After a week in the hospital, I was discharged. My left leg got better within a few days of rest. I had to wear the plaster for a few more days. It wasn't that inconvenient.
Throughout the week no one visited me except for my grandma.
She visited in the afternoons with some herbal soup. It helped in the recovery I guess.
I thought about a lot of things.
I daydreamed about how destiny worked?
The second I figured out that I was in love with Matt, the tables turned, and he pushes me away.
How do I fight for love, if he leaves me halfway?
He used to make me smile for no reason. We never needed topics; we would enjoy each other's company in the garden breeze.
He respected me and so did I. Age was never a barrier. He made me forget about Drake's presence until he became more important to me.
It wasn't just infatuation or filling Drake's place;-
He had planted seeds of Love in the broken pieces of my heart.
It all happened so effortlessly and beautifully.
The thought itself gave me goosebumps.
Love can be so powerful and disheartening at the same time, I thought.
If only people could trust each other more and clear the misunderstandings between them, the world would have been a better place to live in, wouldn't it?
It was an emotional challenge for me to conquer but before that something more important kept me engaged - "The Locket's Mystery".
I resumed school on Monday. I had taken the missed out lecture notes from my class head - Jasleen (as I knew my roommates would still hold a grudge against me ).
I brought my stationary from my dorm room (before the girls had woken up) and directly entered biochemistry lectures.
Miss Giselle taught us - The chemistry of biomolecules. It was pretty boring. We had to memorize an exhaustive amount of information.
It was lunchtime.
I saw Linda go past me.
"Linda! Can we talk? " I asked abruptly; The plaster on my leg started to tilt and I had a little pain.
She immediately turned around and came near me.
"Grace are you okay?" Linda said helping me out with my plaster.
I nodded.
"Let me take you to the canteen then we'll chat," she said calmly.
"Yes, thanks," I said smiling meekly.
We sat in the canteen at the same table we used to sit in.
Betty and Flare were going to eat outside (Linda said). So it was just the two of us.
Opposite to us sat Matt with his friends.
The minute he saw me, he left the canteen. I couldn't understand what that meant.
Prince came over, to ask about my health ( he was considerate ).
"Prince, do you know what's going on with Matt ?", I asked (concerned).
"He's going through some family issues and thus has mood swings. Let him be, " Prince shared a smile with Linda and left.
I tried not to overthink about him. If he wants to talk, he will come over, I concluded in my head.
Linda and I continued with our conversation.
"I'm sorry for not taking your side Grace. It's just that Flare brainwashed everyone that you played with our trust and betrayed us, which somehow doesn't make sense now. I understand that it was your privacy, so I decided to share my thoughts with you, "Linda said apologetically.
Her being super frank with her thoughts, made me have a clear conscience about her image as a friend in my mind.
"I'm sorry too. You considered me as your best friend from day one; I didn't share this secret with you, which led to my pitfall. Anyways, let's just make a promise to share these kinds of stuff beforehand so that no one could create misleading rumours again ?" I said in a cheerful tone ( happy to get things cleared up ).
"Thanks, Grace for being so positive and approachable, " she said.
"Anytime," I said reassuring her.
Next, we had physiology lectures. Mr Sanger completed with the respiratory system and began with nerve physiology. The lecture became more interesting with time. I grew fond of his teaching style. He taught in-depth about the subject using 3 D diagrams on his strangely bulky laptop using a classroom projector.
It was a dark blue rusty, large laptop and had inconspicuously small keys on the keyboard.
As soon as the class got over, I went near him to ask a few doubts.
I noticed Mr Sanger shut his laptop swiftly before I could peek over the tiny keys. He looked hideous about something. And I wasn't sure what it was. I let it slide for the time being and focused on asking about the topics we had for the exams.
Linda and I then went back together.
On entering the dorm room...
"Here comes the betrayer!" said Flare mockingly. Betty didn't say a word. I ignored it and went near my study desk. Before I sat, Flare pulled my chair behind. I fell and sprained my left leg a bit. I couldn't even cry and so just gasped (I was so done explaining myself to people).
Betty and Linda came over instantly to help me up on my feet again.
"She has been hurt already; How long do you plan to blackmail her with your cheap tricks Flare! " Betty backfired.
"What now you are also supporting her?" Flare said followed by a vicious laughter.
"I thought about it; you were the one who mislead us. It's her privacy, we all have crushes and ex's we don't want to be reminded of or exposed to. It's her pink box and not yours. What did you get from creating all this mess, huh? Also who called Drake here; it's you! Get Lost Flare, " Betty said furiously (speaking her mind).
Her words were a huge blow for Flare. It was visible on her face. Her expression clearly showed how terrified she was when her deeds were completely revealed. The mask behind her face was exposed. Everything was crystal clear now. I no longer blamed Betty for mistrusting me, as the real culprit was Flare.
She had called Drake, period.
How could she!?!
"The battle is not yet over and Matt will be mine I promise, " Flare said furiously with her hands pointing towards the three of us.
She left the dorm room angrily.
I sat on my bed comfortably.
"Thanks, Betty for understanding!" I said.
"Oh girl, I'm supporting the Right thing here, no worries, "she said smiling.
Everything was slowly falling back to normal.
The truth was certainly at an advantage but a bad omen was always there to keep us on edge. We three hugged each other and then went back to our routine study sessions.
In the evening I went out for a stroll. I later went to sit at the garden hideout where I heard someone crying behind the large tree situated there. I slowly went nearer (to the sound). It was Matt. He was crying with his head between his two knees. I gently sat next to him, adjusting the plaster on my left leg, trying not to make any noise. He noticed someone sit and sat erect up.
His expression was cold but he was convinced to see me there.
"What happened?" I asked.
"Nothing you need to know, " he mumbled wiping his tears with his handkerchief.
A few minutes later...
He placed his head on my shoulder. We didn't talk, we just gave each other company and that was enough. After half an hour or so, Matt said, "Thanks for a shoulder to lean on. I can't stay any longer as ..." Leaving the sentence incomplete; he left me stranded in the garden.
My head went blank.
What was this supposed to mean? Does he still not trust me? I thought we were on good terms, no matter how awkward things were around us; at least we could talk it out.
I wanted him to stick around for a while.
Does he still think I'm a traitor? Maybe he got too much on his platter at the moment - family issues and my secret?
Maybe he was feeling guilty; maybe not.
I pondered randomly while going back to my dorm room.
I wish people trusted me the way I trusted them.
No one cared; In the end, it seems Rumours were believed easily, fake people won hearts and mean girls ruled the nation.
The world had become a delusionary puzzle - a sweet delusion but when you get closer, it consumes your mental health badly. Who knew that love would be so bittersweet?
***Spoiler alert
Is Matt hiding something?