As much as it hurt, I ignored them. I didn’t want to get kicked out of school for fighting. I tried to walk away, but then Carrie caught me off guard with what she said next.

“Don’t think I don’t see the way you look at my boyfriend, like he’s some kind of piece of meat you want to eat. You can get those thoughts right out of your head, because he would never want to be with a pig like you.”

That pushed me over the edge. The tears started falling down my face. I couldn’t bear this pain any longer. I never wanted her to see me cry, but I just couldn’t help it. I knew a boy would never look at me like they looked at her. I knew I was destined to never have a boyfriend or someone who loved me. I’d never step foot in my senior prom because nobody in that school will ever ask me. I just didn’t want the popular bitch at school to point that out to me… in front of others.

I ran to the stall and cried my eyes out.

“Come on, girl. She’s a cry baby. She can’t handle constructive criticism,” Carrie said in a snotty tone as she exited the locker room with her cult in tow.

I was late for class. That day we were supposed to be playing dodgeball. I couldn’t go out there in front of everyone. They would all be staring at me. I couldn’t have Chase look at me like they did.

I decided that it really didn’t matter at that point. I changed into my clothes and put my bag into a locker on the other side of the room. I spent my life hiding from others. I exited the locker room and jumped into the line without being noticed, but how can someone like me go unnoticed?

“Hailey, you’re late for class. See me after,” Miss Carter said, embarrassing me in front of everyone. I heard snickers coming from some of the students.

Miss Carter was calling out the names of students who would be on each team, in alphabetical order. You know what that means? Chase O’Brien and Carrie Porter would both be on the same team as me. Carrie looked disgusted that I was on her team. It’s not like I picked the teams, because believe me, she would be the last person in the world I would want on my team. We were all near each other because they were only teams of ten with two different games going on. A total of forty students, and I got stuck with those two.

“I can’t believe I have to be on a team with you. You are useless,” Carrie said.

“Just stand behind me, Hailey. I’ll make sure you don’t get hit with the ball,” Chase said. That was the first time he ever spoke to me directly… Then Carrie had to go and ruin it for me.

“It’s not like they won’t be able to see her behind you, baby.” She smirked.

I was mortified. I could never look at Chase again. I ran out of the gym class into the hallway so no one would see me cry. My heart was torn. The ridicule had gone too far. I cried into the wall. No one was around; no one even saw me run out.

We were by the door when it happened. I got myself together and turned to go back inside. Chase O’Brien was standing behind me.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“I’m fine. I’ll be fine. I’m used to it,” I said, tears flowing down my face.

“Don’t let her get to you. She’s my girlfriend, but she’s a bitch.”

“Go back inside, Chase. Just let me be. I’ll be fine,” I whispered.

“I don’t want to see you like this.”

“You don’t know me. You are one of them, as far as I’m concerned.”

“I’m not one of them. I’m me, and I don’t like to see someone hurting.”

He reached his hand out to my face and wiped away my tears. “Be strong,” he said as he turned around and walked back to the gym.

I stood there in shock. The tears were still flowing. I got myself together and went back into class.

CHAPTER 9

Chase

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING over here?” Parker says, punching my arm.

“She’s here,” I say, taking a sip of beer.

“Who? Carrie?”

“No, the woman from the bar.”

“So we went to school with her. Who the hell could it be?” he asks.

“I don’t know. I don’t recognize her.”

“Where is she?”

“Over there talking to Mrs. Ward.” I nod in her direction.

“I don’t know her. We need to somehow scope out her name sticker.”

“What do you want me to say? Oh hey, I think we have a connection. Will you marry me and have my children, but I have no idea who you are?”

“How about you start with, ‘Hi, I’m Chase.’ See if she knows you. There you go. Do that.”

“I’m not going up to her.” I refuse to make an ass of myself.

Busting in on our conversation, I hear, “Chase, is that you?”

I turn around and recognize Laney. “Yes, hi, Laney. How are you?” I kiss her on the cheek.

“Better now that I got to see you.” She turns to P. “Parker, always a pleasure,” she says sarcastically.

P broke her heart. She was madly in love with him, and he played her Parker-style. I don’t blame her for hating him. She chased him, and he ran farther and farther away.

“Carrie was looking for you, so I hear,” Laney says to me.

“Oh really? That’s nice.” I give Parker a look that says I’m going to kill him for bringing me here. I look over at my mystery woman as she talks and smiles with the teacher. Carrie is making a beeline straight toward me. I want to run. I want to hide.

“Chase,” she calls out, running to me and pulling me into a hug. She looks run-down and trashy. Her hair is greasy and her teeth are messed up.

“How are you?” I ask, trying to be polite.

“Great… ya’ know.” That is her response.

She sure as hell doesn’t look great, but I would never say anything. Leave it to my best friend to open his mouth, though. He hates Carrie so much. He even hated her back in high school. He just tolerated her because of me.

“Been partying hard there, Car?” Parker asks her.

“Yeah, I’m always a good time. Maybe we can hang out sometime,” she says to him, looking at me to see my reaction.

“I’m good,” he says, making a crazy face. He whispers under his breath to me, “She looks like a crack whore.”

“I’m ready to get out of here,” I whisper back.

“Me, too. Let’s go pick up some real women at a classy joint.”

“It was great chatting with you ladies, but me and my boy here have to get going,” he says to them.

“Really,” Carrie says, pouting her lips. “The night is still young. By the way, Chase, I’m writing a romance novel about our time together and then my issues after. It’s my way of healing. I’m hoping to have a happily ever after, then get it published. I’ve been reaching out to companies.”

“That’s really awesome, Carrie, but I’m in a relationship with someone,” I lie.

“Wow, um... Well, fuck her. You were mine first. We were meant to be. Maybe we can go out and talk some. My mom can watch the kids.”

Did she just fucking say kids? Plural…!

“Listen, Carrie, I can’t. I have to go… really.”

“Here’s my number. Call me.” She takes my phone out of my hand and puts her number in. I take my phone back from her and literally want to spray it with Lysol.

“It was nice seeing you. P, let’s go… now.”

“Bye, Laney,” Parker says, winking his eye.

Laney and Carrie glare at each other and go their separate ways.

Parker and I head toward the door so I can make my escape.

CHAPTER 10

Hailey

IT’S AMAZING how much a smell or sound can bring back a memory. For me, the hurt never went away. I can lose a million pounds, have a million dollars, but the scars are there for life.