Bruised and Broken (Editing)

Chapter Two

Chapter Two: Alice's p.o.v

When we got into the school everyone headed for the gym. The gym was gold, green, and white. Not to mention huge. Logan, Willow, and I on the very top bleacher, looking down on the rest of the school. It was pretty nice. We normally sit alone, and I was okay with that.

“So, Logan,” Willow turned and faced Logan, “I heard you might be trying out for the football team?”

My mouth went dry. Logan, the guy who sits with us everyday and jokes along about how stuck up the team was, is going to try out for football? That Logan? I blinked rapidly a few times and looked at Logan.

“Um, uh, w-what?” Logan’s eyes widened, “Psht, w-where did you hear that nonsense.”

I swallowed the dry lump in my throat and tried to speak. Nothing came out. I tried again, “That's great, Logan. I'm sure you'll do fine." I cracked a fake smiled that quickly faded.

“Okay,” Logan looked down at his cracked hands, “I just didn’t want to tell you guys because I didn’t know how you would respond. I thought you would have freaked out, Alice.”

“Me?” I crinkled my eyebrows, “I don't normally freak out when you tell me things, so, there's nothing different about this time.”  I was freaking out inside. What if he started acting like the jocks do, with their hot girfriends, expensive shit, and "posse"? What if he started hating us? What if he looked down on us? What if he forgot us? My mind was filled with this sudden burst of questions..

 “Well,” Willow rolled her head, “When are tryouts?”

He didn’t respond. Oh no, I said to myself, They’re today. Today is supposed to be movie day.

“Today,” he finally answered, “I’m sor-“

“It’s fine,” I cut him off and sighed, “We can take a rain check.”

The bell rang for breakfast break and everyone headed for the cafeteria.  We got our usual breakfast and sat, again, alone. Within, not even, five seconds of sitting, the football team practicaly bombarded our table. They were hollering and jumping on top of each other, acting like complete fools. They reeked of sweat and dirty clothes, causing me to almost barf. These creatures were disgusting, and I refused to let Logan turn into one. I only knew one of the players, the captain Noah Hightower. Everyone knew him. Even the kids that didn't know him knew him.  It was kind of hard to not notice him though. He was tall and extremely attractive. Everyone loved him, and it was obvious why.

 “Hey, Smith,” Noah said enthuastically.

 “Hey, Hightower,” Logan flipped his hair out of his eyes.

Damn, I rolled my eyes and face palmed, they just started talking, and they already have pet names? Even worse, Logan is flipping his hair.....

“You coming to tryouts this year?" Noah cracked his knuckles.

“Yeah, wouldn’t miss it.” Logan pshted and tried, yet failed, to crack his knuckles.

I looked up at the giant gold and green clock. 8:00. We needed to start going to class, because it was at the other end of the school. I’m not waiting for them. I grabbed Willow and walked up to the talking boys.

“Well,” I grabbed Logan’s wrist, “I hate to break up this little pow-wow of yours but we have to go to class now. So, yeah, you guys can catch up later, right? Exactly. Okay bye, Jaylon.” I pulled his arm, what seemed to me, almost out of socket.   He didn’t move. Not even one inch. He just stood there and looked down at me. Wow. Was I really that short?

“Who’s this?” Noah asked, nudging Logan.

“That is Alice,” He pulled his wrist from my hand, “And that’s Willow.”

Willow froze. Just stood there, eyes wide open. She didn’t say anything, or remove her gaze from the wall. Just stood there.

“Well nice to meet you ladies,” he said, ruffling his brown hair, “See you later, Smith.” He patted Logan’s back and walked away. God, he was gorgeous. Too bad I hate him. Why do I hate him, you ask? He's just another creature.

“Okay,” He turned to me with his eyebrows raised, “Are you happy? They're gone. Calm down, now we can go.”

I slapped his arm and laughed as we walked to 1st period math.

The dismal bell rang and everything went from quiet to loud. I walked out of photography class with Willow and we went outside to meet up with Logan. Even though he had the tryouts, he agreed to take Willow and I home.

Within minutes, we pulled into the parking lot of the Froador’s Apartment Complex.  I looked around the parking lot for a white Lexus. No sign of it. That was my dad’s car, since it was gone, he was gone.

“Stay here,” I stepped out the back seat door and ran to the lobby as fast as I could.

“Good afternoon, Alice, how was school?” Steve asked, looking down at a stack of papers on his desk in the lobby.

                “Good, thanks,” I smiled and walked to the door that lead to the stairs. I sprinted up 10 flights of stairs and nearly passed out when I got to my apartment, number 1015. I grabbed my key out of my school bag and stepped inside. Looked the same as always, a complete wreck, which was a good thing. I ran into my bed room, grabbed my bag and set it on my bed, shoving arandom pile of clothing and make-up in it. I made sure I didn't forget anything then let out a sigh of relief. I locked the door behind me and decided to take the elevator, I was too tired to run down 10 flights of stairs, again.

                We pulled up to Willow's house in just enough time for Logan to get to try outs. Willow grabbed my bag from the trunk for me and we started walking down the long gravel driveway. “Bye Logan! Good luck!” Willow yelled back to him. I gave his a lop sided smile and coutinued walking as he pulled out and turned down the street.

                “Alice,” Mrs. Marcella came gliding out the front door with her arms open wide.

                “Mrs. Marcella,” I hugged the middle aged woman and smiled.

                Willow gave her mom a hug then grabbed me and yanked me up the stairs. By the time we were done with home work and what not, it was 11:45.

                “Well,” Willow yawned and rubbed her right eye, “We better go to sleep.”

                I nodded and yawned in agreement. We went to the living room and got set up on the floor. As soon as her head hit the pillow, Willow was out. I couldn’t sleep. I wasn’t sure why, I just couldn't. I took a hot shower then tried sleeping again. I fell asleep finally, but had a nightmare. Most of the time, I had nightmares but hoped tonight wasn’t going to be one. It was one. This time, there was somthing different about it. For the first time in two years, it was about my mother's death. I was twelve, and we were coming home from a family road trip. Just my mother, father, and me. My dad was driving and my mom was on the passenger side. A drunk driver in a tractor trailer swerved through two lanes of traffic and hit the passenger side. Her neck snapped and she was gone instantly. Sometimes, I can still hear the snap it made. I shot up from bed and wiped the bead of sweat off my neck and forehead. A silent tear slipped down my cheek, but I quickly wiped it away. I really missed my mother, and, even though he never talked about her, I know my father misses her as much as I do. Possibly more. At least I know where she is and that she’s happier now. And I know she’s watching me. That made me feel a little bit better. I swallowed the dry lump in my throat, holding back a sob, and went back to sleep.

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Edited<3