Chapter 23

School seems even more suffocating than ever now that I have to walk through the hallway with a smiling face and act like all is well when all I really want to do is bang my head against a wall and scream out my frustration. I have not been in the best frame of mind all through the weekend and it doesn't help matters that I have to be around so many people.

For the first time in my life, I didn't want to go to school. Travis had to drag me out of bed and give me a pep talk before I could even muster the strength to get prepared for school. So here I am, in school, making my way to my locker, but without the usual enthusiasm.

"Cheer up, friend, you can't be gloomy all day," Travis says.

I scoff as I stop by my locker and open it, only to slam it back shut right after.

"Easy there, don't take out your frustration on the locker, it did nothing wrong."

I scoff again and open the locker once more, searching for the textbooks I would need for the first two pe