Silent Lies - Chapter 28: Chapter 28

"Are you sure you're ready, love? You can stay home again, I'll make sure nothing will happen," Admira tells me, worrying about me going back to school as I do too.
"I have to go back, Admira. I've missed too much, they're going to call dad soon if they haven't already." She frowns but smiles at the same time, still so happy to hear me talking.
She damn near cried when we got back home yesterday and I had talked to her for the first time in years as everyone else.
"Okay, turn that doctor's note in too," she reminds me for the millionth time. "You call or text me if you need to leave or anything, I will be here."
I nod, thankful for her. She put me on her and Divine's phone plan, so I have service again to call or text her. I hug her, feeling her arms tightly and protectively around me as I don't want to go now, feeling her safety. But I have to go back to school, at this rate of missing school they're not going to let me graduate, doctor's note or not. Plus I'm so behind with school now too.
"Love you girls!" She calls after me and Divine as we walk hand in hand to the doors, calling it back.
"You're sure you're ready to go back?" Divine asks now, worrying as she looks at my hand still in a cast-I can't wait to get this shit off. When Admira had taken me to the office they said I'd have a month left if it all goes right.
"I'm sure," I assure her as we walk to my locker, my voice lowering with all the people around.
Just as I'm shutting my locker after grabbing everything I need, I feel arms wrap around me making me flinch, thankful when I turn and see it's just Adrian-I see Ashton doing the same with Divine, Danny rolling his eyes making a gagging sound.
Where's this Noah boy? Poor Danny needs someone so he's not a fifth wheel.
The bell rings for first block and we all groan, not wanting the day to already start. I wave to Danny and Ashton as they start to leave, hugging Divine as she tells me again we can leave school at any time if I want to. Adrian walks with me to the office so I can turn in the doctor's note and then to math, even though he's supposed to be getting to gym.
"You're sure you don't want to skip?" He asks as we stop outside the door and I nod, reassuring him. "Okay... I'll see you at lunch?" I nod again, smiling as I lean up to kiss his cheek, making him blush.
Math is stressful, as I try to catch up on everything from the last week. When we got back home from being at Adrian's dad's house, I managed to catch up on assignments and homework thanks to my four great friends-one being way more than a friend. But now that I'm on my own and can't look at their papers for help, I struggle. I'm going to have to learn on my own now, now that I can actually possibly focus on school without the constant worries for dad.
Well, now as I mention dad I worry. Good going Olivia. He could pick me up from school. He could be waiting for me. He could do anything now that I'm back home and I'm terrified now.
There goes focusing on school.
When I walk into art and see Mrs. Scarlett, the biggest smiles come across both of our faces as she rushes past other students and pulls me into a hug.
"Oh, Olivia. I've missed my favorite student." I smile as she hugs me tightly, thankful for my body actually not protesting the hug in pain. I try to surprise her, actually talk and tell her I had missed my favorite teacher, but I can't get the words out and definitely not as more and more students pile into class. "What happened?"
She looks at my broken hand, then her eyes move up to the very faint bruises left on my face that you can only see really close up now so I hadn't worn makeup, frowning and a worrisome expression. I just shake my head, trying to tell her an accident, not wanting her to worry.
The last bell rings as people sit in their seats as I give her a reassuring smile so she can start class and not worry. Thankfully, art is less stressful to catch up with as it's just certain sketch assignments and a few facts I've got to know about art history for quizzes that rarely happen.
Mrs. Scarlett dismisses us all to start whatever sketches or full paintings and drawings we want to do today as she walks over to my desk, taking a seat across from me.
"Olivia..." She grabs my attention and I know she's worrying when I don't want her to be. "What's been happening? I know it's not accidents, you don't get black eyes and bruised jaws then broken hands from accidents." I'm thankful as she whispers, no one listening to her.
I open my notebook, writing the truth, letting her know her worries are true but have been dealt with. I got help.
She blows out a breath, seeming so relieved but quickly backtracking. "You did?" She needs me to confirm and I nod. "You're not hiding the truth anymore, are you?" I shake my head. "Good... good." She smiles at me, actually believing me with my real smile also, looking worried but relieved at once. "I'm proud of you. Getting help takes a lot. I'm always here to talk, okay?" I nod, resisting getting up and throwing my arms around her.
She sits with me throughout class, only leaving when others raise their hands for questions or help. She sits back down with me at one point, asking which color she should dye her hair next, making me happy as I'm always the one she asks. Right now her hair is blue, and we settled on purple next-even though last school year she had her hair purple.
I'm late to getting out and to lunch after talking to Mrs. Scarlett past class, just going to my locker and grabbing and exchanging whatever I need for the rest of the day.
But I damn near shit myself when I find Lexi standing behind me like a creep, the twins walking away from her as if they don't want to deal with her. I wouldn't either.
"You and Adrian?" I smirk, knowing that's probably getting to her. But I move past her, wanting to get to lunch. "You don't get to walk away from me." She grabs my wrist forcefully, dragging me sleeve up and my stomach drops as she looks at the scars. I haven't relapsed though, not lately and I'm proud of myself. "Oh, it's a shame there's no new ones."
I rip my wrist away from her, holding back on punching her despite how much I want to as I know she'll cause a scene. That is until she slaps me, again, and her long ass nail cuts my cheek. I clench my fists, just turning to walk away until I see Divine rushing over looking pissed.
"What is your problem?" She demands from Lexi, looking at the blood trickling down my cheek.
"She's a little whore, stealing my boy." I hold back a laugh, hoping Divine just walks away as I don't want to deal with this shit. Especially when we only get half an hour for lunch that's now half over.
"I was never yours to begin with, Lexi, get that through your head." I turn to find Adrian, relaxing as his arm wraps around my shoulder to keep me close. "Stop doing this shit to Liv. It's childish, we're in high school now, about to graduate. You're not going to make it far in life if you keep this shit up."
I grin when her jaw drops, seeming so offended as Divine laughs and I can't hold back mine. She deserves to have that told to her, as it is the truth.
"I'll make it further in life than any of you," she seethes, glaring at me. "And you. How about you deal with your problems instead of having others help?" I laugh, knowing she does the exact same thing-her friends are just getting tired and realizing how shitty she is so no one's with her much anymore.
"Okay, Lexi... whatever you say." Adrian grabs my hand, thankfully finally walking away as I wanted to earlier. It's fun to just walk away and leave her pissed she didn't get more of a rise out of us like she wanted.
"I don't understand what Ashton sees in you," I hear Lexi call after us, making Divine turn right back around.
"What was that?" Divine demands again, her fist clenched. I know Divine won't be one to walk away, not now, not after all these years of Lexi's shit.
"I don't understand-" Lexi was slowly saying the words, mocking Divine, but that ends when Divine's fist meets Lexi's jaw and I'm almost scared she broke her jaw at first, wincing for Lexi. But she does deserve it.
I would've done something like punch Lexi long ago, and now, but I don't need school calling dad because I've been suspended. It would be just my luck for a teacher to walk by and see or something, but thankfully that doesn't happen with Divine.
The few people passing through the halls look shocked, but are impressed with that, looking happy Lexi's finally getting something done back to her. I see Ashton out of the corner of my eye with a huge smile, surprised Danny isn't out here now as we all are.
"What the hell!" Lexi yells, holding her bruising jaw as Divine shakes her hand, wincing in pain as she opens and closes it, muttering a few of her own curse words.
"That's my girl," Ashton walks over still with the biggest smile on his face, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as Adrian does the same with me. Finally, we all walk away as Ashton inspects Divine's already bruising knuckles.
"Fuck all of you!" Lexi calls after us.
"Right back at you, Lexi," I shock myself and everyone else when I call that back to Lexi, leaving her confused with my unfamiliar voice she's never once heard. Adrian grins as he kisses my head, telling me how proud he is of me.
When we walk into the cafeteria and walk over to our usual table with just a few minutes left of lunch, I see why Danny hadn't come out to find us like everyone else. He's with another younger looking boy, who I assume is Noah as they talk away, Danny's face flushed with a big smile.
"Oh, Olivia!" Danny says as he sees all of us sit down at the table. "This is Noah." The boy smiles and waves at me as I do the same. He has light brown hair and bright green eyes, wearing a worn out band t-shirt and jeans. When the bell rings too quickly, not even giving us time to meet, I see he's slightly shorter than Danny.
"How about we all hang out after school?" Ashton asks and we all nod. "You're invited Noah." I'm happy Danny talked to Noah, or maybe Noah talked to Danny I don't know, either way I'm happy when it's clear they're already becoming good friends as they walk to class together.
"Danny has a crush," Adrian says as the four of us walk together.
"When doesn't he?" Ashton asks and it is true-he's constantly finding someone to swoon after.
"Okay true, but an actual crush." We all nod, knowing this isn't just some swooning already.
English goes better than math did, as I catch onto everything I've missed and had poorly explained to me by my friends. But for once I'm actually getting impatient with how slow the times going, wanting to go to physics to see Adrian, and for the school day to be over. I never used to want the days to go by, but now I'm away from dad and can mostly be a regular teenager.
I ignore the dirty look I get from Lexi like usual as I walk to the back where Adrian's already sitting at our desk, smirking when I see her bruised jaw poorly covered with makeup from Divine.
"Hi, baby," Adrian says as I sit next to him and my knees damn near give out. Baby? Oh lord... I always gagged at the idea of someone calling me baby or anything else but now there's those damn butterflies in my stomach.
"Hi," I whisper just as the bell rings, taking out my notebook as his hand finds my lower back when I don't lean back in my chair.
Physics goes easier since I have Adrian to help me more, even though we're both not the best with this subject. But it is hard to focus when his hand rests on my thigh at times or when he rubs my back, butterfly's becoming a constant.
When the bell finally rings I couldn't be more relieved, standing as I put everything back into my bag as Adrian does the same, taking my hand when we walk out of class.
As always, everyone ends up with me and Adrian at my locker-I seem to be the only one who actually uses mine besides Divine sometimes. Even Noah is with us all now.
"Someone's going to have to sit on someone's lap if we're all fitting in my car," Adrian states as we walk out to his car, now having six of us with Noah trailing shyly behind us with Danny. Me and Divine had texted Admira already, making sure it's fine as we're going to Ashton's house.
"O-Oh I can go home if you guys-" Ashton cuts Noah off.
"It's okay kid, you're coming with us." I hear Divine, of course, volunteering to sit on Ashton's lap.
"If we get pulled over, it wasn't my idea either," Adrian quickly says, opening his door.
"So it's mine?" Adrian nods at Ashton. "I'm 18 I really will get-"
"I can go if you guys-" Once again, Ashton cuts Noah off.
"He won't be pulled over anyways, don't worry. There's way more important things the cops can worry about than someone sitting on another's lap." Noah nods, seeming hesitant as we all get into the car, Divine happily sitting on Ashton's lap with his arms around her.
My phones the one connected to the aux today, so my playlist shuffles going to completely different songs with my varied music taste. When Dance Baby by Boy Pablo turns on, Danny practically jumps out of his fucking seat making all of us look at him in concern.
"I love this song Olivia!" I nod at him with a huge smile thanks to his excitement. When Danny starts singing along to the song, Adrian turns to me, mouthing 'What have you done?' with Danny's unfortunately horrible singing.
"Danny we're definitely going to get pulled over with that terrible singing," Ashton scolds him, covering Divine's ears for her as me, her, and Noah are busting out laughing.
"Dance with me, baby, under the chandelier," Danny continues in a high pitched voice that none of us can tell if he's doing on purpose or not.
I surprise everyone though when I join in with Danny, shocking Noah when he hears me talk-sing-for the first time. But just like Danny, I'm a terrible fucking singer, so it only makes the laughing in the car worsen as Adrian had the biggest smile on his face, his hand resting on my thigh.
"Okay, vote for agreeing these two will never be allowed the aux after this?" Ashton says, gesturing to me and Danny making me laugh.
We get out of the car and Noah surprisingly speaks up. "I say they keep the aux everytime, that was the funnest I've had in awhile."
"I was liking you," Ashton mutters as he walks up his driveway.
I see Noah frown, taking Ashton seriously. "Don't worry, I like you kid." He smiles again at me and I'm happy, feeling protective of him already.
"Where'd you move here from, Noah?" Adrian asks as we sit around Ashton's living room as Danny starts up the Xbox on the Tv stand.
"South Carolina," he says, smiling as Danny sits back down next to him.
"Why the sudden move?" Adrian frowns. "In the middle of the school year especially, that must suck."
"It's fine... I didn't like my old school, I definitely like my new one," he looks around at all of us with a smile. "And my step mom wanted to move back here for some reason. My dad loves her so much he'll do anything for her to the extent of moving states." He rolls his eyes.
A couple hours later and I've finished my homework with Divine, tired of catching up with hours worth of school and wanting time to myself. Danny and Noah had finished their homework earlier when Adrian and Ashton were playing video games, the guys taking turns with it.
I sit back down on the couch next to Adrian, laying my head on his shoulder as he and Ashton die in the game-Left For Dead I think it is with the zombies and all. He smiles at me as if he hadn't just died after everything he did.
"Do you want to play?" He asks as Ashton sets his controller down, sitting next to Divine as Noah and Danny are on the other couch, talking about anything and everything.
"Yeah." He takes Ashton's controller, handing me his as I'm confused how to work the thing. Me and Hadley played video games all the time when we were little, with Divine too, but now it's been years since that.
"How the hell do I work this thing?" I ask, causing him to laugh as he pulls me closer to show me everything and we have a shit ton of fun playing different games.
Life is really fucking good.