Back to You

The Final Straw

By Friday afternoon, I was done with it all. Well, at least I wanted to be.

It was pure and utter chaos getting Ryder to come around anytime soon. The fact of the matter is, I could be as hopeful as possible. But it wouldn't mean he would live to his fullest potential.

Heck, I couldn't even count how many times I'd heard the teachers and staff say 'McKenna, leave Harper alone' from the whole week.

Actually the more I thought about it, it was over 15.

Maybe I was better off having a fling with him when he was already a full grown adult. Maybe even getting closer to just throw in the towel here. Try to explain to my Dad that I couldn't do what my mission was because I didn't have enough guts to as much as I thought.

But for right now, I was ready to go home for the weekend and spend two days plotting what I could do next before making such a hasty decision.

Texting my Dad with my beloved Nokia I was gonna be home soon, I unexpectedly crashed my forehead on a steel door.

"Ah!" I painfully screeched hearing from what sounded like someone's locker who clearly didn't see me somehow. Falling back onto the floor with my eyes blurry, it felt like a hammer had just rammed into my skull.

"Oh, come on!" I could hear a faint voice speak in front. "Are you okay?!"

"No." I simply answered.

The figure bent down dropping a duffle bag I could hear. My vision was slowly returning very clear, peering straight ahead to finally see the person in question.

Stupid Ryder McKenna. Oh, I hate my life...

"Okay look, I know I totally can't give you a reason to trust me at this moment...but that was entirely accidental. Here, let me help you at least get up-" He started to say, about to grab onto my hand.

Yeah right. I wasn't falling for this. I didn't have the patience for it anymore.

"Don't you touch me!" I firmly screamed.

He stared at me knowingly, nodding. "Okay. Then how else can I see if you're fine? Allow me to just look at the thing, Faith! I promise I won't bite."

Instantly, my head began to percolate feeling something different, perking up a bit astonished while he was reaching his hand out for mine again. Sighing, I gave it to him and the shivering feelings returned through my bones as he helped me sit up. The throbbing getting worse. "Wait...you remember my name?"

It was a shock. He was acting like he didn't want to for the longest. Unless...

"Uh, from when you told me the other day...yeah." He said innocently.

Nope. Worth a guess.

Continuing to eye him cautiously, I didn't move much as his palm reached up to where I could feel a bump possibly growing—touching it gently with the tip of his index finger.

Immediately flinching, he glanced back down to my eyes.

"Well, it does looks fine. So that's good. But just to be sure of everything and we don't have to take an unnecessary trip to the nurse's office—especially given the fact she's already left to have an affair with the principal I've seen. I can fix this up. Come with me real quick!" He offered grinning confidently. Staring on guard and silenced, he shyly shrugged. "I won't lock you in this time. I'll go first even if it makes you feel better."

I hesitantly agreed and got up from the floor which was becoming slowly comfortable as he entered in first. Glimpsing around to see where this incident had occurred, I was in the boys locker room. He must've just come from practice.