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project,” he said with a cocky smirk.
    “A project on the last day of school?” Mrs Stains asked, raising her eyebrows in doubt.
    “Not a school one,” Julian shot back.
    She shook her head but knew there was nothing she could do, even though it was clear Julian was lying.
    “Out. Both of you.”
    I scurried past her and ran out of the building. It seemed like all I did at school was hide out and run away. I hated myself for that, but I just couldn’t take the constant bullying.
    As soon as I reached the wooden shelter at the local park, I collapsed to the ground. Wrapping my arms around my legs, I started sobbing. My head still hurt, and I felt like crap. If they didn’t like me, why couldn’t they just leave me alone?
    I squeezed my eyes closed as I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket. It would be Cole. I really didn’t want to see him. Well, I didn’t want him to see me like this. I wished I could have been home-schooled by Mum, but she thought as long as I did well in mainstream school then that’s where I should be.
    My phone had vibrated at least ten times since I’d been sitting on the ground. A few texts and a load of missed calls. I flipped the phone open and started reading the first of Cole’s messages. ‘Hey where are you? I’m waiting near my car x’. I sighed and scrolled down to read the next one. ‘Hurry up I’m starving! x’. The next two were similar, but after that, he must have started to worry. ‘Oakley where are you?’ The final text message was angry as well as concerned. ‘Where the hell are you? Text me back now! I just need to know you’re okay’.
    Switching the phone off, I laid down on the grass. I felt pathetic. I was pathetic. If the teacher hadn’t opened the door when she did, what would Julian have done? I didn’t believe he would physically hurt me, but I didn’t entirely trust him not to, either. 
    “Oakley?”
    I sat up and wiped my tear-stained face with my hand. How had Cole found me so quickly? I plastered on a fake smile and waited for him to appear around the corner.
    Cole let out a sigh of relief when he saw me, and seeing him made me relax. I relied on him too much. It was selfish of me. My relief soured as his expression turned to anger.
    “What the hell, Oakley? Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been?” he shouted, his forehead creased in a deep frown. He looked as mad as he had been at Julian. Cole, Mum, and Jasper were the only three people in the world that I trusted entirely. My shoulders sagged. I felt awful for making him worry.
    After a few seconds of complete silence and just looking at each other, he knelt down beside me.
    “What happened?” he asked softly, his voice was tight, but he was trying to be calm.
    I looked at him and shook my head as I swallowed the lump in my throat.
    “Nothing happened?” he asked doubtfully. Again, I shook my head. “Why didn’t you text back or wait for me before you took off like that? I was really worried about you. You don’t even seem to care!”
    I flinched at his words. I did care. That was the problem; I cared about him too much.
    Cole scratched the back of his neck and groaned.
    “You should have at least replied. I didn’t know what’d happened to you.”
    I looked away, not wanting to see the disappointment and hurt in his eyes.
    “Oakley! God, you have no idea do you?”
    His sudden outburst made me jump. We had argued and annoyed each other before, but he had never been this angry. He sighed heavily and shook his head.
    “Fine. Don’t worry about it. You obviously don’t give a shit about me so just forget it.” He stood up and quickly walked away.
    I stared at his back as he left. Tears rolled down my face, dropping down onto my lap. How could he think I didn’t care about him? I felt sick. Was that it now? Did he want nothing to do with me again?

Chapter Three
     
    Oakley
     
     
    I sat as still as a statue, staring at the space where Cole had been standing just minutes