Page 19 of Lilah
He gives me a pitiful look and I sigh.
He leads me down the hall and into the senior hall. I keep my head down as I walk, not wanting to see the looks on people's faces as they see me.
I stand beside him fiddling with my fingers as he opens his locker. I look down at my crocs.
They're underrated. I've even got little matching flower charms on them. Plus, gosh darn it if they aren't comfortable and they just slip on easily.
It's also not like I wear them every day. I have other shoes, they just caught me on a lazy day.
He closes his locker and we begin to walk again.
"Keep your head up, Azzy," he nudges me and I lift my head, "don't let them think they've won."
We stop at the bathroom and the bell rings. He tells me to ignore the bell and I sigh.
"God, could you get any uglier?" one had said.
"She just looks worthless, doesn't she?" another followed.
Before I can stop them, tears roll down my cheeks as what they had said to me finally registers.
I keep my head down and grab the shirt from Jake before turning to walk into the bathroom.
His strong hand grabs my forearm and he pulls me back around, facing him.
"Azalea Delilah Carson," he says lowly and I slowly raise my head, looking up at him.
I pull my shirt up and cover my face so he doesn't see how their words really affected me.
"I don't even know why I'm crying," I pull my shirt back down, "their insults were childish."
"They weren't even good insults," I try to humor up the situation, it doesn't really work.
"What'd they tell you, Azzy?" he questions quietly but I remain silent.
"Azzy?" he repeats.
"Azalea," he deadpans.
"They just said I was ugly, stupid, whatever," I wipe my face.
"Listen to me," he says sternly and I look up into his eyes. The same colored green eyes as mine.
"You're beautiful. Don't let anyone tell you any different," he tells me sternly.
"Put on that shirt while I go have a talk with those fuckers."
I shake the memory from my head and pay attention to Aaron in front of me.
"I'm doing okay," he smiles.
"How're your parents?" he questions and I tense up.
I've thought about telling him before. About their drinking and maybe even about the lashes I receive from time to time.
On the downside, Aaron's rich. If I tell him, his family will just blow it out of proportion. Maybe even send my father or even my mother to jail.
It's only discipline, right?
