No where to run!

Chapter 2

"Oh my God, Blake," Vicky said as she looked at the cut over my eye. Her mouth was wide open, and her hands covered her cheeks. "Who did this to you? Was it Steve?" I shooked my head no. I wished she didn't have to see me this way. I could taste blood in my mouth and knew some was on my face. She deserved to know what happened, but I had no time to explain. Rico and the rest of my crew were on the road, and someone was about to get hurt. I had to do something. Now! "I'm fine, Vicky. I'll catch up with you later," I said, but my voice cracked into a nasty whisper. I was dizzy. Too many punches to my head. "Quick, Blake, inside right now," barked Ms. Spencer, our principal. She led me past Vicky and straight to the front office. "Ms. Spencer, I need to speak with someone I know. He's a cop. His name is Nelson Ramirez. I need to speak with him. Now," I said. She studied my face carefully, not sure whether to trust me. I couldn't blame her. Where I come from, you don't talk to cops, and you don't expect them to solve problems. I learned that when Shaun, my little brother, was killed. For months, my mom and me waited for the police to do something. All we got from them was an apology and some excuses about workload and too many cases.                                                                                               ~                                                                                                                                                                                                               But Ramirez was different. He's a friend of my mom's who grew up in Detroit with her. He held my mom at my brothers funeral and understood that the day Shaun died, part of me died too. Where else could I turn? "I already called the police, Blake." Ms. Spencer said as I collapsed into the squeaky chair in her office. "I called your mother, too. She's on her way," she added. My headache was getting worse. The last thing I wanted was my mom to see me this way. "Call Ramirez," I repeated, rubbing my swollen jaw. "Why him?", Ms. Spencer asked. "If you did something wrong, now is the time to tell me so you won't get in any worse trouble." I wanted to curse her out right there. I wasn't afraid of any punishment she could give me. A suspension? A letter? That ain't nothin compared to watching your brother die in your arms, seeing his blood drip onto your shoes, feeling his skin turn cool in your hands. And now more blood was about to spill. "There ain't no worse trouble!" I growled, tired of talking to her. I jumped up and reached for her office phone. But my legs were weak, and the room suddenly felt like waves were rolling through the floor. I leaned against the wall to stop from falling. "Blake!" Ms. Spencer yelled, grabbing me and easing me back into the chair. Her eyes were wide with worry. "Please, Ms. Spencer, " I said, pointing to the phone. "Okay, okay. I'm calling him right now. Just sit down and don't move,", she said, nervously dialing the numbers. "But if there is something I can do to protect you and the other students in this school, you need to let me know." Protect me? Too late for that, I wanted to say.