, "I get it, you're mad but Joanie has nothing to do with this".
"So you know about us leaving then?" Alice says quietly. This is all new territory. New grounds.
"Huh?" Shane frowns.
"The building was tested positive for asbestos" Becky explained, "We're all moving to a new place tonight".
"Where?" Shane looks shocked.
"Somewhere in the city" Alice replies.
"I didn't know" Shane murmurs.
"Oh well thank god you didn't miss us!" Jenny says sarcastically. She turns to me, "Carmen, we've still got some packing to do, coming?".
I nod and let her pull me away. I heard Alice very briefly, "I'm glad to have you back".
"Thanks Alice" Shane replies, her tone saddened.
"Me too" Becky finally admits, "It was getting a little boring around here".
I can't hear anymore as me and Jenny are too far away.
"How dare she come back here after all this time!?" Jenny roared.
I still haven't said one single word since I saw Shane but now, I opened my mouth, "Jenny, I'd rather just forget all about this and just get on with my life".
"Like that's possible" Jenny scoffed, "Not while she's back" she led me inside the castle and away from the air cold, harsh air.
And the award for Best Enthusiast goes to...
*
"Shane's away to see Mrs Watters" Becky said as she walked into the dorm, "Joanie and Alice went with her" she sat down next to me and waited.
"That's very good" I said sarcastically and continued packing up.
"So did she happened to mention where the hell she's been for the past 7 and a half months?" Jenny snapped, still clearly annoyed.
Becky shrugged, "She mentioned something about joining some stoners and then meeting Joanie, they survived on their own in the back of a broken down truck for a couple months but then decided to come back here".
"Aren't we blessed?" Jenny rolled her eyes, standing up and walking into the bathroom.
"Stop it!" I blurted out, causing Becky to freeze and Jenny to walk back into the dorm, "I said enough!" I roared, "Do you hear me!? If either one of you mentions Shane's name again, I swear to God, it won't just be Dana's grave out there!".
I take a step back. I don't know what happened, I just snapped. Jenny looked shocked, and as for Becky, I think she was mildly annoyed I had screamed at her.
"Got it" Jenny nods, going back to packing. Becky just stands there. My legs are moving, I think. Towards the door.
"Where are you going?" Becky asked.
"To get some air" I call over my shoulder and step down the stairs.
"Carmen!" a little voice calls me. I spin around and see Joanie, smiling as she walks up to me, carrying a bunch of books.
"Oh, hey, Joanie" I say awkwardly, or try not to but it comes out like that anyway.
"I'm also enrolled in here!" she giggles, "How cool is that?" she gestures to the tons of books she has.
"That's... great" I smile tensely.
Suddenly, while Joanie was trying to pick one up from the middle, they all fall down in-between us.
"Oops, I'm such a klutz!" she says and we both bend down to pick them up at the same time.
"Me too" I smile and help her gather the books from the floor.
"Carmen?" her innocent voice asks.
"Yep?" I look up.
Joanie reaches over and grips my wrist, pulling me close to her. She's really hurting me now and I—
"If you ever speak badly about Shane again" she hisses, her voice laced with vemon, "I'll kill you" my heart starts thudding, "That goes for your friends too..." she giggles quietly and then leans in to place her lips against the raging pulse on my neck, "Stay away from Shane" her lips move against my skin and then she pulls back and plasters a happy fake smile across her face.
"I really do need to learn to be less ditzy" she laughs once again and stands, holding her books. "See you Carmen" she walks off, leaving me crouched down on the floor.
I have no idea what the fuck just happened.
*
"Psycho at 11!" I crash through the dorm doors but go quiet when I see Shane with Alice, Jenny and Becky.
"Huh?" Becky frowns.
"Nothing" I mumble and walk towards my bed. A second later, Joanie enters, still holding her books.
"Oh good" Shane smiles, "I was just about to go looking for you".
Joanie smiles smugly and goes to sit next to Shane, "This place is so big, you could easily get lost" she tucks a strand of her red hair behind her ear and giggles.
The sound makes me want to vomit.
"Ow!" I suddenly jump up. I don't know where the fuck I'm going with this but let's see, shall we?
"What?" Jenny frowns.
"Something's in my eye!" I squeal, wincing my eyes up, "Can someone come check it in the bathroom, please?".
Jenny stands and I also motion Becky. She takes the hint right away and follows us into the bathroom. Closing the door shut, I let my eyes go back to normal.
"What was that all about?" Becky whispers.
"That girl is a psycho!" I hiss out, "She practically man-handled me"—Jenny rolled her eyes, which I ignored—"And told me to tell you that we've to stop saying stuff about Shane and that I've to stay away from Shane otherwise she'll kill me".
"What?" Becky cried, heading for the door, but I stopped her.
"No, guys" I whispered, "This is serious, I think she may be genuinely crazy, I'm so pissed off, I just wanna hit her!".
A knock at the door made us all jump.
"Guys?" it was Shane, "Carmen, you okay?".
"Yeah" I called, "It was just an eyelash, silly me!" I turned to Becky and Jenny, and whispered; "We're not gonnah be over-ruled by this psychotic bitch, understood? Let's do this Jenny-style".
Jenny smirked as Becky laughed. Becky opened the door and we all walked out, smart smiles plastered over our faces. I picked up my soda juice and walked by Becky, eyeing her.
Becky held her foot out and I stumbled over it, throwing the juice all over Joanie. "Oops" I stood back, "I'm just such a klutz sometimes" giving her my best fake smile I could find, she simply looked back at me. I gave her a wink and leaned in close to her ear, pretending to reach for a towel behind her, "Threaten me again" I hissed, "And I'll, kill, you".
I walked back to my bed, Jenny and Becky joining me. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see one thing only. Not Alice rushing to help Joanie or even Joanie's angry and screwed-up face, but Shane, leaning against the dorm door, smirking.
*
"So em, I was hoping we could talk" I heard her voice behind me. Inches away from me and I froze. She was right behind me and I struggled to move.
"What do we have to talk about?" I continued making my bed, ignoring her.
She sighed, "Carmen, we have a lot to talk about".
"Are you sure that'd be okay with Joanie?" I spun around. It was unusual that we'd get time alone but somehow we did. She was inches away now, her breath on my cheek.
"What?" Shane screwed her face up.
"Your psycho girlfriend threatened to kill me if I didn't stay away from you!" I ranted.
"Joanie's not my... She wouldn't..." Shane trailed off.
"How much do you really know about her?" I pressed.
Shane was obviously at a loss for words. "Look, I'll talk to her" she muttered, "What I really wanted to talk to you about was us".
"Oh what us, Shane?" I laughed bitterly, "We've been nothing but bad for each other... I drove you away and you drove me to alcohol!" I cry, "I was fucking non-existent for the first couple of months after you left! You completely left me a fucking mess!".
Tears welled in Shane's eyes, "Carmen... I—I'm such a fucking screw-up and I regret a lot of things but the one thing I'll never regret is us".
"Stop saying us!" I growl.
Shane looked down and sighed, "Nothing's ever simple for us, is it?" she whispered, letting a few tears fall from her beautiful eyes.
"No" I let out a breath, "It's not".
"I missed you" she whispered.
I nodded, unable to reply.
"Why?" I hissed, "Why... Why leave me? What did I do wrong?".
"It wasn't you, Carmen" Shane gripped my shoulders, "I swear, it was all me! Fucking messed-up me! It's all my fault! I just... I love you so much it hurt to breathe and I got scared and ran away... I'm sorry".
To be fair, it did seem like she had grown up a lot. More than a lot. She had totally matured. Maybe I could—No, stop it Carmen.
Shane inched closer and my heart started to thud. "I haven't held you in so long" Shane whispered, leaning in. "I haven't felt your lips on mine since forever" her voice sounded pained. I had to hold myself back from throwing her on my bed and... eh, well, let's just leave it there.
"You left me Shane" I let tears fall from my eyes, "You left me and it killed me, I don't know if I can ever forgive you".
"I know" Shane nodded her head sadly.
"And I moved on, dammit" I hissed, "I fucking moved on, Shane!".
"I'll always follow you home" Shane said quietly.
"I wish I could believe that" I smiled sadly, "But I can't and I'm sorry".
Just then, the door opened and Alice and Becky came in. Me and Shane broke apart and I quickly wiped my tears away.
"The bus has just arrived" Alice said, looking back and forth between me and Shane.
"Great" I looked around the plain, empty room and felt a little sad. All my memories were here, the good ones and the bad and now... I was leaving them all behind.
We all piled out of the dorm room and I gave it one last emotional look to find Dana, sitting on her bed, smiling. She burst into a wide grin. I smiled back. She slowly faded away but her presence would always be with me, that much I knew.
"See you round" I whispered and closed the door after me.
Author's Note:
Hello, next part up, lemme know what you think, I'm really glad we're out of the boarding school and they can have a new fresh start somewhere else lol progression and all that :)
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