Loving the one who started my fall

Moments between us.

Ariah’s POV

It had been a month since resumption, Things at school had been quite different. William had stopped talking to me, neither has he been responding to my texts or calls. Whenever I tried walking up to him to ask what I did wrong, he’s always with her. Rachael.

Rachael is stunning, the kind everyone notices without trying. Her hair is always neatly packed like she has more time than the rest of us.

They walked almost everywhere together like they’re glued to one another and there’s this look, a very mean look she throws at me across the hallway like she belongs there.

Everytime I see them together, my heart aches like I’m losing a place I never knew I was fighting for.

“Ariah!”… “Ariah!”

I jolted out of my thoughts as the teacher called out to me.

“Why are you looking out the window instead of concentrating on class?” He asked furiously.

I couldn’t even say anything, I just stared back at him.

“What’s the answer to this question?” he asked once again.

The entire class went silent and everyone’s eyes were on me, I wanted the ground to swallow me whole. After what felt like a minute and I still couldn’t answer the question, Danielle decided to help me out.

“Sir” Danielle said, trying not to laugh. “I think Ariah was sleeping, she was snoring a little”

Some kids laughed, others giggled. My heart dropped, I took back what I said about her helping. I should have known, she always does this.

“I wasn’t” I muttered, my voice failing me.

The teacher’s frown deepened “you were sleeping in my class?”

I shook my head. Staring at my desk, wishing I could just disappear right there.

I tried to focus on class until the bell rang for break time. I left the class almost immediately, not waiting for Danielle.

“Ariah… Ariah” she called after me.

“I’m sorry, I just wanted to help” I didn’t even wait. I continued walking. She walked faster, stopping me in my tracks.

“But if I didn’t do that, the teacher would have punished you.”

I scoffed. This girl couldn’t be for real. Danielle always did this. She’d often use opened opportunities like the one earlier to make snide remarks about me and then cover it up as a joke or by saying she’s helping me, just like she was doing right now.

“That could have made things worse, Danielle,” I snapped.

“You weren’t helping me and you know that” I tried walking around her but she stopped me again.

“I’m very sorry, Ariah. I promise I won’t do that again” she said with a very sad look.

“I’ve heard, let’s go” I said, giving up.

I didn’t want to do any back and forth with her, I knew we’d stand there all day if I didn’t end it there. Besides, I couldn’t stay mad at her. I hate being alone and she knew well to use that to her advantage.

On our way to the cafeteria, I saw William. He was alone this time which was rare but I thought this was the universe finally granting me a chance.

“Danielle, I’ll meet you at the cafeteria,” I said.

“Where are you going, hope you aren’t still angry?” She asks.

I forced a smile so she could believe me. “ No Danielle, I just want to do something real quick. I’ll be right back.”

“Oh okay” she said hesitantly.

I couldn’t tell her where I was going.

Danielle had tried her best to convince me not to walk up to him. She said he wasn’t worth it, that I should forget about him.

That didn’t stop her from making snide jokes about my situation though or from talking to him in general. I didn’t get mad at that, I thought she could help me get through to him but she said he wouldn’t budge. He was done with me but I refused to believe it until I got the closure I needed.

He was standing alone, obviously waiting for someone but I thought I could use the chance to at least talk to him for a moment.

As I got closer, he looked at me with so much irritation. I couldn’t believe he was the same person who had claimed he loved me. I had rehearsed my words but the closer I got the harder it became to think.

Don’t cry. Don’t yell. Don’t beg, just speak calmly.

“What do you want?” he frowned, his words cutting through my thoughts.

“I…I just thought we should talk” I stammered.

He stayed quiet, I took that as a cue to go on.

“It’s just that you’ve been avoiding me and you’ve moved on, I just want to at least know what I did”

He still didn’t say anything. The silence was killing me, my heartbeat thumped so loud I was sure he could hear it.

He stopped leaning on the wall and stood up straight, looking me dead in the eye.

“Stay away, slut!”

He said it with a completely blank expression, no emotion whatsoever. That was the driest response I’d ever gotten from him, like ever! I stayed rooted on that spot, unable to move.

I didn’t even get a chance to process the whole thing well before I heard a voice behind me. Every step she took seemed exaggerated and deliberate like it was meant to make me feel smaller in her presence.

She waltzed over, her perfume reaching me even before she did. The school uniform had never looked so perfect and her hair was still neatly packed, she looked like a goddess.

My eyes darted from her to him then back at her trying to gauge if this was real or if I was imagining it.

“Hey baby” she said with a wide smile on her face.

His face lit up as he regarded her, the smile on her face didn't diminish as she placed her perfectly thin manicured fingers on William’s shoulders.

“Sorry girl, but that’s my spot”