Chapter 347 - Half A Day

Chapter 347: Chapter 347 - Half A Day

Roxie felt like a bodyguard that morning, and weirdly, it made her feel better. At least she could do something for Angela.

Angela walked between her and Karen through Briarwick’s front doors with her bag over one shoulder and her head held high.

People, dumb as always, looked anyway. Some at least tried to hide it while others barely bothered. A group near the entrance stopped talking as soon as they passed, and two girls by the trophy case whispered to each other before suddenly becoming interested in their phones when Karen turned toward them.

Angela kept walking. "See? I can do this."

Karen looked at her. "We’ve been here thirty seconds."

Roxie pinched her arm.

Karen shrugged her off like a maniac.

Roxie’s smile faded when she looked at Angela again. The sweatshirt hung loosely over her body, covering almost everything. She had done it again.

Covered herself.

Roxie gritted her teeth but kept quiet.

When they entered the classroom, she immediately met Zac’s worried eyes. Roxie hadn’t really had time with him since everything happened, and seeing him made her miss him so badly she almost crossed the room.

She wouldn’t leave Angela today.

Zac seemed to understand. Roxie smiled at him, and he gave her that longing look that made her want to walk over anyway.

Mason looked between them and made a disgusted face.

Zac elbowed him.

Roxie couldn’t help smiling.

Angela sat between her and Karen while Mr. Callahan started going over the lesson. For the first few minutes, everything almost felt normal. Karen complained quietly about the amount of work on the board, Roxie nearly dropped her pen, and Angela actually laughed at her.

Then someone behind them whispered.

Roxie only caught the end.

"...way bigger than I thought."

A second voice answered with a quiet laugh.

Karen immediately turned in her seat, but Angela caught her wrist beneath the desk. Karen looked down at her hand, then at Angela.

Angela shook her head.

Karen faced forward again, jaw tight.

Roxie watched Angela from the corner of her eye. Her pen had stopped moving. She stared at the same line in her notebook for several seconds before forcing herself to write again.

The moment class ended, Karen waited until they were in the hallway before looking at her. "You heard that."

Angela adjusted the strap of her bag. "Yes."

"And you just sat there?"

"What was I supposed to do?"

"Let me handle it."

Angela gave her a tired look. "That sounds terrifying."

Roxie almost laughed.

Karen didn’t.

"I mean it."

"So do I. Leave it."

They walked toward their next class together.

"Is that her?"

"Yeah."

"I heard she sent more than one."

"Why would anyone even do that?"

"Caleb probably has a bunch."

Angela’s steps never slowed, but her shoulders tightened.

Karen turned her head.

The voices immediately stopped.

She faced forward again, muttering, "Cowards."

"Karen."

"I didn’t do anything."

"Keep doing that."

Halfway through second period, Angela’s phone vibrated against the desk. She glanced at the screen and immediately reached for it.

Roxie leaned closer. "What?"

Angela tilted the phone toward her.

Mom.

She raised her hand. "Can I step outside?"

The teacher looked at her for a moment before nodding.

Roxie stood too.

So did Karen.

The teacher stared at all three of them.

Karen grabbed her phone. "Girl emergency."

He sighed and waved them out.

Angela answered the second they reached the hallway. "Mom?"

Roxie and Karen stayed near her.

"You talked to them?"

Angela listened.

"And they said that?"

Her shoulders loosened slightly.

"Okay."

A few seconds later, her expression changed.

"Oh."

Roxie straightened.

Angela leaned against the lockers. "How bad?"

She listened, fingers tightening around the phone.

"Critical?"

Karen looked at Roxie.

Angela stared at the floor. "Is Caleb there?"

A pause.

"He can’t come home?"

Roxie looked away.

"No, I understand. Yeah. I know."

Angela rubbed beneath one eye. "Tell them I understand."

She listened again.

"Love you too."

The call ended.

Karen stepped closer. "What happened?"

Angela stared at her phone. "My parents talked to Caleb’s parents."

"And?"

"They said Caleb had nothing to do with it. They said he’s been with his family the whole time."

Karen nodded immediately. "See?"

Angela nodded too.

"His grandma got worse last night. She’s in critical condition. Everybody’s at the hospital."

"Oh," Roxie said.

"His dad said she’s the head of their family. They asked Mom and Dad to understand because Caleb can’t come home today."

Karen hesitated. "Did he call you?"

Angela shook her head.

"He’s probably busy," she said quickly. "His grandmother might die. He’s probably at the hospital."

"Probably," Roxie said.

"And his parents said he didn’t do it."

"They did."

Angela stared at the screen for another second. "I knew he didn’t."

Karen touched her arm. "Good."

Angela slipped the phone into her pocket. "Yeah."

The bell rang before anyone could say anything else.

They went back inside.

At lunch, they were standing near the cafeteria line when Roxie heard two girls behind them.

"I heard she sent more than one. Who’s to say she only sent them to Caleb?"

"That’s so desperate. Maybe those rumors about her were true."

Angela stiffened.

Karen started to turn, and Roxie caught her arm.

Then another voice joined them.

"She’s always been like that. Look at her."

Someone laughed.

"Seriously. She looks like a cow."

Karen spun around.

"What the fuck did you just say?"

The girls froze.

One blinked at her. "I wasn’t talking to you."

"No shit."

Angela grabbed Karen’s arm. "Karen."

Karen stepped forward. "Say it again. Say it to our fucking faces."

The girls stepped back, clearly caught off guard that Karen had actually confronted them.

Roxie stepped forward too. "I’d say we can comment on yours too, but I’m not a judgmental bitch like you."

"Karen, Roxie, please stop."

People were already looking.

Then a boy at the table beside them laughed.

"Maybe Caleb sent it."

Angela froze.

Roxie turned.

The boy leaned back in his chair. "Maybe he got tired of her."

Another boy snorted. "Or maybe he wanted everybody to see what he had to deal with."

Roxie stepped toward the table. "What did you say?"

The boy’s smile disappeared.

Karen moved beside her.

Angela caught both of them.

"Stop."

Roxie tried to pull her wrist free. "Angela."

"No."

Her voice cracked.

Roxie looked at her.

Tears were already running down Angela’s cheeks.

"I heard all of it."

Karen’s face changed. "They’re fucking assholes."

"I know."

"They’re lying."

"I know."

"Then let me say something."

"Please, Karen."

Angela wiped at her face, but more tears kept falling. Her eyes moved past them toward the people staring from nearby tables.

"I can’t have everyone looking at me again. Please."

Roxie stopped fighting her grip.

"Okay."

Angela covered her face.

Roxie moved closer. "Come on. We’re leaving."

Karen looked back at the table, but Angela grabbed her sleeve again.

"Karen."

"Fine."

They walked out of the cafeteria and into the side hallway.

Angela stopped against the wall and folded her arms across her chest while Karen paced in front of her.

"I swear to God, if I hear one more person say anything about you..."

"Karen."

Karen stopped.

Angela wiped her cheeks. "I know they’re lying. I know Caleb didn’t do it."

"His parents said he didn’t," Roxie said.

"They did."

"He wouldn’t."

Roxie squeezed her hand. "Okay."

Angela looked down at her sweatshirt. Her fingers caught the loose fabric near her stomach and pulled at it.

"Do I look like a cow?"

Karen stared at her. "What?"

Angela gave a shaky laugh. "You heard them."

"They’re idiots."

Angela kept looking down at herself.

"No," Roxie said. "You don’t."

Angela looked at her.

Karen stepped closer. "They wanted you to hear them."

"Easy for you to say."

Karen went quiet.

Angela closed her eyes. "Fuck. I didn’t mean that."

"It’s okay."

"No, I just..." She rubbed both hands over her face. "I’m tired."

Roxie took her hand.

Angela held onto it.

"I want to go home."

"Okay. We’ll go with you."

Angela shook her head. "I want my mom."

Roxie stopped.

Karen did too.

Angela sniffed and wiped her cheek. "She’s home. I just want to go home with her."

"Okay," Roxie said.

Angela leaned her head back against the wall. "I thought I could do the whole day."

"You made it half."

Angela looked at her.

"That counts."

A weak smile pulled at Angela’s mouth before she looked at her phone again. The screen lit her face for a second, and the smile disappeared.

Roxie knew what she had been looking for.

"He’ll call."

Angela locked the phone. "I know."

They walked to the main office together.

Angela called her mother.

"Mom?"

Her voice broke almost immediately.

"I want to come home."

She listened, staring down at her shoes.

"Yeah."

A pause.

"Okay."

Her eyes closed.

"I love you too."

When she hung up, Karen touched her arm. "She’s coming?"

Angela nodded. "Ten minutes."

"We’ll wait."

Angela didn’t argue.

Mrs. Hart arrived quickly.

The moment Angela saw her through the office doors, she stood. Mrs. Hart barely had time to open her arms before Angela was against her, face buried into her shoulder.

"Oh, baby."

Angela started crying again.

Mrs. Hart kissed her hair. "Come on. Let’s go home."

Roxie watched her rub Angela’s back while whispering something into her hair.

That ache returned.

For a second, Roxie imagined herself at Angela’s age calling Claire from school and saying she needed her.

She already knew how that would have gone.

Roxie pushed the thought away before it could ruin the only good thing in front of her.

Mrs. Hart looked at them. "Thank you for staying with her."

Karen shook her head. "You don’t have to thank us."

Angela hugged Karen first, then Roxie.

"I’m okay."

Roxie pulled back and looked at her swollen eyes.

"You suck at lying."

Angela let out a small laugh.

"Text me when you get home."

"I will."

Roxie watched her leave with her mother before Karen spoke beside her.

"I still want to punch them."

Roxie looked toward the cafeteria doors.

"Same."

Karen opened her water bottle. "Good."

They went back to class.

Twenty minutes later, Roxie’s phone buzzed beneath the desk.

Home. Mom’s here.

Another message followed.

I’m okay.

Roxie stared at it.

Then she typed.

You still suck at lying. Rest.

A few seconds later Angela replied.

🙄

Roxie smiled at the screen.

At least she got an eye roll.