Page 11 of Someday Away

“Watch this,” she whispers in my ear with an evil smirk. And she walks over to Charlie’s table.

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHARLIE

Irefuse to look at Lincoln again. Instead, I focus on enjoying my yogurt, but it’s just sad and white. I wish they had sprinkles, and I make a note to buy some from the grocery store. My heart rate slowly returns to normal.

The clack of expensive heels interrupts my meal, and I watch as Serenity approaches my table. Her makeup is flawless, and her blonde hair is tied into schoolgirl pigtails a la Britney Spears in the “...Baby, One More Time” video. Her blue eyes are ice cold as she stares at me.

“You’re sitting in my seat.”

I glance around at literally dozens of empty tables.

This bitch, I think, looking up at her with a bored expression.

After allowing Serenity to make me feel so small with her snobby attitude during our last encounter, I’d decided I wouldn’t let her intimidate me again. Or I wasn’t going to show it, at least.

I wave my arm expansively. “Well, I’m sitting here, so why don’t you walk your fake ass somewhere else and find another seat. It’s a big fucking dining hall.”

I hear several students gasp, and I gauge her reaction. Her face is definitely turning a blotchy shade of red.

“Listen, you little whore,” she says through pinched glossy lips. “I’m not kidding. Move.”

I roll my eyes and return to my homework. I hear her annoyed huff, and for a moment, I think she’s given up on this ridiculous high school-esque show of dominance.

But then everything seems to happen in slow motion. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Fiona enter the room, and I wave at her. She starts to wave back but stops suddenly, her eyes going wide. Serenity lurches forward in a tripping motion, her tray of food—waffles with syrup, fruit, and a large cup of milk—spilling directly onto the keyboard of my laptop.

I jump away from the table, trying to avoid the worst of the breakfast mess, and watch in horror as my laptop teeters at the edge of the table, then clatters to the floor, a crack splitting the screen.

The dining hall falls eerily silent, but covert snickering starts as I drop to my knees.

My laptop. The laptop that my mom gave me.

Hot tears blur my vision, and I stare up at Serenity, angrily shaking food from the damaged computer.

“Oops,” she says, smiling sweetly. “Maybe next time you’ll move.”

I stand, shoving the MacBook into my backpack, my face red hot with embarrassment. Everyone is staring. Trey has a hand over his mouth, though I can’t tell if he’s hiding a laugh or shock. Lincoln isn’t smiling, but the message in his stormy eyes is clear.

You deserved that, it seems to say.

I glare at him, and look back at Serenity, rage burning through my veins like acid. Without thinking, I make a fist just like Seb taught me when I was being bullied in middle school, and I swing. Hard.

Serenity’s eyes widen in alarm before my punch connects with her face, and this time the loud crack comes from thebreaking bones in her nose. She screeches, her hands flying to her face to stop the torrent of blood following the hit. She collapses to her knees dramatically.

I stare down at her a moment as she cries and whimpers in agony on the now crimson dining hall floor.

It’s just a laptop, I repeat over and over, breathless as I try to hold off the inevitable panic attack.

I picture my mom’s face as she handed me the laptop, saying I could use it to become a famous writer one day. Pride shone in her green eyes.

My green eyes.

And now there’s so much blood.

But the worst part is that I let Serenity get to me again, and this time, she actually won.

I run to the exit, pushing through the double doors. I can’t let anyone see me cry, especially him.

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