"Wowww, so if I came over there and smacked you right now, then things wouldn't be different?" I asked, unable to stop myself from laughing as I tore my right hand off of my bloody nose and punched her's.
"Break it up! Break it up!" I heard an admin shouting behind me. Probably pushing their way through the crowds of kids watching me and Tara Jonas go at it in the main hall. We had been fighting since lunch ended, and the bell signaling for us to be in our next period buzzed somewhere above us.
I had Tara good by her twists, keeping her head down as I rained my anger into her face. Then suddenly, someone snatched my arms back, trying to stop me. Tara lifted up her head, her face beading with sweat and her blood (or mine). She pulled her fist back and all I heard was ringing as the admin holding me yanked my body back, but not in enough time.
"Ah!" I shouted, falling limp in their arms and sliding down to the tile. My head was throbbing in excruciatingpain and my left ear was screaming for help, damn near.
"Nurse! Go get the nurse!" the person who had been holding me shouted. I cradled my head on the ground, watching Tara's feet as she walked away through the crowds of students. "Someone go get Coach Acevedo! Tell him one of the students left the fight!"
The man who had been holding me back perched down in front of me, concern filling his milky brown eyes as he grunted.
"She fucked you up bad, huh?"
"Not the first time," I mumbled, closing my eyes and forcing myself asleep. Ignoring the thumping on the ground as the crowd around me was forced back to their various classes. Ignoring the coach asking me questions. Ignoring everything.
That was tenth grade. This is now.
I entered the school building, first day fresh with something nice sprayed over my body. Jeans, a shirt, and the latest shoes. I knew I would catch the attention of anyone looking away. I text Caren as I walked the halls, trying to figure out where the hell she was in this big ass school. From last year to this summer, the district had been remodeling and building onto the campus. That meant more freshmen, more sophomores, more juniors, more seniors- but most importantly of all: more baddies.
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My phone rung, and I answered Caren's call.
"Wassup?"
"Where you at? I'm in front of the library. You said meet there," Caren stated. "And you act like you can't answer no texts."
"I'm almost there."
"You said that five minutes ago. How I know you for real?"
"You can see the girl walking by with the orange wig and the black bonnet combo? With the Gucci onesie on?"
"Yeah, passing the front office?"
"Bingo. You see me? I'm waving my hand in the air."
"Plenty of niggas is doing that today, Gi. It's the first day of school," Caren told me, sounding agitated.
