Page 72 of Greased

The teacher pairs us off. I internally groan as I’m placed with Dawson. And to find out we will be paired off until the end of the year?

Kill. Me. Now.

Dawson must see the look written all over my face, “Come on Vixen, it won't be that bad. You certainly weren't complaining when you rode me yesterday.”

“If I knew you were a fucking coward, I would have left you high and dry,” I snap, watching as all of Dawson’s bravado falls from his face.

He doesn’t bother with a reply, just grumbles and leaves me to pick a song for our duet. That’s right. Our first assignment, a duet to be performed in front of the school.

Like I said, fucking kill me now.

The only thing that I feel works in my favour is the fact that I know Dawson can actually sing. A memory of us belting songs on the way to the airport brings a smile to the face. But then the hours, days and months that followed my last happy memory of the asshole dissipates any happy feeling that memory brings me.

I scroll through Spotify in an attempt to find a song suited to us. Each suggestion comes with a grumble or a grunt. Some don’t even get awarded a response apart from a sharp glare.

One song out of the list finally stands out to me. A song that feels right.One Day The Only Butterflies Left Will Be In Your Chest As You March Towards Your Deathcomes over my speakers as I hit play.

I don’t bother looking towards Dawson. Instead, I allow the haunting lyrics to flow from me. I take a breath as the chorus ends, just as the next verse is about to start Dawson’s voice over-powers mine.

My words fall short as my head snaps in his direction. His eyes remain on me, captivating me as the lyrics pour from him. I nearly melt as he screams some of the lyrics. Tears well in my eyes as I watch him. I join in, my voice following alongside his as the chorus starts. His eyes heat as our voices melt together in perfect symphony.

We remain locked in some kind of heartbreaking staring contest. Emotions pour from our chests as if these lyrics were written specifically for us.

The song fades but we don’t drop eye contact. His eyes tell me everything. His emotions are raw and right now I can see the man Ifell in love with all those months ago. The man that promised me the world. I know that he was right. It was only just the beginning. Our story won’t end yet. There is still so much left untold. But I don’t know if I can wait for it. I don’t know if I can continue to sit by as each of his words pierce my soul.

The room around us erupts in a cheer. I look around, catching the eyes of Sonny, Dacre, Nicky and Pike who are each looking at me with wonder. My sight blurs as tears slowly flood my vision. I feel like I have been flayed open yet again. My emotions are ripe for the picking.

I can’t be here. Panic seeps into my chest as I shoot up out of my seat, grabbing my bag, rushing out of the room.

I don’t stop until the gates of my house come into my view.

I don’t leave my bedroom until the next morning.

Igrumble through the entire next day. It's almost as though the events of the last few weeks have finally caught up with me. It’s like a constant war that I’m fighting internally. When will I get a break? Just five fucking minutes of reprieve.

It felt like yesterday just broke the dam of my emotions.

I couldn't bring myself to answer a single message from Pike, Dacre, Sonny and Nicky. Rhodes knocked on my door a few times but after a while, I guess he finally got the hint.

I knew it was pointless to expect anything from Dawson. To wait on something even remotely close to an apology or even a ceasefire from him is fucking pointless.

Even opening myself up to him so completely wouldn't be enough. Giving him my body wasn’t enough.

It feels like nothing will ever be enough.

It's like I just moved through the entire day completely numb. The boys hung around like bad smells but I couldn’t bring myself toeven grunt at them. Yet, they stuck by me the entire day. Became a barricade between me and the rest of the world. I didn’t realise how much I needed them there until they were. True to their word they are standing by me even when I’m doing my best at pushing them away.

I still hear everything they say to me. Their promises and reassurances don’t fall upon deaf ears. I take in everything they give me.

But nothing was able to pull me out of myself. Not until I walked back into my bedroom as the tears were finally able to fall free, if only just for a moment.

My father knocks on my door just before five. I yell out, telling him to come in.

He smiles at me as he watches me tie my shoes.

“Ready to face the vultures?”

I stand up grimacing at the prospect of being put under a microscope by these men. He must see my reaction as he laughs, coming over to place his hands on my shoulders.

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