Page 24 of Unspoken Truths

“Bad luck for me,” I mutter as we cross the parking lot.

People begin walking into the school, and somehow it feels as if they were waiting for us to get here. It’s creepy and uncomfortable, how in unison they act together.

“Tell me about the newspaper,” I suggest, trying to get my mind off of feeling as if I’m moving under a microscope. It’s also clear that this is an important day for Liliana, and I want to be supportive.

I’m enjoying the way she’s almost bouncing with excitement. It’s adorable since she’s so intense otherwise.

“So, one of the big features was last week’s swim meet,” she gushes, grinning as we walk through the doors into the school.

The air feels oppressive inside, but I force myself to take a breath and keep walking. It’s all in my head. I’m fine.

Why is everyone staring at me?

“Mmhm,” I murmur, struggling to pay attention to her as we walk.

“Don’t you all have other things to do?” Liliana calls out, looking around as everyone reads the newspaper in the paper or online format provided by the school. “Read the paper, and stop gawking at her.”

“Oh I am reading the paper,” a junior says with a smirk. I don’t know many people at school, but everyone’s jacket is a different color, depending on what grade you’re in.

It’s a good way to make sure everyone is in the section of school they’re supposed to be in, but uniforms have to be purchased every year, or they won’t match your grade level.

It feels like a scam for the school, since it funnels more money into their pockets. The guys in the school also all have different color ties based on their grade level as well, but then, I’m hyper fixating on the wrong things right now. I’ll just continue if I don’t find a way to focus on what’s currently happening in front of me.

Blinking hard as I watch how he folds the newspaper in half, he turns it to show us the story he’s reading. Colton Baal looks out at me, my mother’s ex-boyfriend. His arrogant gaze makes me shudder, and my foot moves forward as if against my better judgment.

“What?” I whisper, eyes narrowing at the full half page spread.

Colton’s stupid hair, high cheekbones, and cruel smirk are in the Carlysle Prep newspaper. I never saw why my mother was attracted to him, his hair is poofy and he reminds me of a ferret. I don’t understand how his face is staring back at me. The files are sealed because I’m a minor. No one should have access to them.

What the fuck is happening right now?

I haven’t told a soul about that night, my mom only knows because she walked into the apartment while he was hurting me. I don’t even know if Emil knows. My eyes feel hot as I move closer, pulling my hand away from Liliana because I can’t stand to be touched.

Was she nice so she could dig up dirt on me? Did you do this?

“Someone give me a newspaper!” she says, panicked, ripping it away from a student. “Fuck, Rachelle please don’t?—”

I tune her out completely as I pull the newspaper away from the junior smirking at me.

“Didn’t think you’d enjoy them so old, girlie,” he says with a dark chuckle. “Is that what it takes for you to fuck someone? Here I was, hoping to get you on your knees for me.”

“Never,” I rasp, my eyes gazing at the two photos of Colton. One of them is his mug shot, while the other is of him out of prison and smiling. This has to be an old photo, because I checked a few weeks ago to make sure he was still locked up.

I can’t help myself, I look even though I know he’ll be dead or in his eighties by the time he gets out. Bad things still happen, people manage to get out for good behavior all of the time, even pedofiles.

“I feel as if it’s important to shine some light and facts about the new girl. Rachelle seems to enjoy stealing men from other people, especially her mother,”the article begins.

I can vaguely hear my name being screamed, but it feels as if there is cotton in my ears, and everything around me is a dull roar. I can hear the sounds, but the words are fuzzy. Checking the name of the person who wrote this article, I’m somehow unsurprised to see that it saysAnonymous.

Is this the error Liliana had to fix in the paper? Did she do this?

Gasping in a breath, I continue to read, the vague word coming through the chaos happening in my mind.

“Boyfriend stealer!” a girl yells.

“Very recently, Rachelle’s mother found her fucking her boyfriend when she got home from work, but the poor little slut is claiming it was nonconsentual,”the article continues.

I didn’t want it. I swear I didn’t. No!

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