Weeks go by. We go back to school. I get my cast off.

I sit alone in the library at lunch. Caleb won't accept me. The cheddar rolls won't accept me; rather, I won't accept them any longer.

Either way, I endure the endless suffering of seeing the guy I thought loved me love someone else fully. Let's just say it's torture.

Brendan has tried to call numerous times. I won't answer them. He tries to talk to me at school, but I don't want to hear it. He purposely tried to destroy my relationship. I don't care if he did it because he knows how Drew is. He still interfered with my life in a way he shouldn't have.

Drew has tried to talk to me a few times. I yell at him. I don't care who knows I'm furious at him. I give him a piece of my mind anyways.

Caleb hasn't so much as looked in my direction since the day he visited me. He seems to think he's right. He told me so. And now I'm screwed. I've got no friends and it's all because I put my trust in people that he knew weren't right for me. I don't understand how he finds my pain amusing to himself.

Danny still talks to me. He's the most of a friend I've got. I work with him in class on partner activities. I've gone over to his house a few times to hang out. His sister Marie is nice to me. He tells me he's so disappointed in Drew and Brendan's behavior. He tells me about how sorry he is that I have to deal with that.

My mom is convinced I'm depressed. I spend most of my time in my room, writing ranting notes to people that I'll never deliver them to. I watch Netflix and sleep the rest of the time. She wants me to go see a doctor to help me, but I completely refuse. There's no way I'm letting some old guy tell me I'm depressed. I'm not. I'm just furious.

"Lili, are you paying attention?"

I look up at the teacher, my face going red. I nod my head, eyes wide.

"Please listen," Mr. Crow says, shaking his head.

I sigh, and listen, extremely bored, to the lecture on the Cold War. Occasionally I write a fact down. Other than that, I just stare at him blankly, not trying to hide my hatred for the teacher.

When the bell finally rings to go home, I grab my bag and head towards the door. As soon as I get out, somebody stops me.

I look up, Drew in front of me.

"What do you-"

"I want to apologize. This whole time, I've been just trying to make you see it from my angle. But what I really need to do is accept I've done something wrong and ask your forgiveness," Drew tells me, holding my wrist in his hand.

"I don't care to hear your apology," I tell him, ripping my hand out of his grasp.

"I don't care if you don't want to hear it. I'm going to tell you anyways," he says.

I look around and see numerous people have stopped talking and the attention is now on the two of us. I focus back on Drew.

"Leave me alone."

"No. I refuse to," he says.

"Just like you refused to love me back while you were still my boyfriend," I say angrily.

"That's not necessary right now," he says quietly. "I'm sorry. I really am. I made the worst mistake I ever have."

"Do you tell that to all the girls you cheat on?" I ask, crossing my arms.

"Lili, please listen to me. I truly am sorry. I feel so guilty-"

"As you should! You lied to me. You ran off with Mandy behind my back-"

"It wasn't like that... We were forced to spend time with each other-"

"But you were not forced to cheat on me, were you?" I ask, letting out a frustrated breath.

"In a way, I guess. We were forced to fake date," he shrugs.

"Oh, is that all it is? It's okay to date your pretend girlfriend while you still have a real one? I didn't realize," I roll my eyes.

"Lili, I know it was wrong, and I'm sorry. Truly," he says.

"Yeah," I roll my eyes and start to walk away, annoyed. "Sure sounds like it."

"Wait!" He grabs my wrist. I turn around, watching him, eyebrows raised. Those were the eyes I used to get lost in. That was the hair I used to play with. Those were the lips I used to kiss. "I want you to believe me. I did something more than wrong. I messed with you and that wasn't fair. I should have at least told you before I lead you on. I should have done something. I know I shouldn't make excuses, but it was just so hard to let you go."

"Okay," I sigh. He releases my hand and watches me curiously.

I turn around and keep walking away. I get it. He feels bad. He's sorry. But that doesn't make it okay. It will never be okay again. It only means I understand his place.

Someone new stops me from exiting. I look up, annoyed. And to make me more annoyed, I see Shelby's smirking face.

I try to shove her out of the way and keep walking; I don't want to hear a word of what she has to say. But she grabs my shoulders and turns me around to look at her.

"How are things with Drew? Still what you thought in your little happily perfect daydreams? Or have you come to the harsh reality that you'll never fit in with any of us?" She asks, eyes boring into mine.

"Get away from me," I say, shaking her grasp off of me. Her hold is tight, fingernails clasping my arm tightly.

"You know now, Lili, that you're worth less than nothing to all of them don't you?" Shelby asks again.

"Leave me alone," I say.

"Nobody likes you. You're just a little wanna be loser who tried to weasel her way into the group but failed horribly. How was it to watch everyone turn their backs on you?" She laughs, and I notice how many people are watching.

"I don't want to talk to you."

"I know you don't. But I want to talk to you, you good for nothing loser who ruined my life. You deserve everything that's happened to you," and then Shelby slaps me across the face.

A few gasps are heard through the mess of people in the hallway. I open my mouth, hand touching my red cheek. It stings in pain.

"Nobody wants you here! Go home! Go cry to your mom about your lack of friends! Get your ugly face out of here before I slap it again-"

"Shut up, Shelby!"

I look over and find Brendan rushing over to us, looking furious. He pulls Shelby away from me, shoving her further away.

"How dare you talk to her like that," he hisses at her. "How dare you lay a hand on her."

"She deserves it, and you know it. She needs to leave. You kicked her out of the article, remember? She's a loser," Shelby says, watching Brendan closely.

"She is not a loser. She's the best person I know. It's not her that needs to leave. It's you. Go," Brendan says, looking furious.

Shelby looks shocked, blinking her eyes a few times. Then she closes her mouth and turns around, walking away, heels clicking.

Brendan comes over to me, looking concerned. He stops only inches away, placing his hand gently against my burning cheek. He frowns.

"Are you okay?" He asks quietly, looking into my eyes.

"I'm fine," I tell him. "Thank you."

He smiles. "I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner."

I shake my head. "I should've taken care of myself."

"You did. Look, Lili, can I drive you home?" He asks, taking a small step closer, still having not removed his hand from my cheek.

I look away. "Okay. But Brendan-"

"I know. I have some explaining to do," he nods. "I know."

*•*•*

When we get to my house, it isn't a surprise that my mom isn't home. She must be at work. I lead Brendan up to my room where we both sit on my bed.

"I'm sorry. I really am, Lili. It wasn't right of me to take you out of the article like that. It wasn't right of me to put a new girl in as Drew's fake girlfriend. I hope you can forgive me," he says, looking into my eyes.

I let out a long breath, looking down. I want so badly to forgive him. I do. But I can't find it in me.

"In complete honesty, I was jealous," he blurts out, looking away. "I didn't realize it then, but that's what it was. I saw you and Drew so happy together and I was so frustrated with that. I knew he would end up breaking your heart like every other girl. It's just who he is. And I just got so mad and didn't think about what I was doing. I was blinded by jealousy when I made the decision to take you out."

I stare at him in disbelief, eyebrows raised. Is he being serious?

"It sounds crazy, I know. You don't have to forgive me. I'll give you some time. I just wanted to tell you the truth," he says, standing up.

He starts to leave, grabbing his jacket on the way out.

"Wait," I say.

He turns around, watching me curiously.

"I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" I say.

He smiles and nods. Then he's gone.