Salty Licorice

Chapter 29

Avery's POV

I walk out of my class feeling bored from listening to my English teacher talk about the upcoming book report and semester final. I find Marisa standing with her arms crossed with a withering look on her face as she has one of her knees bobbing quickly back and forth. She never looks nervous and it seems to be going noticed by many of the other students as they all make obvious motions to avoid her in the hallway. I walk up to her cautiously, but ultimately gaining her attention quickly as she wipes her eyes up at me and halts all movements.

"What's up with you, smoke something bad?" I ask with slight amusement in my voice.

"No, do you know anything about Liz's home life?" She asks, seeming random.

"No, never came up," I raised a curious eyebrow at her. "Why?"

"Have you ever heard her talk in an American accent?" She follows up with.

"Again no I haven't, why?"

"She got a call from her stepdad, I saw her phone before she answered it. But the part that was weird was how she was acting and talking."

"Well, I have no answers about that but I know someone who might," I smile sadly at her and walk out of the senior hall and make my way to the sophomore hall.

As I walk I see many students look at us in questioning glances probably due to the fact we never come down here. One girl walks up to us and goes to say something to me but I don't give her the chance.

"Excuse me, you're standing in my way," I say bluntly but still with a soft smile.

"Um, sorry Avery. I was actually wanting to ask you something if you could just wait a second?" She asks, playing with her hands.

"Not right now, sorry," I say walking around her with Marisa huffing next to me. "What?" I ask her.

"I can't take you anywhere can I?" She shakes her head.

I look over at her confused but just shake it off being too focused. We walk up to Leo who is talking with Danny. He doesn't see us at first till Danny points out our approach. He nearly looks pale looking from my hard stare to Marisa's . He holds up his hands and shakes his head vigorously.

"Woah, woah woah, whatever I did I didn't. I blame Liz," He blurts in a rush.

We just stare at him, Marisa looks at him with confusion and I just cross my arms and look down at him.

"Hold on let me just call her guilty ass and clear this all up," He fumbles with his pocket to get his phone out.

"Dumbass," Marisa mutters, snatching his phone from his hands. "We know where she is."

"We do?" I whisper to Marisa, breaking my hard demeanor for a second to see her roll her eyes at me. "Yeah, we do." I just look back at Leo with a cold stare.

"She's with her stepdad," She continues. Leo's eyes widen, provoking Marisa to continue. "She wasn't feeling well and asked her mom to get called out, he came and picked her up."

"Shesh, that's not good," He mutters.

"Why isn't that good?" I step forward making him step back, Marisa standing next to me doing the same.

"Well, yea see, I can't exactly tell you," He stammered, getting cornered against the green lockers behind him. Pleading with his eyes for mercy.

"Cant, or won't," Marisa's voice came out colder than I'd ever heard her before. I'm grateful I'm not the one on the receiving end of her cold demeanor.