Chapter 21: What ifs

(Ravine POV)

I went to school, feeling more down than ever. Frida and I always walk together every morning, that's why I can definitely feel her absence right now and it's getting to me.

I entered the school corridor and I can feel loads of eyes on me. I have no idea why people are staring. Did they hear about the accident?

As I kept on walking, I saw the lockers, smeared and vandalized with a writing that says "Ravine Canella is a fag!"

My eyes widened in disbelief and disgust. Really? You are going to do this to me now. My best friend is in the hospital and I have no idea if she's going to wake up or not. To make the situation worse, I get defamed by someone in the middle of a horrible situation. Can the universe give me a break? I can't worry about this honestly.

I can hear everyone whispering and murmuring to themselves.

You know what? Whatever!

I continued walking and just ignored everyone around me as I made my way to my first class. As soon as I came inside the room, I can hear everybody mentioning me in their conversation. I don't give a damn anymore. I am just going to sit here quietly and keep to myself.

"Ravine Canella, please proceed to the office immediately." I heard the school mic go off.

Great! Here comes Ms. Beverly again, telling me everything's going to be okay even though it's not.

I grunted before gathering my stuff and walking out furiously. I quickly made my way to her office and as soon as I stepped in, she was already wearing that same motherly smile she always gives me.

"Ravine, have a seat."

I sighed before I did.

"Well?" I said.

"I saw what happened in the lockers and I want to tell you that it's already under investigation. All student council members are doing their best right now to catch the culprit." She said.

"Thank you…I guess." I said, not looking at her.

"How's Frida?" She asked.

"It's going to be my turn at the night shift later."

"You and Marco are taking turns in watching over her. Frida sure is lucky to have both of you." She said.

"And I am lucky to have her." I replied.

Come to think of it, Ms. Beverly is not actually that bad. I mean, yeah, she's kind of annoying sometimes because of the way she babies me and wants to know everything about me but she's actually a good friend. She genuinely cares for me and she even went out of her way just to pay a visit to Frida in the hospital. I suddenly felt bad for snapping at her days ago.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Beverly." I said.

"For what?" She asked.

"For disrespecting you days ago." I said.

She just laughed.

"It's okay, sweetheart! I do get in everybody's nerves sometimes." She responded.

"I guess I just feel like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders most of the time."

"Why do you feel that way?"

"My problems are completely stacking already. A few days ago, I just discovered that I am a freak. Secondly, my best friend went into a coma. Third, my parents are hiding something from me and lastly, someone outed me for no reason."

"Alright, let's try to solve these problems one by one. Let's start with your first problem. You told me days ago that you felt like a freak because there are some things that you can do that other people cannot do right?"

"Right."

"Then think of it as a gift, not as something abnormal." She said.

Hmm…I guess that makes sense. Like Frida said, my powers could somehow be an advantage.

"About Frida, it's okay to worry and it's okay to be sad, of course. She's your best friend and it's understandable but I think your only solution for that is positivity. You are not going to help yourself if you keep lingering on negative thoughts all the time so try to stay positive for her."

"Okay."

"So for your third problem, you said that your parents are hiding something from you, right?"

"Yes."

"How do you know that if I may ask?"

"I overheard them talking in the hospital."

"Usually, when parents hide something from their children, it just means that they want to protect you. Maybe they're just waiting for the right time."

"That's what they said."

"Don't get too worked up about it. You already have enough problems." She said.

"I know."

"As for the lockers, I will see to it that whoever did that is going to get suspended."

Even though it's hard to believe it, Ms. Beverly's pep talk actually kind of helped. This is the first time her words really had an effect on me.

"Thanks for all of the advice. I kind of feel a lot better now." I said.

"I'm glad it helped."

----

"You know what. Something interesting happened today at school." I said as I was doing my homework beside Frida.

"Someone outed me, can you believe it? Like how cruel can you be?"

I don't know if the reality is I am talking to her or I am just really talking to myself.

"So now, everyone is literally talking about me in school. God, why does it feel like ever since we arrived in Marydale, everything began falling apart?"

There is so many what ifs right now for me. What if Frida and I just chose to stay in Winstead? This probably wouldn't have happened to her. What if we didn't respond to the scholarship letter that's given to us? We probably would still be living our best lives in Winstead.