Chapter 8

As Adelaide walked across the campus, she felt like she was on display. Everyone seemed to be staring at her, laughing and pointing. Some people even threw things at her, like crumpled up papers and empty water bottles. Adelaide tried to ignore them, but it was hard. She felt like she was being publicly humiliated.

She walked with her head down, trying to avoid eye contact with anyone. But she could feel the weight of their stares, like a physical force that was pushing her down.

As she turned a corner, she saw Lucas standing with his friends. They were all laughing and joking together, completely carefree. Lucas was smiling, his eyes crinkled up at the corners. He looked so happy, so at peace.

And then he saw her. His eyes widened in shock, and his smile faltered. He looked like he had been punched in the gut.

But before he could say anything, Adelaide just passed him by. She didn't even look at him, didn't even acknowledge his presence. She just kept walking, her eyes fixed on some point in front of her.

Lucas didn't chase after her. He just stood there, watching her go. He looked like he was in shock, like he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Adelaide didn't look back. She just kept walking, her heart heavy with sadness and humiliation. She felt like a loser, like she was walking out of the university with her tail between her legs.

As she walked, she could feel the weight of Lucas's gaze on her. She knew he was watching her, wondering what was wrong. But she didn't care. She just kept walking, putting one foot in front of the other.

She finally reached the edge of the campus, and she didn't stop until she was off university property. She walked for blocks, her feet aching and her heart heavy.

She didn't know where she was going, or what she was going to do. She just knew she had to get away, had to escape the pain and humiliation that had consumed her.

As she walked, the tears began to fall again. Adelaide cried for Lucas, for the way he had ignored her and left her to face the girls alone. She cried for herself, for the way she had been treated like a loser and a nobody. And she cried for the future, for the uncertainty and pain that lay ahead.

She walked for what felt like hours, the tears streaming down her face. She didn't know where she was going, or what she was going to do. She just knew she had to keep moving, had to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

As Adelaide walked through the front door of her house, she felt a sense of relief wash over her. She was finally home, finally safe from the prying eyes and cruel words of the people at the university.

But as she looked in the mirror, she was shocked by her own reflection. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying, her face was streaked with tears and mascara, and her hair was a tangled mess. She looked like a completely different person, a person who had been broken and battered by the world.

Adelaide felt a wave of shame and embarrassment wash over her. How could she have let things get this bad? How could she have let the girls at the university treat her like this?

She walked to her room, locked the door behind her, and collapsed onto her bed. She buried her face in her pillow and let out a sob, a deep, gut-wrenching sob that seemed to come from the very depths of her soul.

As she cried, Adelaide's mind was filled with thoughts of Lucas and the girls at the university. She thought about the way they had treated her, the way they had made her feel like a worthless, insignificant person. She thought about the way Lucas had ignored her, the way he had left her to face the girls alone.

Adelaide's thoughts were a jumbled mess of pain and anger and sadness. She felt like she was drowning in her own emotions, like she was being pulled under by a wave of despair.

As she lay there, crying and thinking, Adelaide felt like she was losing herself. She felt like she was disappearing, like she was being erased from the face of the earth. She felt like she was nothing, like she was just a tiny, insignificant speck in a vast and uncaring universe.

The hours passed, and Adelaide's tears slowly began to dry. She lay there, exhausted and drained, her mind still reeling with thoughts of Lucas and the girls at the university.

As the darkness closed in around her, Adelaide felt like she was trapped in a living nightmare. She felt like she was stuck in a never-ending cycle of pain and sadness, and she didn't know how to escape.

As she drifted off to sleep, Adelaide's last thought was of Lucas. She wondered if he was thinking of her, if he was feeling any regret or remorse for the way he had treated her. She wondered if he would ever realize the pain he had caused her, or if he would just continue to live his life, oblivious to the hurt he had inflicted on her.

As the days went by, Lucas kept calling Adelaide, but she didn't answer. She didn't even bother to look at her phone, let alone respond to his messages. She just let it ring, over and over again, until it finally stopped.

Adelaide didn't leave her bedroom for days. She just lay in bed, surrounded by darkness and silence. She didn't eat, she didn't drink, she didn't even get out of bed to use the bathroom. She just lay there, lost in a sea of despair and depression.

She didn't go to school, she didn't see her friends, she didn't even leave the house. She just stayed in her bedroom, hiding from the world and from herself.

As the days turned into weeks, Adelaide's parents began to worry. They tried to talk to her, to get her to open up and tell them what was wrong. But Adelaide just shook her head and turned away. She didn't want to talk to anyone, she didn't want to see anyone. She just wanted to be left alone.

Lucas kept calling, kept messaging, kept trying to reach out to Adelaide. But she just ignored him. She didn't want to talk to him, she didn't want to see him. She just wanted to forget him and move on with her life.

But it was hard to forget Lucas. He was everywhere, in every corner of her mind. She couldn't escape him, no matter how hard she tried.

As the weeks turned into months, Adelaide's depression deepened. She lost all interest in life, all motivation to do anything. She just lay in bed, day after day, lost in a sea of despair and hopelessness.

Her parents tried to get her to see a therapist, to get her to talk to someone about her feelings. But Adelaide refused. She didn't want to talk to anyone, she didn't want to share her feelings with anyone. She just wanted to be left alone.

As the months dragged on, Adelaide's life began to fall apart. She lost her friends, she lost her grades, she lost her sense of purpose. She was just a shell of her former self, a hollow, empty shell of a person.

And through it all, Lucas kept calling, kept messaging, kept trying to reach out to her. But Adelaide just ignored him, just blocked him out of her life. She didn't want to talk to him, she didn't want to see him. She just wanted to forget him and move on with her life.

But it was hard to forget Lucas. He was everywhere, in every corner of her mind. And no matter how hard she tried, Adelaide couldn't shake the feeling that she would never be able to escape him.

***

As the night wore on, Lucas found himself standing outside Adelaide's house, his heart heavy with concern and guilt. He had been trying to reach her for weeks, but she had refused to answer his calls or messages. He had no idea what was wrong, or how to fix it.

As he stood there, he saw Adelaide emerge from the shadows. She walked towards him, her eyes blazing with anger and hurt. Lucas's heart sank as he saw the look on her face, and he knew that he was in trouble.

But he didn't expect what happened next. Adelaide walked up to him, her eyes flashing with fury, and she saw the bouquet of flowers he was holding. Without a word, she reached out and grabbed the flowers, throwing them back in Lucas's face.

"You think flowers are going to fix everything?" she spat, her voice trembling with rage. "You think a few stupid flowers are going to make up for the way you've been treating me?"

Lucas was taken aback by Adelaide's outburst. He had expected her to be upset, but he hadn't expected her to be so angry.

"Adelaide, please," he said, trying to calm her down. "I don't know what's wrong. Just tell me what's going on."

But Adelaide just laughed, a bitter, mocking sound. "You don't know what's wrong?" she repeated. "You really don't know? You're so clueless, Lucas. You're so wrapped up in your own little world that you don't even notice when you're hurting me."

Lucas felt a surge of defensiveness. He didn't like being attacked, and he didn't like being told that he was clueless.

"Hey, that's not fair," he said, his voice rising. "I do care about you, Adelaide. I do notice when you're hurting. But you're not exactly making it easy for me. You're always so distant, so closed off. If you're feeling tired and hurt, you should tell me. You shouldn't just judge me and assume the worst."

Adelaide's eyes widened in shock, and for a moment, Lucas thought he saw a glimmer of tears. But then her face hardened, and she spat at him again.

"You're unbelievable," she said. "You're so selfish, Lucas. You only care about yourself, and what you want. You don't care about me, or how I feel. You just care about getting what you want, no matter who you hurt in the process."

Lucas felt a surge of anger. He didn't like being attacked, and he didn't like being told that he was selfish.

"I'm tired of your dramas, Adelaide," he said, his voice cold and hard. "I'm tired of your constant mood swings, and your accusations. I'm tired of being blamed for everything that's wrong in your life. Maybe it's time for us to take a break, or maybe even break up for good."

Adelaide's face went white, and for a moment, Lucas thought he saw a glimmer of shock. But then her face hardened, and she turned away from him.

"Maybe that's for the best," she said, her voice cold and distant. "Maybe we're just too toxic for each other."

Lucas felt a pang of regret, but he pushed it aside. He was tired of Adelaide's dramas, and he was tired of being hurt by her. He turned and walked away, leaving Adelaide standing alone in the darkness.

Lucas walked into the night club, the pulsating music and flashing lights enveloping him like a warm hug. He was greeted by his friends, who were already seated at a table, surrounded by a group of girls.

"Hey, man! What's up?" one of his friends shouted over the music, as Lucas took a seat next to him.

Lucas forced a smile, trying to shake off the lingering thoughts of his argument with Adelaide. "Not much, just needed to get out and clear my head," he replied, waving off the offer of a drink from one of the girls.

As the night wore on, Lucas found himself lost in thought, replaying the argument with Adelaide over and over in his mind. He couldn't shake the feeling that he had said some things he couldn't take back, and that he had hurt her deeply.

The music and laughter around him faded into the background as he sat there, his eyes fixed on some point across the room. He was oblivious to the girls flirting with him, and his friends trying to get him to join in on the fun.

All he could think about was Adelaide, and the things he had said to her. He realized now that he had been wrong to blame her for his own mistakes, and that he had hurt her feelings unnecessarily.

As the night wore on, Lucas became more and more withdrawn, lost in his own thoughts and regrets. He knew he had to make things right with Adelaide, but he didn't know where to start.

He thought about all the things he should have said to her, all the apologies he should have made. He thought about how he should have listened to her, and tried to understand her perspective.

As the club began to close, Lucas stood up, his friends and the girls looking at him in confusion. "I'm going to go," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

His friends nodded, and one of them clapped him on the back. "Yeah, man, you need to go sort things out with Adelaide. She's a great girl, and you're lucky to have her."

Lucas nodded, feeling a pang of regret and longing. He knew he had to make things right with Adelaide, and he was determined to do just that.

As he walked out of the club, Lucas felt a sense of resolve wash over him. He was going to go to Adelaide, and he was going to apologize for his mistakes. He was going to listen to her, and try to understand her perspective.

And he was going to do it all with an open heart, and a willingness to make things right.

The next day, Lucas and Adelaide saw each other in the hallway at school. Lucas had been thinking about their argument nonstop, and he had been rehearsing what he wanted to say to her. But as he saw her standing there, looking hurt and vulnerable, he felt his pride kick in.

He couldn't bring himself to apologize, not yet. He was still hurt by the things she had said to him, and he couldn't let his pride go. So instead of talking to her, he just ignored her and walked past her.

Adelaide looked up at him, her eyes filled with a mix of sadness and anger. She had been hoping that he would apologize, that he would make things right between them. But as she saw him walk past her without even acknowledging her, she felt a surge of anger.

How could he do this to her? How could he just ignore her after everything they had been through? Adelaide felt a lump form in her throat as she watched Lucas walk away from her. She felt like she was going to cry, but she refused to let herself.

Instead, she took a deep breath and followed Lucas to his locker. She stood there, watching as he opened his locker and started rummaging through it. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, and she knew that she had to say something.

But what could she say? She didn't know where to start. She didn't know how to fix things between them. All she knew was that she couldn't just stand there and do nothing.

As Lucas closed his locker and turned to walk away, Adelaide reached out and grabbed his arm. "Lucas, wait," she said, her voice shaking with emotion.

Lucas turned to her, his eyes cold and hard. "What do you want, Adelaide?" he asked, his voice dripping with disdain.

Adelaide felt a surge of anger at his tone, but she tried to keep her cool. "I want to talk to you," she said, her voice firm. "I want to fix things between us."

Lucas raised an eyebrow, his expression skeptical. "What's there to fix?" he asked, his voice cold.

Adelaide felt a lump form in her throat as she looked at Lucas. She could see the hurt and anger in his eyes, and she knew that she had to be careful. She didn't want to push him further away.

"Lucas, please," she said, her voice soft. "Just listen to me. I know I said some things that hurt you, and I'm sorry. I was wrong to blame you for everything, and I know that now."

Lucas looked at her, his expression unreadable. For a moment, Adelaide thought she saw a glimmer of hope, a chance that they could fix things between them. But then his face hardened, and he turned away from her.

"I don't want to talk about it, Adelaide," he said, his voice cold. "Just leave me alone."

And with that, he walked away, leaving Adelaide standing there, feeling hurt and rejected.

Adelaide watched as Lucas walked away from her, feeling a mix of emotions: hurt, anger, and sadness. She couldn't believe that he was just ignoring her, that he didn't even want to talk to her.

She stood there for a moment, trying to process what had just happened. She had apologized, she had tried to make things right, and yet he was still refusing to talk to her.

As she stood there, Adelaide felt a sense of determination wash over her. She was not going to give up on Lucas, not yet. She was going to keep trying, keep fighting for their relationship, no matter how hard it seemed.

With newfound resolve, Adelaide turned and walked in the opposite direction, determined to find a way to fix things with Lucas.

But as she walked, Adelaide couldn't shake the feeling that she was fighting a losing battle. Lucas seemed so far gone, so entrenched in his anger and hurt. She wondered if she would ever be able to reach him, if she would ever be able to make things right between them.

As the day went on, Adelaide found herself wandering the halls of the school, feeling lost and alone. She didn't know what to do, or where to turn. She felt like she was drowning in her own emotions, like she was suffocating under the weight of her own heartbreak.

And yet, despite it all, Adelaide refused to give up. She refused to let Lucas's rejection define her, to let his anger and hurt consume her. She knew that she was stronger than that, that she was capable of overcoming even the toughest challenges.

With a newfound sense of determination, Adelaide squared her shoulders and kept walking, determined to find a way to fix things with Lucas, no matter what it took.