I stood there, cold and alone.

I gripped my yellow umbrella tightly as the wind tried to take it away from me. The umbrella was practically useless since I was already soaking wet from the walk here. I was wearing a black raincoat over a jacket along with jeans and boots. I felt that I was all armored up, that nothing could defeat this. But here I am, looking as if I just came from the pool fully clothed. And it was hard enough walking here with the winds fighting against me as if it were trying to pick me up of the ground. I could barely see in front of me with the pouring rain and the darkness despite it was still early in the morning. I’ve been standing here in the freezing rain, shivering with my hands numb and teeth chattering.

It was then I heard something coming up the road. I looked up from by umbrella to see the all too familiar yellow figure of a school bus. The bus screeched to a stop in front of me and the door opened up. The bus driver looked down at me with a stupid smirk, kids in the warm and dry bus looked out from the foggy windows with the same stupid smirks. I just stood there, staring at the open door that seemed to welcome me. But I knew the moment I took a step forward, the doors would shut in front of my face and the bus will drive off.

Too many times I gave it a chance, and I don’t mean the bus, I mean people entirely. Just too many times I thought if I could give them a chance, they might change. Ever since the guys came, I thought maybe people aren’t too bad.

I can’t believe I ever believed that.

I took a step back, shaking my head.

The kids booed, the driver rolled his eyes. There were too many words, too many nicknames, jokes and taunts. But I just set my umbrella over my head to cover my face, trying to shield their words away from me. I heard the doors shut and the bus driving away, that stupid bus song about me faded away as it drove farther away, the off-key singing drowned out in the rain.

Then I heard a car beep.

Once again I looked up from my umbrella, but this time I smiled. Maybe I didn’t give up on all people. I just didn’t give up on them.

“What?” Jordan asked as he stuck his head out the window from the front seat. “Do you like standing there in the rain?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. I like the rain. No one can see me cry.”

He blinked. “Are you-“

I laughed. “No.”

Declan rolled down the back seat window and held out a tissue box. “It’s always here waiting for you.”

“I don’t think so, unlike you guys.”

Before he could say something back, I opened the door. I’ve always hated going into cars or buildings in the rain, it was always a struggle when having to close your umbrella and do your best not to get wet. But somehow I managed to not get as soaked as I am already and climbed into the car.

“You don’t mind getting the upholstery wet?” I asked Bennett in a joking voice.

“This is my rain car,” Bennett replied back, I guess not really getting the joke. “I don’t mind if it gets wet inside or out, not unlike my other cars.”

Jordan said what we all wanted to say. “Rich people,” he scoffed.

Bennett just rolled his eyes as he took a right turn. We arrived at school in a couple more minutes, faster than I expected, probably because Bennett took some shortcuts. When he parked the car in the parking lot, we all opened the doors to get out. Not wanting to stay out in the rain any long, we have to race out the parking lot for cover into the shelter of the school.

My hand reached for my umbrella to find it wasn’t there. I suddenly heard the flick of an umbrella opening up. I looked up to see Declan holding out my yellow umbrella to me.

“I forgot to bring one,” he told me, scratching his head in embarrassment. “You wouldn’t mind sharing, would you?”

I shook my head. “No.”

“Alright then, c’mon,” Declan said, shaking the umbrella to have some rain droplets splash around to hurry me up.

I got out the car and shut the door. Bennett and Jordan had their own umbrellas. We began walking up to the school, only with a couple more minutes until the bell rings.

“Walk closer to me,” Declan said to me. “It’s pointless trying to share the umbrella if only one of us is dry.”

“Okay, okay,” I said, scooting closer to him and matching his step. I frowned, “Stop hogging the space, we have to share.”

“I’m not hogging,” he retorted.

“Yes you are. You know, it’s not my fault you forgot your umbrella.”

“Well, you can always take the umbrella back,” Jordan offered in sing-song. “It’s yours anyway.”

Declan glared at Jordan. “Don’t give her any ideas.”

“Too late!” Jordan said with a laugh.

He grunted then pulled me closer to him. “There,” he said. “Now we both have equal halves of the umbrella.”

“Opportunist,” Jordan stage-whispered into Bennett’s ear.

Declan glared at him again. “What did you say?”

Jordan shrugged innocently. “Nothing. I’m just noticing how now that Naomi’s free, you’re-“

Declan didn’t even let Jordan finish. “Alright, I had enough of you.”

He handed me my umbrella back. Then he swiped Jordan’s own umbrella away from him.

“Hey!”

“You don’t deserve this!”

“Fine!” Jordan huffed. “I know I can always share with Ben-“

“Don’t even,” Bennett said, moving the umbrella away from Jordan for himself.

“Well, I always have Naomi,” Jordan said and walked under my umbrella.

I twitched my eye. “You guys are being childish.”

Jordan grinned at me. “Who says we can’t?” Then he put his arm around me and held onto my hand that held the umbrella tightly. “Now don’t hog the umbrella from me.”

“You really don’t deserve this,” I said, referring to the umbrella and tugging it closer to me.

“What did I tell you? Don’t hog the umbrella.” He must have tried to get his share of the umbrella, but he’s stronger than me and took me by surprise and just took the umbrella from me.

“Bennett! Jordan’s taking my stuff without my permission.”

“Oh, now you’re tattling on Bennett.”

Bennett sighed. “Jordan, stop it.”

“She started it!” Jordan said, pointing at me. “She keeps hogging the umbrella. Wait no. Declan started it-” pointing at Declan now.

“It’s rude to point,” Declan told him.

Jordan ignored him. “It’s his fault for being such a scatterbrain and forgetting to bring an umbrella.”

“Who are you calling a scatter brain?”

Bennett pushed Jordan and I away from each other, having me keep the umbrella. Jordan’s clothes were slowly getting drenched as rain spatters formed a pattern on his clothes.

Jordan’s mouth quivered. “B-but-”

“No buts,” Bennett said firmly.

Jordan pointed at his own. “Not even this fine one?”

Bennett looked at us. “He really doesn’t deserve it.”

In the end, Bennett, Declan and I kept the umbrellas while Jordan was left shivering and soaked. We finally got the school and shook the water off the umbrellas. Well not Jordan, he shook the water off himself like a dog.

“I hope you guys are happy,” he muttered. “I might get a cold ‘cause of you.”

“And have a Jordan-free day?” Declan asked. “That’ll be the dream.”

Jordan looked at me. “Will you be happy if your day is Jordan-free?”

I looked at the others for help but they were looking away, even going as far as whistling.

Traitors, I thought.

Jordan was wearing this puppy, maybe even more desperate as Bambi eyes at me.

I let out a sigh. “No, not really,” I admitted.

His face lit up like it was Christmas.

“Your tail is wagging Jordan,” Bennett told him.

“Is it really?” Jordan asked, looking behind him. “Well, you know a dog is happy when its tail is wagging.”

I chuckled at that, knowing it’s true. “Is it alright that I go to my locker and drop off my umbrella in my locker? I don’t want to lug it around the whole day.”

“Me neither,” Bennett said.

“Yeah, me too,” Jordan said, grabbing his umbrella back from Declan.

With that, all of us started down the hall and it began. There were stares, whispers, all of it. And I know what the topic of the day is.

The break up between me and Parker.

I didn’t know news troubled that fast. Maybe someone overheard our argument, how Parker and I went separate ways, or Parker spread the word. Anger and annoyance surged through me, having me clench and unclench my fists.

“Careful there Naomi,” Bennett said to me. “Your walls are growing taller by the second.”

I looked at him. “What do you mean by that?”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Jordan agreed. “I don’t think we’ll be able to climb over them with even a ladder or rope.”

“What are you guys talking about?”

“You’re building walls around yourself again Naomi,” Declan said, finally explaining it to me. “Walls so tall that even we can’t get over them.”

And he was right, all of them were. Unconsciously, I was slowly rebuilding my walls, shielding myself from everyone. From before, they were always there. They were huge, stone, maybe even metal walls. They were so strong that an army can’t go through them, that the wind won’t even bother going to its direction.  And they were so tall that if I was in a tower behind the walls with ridiculously long hair, I can’t hear the guys calling to let my hair down. When the guys came, my walls were slowly coming down so I can see beyond the dark cold sky, letting fresh air and sunlight come in, which I welcomed gratefully. But now, they’re coming back again.

I shook my head. “No, there’s a back door for only you guys.”

“Do we have to say, ‘Open sesame’?” Jordan asked me.

“Maybe,” I said. “Or a password, something more secret-“

“-and stupid,” Jordan said. “Like-“

“Jordan,” Declan said.

“Yeah?” He asked.

“No, I mean that could be the stupid password, Jordan.”

“Nah, Declan is a better one.”

“Or how about pineapple?” I offered, not wanting them to bicker again.

“What about buttercup?”

“Or hopscotch?”

“Or- Parker.”

I blinked. “Parker? How can that be-“

“No, I mean Parker,” Jordan said, motioning his head to the side.

“What-” I looked and saw him walking towards us. “Oh.”

He looked just the same, probably not feeling any guilt of the breakup. Though now that I think of it, I could see slight dark circles under his eyes and shaggy uncombed hair. But it’s probably because he went out partying, celebrating his new found freedom. Yet here he is, walking towards us like he was on a mission. The moment I looked at him, I felt a sharp surge at my heart, as if someone came up and just stabbed me right there. I didn’t know what that meant, and honestly, I didn’t want to know. We had already come to my locker, so I turned around and began to unlock it, wanting to avoid him.

“Keep walking if you know what’s good for you,” Declan growled.

“Don’t make us do something we might regret,” Bennett said, before adding, “Which I doubt we will.”

Then I heard something that made me glance at them.

“You shall not pass!” Jordan exclaimed, using his umbrella for emphasis and hitting the ground with it.

“Really?” Declan asked in disbelief.

“Oh c’mon, it had to be done.”

“Please, I just want to talk to her.”

Bennett asked me. “Do you want to talk to him?”

“No,” I said curtly, stuffing my umbrella in my locker.

“Well there you have it.”

“Then just listen.”

I gripped the locker door, fighting off the urge to rip it off from its hinges and chuck it at him. “So what, now I have to listen to you? Since when can you order me around?”

“No, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. Just please listen to me,” he begged before adding, “Alone.”

I heard him step closer, but the guys pushed him back.

“You’re far enough,” Declan told him. “She can hear you there just fine from there.”

“But-“

“What are you doing wasting time here?” I asked him, still refusing to look at him. “Shouldn’t you be off having fun with your friends?”

“Friends? What friends?”

“Oh please Parker,” I said sarcastically. “Not another lie.”

“Those guys aren’t my friends.”

“I beg to differ,” Jordan scoffed. “Here comes some now.”

I turned to see some of Parker’s “friends” coming up to him.

“Ah, there he is, our free man.”

“Heard you finally broke up with Nerds over there.”

“And don’t worry, you’ll get your money since you won the bet you-“

“You’re making it worse!” Parker yelled at them.

Bennett blinked. “What bet?”

Parker stammered, “I-I-“

“The bet that Parker here won for putting up with-“

“Why didn’t you tell us this?” Jordan demanded, glaring at me, not letting the guy finish his explanation.

I jumped back at bit by that. “For this reason exactly,” I admitted, looking down at the ground.

“I know I promised Naomi we won’t hurt,” Declan said slowly. “But I swear, if he doesn’t run away right now…”

Jordan cleared his throat. “That’s your cue.”

Parker’s “friends” hit the ground running, all except for Parker.

Declan smiled, which he doesn’t normally do, so it was a pretty scary smile. “You got guts to come here in the first place, and even more to stay here. Now I’ll give you one last chance, only because Naomi told us not to hurt you-” Parker glanced at me “-Yeah, you should be down on your knees thanking her for having a heart unlike you. But I already held back twice, third strike and I’ll be doing just that. Now go run with your tail between your legs before I break them off for you.”

“Declan…” I said, stepping forward and holding him back.

He jerked his shoulder away from me. “You don’t have to defend him anymore. There’s nothing worth defending in the first place.”

“Stop it,” Parker said. “Let me explain myself. I don’t want things to be like this, to not even be friends.”

“Friends?” I spat. “I can’t even believe I called you my boyfriend. What makes you think I want to even be your friend after all of this?”

“I just want to talk to you.”

“You’ve had your chance,” Jordan said.

“No I didn’t, I barely-“

“I didn’t mean now, I meant days before. You could’ve talked to her then, but no, only we were there to comfort her with ice cream, pizza, and chick-flicks that touched all of our hearts. Now leave.”

Parker hesitated, and then looked at me. But I turned away the moment he did.

“I think you should leave,” I said quietly, “before anything else happens.”

He opened his mouth, probably wanting to say something. But he didn’t, he just nodded, finally getting it and walked away.

“Will it always be like this?” Bennett asked us, maybe me specifically. “Will we have to go through this every day?”

“Yeah, I think it will.”

But I was wrong.

A few days later, Parker left the school without a word, without any warning. Just one minute he was there, the next he wasn’t. I learned this through the usual gossip, how his “friends” wouldn’t get a reply from him, his phone got disconnected so he must’ve moved somewhere far, and that in the attendance sheet there was no longer a Parker O’Neil. There were rumors like he moved with his dad, his mom got a new job, or he got shipped to military school. Those were the reasonable ones, the others are too stupid to mention. But there's my own reasons like he was so guilty of ever breaking up with me, that he just took the chance to move out of here, go and ruin some other girl's life. I hope he did, feel that guilt that hurt me so much. Wait, there's also another reason, pretty stupid but probably my favorite, it's because of the guys. They ganged up on Parker and he was never heard from again.

I mean, I know they would never do that (I think). But the reason was so stupid, it was funny. 

None of us said anything when we found out. The guys just looked at me, expecting me to say something, but I didn’t. Everyone else in school did the same thing, probably expecting maybe a tantrum or break down, but I wasn’t going to give them the pleasure of seeing it, and I wasn’t going to do it anyway.

I miss him. Don’t hate me for saying this because I already hate myself enough. The last thing I was is more people in the world to hate me. Maybe it’s because of the way too many memories I had with them, all locked in my head. It’s like I’m pressing erase, delete, destroy, but the stupid loading bar is taking forever and I’m forced to keep them until I can reload or something. Sometimes, I expect him to come out of nowhere and say, “Surprise! Just kidding!” I just really hoped that there was really something, that he felt something, even if it was the tiniest pang in his heart or whatever keeps him alive, probably some generator. It makes me want to punch him in the face or kiss him to see if he would feel something like what I believed, or maybe just both.

Now because of him, my walls were climbing up higher and higher. But at least I wasn’t alone. The guys are there with me, not caring that they’ll be trapped along with me, with vines crawling up to them and little sun coming inside. Honestly, I think it’s best this way. Shutting the whole world out, the same world that rejected all of us, and keeping our small group together is all that matters to me.

Done.

With this chapter I mean, not the book. Don’t worry you guys. Ha ha ha. I read from the comments you read a sentence wrong and freaked out. It was funny, I mean, of course it wasn’t- What am I saying, it was, it really way. I’m not going to end the book like that. How I’m going to end it will be WAY more fun.

Well I got something to share with you guys this poem called “To This Day” by Shane Koyczan. A reader named Pierce_The_Sarahy shared me this great poem. I gave it a look and the words were so powerful and moving, and I love the entire video itself. This will take place for the song of the day. And also for the “A Challenge a Day”, how about you try sharing this video to five people and take their opinion on this? Don’t think that I actually forgot about the challenge. So please tell me what you did on the last challenge, feel free to share it on the comments below.

I thought of the rainy bit because it was raining where I live. And you know I place soccer right? Well we had a game and we had to play IN the rain. Yes, in the rain. It was freezing, it was wet, I was scared half to death, the other half is being freeze to death. So yeah, I kinda died there in the game. My whole backpack was soaked, I didn’t have a stupid umbrella, so I envy Naomi and the others (cough, not Declan, well then again, not Jordan either). But I’m okay, I don’t have a cold for some reason! My mom didn’t like the fact we played in the rain. At first I thought it would be fun, I mean it was, running up and down the field not getting sweaty but just really wet, but the wet part itself was not. We won by the way, both JV and varsity. Enough about me, I have to do some studying for a Spanish test tomorrow.

¡Adiós!

RubixCube89201