Follow me:

Instagram: @a.lake.yeah

Twitter: AlekhyaBhat

Chapter 26: The Haters Gonna Hate

There will be haters, doubters, nonbelievers, cheaters, and people who'll get pleasure out of seeing you fall. Loads of them. Then there will be you, proving them wrong. You hate me? Well why don't you just go and grab a chair, and wait for me to actually care.

~Starlight24

I sighed loudly and slammed my locker door shut with a forceful shove. Miss X happened to be someone from my school, apparently. Someone who not only hated me but also hated Starlight. Brilliant, right?

My hate messages that had been shoved, crumpled and slipped into my locker had gone from bad to worse. They were petty, but they stung. It was like a bunch of mini needles being poked into the same spot on the tender part of your arm. No matter how little they were individually, together they began to make you hurt.

"Hey," Deeds said with a sympathetic smile, and I shoved the note in her face with a grunt.

Her face softened as she read the note, and I rolled my eyes. "She's so pathetic it kills me," I said with an annoyed sigh, before running a hand through my disheveled hair.

"Oh Sweetie," said Deeds, tossing the note into a nearby bin.

Everyone looked at us as we moved past, and I hung my head down low. This had been the norm for the past one week. The stares, the rumors, the whispers and the insults crashing over me. The words fraud, hypocrite, attention-whore and bitch seemed to be attracted to me like moths to a light.

I remembered what the note had said this time:

Hey ugly!
Go back to where you came from. Go back to that countryside house you lived in and die there, hopefully. I doubt anyone will even attend your funeral unless Starlight, your best friend, comes too. Oh, wait! She can't come! You don't even know her!
Stupid attention hogging, slutty bitch. You try to make everyone hate the people you hate. You try to think you're the freaking queen of this school, right? Well guess what. EVERYONE is better than you. Get that into your little head and stop holding your nose up in the air like you're better than everyone else. Honey, the truth is that you're not.

Peace out!
Miss. X

The problem with these notes were that they kind of hurt. They'd hurt anyone if they were the first and last things a person read during the school day.

I knew the haters were going to hate, but it still hurt a lot.

"I hope she goes and dies in a ditch," I muttered darkly.

"Sounds like Nat, right?" she asked, with an exaggerated eye roll.

At the mention of the Devil Herself, I cringed. She had been basking in my fall by saying all sorts of stuff on whatever social media possible, talking about how stars that burned the brightest always died in the most beautiful way. Yeah, she was talking about Starlight. I'm pretty sure she knew who it was.

Speaking of Starlight itself, I'd lost more followers than I'd ever imagined. I'd gone all the way down to 2M. Yeah, I'm not saying that's a bad thing or anything, because I know that most teenage girls don't even have more than a few thousands of followers at the most. It just hurt because I'd once had more and I'd lost them all thanks to a dumb loser named Natalie Spencer.

"It sounds exactly like Nat. No one else would have the spite or the brains to do something like that. As much as I hate to admit it, Nat was incredibly sharp although she might use her mind in... vicious ways."

Deeds gave me a small smile and just then, Nat herself decided to show up with her bunch of cronies. Okay, I liked Mindy because I'd met her that day at the party and we talked sometimes. But Tracey and Gloria, Nat's very own slaves, just got on my nerves.

Nat came in front of us and shot us a withering, condescending glare. "Hey, losers," she said calmly.

I balled up my fists but Deeds held me back. "Nat," said Deeds with a curt nod.

"Oh, Deeds!" Nat said with a sugary sweet smile. "I hadn't noticed you there. You know, with Day's whole knowing Starlight thing, her light can be a bit blinding."

Oh, she was begging to have her nose crushed by my fist, wasn't she?

"Oh, you are a funny girl," Deeds spat. "You wait until the truth comes out, Spencer. Your high throne will be snatched from beneath you."

"Wait a second," Nat said, making her eyes unnecessarily wide. "When did we start talking about you, Lacey?"

That was it.

"Why you little attention seeking prat," I said, walking forward and jabbing my finger into her chest. "You think you're so amazing, basking in the so called death of my star. You're dancing around because everyone thinks I'm overrated. Well guess what, there's a difference between you and me. I actually have real friends. Even when I'm pretty much the most unpopular kid here at the moment, my friends were willing to give up their popularity to join me in the gutter. From what I heard, you didn't even have that when your popularity went down the drain.

"And," I continued. "I also know why you hate me so much. Even when everyone hates me, I still have the one guy you've been hung up on since forever on my side and not yours. Yeah Natalie, you're still annoyed that Dylan doesn't like you. No matter what he does, he'll never like you. Dylan is so, so, so much better than you'll ever dream of being, Spencer. So before you try to open up that big mouth of yours, try to think of how much further you're getting away from ever touching Dylan Daniels. Not that you'll ever come close, anyway."

This was the second time I'd burst out at Nat with a silence that followed. As horrible as this may sound, it was satisfying as hell.

I was breathing very deeply and my eyes were narrowed into two small slits as I stared her down, daring her to counter me. She seemed speechless, much to my joyance.

What a sadistic bitch I was.

There were a lot of people just staring at me. Guys, I know staring is probably one of the several most legal ways of stalking, but stop. I'm not that attractive.

"Hey haters!" I yelled, looking at everyone else who had surrounded me, feeling pumped up thanks to my little outburst. "Thanks so much for trying to bring me down. I've only come up stronger than I was before." Then, I sneered and did a good 360 degree turn. "And I must say, I'm so flattered to be the trending topic in your boring lives, bitches."

Out of nowhere, a slow-clap followed and a bunch of people just started clapping and I didn't know what to do. Nat looked like she was wishing the floor would just open up and swallow her whole.

All of a sudden, I felt a pair of strong hands on my shoulders that were too big to be Deeds' and I turned around, only to find my breath hitch.

It had been happening a lot whenever I saw Dylan Stupid Daniel's stupid face.

If only he hadn't kissed me that day. I just couldn't stop the dizzy feeling from spreading all over me. "Good job, Winters," he whispered in my ear, and I shuddered lightly and smiled back at him, before shooting Nat a triumphant look.

"Why don't you go get your sorry ass away from us, Spencer?" Deeds taunted glaring at them. There was a lot of hooting and a lot of people were disappointed that Nat had been such a coward and not put up a fight.

"Yeah, Nat. It's the only action you'll ever get," Dylan said, and although that wasn't the worst we'd said to her, I'm sure it hurt the most.

"Dylan," Nat said, her voice weirdly choked up. "Dylan, you've got to listen to me, please—"

"I don't have to do anything, Natalie," Dylan said, narrowing his eyes at her and I felt his fingers grasp my shoulder a little harder than he had been before. "All I know is that you're trying to hurt Day, and if you do, I'll send you to hell, I promise."

Technically, he was trying to hurt Deeds, Hailey, Marie AND me. But if you want to say just my name, then I'm totally chilled out. I mean, why on earth would I be internally hyperventilating because you said that? Psht, I ain't trying to calculate what each of your sentences may mean. I'm not that desperate.

Damn, I was so weird. 

I smiled a sugary smile at her. "Nat, what you don't seem to understand is that every time you try to grab onto my legs and pull me down, you're just proving something: one needs to be below you to be able to drag you down."

With that, I did a hair flip and walked out of the corridor.

*****

"Hey Mom," I greeted, tossing my school bag onto the floor as I walked towards the kitchen to grab a granola bar and some milk. Don't judge me. I was a teenage girl. We were growing. Therefore I was always hungry.

"Hay day!" she replied with a grin as I found what I wanted and climbed up to my room. I was surprised to see mom follow me.

"Yeah?" I asked, tossing my shirt over my head and finding a cute one that said Awkward is my Specialty. No, I wasn't self-conscious in front of my own mother. Sue me.

"Your dad wanted me to ask you something..." she said, warily. My eyes knitted in confusion.

"What was it?" I asked, silently telling her to tell me quick because I was going to the park and the smoothie place with my friends.

"Are you doing okay?" she asked softly, and I recognized the tone immediately. It was the your-immune-deficiency-makes-you-weak-and-you-may-die-any-moment look.

I gave her a small smile. "Yeah, Mommy," I said, giving her a small hug. I had gotten used to my parents feeling really overprotective of me. I was not only their only kid, but I was also a very vulnerable only kid. "What did the doctor say this time?"

I had stopped visiting the doctor when I turned twelve because it literally made me too depressed to even speak. They'd just go on about how lucky I was to have survived, and how not that many people with my condition had this opportunity.

You see, I not only had any normal immune deficiency, but I had five. I also got various infections really easily. The crazy thing was that if you had immune disorders, you weren't supposed to have allergies. Well I was really blessed, because I was also allergic to peanuts and walnuts. Not hazelnuts, though, because Nutella is my bae. I don't know how it worked either.

"You're... You're on the brink," whispered mom, and I could see her eyes watering. My throat constricted.

Oh.

The brink is what my parents used when any small thing could kill me. Even the smallest disaster could be my last. Even the tiniest injury could be fatal.

The brink was when even a mosquito was stronger than me.

"It's okay, Mommy," I whispered, although I did get a little emotional when someone mentioned the brink. Obviously, who wouldn't get emotional every time someone told them that they may die? "I'm alright, okay? I like it here. I have friends, and you and Daddy actually have a life. I don't want to be the one who disrupts it all."

Mom shook her head vigorously. "Day, stop trying to act all noble. If anything happens, we're moving. Pronto. You understand?"

I laughed feebly. "Yes, Sargent Winters." I did a mock salute thing and grinned.

"Now you go have fun with your friends," she said, before disappearing out of my door.

Oh, that she didn't need to tell me twice.

*****

"Dylan is such a douche," Cady giggled, ruffling his hair as he shrugged innocently.

"I never countered that statement now, did I?" he asked, grinning.

I laughed. "Oh, but being a douche wasn't enough, was it? You had to be a dumb douche on top of that!" I said, joining Cady in bullying Dylan just because we could.

Yeah, Cady still liked Dylan. This was really complicated. It made me feel really weird that I not only had feelings (I think?) as the same person that Cady did, but this person actually happened to be my best friend's ex.

Joy.

"I would say the same thing to you, except you had to be so goddamn perfect, eh Winters?" he said with a small grin etching across his features.

My heart skipped a beat.

"It's a gift," I said, being modest as ever. Cady laughed, but it seemed a little strained.

I was such a terrible person, although him calling me perfect wasn't really my fault, was it?

Everyone was here today except for poor Jase, who had to go to some convention with his sister, Maddie. Bryan, Zach, Hailey, Damon (yeah, Hailey's hot step-brother was here. The temperature just went up by a hundred degrees), Deirdre, Marie, Cady, Dylan and I. We were squad goals as hell.

We walked into Slushies, and I felt a pang run through me. This was where my first date with Max had happened. It wasn't the best feeling, really.

We picked a large, semicircular table near the big windows as a waitress came towards us. I looked up and smiled warmly, only to find that smile snatched off my face as I met the eyes of my familiar arch nemesis.

It was Doctor Heinz Doofenshmirtz.

Wait, what? I meant Natalie Spencer. Ooops.

"You work here?" I asked, incredulously.

"Yeah," she said, coldly.

"Oh my gods," I said, realizing something. "That's why Max brought me here for our first date, right?" I hissed, glaring at her. "It was so that you could spy on us the whole time."

"My plans went so well," she said with an all familiar sneer.

"You're a little bitch," I hissed, clenching my fists.

"No, you're just talking about yourself right now," she replied, knowing she was on my last nerves.

"Natalie," Dylan said from beside me, lazily swinging an arm around my shoulder protectively and bringing me closer to him.

Yes, tingles of electricity. Feel free to run wild.

"Oh dear Natalie Spencer," he continued, looking her straight in the eye. "When will you ever learn that no one could care less about you? You of course must know how that feels first hand. Stop picking on Day because she reminds you of someone else."

Nat gasped loudly, and I had a feeling there was some underlining meaning behind those words. "You wouldn't," she whispered, barely audible.

"Oh, but I would," he said, holding me tighter as if Nat was capable of murdering me and he was the only person who could save me.

"Alright, may I get your order please?" she asked, suddenly stiff. I wondered what that was about, though.

We quickly reeled off our order, and I bit my lip. I was allergic to peanuts. If my milkshake even accidently touched the nuts I may never breathe again. On the other hand, if I told Nat, she was perfectly capable of putting in the nuts for that reason precisely.

"What's wrong?" Dylan asked softly, into my ears. My whole body seemed to be touching fire and ice at the same time and it was driving me crazy.

"Nothing," I lied, trying to not chew my lip out in anticipation.

"Yeah, totally," he scoffed. "And I'm secretly an escaped Eskimo who is plotting your murder."

I really needed to work on my poker face, apparently.

I giggled. "I don't know, you could be," I said, shrugging at him which earned me a deadpanned glare. "Okay, okay," I said, taking a deep breath. "I'm allergic to walnuts and peanuts but I don't know whether to tell her or not." I confessed.

Dylan looked concerned for a moment but before Nat's figure could retreat, he called out to her. "Hey, Spencer!" he yelled, and Nat looked around, defeated and dejected. "One last thing. Day is allergic to walnuts and peanuts, and if anything happens to her you'll be six feet under, do you understand?"

"Why would you tell her that!?" Cady hissed, looking outraged.

"Yeah, Dylan!" Deeds said, looking at him like he was the biggest idiot in the world.

For all I know, he could have just put my very life in danger and I wouldn't know unless I lived after having my drink.

Alright, I seriously needed to restock on happy thoughts.

"You know what?" Cady asked, looking like she might just slap Dylan. "I'm going to go in and monitor Day's drink, alright?"

"Thanks so much Cady," I said, hugging her.

My friends were literally the best a girl could ever ask for.

Nat looked really annoyed, but she just nodded and walked to the kitchen with Cady yelling at her on top of her lungs. These were one of the few moments that I actually felt bad for Nat. Cady was definitely going to gruel her and I was pretty much positive that my drink would be okay.

Pretty much.

After a good ten minutes, the two of them came and Nat looked really disgruntled, whereas Cady was barking a set of instructions. I could actually visualize a gun being pointed at the girl's head.

The drinks were laid out in front of us and I grinned and took mine. It was a berry smoothie. I know, it was very unlikely for people to put nuts in a berry smoothie, but it was better to be safe than sorry, right?

Or had I just literally put myself in more danger?

Before I could be plagued by my own thoughts, I shoved the straw into my mouth. Almost instantly I knew something wasn't right.

It wasn't because of how grainy the drink tasted.

It wasn't because it was far too sour.

It wasn't because someone had put unground peppercorns in my drink.

It wasn't that there was a bitter underline in the aftertaste.

It was that my throat constricted, and an all familiar feeling washed over my mouth making every part of it itch. It was that someone had put nuts in my drink that might as well be my last.

A/N:

First of all: The W A T T Y ' S. I signed up for them, and now that means EVERY SINGLE VOTE AND COMMENT COUNTS. I'd really appreciate a shout-out, or if you told your friends/ followers about this book. Thanks so much for your support.

---> that's what Day wore, BTW xD

Yay! I left you with a cliffhanger! You guys probably love me a lot right now. Totally not imagining the perfect death for me, nope.

So, is Miss. X Nat, then? Or do I have something else up my sleeve? 

Yeah, I gave you a very long chapter. Thank me later.

On a sad note, we're getting to the end of this book! No! There will probably be just a few more chapters left.

But, I may decide to be nice and extend that.

Anyway, thoughts on this chapter? Or the question of the century: WILL DAY JUNE WINTERS SURVIVE!?

On a random note, I just changed the Character Guide and added some GIFs if you want to check that out.

I'm not going to give you a teaser. I will watch you all squirm and wonder what happens to precious Day June Winters.

Song of the Day: Kill 'em with Kindness by Selena Gomez

Yeah, I know. The irony. Don't kill me please.

Anyway, don't be a silent reader! Comment, vote, follow and fan! xxxxx

Oh and to all my American readers: Happy Independence Day!

Love you all,

~Lexi