Perception

Untitled Part 27

Kota POV:

I don't have words to express how furious I was with Luke! When we were waiting in the courtyard for school to start one of the knock-off Sang wannabes shows up and starts flirting with him, and does he send her on her merry way? No. He sits there and flirts with her. I can tell he's not really into her, but that's the most interest she or anyone at this school has seen him show any girl here aside from Sang. She definitely notices.

I can't even stand to watch, so I turn my head toward the main hallway window in time to see a very pale Sang whip her face forward, and stride off with North following about 10 feet behind.

One...two...three...four...five...

Bzzzt!

GROUP TEXT:

North: Sang baby got to homeroom with no problems.

Kota: Thank you for keeping your promise, North. It's good to keep in mind what we have agreed upon.

I shoot Luke a look, and see him grimace at his phone. He says goodbye to whoever that girl is, and heads to homeroom as the bell rings. We split off and go our separate ways.

North POV:

Baby looked so sad when she looked at the guys in the courtyard. I don't know how much longer I can let her enforce this self-imposed silence. I feel like throwing her over my shoulder and locking her in a room with all of us so we can talk it out. This is bullshit. I can see how it's hurting her. I can forgive her anything if she'll just talk to me again—even her letting that fucker Rocky by her mouth.

She's already seated with her head down and a book out when I walk through the door of homeroom. There's a slip of paper on my desk and I pocket it to look at later. Luke enters about a minute after I've taken a seat looking red in the face, and isn't making eye contact with me. What did that little shit do this time?

By the time the bell rings, Sang baby is packed up and leaves without looking around. Luke follows right after her. I feel like an ass for ignoring her yesterday when she was looking at me. I just didn't want her to see me feeling like a jealous prick, or throwing dirty looks her way. Once everyone clears out, I pull out the piece of paper. It only has one word: YES.I can't stop the smile from spreading over my face. Nothing can! I jubilantly think.  I head out the door, and see Luke down the hallway talking to some wannabe, indicating down the hall (where I assume Sang Baby is) while the girl keeps cutting back in front of him. He shakes his head, then shifts his arm enough to pull away. I watch as I see him try to force his way through the crowd. I feel the uncharacteristic smile melt off my face to be replaced with cold prickles. SHIT!

I make my way into class and see both Sang and Luke pale-faced and stiff-shouldered. They aren't looking at each other, and when I walk further into the room, I see tear tracks on Sang's face. I walk past Luke, and crack him upside his head.

****

Sang POV:

Well, this is it. I have to talk to Mr. Blackbourne about calling a family meeting. I'm on my way to violin class. My insides are still vibrating from asking Kota if he could give me a ride home after school. His green eyes lit up and that warm, friendly smile that lured me in over the summer  was back. I can't face the bus again, and I really wanted to see Precious before putting in a couple hours at the diner. I'm almost to Music Room B when someone pushes me hard from the side re-agitating my ribs and spraining my wrist. I cry out in my broken cry, then turn face my attacker. Some awful girl, the same that I saw this morning with Luke if memory serves, was standing there with a smirk.

"Whore," she calls snidely. I don't know what came over me, but I swing my good arm around and punch her right in the stomach. When she's bent forward, I grabbed her hair and pulled down enough to have her sprawled on the ground. I turn and go to class without one more word said.

Dr. Green shows up with his medical bag after about five minutes of my lesson. He gestures to my wrist and gently palpates the bones within, checking flexion, extension, and rotation.

"I pronounce you sprained, Pookie. Way to handle yourself back there!" he does a little happy dance over to his bag to grab a ice pack.

"What are you talking about, Sean. What happened?" his head snaps toward me and his eyes narrow.

"Pookie here decided she didn't want to be bullied anymore today, so she told the big meanie-faced girl that she won't be!" he crows.

"Explain, Miss Sorenson. While you're at it, do be so kind as to tell me why you didn't feel it was necessary to mention your wrist sooner?" Mr. Blackbourne says with infuriating calm.

"Some girl pushed me and called me a whore. I may or may not have punched her in the stomach and pulled her to the floor by her hair," I mumble, no longer meeting his eyes. I have to hide my shaking hands in the front pocket of the hoodie I stole, um, borrowed this morning from Nathan's closet while he was outside, and Silas slept.

I finally summon the nerve to look up, and I see both Dr. Sean and Mr. Blackbourne looking at me with pride. At least I think that the millimeter smile, and sparkling gray eyes were conveying pride.

"Very well, Miss Sorenson. If Dr. Green would leave, we could finish your music lesson?" Mr. Blackbourne asks.

"Actually, I was wondering if you could call a family meeting tonight?" I hesitantly ask. He searches my eyes for a moment and must have seen what he was looking for.

"Of course," he states while accompanying his words with a decisive nod.

I'm practically vibrating with my need to be a part of the guys' lives again, and I can't wait for us to put everything behind us. My fears from this morning raise to the surface bringing the doubts, and the images—new ones included, to press against the backs of my eyes.

"Do you think..." I clear my throat, "that the guys would be alright if..." I cough shortly, "I were to spend time with them again?" I finish in a rush.

Dr. Sean rushes me and begins to give me a crushing hug, but my yelp has him pulling away looking horrified.

"Miss Sorenson, I believe Dr. Green was expressing his belief that all will be well," Mr. Blackbourne's millimeter smile stretched an extra millimeter, I just know it!