Previously:

"Are you gonna drink that?" The blonde woman approached Bryan, smiling at him and darting down at the beer on the bar table, that he hasn't touched for 5 minutes.

--

"Hey, you." She said, to some guy carrying a skateboard. "You know where room R21 is, right?"

The guy frowned at her and pointed to a staircase. "Up there. Turn left, it's the first door you see." He said, in a Jersey accent.

She scoffed, "Alright." She said, and walked away.

--

"It was...a pleasure to meet you, Clara."Bryan said, after they lost track of time and talked for hours. He stopped by her doorstep, as they gazed in each other's eyes for a second.

"You too, Bryan." She said, biting her lip. She slowly turned around, but he grabbed her and without thinking, his lips latched onto hers.

--

Candice slowly grabbed Mark's face, and got onto her tip toes, then slowly and carefully planted a kiss on his lips.

--------------------------------

17: Hitting the other cheek

(Candice on top ^)

'Understanding is the first step to acceptance, and only with acceptance can there be recovery.'

-J.K. Rowling

"Candice? Candice!" 

Candice heard an all too familiar name, as she looked up and saw Catt on the pier. 

"Get over here, now!" Catt yelled.

Candice widened her eyes and she broke out in cold sweat. Oh god, Candice thought, I'm fucked!

Her being on drugs didn't help the situation, as it made her panic even more. The sand didn't look like it was glowing anymore, and the moon didn't seem larger than it normally was anymore, instead, it looked as if each grain of sand was raising from the ground and there was a giant black hole where the moon was supposed to be. She was truly freaked out. 

Catt reached her and grabbed her face, then examined her eyes. "Candice!" Catt shook her, but Candice kept staring into space.

Catt looked at the group of kids behind Candice. "What the hell did you give her?" She demanded, angrily.

When they didn't answer she turned to Candice, "Candice, your eyes. You need to go to a hospital." 

Jane stepped in and put a hand on Candice's shoulder. "No, we just gave her some LSD."

Catt looked at Jane furiously, "Well, how do i stop it?" She asked.

Jane shrugged, "Sorry! I didn't know she was going to trip that badly."

"Just how much did you give her, exactly?" 

Jane shrugged again, "I don't know." She said, hopelessly. 

Catt sighed, frustrated. "What makes you think you kids are allowed to feed her acid?" 

"We just wanted to have some fun! I- I..." Jane didn't know what to say, as she tried to get Candice to snap out of it. She turned back to Catt. "Just- trust me, she'll snap out of it. Just give her some time- She was fine before!" 

"What is your name, young lady? I'm reporting you." 

"Please, we just wanted some fun- it was stupid." Jane said, desperately.

A shirtless guy stepped in, "What's going on?" He asked, obviously baked, judging by his half closed, bloodshot eyes and slurred speech. 

Catt sighed, running a hand through her hair, "Oh, great." She mumbled.

"No, no, no, no, no- trust me. This will help." The guy said, and took out the joint out of his mouth and was about to put it into Candice's. 

Catt blocked Candice's mouth, "Um- what do you think you're doing!?" Catt asked the guy.

"Calm down dude, it's gonna calm her down!" 

"No! Absolutely not! I'm calling an ambulance."

Just then, Candice looked at Catt. "Shit! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! Don't tell my dad!" She cried.

Catt clenched her jaw, "You're coming with me, Missy." She said, dragging Candice off the beach.

"Oh god..." Candice murmured, holding her forehead, her vision zooming in and out. 

"I had no idea you could be this stupid, Candice! You know- i worked hard for this job and i didn't apply to be some...carer!" 

"Ugh...stop. I already have a babysitter back home, i don't need another one." She mumbled. 

"My point exactly!" Catt snapped, turning a few heads. 

"Can you just...stop shouting for a moment? I'm seeing some fucked up shit at the moment." 

"That's your punishment. So that you never think of doing LSD again, or any drug for that matter!" 

"Catt, you're making me freak out!" Candice said, on the verge of tears.

Catt sighed and softened up. "Just get in the car." She said. 

Candice sighed and got in the car. The car seats seemed to breathe and every object in the car seemed to glow. 

"Candice!" Catt snapped, "You're staring into space again. Now, i'm sorry but i have to tell your father what you've done. You know he cares about you, right? Him finding out will really disappoint him, Candice" 

Candice rubbed her forehead and sighed, sinking back into her seat, "You remind me of a chick i hate." She spat. 

--

Candice was woken up by the alarm as she sat up immediately. She sighed and rubbed her face, her eyes refusing to fully open.

She got ready and lazily walked out of the room, feeling disoriented and lost. 

This place is a goddamn maze, she thought. She squinted her eyes and walked on, then finally found the stairs. 

She saw her dad in the living room reading a newspaper. She bit her lip and tried to avoid him, sneaking into the kitchen but to no avail, he caught her. 

"If you think avoiding me is going to get you out of trouble, you're sadly mistaken." Her father said, crossing his arms.

Candice sighed, "Dad...i'm sorry, okay? But you already lectured me yesterday." She said, in her whiny voice, dragging out her words. 

This always gets her out of trouble.

"Nope, you're not getting off that easy."

More like used to get her out of trouble.

"Let's see what your mother has to say about this-"

Candice groaned, "Please don't bring mom into this. She'll make a big deal out of nothing. I'm sorry, okay? I just wanted to fit in on my first day. I know...it's stupid since i'm only there for a month but...i don't know i guess i couldn't say no. Just- Please dad. I'll never do it again. Promise."

Her dad sighed but spoke in a softer tone, "You could've been hurt, Candice. Anything could've happened."

"I know...it was really stupid." She said, in a regretful tone. 

Her dad seemed to think for a second, "Okay. Fine. I'll keep this from your mother, but if it ever, ever happens again-"

"It won't." Candice interrupted, shaking her head to look convincing. "So, can you call Catt to drop me off?"

"She won't be picking you up anymore, i fired her." Her father deadpanned. 

"What?" Candice demanded. "What do you mean, you fired her?"

"She did not do her job properly. I told her to come and pick you up yesterday after school. But she was late. Had she not been late, you wouldn't have gotten yourself into trouble with those...youngsters."

Candice sighed, dropping her shoulders. "I...I caused her to be fired?" She mumbled, looking down on the floor shamefully. Suddenly, she turned to her dad angrily. "She was really worried about me. And this was her first real job since she finished college, dad." 

"Well she can find a second one, now." Her dad said, coldly. 

Candice gaped at her dad, but grew scared at herself. Is this how i act like?  She asked herself, but mentally slapped her forehead for asking that question. Of course. Of course it is.

She nodded slowly, dropping her arms to her side, "So is you and mum my fault, too?"

Her dad scowled at her, "What? Of course it isn't." He said, harshly. 

"God, i'm always fucking things up for everyone around me. First you and mum, then Bella, then Ca-"

"-Who's Bella?- Candice forget about it, alright? Just focus on school." Her dad said, sternly. "I'm sick and tired of your behavior these days.

Candice scoffed, "So you're both sick of me? You and mum. That cleared things up for me."

Her dad, didn't deny it, instead he said, "The only thing you're fucking up is your own life."

"Don't you think i know that? You have no idea what happened to me because you weren't even there!" Candice said, on the verge of tears. "I thought i could always count on you when i needed help. But i was suffering alone, dad! You don't even bother calling me, your own daughter half of the time! And then you're acting like you had nothing to do with be acting this way, like it was all my fault, like i'm the one to blame! Like i asked for this!" Tears were running down her face, but she didn't care. Everything is her fault. What Brandon and Tucker did to her was all her fault, too. She asked for it.  All her fault.  "You know what? I don't even need your 'support' anymore, dad. You're just a cooperate asshole now-" She gasped, as he slapped her across the face, furiously. 

"Don't you dare." He said, his voice low. "I work to support you and your mother. But you two are so ungrateful that you can't even see that."

Candice placed a hand on her cheek, shocked, and trembling. 

"What do you know about suffering? I worked on the goddamn farm back home for years before i even earned the job that i have now. You know nothing. You're just a little teenager who wants to get everything her way. Now get outside, the driver's waiting for you." He ordered. 

She slowly walked outside into the driveway, where a car was waiting for her, she got in and sat down quietly for a few seconds. Then started crying, burying her face in her hands. 

--

Candice buried her face on her desk, shooing off everyone who asked if she was ill or tired.

"Should i take you to the nurse's office?" One girl asked.

"No. Go away." Candice's muffled voice pleaded.

Finally, after 45 minutes of dread, the bell rang. She got up and slowly walked into the hallway, like a zombie, but she was soon bombarded with shoves and pushed of students who were hurrying to get to their class. Soon, she forgot which room she was supposed to be in as she looked behind her. Great. The disadvantages of being short. She tiptoed to glance at the numbers of all the class doors, as she looked at her schedule, just then, someone shoved her shoulders until she nearly fell backwards, and her schedule fell. 

"Oops, i'm sorry!" Said the fading voice as they kept walking on.

"Seriously?!" She yelled at the person, and turned back to her schedule, but someone was already leaning over it, and picking it up. "Oh..." She mumbled, "Thanks, Mark." 

The guy stood upright and gave the schedule to her. He smiled tightly at her, "Not Mark." He pointed out.

"Sorry, thought you were someone else." She said, and took the schedule from his hands, "Thanks." She said, suddenly recognizing that Jersey accent. She squinted her eyes at him and pointed, "Hey, you're the guy who-"

"-You asked where room R21 was." He finished her sentence, nodding. 

"Yes. As a matter of fact i...kinda need your help again." She said, "I need to get to calculus class, room M7."

"I've got a lesson in the same department, i'll take you there."

Candice narrowed her eyes suspiciously and stepped back. "No, that's okay." She mumbled.

He chuckled, "What? Seriously, it's no trouble at all, i'm on my way there, anyway," 

He started walking as she had no choice but to trail along behind him.

"Anyway, I'm Salvatore." 

"Candice." She replied.

"So, what made you transfer?" Salvatore asked. 

"I-uh...just...relationship problems." 

He cocked an eyebrow, "Really? Must be pretty serious for a Junior to have to transfer, then..." He said, Candice didn't reply. "So you're from where, exactly?"

"Texas. But i moved here in New York when i started high school." She explained.

"I see. That explains the accent."Said Salvatore, narrowing his eyes.

Candice looked away, growing uncomfortable from his stare. 

"What part of New York did you use to live in, anyway?" He asked.

Candice audibly sighed, hinting that she was annoyed. Why does he ask so many questions?

"Sorry." Salvatore said, sheepishly. "I just ask too many questions because i'm afraid of awkward silence. There, i said it. I'm an awkward guy."

"That's...fine." Candice replied, slowly. 

Candice realized they stopped as she darted at the door number, "That's my class." She said.

"'Kay. I'll see you around. Oh- and if you need anything, you can find me in the senior's lounge." He said, winking.

--

Bryan woke up and turned on his side, picking up the alarm clock and squinting his eyes, until his vision didn't turn blurry anymore. 

11:30am. How long has he been passed out? 

A body moved under the sheets next to him, as he felt an arm touching him. "Good morning." Said a purring voice.

Bryan froze, then turned around. All he could see was blonde hair, he furrowed his eyebrows, confused, then mumbled in his sleepy voice, "Can...dice...?"

The woman's head shot up, "What? No! - Did you really forget my name in such short period of time? It's Clara."

Bryan stared at her for a few seconds, frowning, then layed back down on the bed again, throwing his arm over his forehead. "Oh, god..." He whispered to himself. 

"Yeah...you had a lot to drink last night." Said Clara, flipping her bleached blonde hair out of the way, showing Bryan her golden bronze skin. She looked back at Bryan, "You were pretty rough, there." She said, winking. "I have to get going." She sighed and put her dress back on. "Are you going to be at the bar tonight?" She asked.

Bryan shook his head slowly, his mouth dry as hell. "Absolutely not." He replied.

She scoffed, "Okay, then when?" 

"Just go." He said, harshly. 

Clara frowned at him, then pursed her lips, she grabbed two packets of condoms from the floor and threw them at him. "Pendejo." She spat at him in Spanish then grabbed her shoes, and stormed out. 

--

"Candice!" She heard someone call her. It was Mark, waving at her. He soon caught up to her and unexpectedly kissed her on the lips. Her eyes widened, as she blinked at him. "How 'ya doing?" Mark asked.

"I'm...fine- what was that all about?" Candice asked. 

Mark, looked at her apologetically. "Sorry. That was uncalled for. Sorry if i made you uncomfortable. I was just dying to kiss you again after that last one." 

Candice suddenly remembers last night, and how she was feeling 'in the moment' so she decided to stupidly kiss Mark. 

But how does she explain Mark that without hurting his feelings? 

She snapped out of it and just smiled at him. 

"I'm sorry i didn't get the chance to say bye to you yesterday. I heard you took off. Were you in a lot of trouble?"

"Yeah. Big trouble." Candice said, looking down and not meeting his eyes. She pretended to fix her hair so that it covered her right cheek. 

"Sorry. But, do you want to hang out after school today? Like...the two of us? I promise no drugs involved this time." He said, looking at her hopefully. 

"You've picked the wrong day, Mark. I'm not allowed to...party with you guys anymore."

Mark sighed, running a hand through his hair. "That fucking sucks." He mumbled. 

Just then, she saw Salvatore's eyes glaring at her from all the way across the cafeteria. She felt chills at the back of her neck as an eerie feeling swept over her. Why was he looking at her like that? Was it just part of her imagination? Salvatore clenched his jaw then finally looked away, walking out of the cafeteria.