Broken

Chapter 5

As I walked through the hallway to my locker, someone came by my side and nudged me. It was Nina.
"Hey." She flashed me her set of white teeth.
I gave her a smile."Sup?"
"Good... I'm so sorry I wasn't with you throughout your stay at the school clinic yesterday." Her eyebrows twitched with concern.
"It's fine Nina, I heard you got a call from home." I raised a brow." Any problem?"
"Not something I couldn't handle." She smirked.

Not something I couldn't handle...

I gave a tight lipped smile. She could handle her home problems, whatever it was but mine, all I do is to sit, watch them break me apart, brood and drug myself. I felt my rib cages clenching as I recalled the food they were feeding themselves this morning.

"Hey! Are you okay?" Nina nudged me. Guess I was completely fazed in my own thoughts.
I gave her a smile I wish she didn't know was fake. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Except I needed to smash something... a can perhaps... urgh...

"I have chemistry now." She looked forward.
"Me too."
We reached my locker and I tried to pick my stuffs. As I turned to Nina to ask something, my eyes met that particular face. The boy from yesterday.
He had a smile planted on his face as he had his eyes on me too.
His black leather jacket over a blue ripped jeans made him look extra good.
He had companions following him.

"Hey pal." He cocked his head at me and walked past. I scoffed.
"Oh my God!" Nina exclaimed.
She had a surprised smile on her face.
"What?" I was locking my locker.
"You guys are on talking terms now?"
I rolled my eyes.
"Nina!" I drawled
"What? He just talked to you now, he was like. She mimicked him. "Hey pal."
I chuckled.
"I don't know Nina." I simply said.

"That's Paxton Adkins. He's like the school's basketball hero."
"Judging by how painful the ball yesterday was, I bet he is."
She chuckled.

Suddenly I felt light headed, the hallway turned around me. I held a locker for support.
"Are you okay?" Nina asked immediately.
I sniffed. "Yeah, I'm fine." I gave a little smile. "I will use the restroom for some minutes."
I turned quickly and left. I wondered what was wrong with me. I kept my eyes down and tried to slow my pace so I won't fall.

I had almost reached the restroom when I bumped into something or...someone hard. The person kept me from falling.

I looked up immediately. I was shocked as my eyes met familiar dark eyes. My eyes widened.
"Archie?"
His face too had surprise written all over it.
"Oh my God! Ronique! What the hell are you doing here?"
"What?...I should be asking you that." I folded my arms.
His melanin face lit up into a smile. He looked exactly like how he had been the last time I had seen him.

Just a few differences though. He had on set of new rings, he had a new lip pierce and new pairs of braces.

I never thought Archie Turner was a high schooler.

"Surprised to see me here?" His braces shone as he spoke.
I eyed him up. "Of cause."
He laughed.
"Why the fuck you leave your last school?" His pure black American accent came in place.
I licked my upper lip and averted my eyes. "You know."
"Oh!" He nodded before he smiled again. He was saying something when I heard my name. I turned it was Nina. She had an odd expression on her face.

"So I'mma see you later." I turned my attention back to him.
I nodded. " Yeah."
" There's gonna be a bash at my friend's next tomorrow, you wanna come?'
I nodded again. "Sure."
He smirked at me before leaving.

I met up with Nina. She gave me a look.
I cocked a brow. "What?"
"This is the restroom?"
"Excuse me?"
"Do you know who you ditched me at the hallway to meet?"
I rolled my eyes. " You're getting this all wrong. He's just Archie, my friend. I bumped into him here and.... "