Halfway Through the Scale

Kiss & Make Up

Chapter Ten

"You know, I think the same happened to me when I was in middle school." He says as he inhales the blunt. Exhales it and coughs like crazy. "Anyway, I was going to ask her to some fucken dance 'cause I made fun of her shoes or something. Trying to make it up to her. But when I finally approached her, my throat shut itself. She got freaked out 'cause I didn't say anything. Just continued to stare at her." He laughs hysterically before he continues. "Wanna know what I did?" He asks as he faces me. I gaze out towards the field from here. Students in P.E. playing on the field. Boys excited for football, while the girls standby to gossip.

"What?" I ask with no interest as I gaze at the dirt beneath us. I grab a stick and begin to dig up some dirt.

"I touched her breasts. She exclaimed and then screamed like crazy. I got suspended and she turned into a whore."

"Do you always have to approach women with vulgar words?" I ask angrily.

"It does the trick."

"To what?"

"The pain you feel right now." I eye him. He continues to be his happy self, while I continue to punish myself in anger. "Okay, you may not like the chick, but you have empathy for her. So, don't deny it." He passes me the blunt, but I reject. "You need it more than me. I know it's not your thing, but.." He pauses.

"I need to talk to her."

"Not today. Let her cool off. She's just surprised, that's all. You both said some pretty fucked up shit to each other. Worst of all you both had an audience. To top it off, you are both miserable fucks."

"Can you stop with the fucken insults?!" I yell at him as I gaze at him. Again, calm as can be when it comes to Kris.

"It's the truth. I apologize for the profanity., but you need to fucken chill." He gives e the blunt sustained through his fingers. It's half way finished.

"If you offer it again, I'm going to throw it." Kris gasps horrendously.

"You will do no such thing to my baby." He states as he holds the blunt between his teeth.

We become silent. Gaze at the nature surrounding us from the hills that we reside in, and the nature of school laws. Social Darwinism within everything that has a brain. I want to enjoy this moment., the summer breeze, the company, the view, the weed, but she is in me. She's in me deep. I didn't even try.

"I'm going down." I say as I get up from the floor and face Kris. He's laying down comfortably on the trunk of a tree, listening to his music while humming to it.

"Hu?" I began to walk down the trail that leads to the field. "Hey, where you going?" He asks with the struggle to get up. i ignore him, and head down determined. I can hear him following.

"Don't try to stop me, I know what I'm doing." I say walking in confidence with narrowed eyes towards the field.

"Really? You think you know fucking shit?" He asks as he tugs at my arm, making me stop and turn towards him. "You're going to make it worse." He widens his eyes just enough for me to detect his seriousness. I'm still determined. Hiding behind some fucken tress won't change anything. I continue my way, and walk faster to lose Kris.

"You stupid,.." He stops himself and runs after me. "Just give it time. It'll be better by then. For the both of you."

"I'm starting to think you're just trying to save yourself." i state with a snicker at the end as I finally reach the black top and stop myself because I don't know where to go next.

"Calvin, you don't even know where the fuck to go." I pant and turn, but it's true. I don't know where to go. I face Kris, and he eyes me. I look away, turning around again, circling my surrounding. I'm on the verge of being on the center of the school. The gym right behind me, two more halls ahead of me, and further more is the cafeteria, and the main office.