So my first couple weeks of school have gone better than I could have ever hoped. My classes are alright, and I have Emerald. Yes, I only have one friend, but she only has me, and that's all we really need.

This fine Thursday in September after Gee drops me off at school, I quickly remember that Em is not here. That makes me nervous, but it's okay, she told me in advance that she'd be at her great uncle's funeral today.

I felt bad, but she told me not to worry because she'd only met the guy like once.

My first class, biology, goes smoothly because she isn't in that one anyway. I quite like biology class, but my favourite is definitely English. I love reading and writing— one of the few things I'm good at.

Next I have math. I sit alone like I usually do in that class. Nathan sits on the other side of the room with a new group of friends. He hung around with Em and I during our lunch break the first few days of school, but he quickly drifted from us to hang out with a group of jock boys instead. I never really got to know him so it didn't affect me, but I think Em may have been a bit sad to see him go.

Later on, lunch time rolls around. Class may be boring and all, but I've been dreading this for the simple fact that today I have no one to sit with. So, instead I go to the library.

With Emerald not here to notice, I'm free to skip lunch completely, which is something I've been tempted to do. I can often get out of the house in the morning without breakfast, and no one really keeps track of the snacks I eat (which is very close to none), so I'm just going a step further. A step closer the body my mind has convinced me I need.

In the library, I find the first Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone, and check it out. The librarian, Ms. Kay, is really nice.

"Good choice," she smiles while checking out my book.

"Thanks," I smile back, "I've been wanting to read it."

"Let me know if you want me to order the next couple books in the series when your done."

I take my book from her outstretched hands and nod, "Will do."

I find a seat in the corner of the library and begin reading, but before I can even finish the first page I feel the book being moved away from my face.

"Oh, hey, Nathan," I say at the sight of him standing in front of me.

"Can I talk to you in the hall for a couple minutes?" He asks, skipping any form of greeting.

"Um, okay," I get up and follow him out of the library, gently placing the book into my bag.

"Look, I don't like you," Nathan tells me, looking me in the eyes.

I'm taken aback, "Uh, ok—"

"No, I'm not done yet, Evelyn. Emerald's the one I like and it was a really bitchy move what you did."

"The fuck did I do?" I ask him, confused and bewildered. What is this guy doing?

"You basically swooped in here and took her away, Evelyn, don't be stupid!" He's really getting mad now.

"You know what happened, you were there! Emerald and I happened to have met before and then she let me hang around with you guys. You were the one who stopped sitting with us!"

He shakes his head as if I just made the dumbest joke. "Oh, but it was love at first—second, I guess, sight for Em. She payed attention to you and basically had no friendship left to give me."

"What the fuck are you saying, Nathan?" I seriously don't know what's going on; is he calling me out on something or writing love poems?

"Nathan?" A blonde girl, who'd been walking down the hall, asks suddenly, joining us.

"Charlotte, babe. Meet Evelyn, the resident bitch." Nathan points at me. Charlotte whispers something in Nathan's ear, and he nods. They kiss to seal the deal. It was gross.

"Come with me, Evie, Dear. For some girl talk." She grabs my wrist and pulls me into the nearest girls' bathroom, her demeanour changing drastically when anyone who might be loitering in the hallway is out of earshot. "Look, bitch, I don't know what you did, but no one can disrespect my boyfriend!"

"Oh, honey, I think Nathan might have his eye on someone else!" I roll my eyes.

"You fucking take that back!" Charlotte yells, slapping me across the face. I was not prepared for that.

"Hey!" I put a hand over my now burning cheek, but she's not done yet. She kicks me in the shins hard causing me to fall to the floor. "What the fuck, Charlotte?" I choke out.

"That's for what you said to me, and this is for disrespecting Nathan!" She kicks me in the face and laughs shrilly when I cry out, finishing with a nice kick to the ribs for good measure, then stalks out of the bathroom leaving me in a heap on the floor. Blood is pouring out of my nose, but I don't know if I can stand up between the pain in my shin and in my ribs. Not to mention the pounding headache I now have.

The bell rings and I'm going to miss a class because I got beat up by a girl who didn't even know what I'd done. Did I really do anything, though? Thankfully, someone walks in the bathroom at that moment.

"Oh my God! Are you okay?" They yell.

"Oh, I'm just fine," I say weakly, staring at this persons shoes because I don't even want to try to turn my head in fear of making my headache worse.

The girl grabs me a bunch of paper towels for my nose which is still pouring blood and then helps me up.

"Can you walk yourself?" She asks. My eyes are watering, but I can tell she's got dark brown hair and even darker eyes.

"With great difficulty... maybe... but I don't know where the nurse's office is." Really, I don't know if I could make it on my own. I mean, she kicked me in the fucking face! I don't think my nose is broken, but it's safe to say I'm petty disoriented after that.

The girl puts her arm around my waist or something, I don't really remember what happened, but in the blink of an eye, I'm laying on a cot in the nurse's office.

"I don't know what happened, Ms. Lee, I just found her like this on the bathroom floor. You may want a janitor to go clean the blood up, though."

It's about 12:30PM and I'm in my office working on some stuff when my phone rings.

"Hello?"

"Hello, is this Mr. Way?" An unfamiliar voice asks.

"Yes, how can I help you?"

"We need you to come pick up your daughter. She's in the nurse's office—"

I swear under my breath, cutting her off, "I'm coming right away." I just hang up the phone and run downstairs, then pull on my shoes and grab my keys before rushing out to the car. Nurse's office? What the hell could've happened to my daughter?

Yeah, maybe someone in the school will recognize me, but this is more important. I leave the car and enter the building, finding the main office pretty easily.

"I'm here to pick up Evelyn Way," I tell the secretary impatiently.

She looks up at me over her rectangular glasses, "Sign here," she points at a sheet on the desk with a manicured finger. "I'll go get her."

The lady goes to a room off the office and I sign quickly and messily, then follow her. She didn't tell me to, but I can get my daughter on my own. Upon entering, I see her laying on a cot, the nurse is wiping blood off her face.

"Oh my God, Eve!" She sits up quickly at the sound of my voice. Too quickly.

"Hi, Dad," She slurs before passing out.

• • •