Chapter 24 - "Sinking Ship..."

Clara's PoV

I sat in the stands with my hood up and kept myself to myself the entire game not wanting to attract attention until I had to head down to the toilet before half time.

I had a sinking feeling that I was being followed, because I could feel the presence of another person on my back.

I screamed loudly as a hand suddenly covered my mouth before I got the chance to go through the bathroom door, and was dragged to behind the toilets.

I was suddenly in tears of fear because they had been welling up all night and I had a feeling and fear that it was going to be Matilda or even worse of all Clarissa.

'Shush. There's no need to scream' Matt whispered, as he looked me in the eye, with sorrow. 'Please don't scream. I'm not going to hurt you' he promised, as I nodded and he let go.

I bought my right hand up to my mouth to wipe it from his sweaty Palm, and just stared at him.

'What the Fuck was that for?' I scoffed.

'Sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you. I just wasn't sure if you would still come and see me if I asked' he mumbled looking down at his feet.

'I take it you saw the pictures?'

'I have. And people think it's me'

'But the kiss one was you. That wasn't photoshopped like the other one Matt'

'We don't need to tell people that though' he said with a disappointed look on his face.

'What?'

'Were not together Clara. Never have and never will be. We're just friends. You were right with what you said - we shouldn't hang out anymore' he says making me very confused but I didn't question it.

It was only a matter of time before something like this happened, and it just so happened that it was happening now.

'But all our plans?'

'I've known you a month. It'll be no skin off my nose to stop talking to you' he mumbled, but something said to me that he wasn't really saying this. It was like he was reading off a script.

I lifted my hand as I caught a glimpse at his face in the street light, and cupped his cheek running my thumb over the forming bruise.

'What happened?'

'Nothing. It really doesn't concern you' he mumbled, removing my hand and dropping it to my lap. 'I need my jacket back'

'What?'

'My baseball jacket. Your wearing it. I need it back'

'Oh, have it. I didn't want it anyway' I said pretending not to be hurt, but really I was.

I was deeply hurt. Just as I was starting to fall for him and develop feelings for the fluffy haired idiot and he goes and does this. 'I don't mean to be horrible but don't talk to me anymore okay? Don't text me, or call me yeah?' He said walking away from me, just leaving me behind here like this.

Once again I had been dumped by my friends and I was back to be on my own in my life.

I tried to keep myself focused for the end if the game but wasn't too interested anymore and didn't even see Matt out on the field.

He was nowhere to be seen.

When it can to getting back on the mini bus all I could hear was snickering and giggling and people talking about me as if I didn't exist, which made me feel really paranoid, but I ignored it as much as I could until I got back to my room where no one could disturb me at all.

- - -

There was something that was bugging me through all this and it was who had got hold of that picture?

Because there was no way either Matt or I could have taken the picture while we were kissing each other which meant that someone had to have been following us to have taken it.

So I pulled my laptop out and bought Facebook up, following back the shares until I got down to three people.

It didn't shock me at all to find that Clarissa was behind it - or that the original person to post it was Lilly - but the third person to share the picture was Matt.

I went to get into his profile but he had locked, and blocked me meaning he had obviously Unfriended me, so I couldn't see anything but if he was so embarrassed about the whole thing then why would he have shared it?'

I decided that I needed to talk to Lilly. I know that o said that I didn't want to talk to her or even be involved in any of her stupid games anymore, but I had to confront her.

I had to know what was going on.

I grabbed my keys and phone then headed to her room, and stood outside debating on whether of not to knock, until I heard an argument going on, on the other side of the door.

'You shared that picture Lil, and don't even deny it? He really liked her - the first girl he's liked in forever and you go and do this?'

'He chose to break up with her Richard'

'They were never together you idiot but they could have been'

'It's not my fault he cares more about football than Clara is it? He had his choice and it was football or Clara and he chose football for the pictures to go away' Lilly yelled.

'You've changed lil. I used to think that I loved you, but then you get involved in drugs again and alcohol and stupid parties and Fucking Clarissa. And she isn't here to keep your popularity levels high anymore so you'll have to learn to survive in your own' Richard scoffed, as he walked towards the door.

I heard the door handle get touched so I ran round the corner of the corridor so I couldn't be seen, then walked past Richard casually said I was coming back from the canteen.

'Hey' I mumbled walking straight past him, earning a head nod, as he walked by as well then as he turned the corner I stopped at Lilly's room.

I wanted answers and I wanted answers now.