Truth of Dark Pasts by Serena Wood (free children's online books .TXT) 📖

off guard and all in an instant I realize what Kathy’s talking about.

For some odd reason, this wave of relief rushes over me at just knowing we’re not the only ones in the school with that ‘problem’. But the idea doesn’t seem to settle well with River. “Um, well… She’s not my girl. We’re just…” her statement hurts as soon as she starts to form it, but luckily I don’t have time to react to it because Kathy cuts her off.

“Just friends? I understand. Hell, I still haven’t told my parents. I got transferred for fights and Shay for being picked on. We get the whole cover up thing.” Somehow it’s like she sees right through us, like she can read River’s mind. And just like typical River, she doesn’t like the idea of someone seeing through her lies so easily.

“We’re not the same. I don’t know what gave you the idea but don’t you think you’re jumping to conclusions a bit?” she grumbles, trying to control the tone in her voice that already sounds pissed off. Shay jumps in as the referee, “She didn’t mean anything by it, Kath just likes to give friendly advice even when it’s not needed sometimes.” She gives Kathy a look and Kathy seems to read her thoughts just like she did with River. She decides to silently bury her nose in the shorter girl’s shoulder to avoid any more confrontations. Satisfied, Shay turns her attention back to us. “Well the bell’s gonna ring soon. We have to go, see you in class Ellie.” She smiles this cute, innocent looking smile before nearly dragging Kathy out of the bathroom.

I turn back to River, her tough act leaving her as soon as the girls are gone. “Was that you protecting me?” I grumble before she has a chance to make up an excuse. “It was… I just don’t want anyone to know, Ellie. Chloe has her ways of finding things out and you know what’ll happen if she finds out.” when she says that, I know she’s telling the truth. Some small part of me still thinks she’s just ashamed or something, but I know better than anyone what it’s like to be on the receiving end of Chloe’s wrath. “You’re right, I guess we just won’t tell anyone.” Even though I know how right she is, this small hint of disappointment shows up in my voice and she catches it instantly. “Just for now, I’ll figure something out. Okay?” she brushes a strand of hair out of my eyes and the look she gives me forces the pout on my lips to vanish. “Alright.” I mutter defeatedly.

The sound of the bell breaks the air between us and she pulls away as the halls start to fill with students. Reluctantly, I head off to class, not willing to deal with the rest of this dull day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Monday is finally over, much to my relief. But it was only the first day back and I still have a whole week to go through, dealing with all the bullshit that comes with high school.

Tuesday isn’t any better, it’s slightly less eventful but Chloe still throws comments at me every chance she can get. River doesn’t sit with her at lunch like she did the day before. Instead she drags me over to this empty table away from all the others, insisting that I eat in the lunch room with her. Shay and Kathy are sitting at the table beside us but they seem too busy talking about something to notice anyone else around so I don’t speak up or offer for them to sit with us like I know River would. But she doesn’t seem focused enough herself to notice them anymore than they do her. So a silent lunch falls into place until I notice Chloe strolling up to the table across from us with two other girls behind her.

Shay stops talking to Kathy mid sentence when she sees her and shifts in her seat uncomfortably. Apparently the same one that milked her yesterday was the same one who picks on me everyday.

“Can we help you? We’re kinda in the middle of something.” Kathy grumbles, not yet realizing just who Chloe is. Chloe giggles, a sound that’s meant to sound innocent but I see right through it and all I hear is trouble.

“I’ve seen you two around school and I’ve been dying to talk to you. I didn’t get the chance to yesterday. You must be my little buddy’s girlfriend.” Chloe moves to give Shay a one armed hug like she would ever actually befriend the girl. Shay shifts uncomfortably, this look of worry settling onto her cute features.“Uh… Yeah. Shay didn’t mention you, nice to meet you.” unlike yesterday with River, Kathy doesn’t give a hearty handshake or a genuine smile. Her ‘nice to meet you’ was cautious, like she’s not really sure she trusts Chloe. Which she shouldn’t.

“You know, I told her yesterday, your girlfriend has such a childish looking face. I mean look at these cheeks.” Chloe’s perfect yet sinister hands reach out to pinch Shay’s cheeks and with that Kathy starts to piece things together; becoming more protective of Shay in the blink of an eye. She puts her hand on Shay’s knee and the look she gives Chloe forces her to take a small step away from them. “She doesn’t have a kid’s face and stop talking to her like she is one.” Kathy growls and hovers closer to Shay in this way that somehow reminds me of a wolf. Kathy’s the alpha protecting her omega and Chloe is the sinister wolf from another, more aggressive pack.

“Jeez, I can tell which one of you is more butch. Chill out, ‘dude’ I was just trying to be friendly.” Chloe smirks and the other two girls scoot in closer, forming a half circle around the table; trapping them in like they’ve done to me so many times before. “Friendly is the last thing on your mind. Why don’t you just leave us alone?” Kathy huffs back in this warning voice that reminds me a lot of the one River uses. “Well of course I’m friendly, I even gave your chick here some beauty tips yesterday… Milk is great for the skin you know.” Chloe smiles this wicked smile that I still can’t believe comes from such a beautiful girl.

“That was you?” Kathy stands upright in a flash, already looking like she’ll punch Chloe off her feet. “Baby, don’t.” Shay stands up right behind her and tugs on her arm gently. “What’s the matter, Butch? I was just giving the little Kiddy here a helping hand.” Chloe snickers again and for a brief second I wonder why she always feels the need to give her victims nicknames. But the second is quickly shattered when Kathy swings at Chloe and the crowd that’s formed erupts into noise. Shay tugs on Kathy’s arm again, but this time with enough force to pull Kathy away and make her miss the hit on Chloe’s nose that she would have otherwise perfectly had.

“Kathy, stop it.” Shay’s voice changes from soft and shy to forceful in a matter of seconds. The rage in Kathy’s eyes softens instantly when she glances at Shay and realizing Shay doesn’t want her to get in trouble, she backs off. But before Kathy can even sit back down again, Chloe speaks up.

“Damn, talk about pussy whipped.” Before I can process what happens, blurs of movement swirl all around me. But within seconds it’s all stopped, with one person.

I realize River is no longer at my side, but instead standing between Chloe and Kathy; holding a hand to Kathy’s shoulder with just enough authority to still her movements. “Chloe, what are you doing? Haven’t you gotten in enough trouble for one month?” River grumbles tiredly, like Chloe is this troubled toddler she has to watch over. Now I know what she put up with when she ditched me. “I was just having a bit of fun, what do you care anyways? You already stood up for Freak yesterday, I think you’re starting to turn on me, Pettit.” Chloe crosses her arms and gives me a quick glare.

“I’m making sure you don’t screw up your precious college future. Daddy can’t always cover your ass.” with that Chloe unfolds her arms and huffs in defeat. “You’re right. Picking on these carpet munchers is getting boring anyways.” She gives River one last look before turning back to the two henchmen she brought along with her. “Stacy, do you still have John’s number?” one of the girls jumps to attention and we quickly fall into the background again.

“River, are you coming?” Chloe looks back at her after a few seconds, daring her to make the wrong move. River moves to lounge against the wall, glancing at me worriedly. “Nah.” She answers simply and again another evil idea seems to pop into Chloe’s head. “Fine, I deal with you later.” she smiles sinisterly before turning to leave.

As soon as she’s gone, Shay pulls Kathy into the seat across from me; letting River sit back down at my side. “Thank you, River. We’re still working on getting Kathy out of settling things with her fist.” Shay smiles at River before giving Kathy a mild glare. River grunts in response and it gives Kathy the chance to launch into a rant “I’m tired of people treating you like shit, I told you I’m not rolling over anymore. No matter how much you want me to.”

Shay sighs in defeat and leans her head against Kathy’s shoulder. “My knight in shining armor.” She jokes, poking the stubborn girl in the ribs. Kathy takes her hand and they sit in silence for a few minutes, studying River and I again like we’re test subjects. “Take a picture, it’ll last longer.” River grumbles, only a half joking tone in her voice.

Shay chuckles, “Jesus, she’s like a carbon copy of you two years ago.” she nudges Kathy, who grunts in response before downing a small bag of chips.

The rest of the lunch period goes by with surprising relaxation, In fact the whole rest of the school day seems to go by with me barely even seeing Chloe or her friends. I can only hope it’s the same for the others.

Chapter 13, "Drifting In The Right Direction"

 

☯River☯

The second Chloe walked away with that look on her face, I knew this whole thing wasn’t over. In fact I knew it was about to get a thousand times worse. As the week goes on she gets more hostile with me, throwing petty jabs at me every time she sees me with Ellie at lunch. Then she’ll find a way to “run into” me during my free block at the end of the day. Every time she does she always finds a way to push the right buttons, trying so hard to get to me. But I make sure not to crack, remembering my promise to Ellie each time Chloe comes near me. But when she comes up to me on friday like every day before, I instantly wish I hadn’t known her so well. That I had been wrong about her plans to make things worse.

“What