Ridgeville

2. About Last Night

I opened my eyes to my alarm going off for school. Everything was a bit of a blur I couldn't get the images from the party out of my head. The fact that Aryan stood up for me meant a lot. He didn't even know me from a hole in a wall but he fought for me. I still couldn't believe Kasey had a gun and threatened to shoot someone. Was he in gang or something? Why did he really bring a gun to a party? My thoughts were interrupted by a ring from my doorbell. I got up and went downstairs to see who it was, but before I could reach the door my mom was already there to open it. Talia walked in and hugged my mom. I hadn't responded to her messages or calls last night and I guess she came over to check on me. I went back upstairs and sat on my bed as she walked into my room.

"Hey... how you holding up," she asked sitting on the bed next to me. 

"I'm pretty shaken up, I mean why would Kasey have a gun?" I replied. She shrugged and laid her head on my shoulder. 

"Maybe we should be asking Aryan that question," she said. I looked at my phone to check the time, which read 7:36 AM. I hadn't planned on going to school today but I figured no matter what day I would go I couldn't escape what happened, so I decided to just go and get it over with. I got ready and left my house with Talia at 8:15 AM. We got to school and I parked my car in my spot. I sat in my car with Talia for a bit when we saw Aryan walking up to my car. I suddenly felt anxious like my throat was closing and I couldn't breathe. Just looking at his face and the marks that was left on him gave me immediate flashbacks. I rolled my window down as he stopped directly on my side. 

"Hey, you okay?" I said with a small smile. 

"Oh this? Its nothing I've had worse done to me," he said. He looked down at the ground and for a moment things were quiet and awkward. I had to know what was up with his friend and wanted to ask. 

"So um, your friend Kasey.... Why'd he have a gun?" I asked looking at my hands. 

"I don't know, Kasey use to be a good kid but I guess things changed when we moved here," he said. 

"Changed how?" Talia budded in. 

"His Dad passed away two years ago, a couple months after they moved here," he said, "It was in the news about his dad being involved in some type of drug dealing related situation and the guy who killed him was a drug lord." 

"Wait I remember that story, his dad was some rich CEO. What was he doing messing around with a drug lord," Talia asked.

"I don't know about all the details, but after that Kasey kind of took a turn for the worse. I noticed it when I moved here in the summer. He seemed off like disconnected from reality," he explained. The first period bell rang we all headed to class. The day went slow since I was feeling sort of dazed like spaced out. Lunch period came and I walked to my locker putting my books in and grabbing my bag. Talia and Aryan walked up to me and we headed to the main cafeteria together. We sat at a table and sat quiet for a few. The doors opened to the cafeteria and in walked Willow and Jae with their crew. I instantly became full of rage and stared at Willow. She's the whole reason why things went south yesterday. I knew she was gonna try to stir the pot when she saw us. Talia saw the look on my face and grabbed my arm. 

"Don't," she whispered. I looked at her with an irritated glare. Willow walked up to us with the same stupid smirk on her fucking face. Her two minions, Paris and Jade followed right behind her. 

"Oh hey Kennedy," she said sitting down across from me. I balled up my fist and stared at her. "Nothing to say huh?"

"Willow stop," Talia said. 

"And what if I don't wanna stop? What are you gonna do?" she replied. My anger kept building with every word that left her mouth and that's when I stood up. She looked up at me still sitting in her spot.