Ruined

5

Max is working on her algebra homework and Sammy is reading his book while I'm watching the clock. The classroom door swings open, and Asher strides in wearing a white button up, rolled up his muscular, tattooed forearms and black skinny jeans. He's 10 minutes early. He walks up to the desk and grabs a pen. The teacher looks up to Asher.
"Can I help you?" He asks with annoyance in his voice.
"Yes, I need to sign my stepbrother out," he looks to Sammy for a brief moment as Sammy waves his finger at Max and me really quick, "and our two friends," he says in a flat tone.
"Well I'm afraid you're going to have to wait, boy," he says emphasizing the word "boy".
"And I'm afraid I can't wait, you fat pig." My eyes are wide as those words leave his mouth like venom through his plump lips. The teacher didn't even do anything to him. Why is he being this way?
"Excuse me, but there is no need for you to be disrespectful to me, you delinquent," the teacher spits back and me, Sammy, and Max exchange looks as Asher's long legs carry him behind the desk to grab the teacher by his shirt. Asher shoves his finger in front of the teachers face, "I have somewhere to be, and I suggest that you give me the damn sign out sheet, or I'll drag them out," Sammy shrugs his shoulders at me and gives me a look of apology like it's normal for Asher to act like this. Why isn't he trying to stop him?
"Fine, just take them," the teacher says, "and I'll be making a call to the police department."
"Call the damn police. They should be used to having to come and get me," Asher seethes. I don't really want to ride with this criminal. Sammy is just gathering his stuff while I'm sitting here gawking at Asher, letting go of the shaken up teacher's shirt. Max is getting her stuff too. Asher walks from behind the desk towards me. He's fuming. I think he has anger issues. "Come on, I don't have all day, and I'm not waiting," he says.
Flabbergasted, I stand to pick up my bag and walk towards Sammy, whom looks at me with an more apology in his eyes. I nod at the teacher as we walk out the door, Asher trailing behind us. Sammy falls back to talk to Asher while me and Max walk ahead. "Ella, that dude is crazy," Max says, eyes wide.
"I think he just has anger issues, and it looks like we're walking home," I refer to Sammy and Asher that have stopped behind us and look like they're arguing.

"We might as well get a head start," I mumble as we exit the building and walk down the sidewalk. We walk a for a little while before someone interrupts our conversation on what we'll wear to the mall. "Ella! Max!" I hear Sammy yell. We turn around and the same rusty black pickup I saw Sammy get into the other day is slowing down beside us with Sammy hanging out the passenger side window. He jumps out of the truck, and we stand still on the sidewalk. "Come on you guys," he says looking at the truck, "Asher is going to give you guys a ride, "He's cooled down now."
"Sammy, we're fine walking, but thank you. We'll see you around," I say politely before Max and I start walking again. "Wait!" Sammy exclaims running a couple of steps to catch up with us as we stop. "What's up?" I ask quickly, ready to be away from Asher who's watching us through the windshield.
"You guys, I'm sorry for how Asher acted, and I'm pretty sure that you don't like the way he behaved in there from the looks that were on your faces," he says with stress in his voice. I nod tentatively. "No, we didn't really like the way he acted, but I'm sure he's great guy once you get to know him and all, huh? You're a great person Sam, and we would ride with you guys, but he kind of scared us, and he said he has plans. Maybe another day. Please don't hate us though," I say before we turn to start walking, ignoring the guilt running through my body and the look on Sammy's face as we walked away, but before we get to far, I turn around and give him a smile and thumbs up, then continue walking.
"Come on Sam! Get your ass in the truck! I have to be somewhere in 30 minutes!" I hear Asher yell. I'm tempted to turn around and say something to him about talking to Sam like that, but that's not my business. Why do I feel like I should turn around?
I keep walking, watching Max's ugly floral flip-flops pop her heels as she walks. Max is pretty, and she can make anything work in her favor. She has pretty brown eyes, short blonde tousled hair, and high cheekbones. Her lips are always coated in light pink lipgloss, and her makeup done to perfection. And she's skinny, and tan. I find myself getting jealous at her perfectly done nails and well-put together outfits, because I usually just throw on whatever I feel like wearing. I'm torn from my self-conscious thoughts as we reach the front door of my house, and I dig in my bag for the key. "So, what do you think?" Max asks me. I blink before I realize I wasn't listening to her the whole walk. "I-uh... I wasn't paying attention Max. I'm sorry," I tell her as I open the door.
"Ugh, Ella, I was asking you what you thought about me wearing a light pink dress to the party tomorrow night," she explains. What party is this girl talking about?
"I'm sorry, but what party?" I ask as we trot up the stairs.
She huffs as we make it to my bedroom door, "Ryan Conner's, my cousin's party, for all the seniors. Everyone's coming, even freshman, and I've heard from Ryan, college guys," she sings the last part as we look through my closet for stuff to wear to the mall. I don't know if I want to go to the party. Big parties like that usually mean a lot of people, and a lot of people like alcohol and bring it and drugs. Alcohol and drugs usually mean intoxication, and intoxication usually leads to bigger problems or mistakes. I'm only 18. I can't go to this party. I don't kn-
"Jesus Ella, what are you thinking about? Your eyebrows are so close that your forehead has turned into a field of thought wrinkles." I instinctively bring my hand up to cover my forehead.
"Max, I don't know if I can go to that party," I say, rushing out my words.
"Of course you can, we're going together," she says like it's not a big deal,"I want to have fun tomorrow night, and if you don't go, I don't go. You don't want to ruin the fun for me, do you?" Max asks stopping her sifting through my rack of clothing to give me puppy dog eyes.
"But Max," I whine, "I don't even have anything to wear."
"Ella. What exactly do you go to that mall for? Besides food, phones, and all those lotions that the people shove in your face to try? Clothes. You're going to the party whether you want to or not. I'll drag you out to have fun. You never let loose. And tomorrow is the night to let loose," she says throwing me a shirt to wear the mall, "Enjoy high school while you still have time."
•••
The mall welcomes us with a gust of cool wind when the automatic door slides open. We follow my dad to the phone store, and he stops us outside of it. I hand him my broke phone and he bends down to hug us tightly. "Be careful girls. I love you both." He says. Max doesn't know her real father, but her stepfather has been there for her mother and her since Max was three. My father and Ben, her stepdad, are both like her fathers to her. She loves them both, as do I.
"We will Dad. We love you to," I nod before we walk away.
"Call me when you guys are ready to go Quinn."
"I will." I don't know why he has to use my first name in public, but he says it's what my mother has always wanted to name her child. So here I am.
Max leads me into a very, very pink store. I hate pink. Max claims it's her second favorite color, Gabe's royal blue eyes being the first. There's bright pink everywhere, attacking my eyes. I'm getting a headache so I sit down while Max skims the racks. She's looking through the lighter pinks. Of course. Sighs are heard when she can't find what she wants. I'm relieved when she tells me that she's ready to move on. The next store has very simple, dresses and an assortment of different colors, only a small amount of pink being seen. I gladly look through the dresses. Then I think, have no idea what to wear to a party. My searching hands cease what they're doing, and I drop them by my sides.
"Here Ella," I turn around to have Max shove an armful of dresses into my arms,"I found a few. Now go try them on." I sheepishly make my way to the dressing room as Max follows and pulls the curtain closed behind me.
•••
I'm currently trying on the 20th dress that Max has brought me. It's an ugly green color, but Max says it will look good on me. It doesn't. I slip it off and put it on the hanger. A knock sounds on the wall beside the curtain, and Max pokes her head through it. "I found one," she says grinning.
"That's what you've said the last 20 times," I groan, taking the dress get from her hands and handing her the horrible green dress. The dress is black and has off the shoulder sleeves. I pull it on and zip up the small zipper on the side. When I look in the mirror, I inwardly gasp. I look good. Sexy even. The dress shows off my curves in a good way. It doesn't hug really tight like a slutty dress, but it hugs tight enough to make my body look smaller than it really is. I'm pleased with the mid-thigh dress. I smile at myself in the mirror and slip on the little black heels on the floor. All I really need is jewelry, my hair and makeup done, and I would be ready.
I step out of the small dressing room and look around for Max. She has her back to me so I cough lightly to get her attention.
She turns her head to look at me, turns back to the rack then turns around a second time, studying me. Then she squeals, right in the middle of the store. Everyone turns to stare as she grabs me by my forearms, jumping up and down, taking me around and around with her.
"You look fu-freaking amazing," she squeals.
"Yeah, well I have on heels so please stop jumping," I laugh as she lets go and says, "The boys are going to be all over you."
Oh gosh.