W.A.T.D

Chapter 12 Hungry? - her perspective

Estimated reading time - 6 minutes 10 seconds
TW: mild violence (really nothing, not much detail)

The next day at school was… Interesting to say the least. In class with Ray, all he wanted to talk about was classwork, like yesterday didn't even happen.
“Come on let's get this done,”
“I’ll work when you tell me what you said,”
“Still not telling you just work,”
“Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease?”
“No.” I scoff and turn away, slumping in my chair and grumbling slightly. What could he have possibly said that made my mom so happy? Whatever it was I was going to find out, and he couldn’t stop me.
He just worked silently, a smile on his face and his hands working diligently to do his half of the assignment. It was uncharacteristic of him to do his work like this.
“What are you smiling at?” I asked with a huff, crossing my arms.
“You,” He responded, glancing at me before turning back to his work. I blushed slightly and looked down, fidgeting with my sleeve a bit.

Ray sighed dramatically as I pestered him throughout him getting his food. We walked slowly through the line, his head hung in annoyance as I begged him to tell me.
“Come onnnn, don’t keep this from me, you’re going to have to tell me eventually!” I pleaded, watching him roll his eyes yet again.
“Just stop talking please, I’m not telling you that's final.” He repeated, dragging his feet as we exited the line with our trays. My tray was empty, in my pestering and pleading I completely forgot to get food. Ray saw this, giving me half of his food, and starting to walk off.
“I’ll see you later, ok?”
“Um no you’ll see me now,” I follow close behind him as he goes to his usual spot outside, propping the door open and pulling out a pack of cigarettes.
I hand him his lighter from his pocket without thinking and he thanks me, sitting down on the cold concrete and taking a long drag from his cigarette. No wonder I never eat with him, I cough slightly as I eat the food he gave me.
“This smells like shit,” I mumbled bluntly.
“You should quit, or at least take a break,” I looked over to him, taking the cigarette from his hand, he didn't resist.
“And what do you plan to do with that?” he questioned, trying to take it back. I hold it away from him, leaning back with my arm extended as he tries to grab it from me, reaching over me.
“You’re going to burn yourself just put it down!” he kept trying to reach over me, until in one sudden movement, he ended up on top of me, his face immediately turned bright red, and so did mine.
I hesitantly hand him back his cigarette, not daring to move a muscle besides that. He quietly thanked me, getting up and sitting down next to me awkwardly, clearing his throat and eating some of his food. I stayed down for a couple seconds more before sitting up again, blush covering my face and my hands shaking.
It was silent for a bit before I heard snickering from behind me. I tried to turn around to look but Ray grabbed my chin.
“Don’t,” He whispered softly.
“Eyes on me.” That's when I hear a voice behind me, grating on my nerves.
“What's the matter? Girlfriend couldn’t put out?” Elliot sneered from behind me, his voice loud and cocky as always. I could hear his footsteps and his looming presence behind me. Elliot kneeled behind me, his mouth right next to my ear.
“Or, was it that you finally realised how much better I would be?” Elliot whispered, I could hear the smile in his voice and I shut my eyes tight, my whole body tense from the feeling of his breath ghosting the back of my neck. I still didn’t move, and now I didn’t dare look behind me, knowing what was there.
“Get away from her,” Ray muttered calmly, showing no sign of anger or annoyance.
“Oh really? You mean like this?” Elliot responds, his hand finding my shoulder, squeezing it slightly, his grip threatening. I was about to turn around to hit him in his stupid face, but Ray must have picked up on that, because he looked me directly in the eyes, his gaze intense.
I held his stare as if talking to him silently. Ray seemed calm, but that quickly dissipated when Elliot trailed his hand down from my shoulder, approaching my chest slowly.
Ray mouthed ‘Go’ and I quickly got up, escaping Elliot's hold before Ray practically pounced on him, and they started fighting.
Ray threw a lot of punches, but I turned away when I saw Elliot swing, I didn’t want to watch Ray get hit.
Eventually, they caught the attention of some students and a teacher showed up, trying to pull them apart.

The office was cold, I hadn’t been here before except for enrollment earlier this year. Ray had a pack of ice on his forehead, he looked pissed, so I was sat between the two of them, practically bumping shoulders with Elliot.
I don't know why we were alone in this room, but it seemed like a bad idea considering what just happened.
Elliot didn’t have much, just a few cuts and bruises here and there, Ray however was practically just fine, besides his head hurting from the one solid blow Elliot got in before they were separated.
The principal finally showed up after about twenty minutes of awkward silence.
“So, what happened?” She asked as she sat across from us at her desk. They both started talking over each other before she interrupted them.
“One at a time. Raymond, I’d love to hear you explain this one,” She grumbled condescendingly, this was definitely not Ray’s first time in the office for a fight, but it was the first time he fought for a reason other than ‘I felt like it’.
“Ray.” He responded simply, his hateful gaze never leaving the principal for even a second, if looks could kill. There was that awkward silence again before the principal cleared her throat and urged him to talk. Ray rolled his eyes and finally talked.
“Elliot was being an asshole. That's what happened.” He remarked bluntly.
“Hey, language,” She then turned to Elliot, who was staring down at the floor.
“Elliot?”
“I just wanted to talk to her and he jumped on me,” He lied through his teeth as usual, because he knows this is a threat to his upcoming games. Ray scoffed and I sighed slightly, finding Ray’s hand and holding it loosely, examining the reddened knuckles and leftover blood.
Who’s blood? It was hard to tell.
“Eliza, care to share your perspective?” The principal inquired, snapping me from my thoughts. I gave her the actual story, Elliot objected to every statement, but the principal threatened him with suspension and he quickly shut up.
After I was done the principal thanked me and dismissed me, I left hesitantly, giving Ray’s hand a gentle squeeze before leaving the room and waiting outside the office.

It was a long wait, but eventually, they both came out, Elliot smiling and Ray glaring at him.
“See you next week loser!” Elliot sneered before running off to catch up with his friends.
“What? What does he mean? What happened in there?” I ask as Ray wraps his arms around my waist, burying his face in the crook of my neck, pressing soft kisses all over.
“Mmm… three days suspension,” He mumbled between kisses.
“Ray what are you-” He moved up to kiss me directly to keep me from talking, not bothering to explain himself. When he pulls away for air I put my hand over his mouth.
“Ray! Explain!” He sighed and I moved my hand, allowing him to talk.
“I got three days suspension, the rest of this week, and he got off with a slap on the wrist because he’s in football,”
“Awww I'm sorry, that's so stupid,”
“It's not your fault, don’t apologise,”
“Well it kind of is-” This time he put his hand over my mouth.
“Shut up. It. Wasn’t. Your. Fault.” He accentuated every word, as if giving me time to process them. Once he thought it was long enough to let the words really sink in he started kissing me again.
“What’s… this about?” I ask between kisses, he stops briefly to talk.
“Just missed you is all” He mumbled. My stomach growled, punishing me for skipping lunch.
“Hungry? Let’s go get something,” He pulled back, keeping a tight grip on my hand as he led me out.
“Hey hey wait! I didn’t get suspended I can’t leave!”
“Oh come on it's not like they will be looking for you,” I thought it over for a second, I would really rather be with him than at school, but then again I could get in trouble. Probably not more than today, however, and I know my mom will bail me out if I tell her what I was doing.
She seems to like Ray, for whatever reason.
“Ok fine, but you totally owe me,” I scoffed and he smiled, continuing to pull me along.