Unforgettable (Haven Falls 4)

The past two weeks since the accident have been awful. The video of me getting jumped was released by Rivers and since then, there’s been this ache inside my chest. It’s a shattering betrayal. I don’t know, I’ve never felt anything quite like it, not even when all that shit went down with Jackson and Kaylah. This is so much worse.

I’ve been an absolute bitch since then. I got myself a three day suspension for bitch-slapping a cheerleader which surely isn’t going to help the whole college thing, I’ve lost my shit with Noah multiple times, and even shut out Aria when all she wanted to do was play. Like I said, I’ve been a bitch and it’s all because Rivers tore me apart. Dad is just about ready to dig out a dungeon under our house and lock me down there like some kind of rabid animal. I’ve been that bad.

That’ll teach me for not realizing the kind of power I allowed him to have over me.

Naturally, Noah has forgiven me each and every time, but only because he’s been a snappy prick too. I think he misses his best friend. He’s concerned about him, confused, and fucking pissed. Doing something like this just doesn’t seem like Rivers. He’s been loyal since day one which is what has made it so hard to believe, but the fact that he’s taken off and hasn’t checked in with us screams at me to doubt him.

I’m lucky that the majority of students here are terrified of me, otherwise, the shame of that video would have destroyed me. That was the lowest moment of my life and for it to be broadcasted around the school was devastating. As I cried out for help, begging them to stop, I lost every ounce of dignity that I had. It was the lowest of the lows and every person I know witnessed it.

Most of the kids at school knew to keep quiet about it, but others thought it was their chance to take me down, hence the three day suspension. People quickly learned to forget they ever saw that video, but it still hurts knowing it’s out there for the world to see. Knowing my luck, someone will upload it on YouTube and the fucking thing will go viral.

The Haven Falls Queen went down, but you bet your ass she didn’t stay down for long.

Ten minutes to go. I focus a little harder on the Renaissance Era.

BORING!!!!!!! I’m never going to pass this shit. Why does it matter what the rest of my grades are like? I’m trying to get into a science program. Science. Not fucking history.

I hang my head before forcing it back up and practically holding my eyes open as I watch my teacher walk back and forth across the front of the room, getting lost in all things Renaissance.

Those last ten minutes tick by and it feels like I die a million deaths during that time. When the bell finally sounds, I’m the first one out of my chair and through the door. I get out into the hallway and instantly bring my phone to my ear. It rings a few times before the voice on the other side has a smile lighting my face.

“What’s going on?” Tully says, not bothering with the whole ‘Hey, how are you?’ bullshit.

A chuckle sails up my throat. “I think we should call ourselves ‘Helly.’”

“What?” she grunts, clearly confused as to what the hell I’m talking about.

“Helly,” I repeat. “You know if Henley and Tully were squished together. Kind of like ‘Brangelina,’ and ‘Kimye’.”

“Ahhhh,” she says. “Though I clearly wear the pants in this relationship so my name should go first. We can be,” she pauses, having to actually think about it. “Tull…ley. Wait. That’s too much like my name. That won’t work.”

“Hence why I went with my name first,” I tell her, having already figured it out. “I just spent an hour sitting in history class going over all our options and honestly, our names kind of suck together. Now me and Noah, we’d be either ‘Noley’ or ‘Henah’.”

“Hmmm,” she draws out. “I think I like ‘Noley’ but only because it makes you two sound like complete dorks, though, I guess that’s not far from the truth.”

I roll my eyes and laugh. “Shut up.”

I also spent a good portion of the lesson going over what Tully and Rivers would be called, but I decide not to mention that. I’m sure she’s probably already trying to figure it out, just deciding to keep quiet about it. Though, ‘Rivlly’ seems to have a ring to it.

“Ooooh,” Tully says in a high tone, clearly excited about something. “We could be Hully too.”

I think it over. ‘Helly’ or ‘Hully’? Hmmm. Helly seems more accurate because that’s where we’re both going to end up, but ‘Hully’…that just sounds better.