Vacant

Chapter Thirteen

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

          Weeks past since that night. I haven’t spoken to Luke at all, and I’ve been avoiding Jesse considerably. I’ve been shutting everyone out of my life, even Shane. But lately, he doesn’t seem to notice. But Shane is the least of my problems.

            I thought about going back to the skate park, alone. Maybe I need to find my inner independence? Most likely, anyway. So, I did just that, skate park, here I come.

                                                            *          *           *

            When I got to the skate park, sure enough, there was Jesse. He was talking- no bickering towards someone. His hands were flailing in the air, and shouting at the guy. Then I realized he was shouting at Luke. What the heck? Why was he doing that? Unless, Jesse found out about our argument.

            When Jesse gets mad, he really gets mad. I better stop the fight before it becomes a brawl. I jogged to where Jesse and Luke were bickering. Jesse was doing most of the talking, and Luke just listened intently. I was halfway there when Jesse shoved Luke backwards. As I ran a little faster I could make out some of the trash talking that was blurting out.

            “…You little punk! I told you not to mess around with her. And instead you do just that, you arrogant asshole!” Jesse screamed. How in the world does Jesse know about our fight? Who would’ve told him? No one else was there when it happened. Luke only stumbled a little, only to maintain his composure once more. He was huge, he probably weighed more than Jesse, and yet Jesse could barely budge him.

            Luke resembled calm, which was good. When I came up though, not one acknowledged my presence. It was like I was invisible. Jesse kept going though, altercating on every level of what Luke did and did not do. He was saying how Luke was using me to impress his friends and to gain publicity for his so called “awesomeness”.  But what Jesse said next really surprised me the most.

            “You think you’re all that don’t you? But you’re not. All you’ll ever be is that rich, private school boy who only tries to impress his daddy so he gives that image of a perfect son. But we all know who you are Luke. We all know that you hide your skateboarding life from your father so he thinks you’re not bad. We all know you go to a, private school. Because you don’t even go to Burins High, do you? You go to that snotty up-state private school downtown,” he breathed for a minute. For the first time ever, Luke looked taken-aback and surprised, matching my own expression.

 “Which makes sense, really, because it turns out every single one of the students that attend there live in a mansion, five times the size of my own! So stop pretending you’re that bad boy that every girl falls for, because you’re not. You are a popular rich kid that goes to Vista Private School and get’s straight A’s and is the star of the basketball, volleyball, track, swim and hockey team. And,” he added an emphasis on the ‘and’ “you’re the most popular guy in school.”

            I couldn’t believe what I had just heard. How did Jesse know this? Was he spying on Luke or something? But the real question was, was Luke really all what Jesse had just said? I couldn’t even bear to say anything. No words could form.

            And before I knew it, Luke took his board, placed his helmet on his head, and walked away. He didn’t even say anything. Nothing to even defend himself. But that was rehearsed from Luke, it was a classy gesture. Isn’t that what all polite people do? He was probably raised that way. Typical rich kids. But was he really a rich kid? And if so, why would he lie to me? I just don’t understand, it’s all too confusing. I was snapped back into reality when Jesse spoke.

            “Serves him right. Although he didn’t say anything back, probably something he was raised to do. “Always walk away from your problems” Pfft, like what are we, grade two?”

            He looked at me, probably wondering why I wasn’t agreeing with him. I just couldn’t ask questions right now. I knew somewhere I could go, to think. I left Jesse standing there, alone. I walked away, knowing the one place where it was close to home and yet I could still be by myself.