What's Enough?

Chapter 160

"After school, come straight home," my mother tells me in a demanding tone.

"Okay," I groan and turn away. Times like this, I wish I had an early birthday; if I was eighteen, I would have been moved out and into my own place somewhere in town. I walk over to where Ryder is standing. He's still upset about everything that happened in the meeting, "Thank you," I say.

He looks down at me, "What are you thanking me for?"

"You stood up for me," I state, "You didn't have to,"

"I did. It seems like Jessica, and I are the only two who do," he says, "How could your parents not believe you, your their fucking daughter,"

"I don't know," They obviously think I am just this crazy girl who would lie about getting sexually assaulted for attention. Not only is that... CRAZY, it's rude as shit to the girls who actually have been sexually assaulted.

He tenses when Matt and his father walk out of the office, "Look at him, I can't believe he's just going to get away with shit!"

I look back at Matt, who has a smile on his face like everything is right in the world; he walks past us and shoots me and Ryder the cockiest smile, proud that he has gotten away with hurting me, mentally and physically. What happened to me the other day I will never forget; it will stay with me until the day I die.

Jess walks up and says, "She wants us to come in Saturday to talk about the project," Will she even listen to what we have to say? She doesn't seem too big on justice. "Are you staying or leaving?"

"Staying,"

Ryder says, "Leaving," at the same time.

Jess looks between him and me, and I say again that I am staying.

"You want to stay?" he asks, shocked that I would want to be here right now.

"Yes," I shrug, "I can't hide forever,"

Jess takes my arm in hers, "Well, good, because I have to tell you something," After telling Ryder, I will see him at lunch and to stay out of trouble, she and I walk away down the hall.

"So what do you have to tell me?"

"Honestly, I hate telling you this now because it's just such bad timing; with everything going on, I don't want to tell you good news when your life is constantly getting filled with bad news,"

"No, no, I need some good news in my life," I would love to hear something good right now, something to pause and take my mind off of every other bad thing.

She pulls me into the girl's bathroom and then looks under each stall making sure it's empty. I laugh because it seems like what she is about to tell me makes her nervous yet excited about. After making sure the place is clean, she stands in front of me. "Your not pregnant, are you?" I joke.

"Very funny!" she takes a deep breath and says, "Ashely is going to come out to her parents tomorrow,"

I stare, waiting for her to add "sike" at the end, "Oh. And you are happy about this?"

"Uhh yes," she exclaims. "I'm coming out with her, of course, and we are going to finally tell people and then be together," her eyes spark, talking about it. I stay silent. She notices my silence and then says, "Do you not have a comment?"

"I uh... I just don't... Uhm... I don't think this is a good idea,"

She frowns and says, "Why not?" slowly.

"Because you can't be in a relationship right now,"

"You're in a relationship," she fires.

"A pending one," There's a difference.