Page 104 of Silver Tears
I pick up my bag and tell Damon I’m ready, and we exit the car. There are lots of stares and whispers as we pass. The news about the kidnapping has been all over the local news. Damon glares at people as we pass, daring them to say anything to us.
My steps falter when we step into the main corridor, and I hear his laughter before I see him. Seb’s over by the Aces lockers with Rafe, Archer, the girls and Eliza’s younger brother, Kit. He hasn’t seen me, so it means I can watch him without him knowing. He looks like he hasn’t got a care in the world, smiling, and laughing. Doesn’t he miss us?
Rafe spots me first, and he taps Seb on his arm, gesturing with his head towards us. Seb looks up, mid-laughter, and our eyes meet. I can’t breathe. I’ve missed seeing him. Seb swallows and offers me a tight smile before he carries on with whatever he was saying. My hopes are quashed. There was some small part of me that hoped he would come over and tell me he missed me. That he’d admit that what we had was real, and he wanted us to be together. I’m a stupid fool. I knew better than to let his charm and his smiles get to me. I knew he’d break my heart, and he has. Straightening my shoulders, I move in their direction. I have to pass their lockers to get to mine.
As we pass them, Damon glares coldly at Seb before briefly waving at Eliza. Everything will be different now. The divide between the Aces and the Silvers is back. I haven’t made any proper friends here. Dating Seb meant a lot of girls either hated me or only tried to befriend me because they thought they could get close to the boys.
My morning classes are hard. People stare and whisper. Zara sits next to me in English Lit and tells me to ignore them all. She asks me if I fancy a sleepover with her and a few other girls at the weekend and I accept. It’s time for me to make my own friends and move on from Seb Collings. In a few months’ time he’ll have left school and I won’t have to risk seeing him every day then.
At lunchtime I feel sick with dread. I won’t be sitting at the aces table today. I queue for my lunch. No, Hugo to fetch it for me anymore. Not that I was ever okay with that, anyway. Zara waves me over to her table and I could hug her for coming to my rescue. She introduces me to her friends Renae and Constance. I can’t help it. My eyes drift over to his table. When I look over, my heart breaks a little more. A blonde girl from sixth form sits beside him chatting to him. Seb laughs at whatever she is saying, and she laps it up. I want to scream. I want to ask him why he feels nothing. Zara nudges me and asks me if I’m okay and I fix on a smile and force my attention away. Coming back here and seeing him is harder than I thought it was going to be. I wish Ruby came here, she would be my wing woman and keep me smiling.
I blink in surprise when Damon takes a seat opposite me. Zara and all her friends stare opened mouthed at him. My brother dazzles girls with those eyes of his.
“Oh, hey, Milly’s friends. I hope you don’t mind if I join you ladies today.”
“No, not at all,” Zara rushes out, smiling at him.
I glare at him from across the table until he looks at me. “Seriously? Go and sit with your friends.”
Damon’s eyes slide across the room to their table, and he frowns. “I’d rather sit here with you, sis.”
“That’s so sweet,” Renae practically sings, resting her chin on her hand and gazing at my brother like he can walk on water.
“This doesn’t involve you. Just go and sit with them,” I insist, but he just shakes his head and ignores me.
“If I sit over there, I won’t be able to stop myself from saying what I think. Its best if I keep my distance.”
I chance a glance over at the Aces table and regret it instantly when my eyes lock with his. I immediately snap my eyes away and curse myself for being so weak. When I chance a second glance he’s deep in conversation with his sister. Eliza however waves at me sadly, looking from me to my brother. I watch as she says something to Archer and then stands up and walks this way.
Renae bashes Zara in the arm as she also spots Eliza walking this way.
“Hey guys,” Eliza says, stopping at the end of our table and swinging her arms by her side. “Look, whatever has gone on, you guys are our friends. Please come sit with us. I can ensure you sit at the opposite end of the table to dickface, if that helps,” she offers, holding her hands together in a begging motion.
“Thanks for the offer, Eliza,” I say, smiling warmly at her, “but I’m good here. Damon should go sit with you though.”
Damon frowns at me from across the table as he eats his pasta. “Like I said. Better I stay here. You understand don’t you, princess? It’s nothing against you or any of the others, but if I sit there, I’ll end up punching him in the face.”
Eliza looks glum but she nods her head. “I get it. I really do. He’s an idiot for what he’s done. You want to know what I think? You should show him that you’re unaffected by him and make a point to sit at our table.”
I smile and shake my head. “I think I’d prefer to stay here and not pretend but thank you for coming over here and trying to get us to sit with you. Its appreciated.”
Eliza nods her head admitting defeat and she tells us she’ll see us soon before she walks back over to the Aces table.
“Did he cheat on you or something?” Renae asks me, leaning forward, eager for the gossip.
I shake my head. “No, he didn’t cheat on me, he just walked away when I still needed him.”
When I lift my eyes, Damon’s watching me with a bewildered expression on his face. “Like fuck do you need a cunt like him!”
I sigh. My brother the protector. Always thinking he knows best. “Don’t comment on something you know nothing about Day. I’m not hungry anymore. I’m going to hit the library. Zara thank you for letting me sit with you today.”
“Anytime,” Zara says. “And don’t forget, girly sleep at mine this weekend if you feel up to it. I promise we won’t talk about he who shall not be named.”
I grin at her, not missing the Harry Potter reference. “I’m up for that, definitely.”
I throw my bag over my shoulder and hightail out of there. I feel eyes on me as I leave. No doubt the rumour mill is in full flow about what went down and why we’re no longer together. I’m lost in my own thoughts head down as I barrel round the corner and crash straight into someone.
“Shit, I’m sorry,” I exclaim, bending to help the student pick up the books they dropped. I freeze when I hold out her books. “Oh, Tamara, it’s you.” Great! Just what I need!