Winchester High| 16+

Chapter 7: Fool

And there it was. A used canister of bright red spray paint.

I didn't know how to feel. I didn't think that he would allow us to be villainized, and me to be harassed. Then it set in that was exactly what was happening and I was crushed. I looked back to every moment we had together. The times he'd rant and rave about how irresponsible his brothers were to him. The times he'd express admiration for his parents, no matter how much of a hard time they gave him. This is entirely out of character.

We'd mend each other's injuries. Complain constantly. That was our favorite thing to do to: complain. I tried to think of stuff we might complain once this blows over, but as of right now, we're nothing alike.

I turned around and started walking. I didn't even want to see his reaction, another lie, or some performance.

"Ismael! C'mon!"

The security guard and Cullens snatched him up, scolding him. The word suspension caught my ear as I walked. I thought he was being expelled, or would be, for this kind of thing. Nonetheless, everybody was right, the nosey gawking crowds in the hallway, the boneheads who work here. Despite it all, I was a fool.

 I just wanted to go to class at this point--well, I didn't want to. I simply craved normal. 

As I sat, enduring each period, I couldn't help but think. The last thing I wanted to do. I killed time texting Val about what happened, and she feels bad. But mostly, she's happy none of this fell back on me. I wish I could think of it in that sense.

I spend lunch with her at our lonely little table in the back next to the trash bins. She told me she never felt like Nico liked her, or cared for her. Which I could believe, but I never cared for any of that. I told her it didn't matter when we both felt lied to, betrayed. 

Val said she'd been getting more comments than usual, particularly from that group of girls Nicolo told off at the Library, to which I reminded her that he did that for her. That's how I found out we'd both been getting stares. Though she said the bullying has been going on for a while now. I promised her I'd try to defend her as much as I could and apologized for what happened at the Library, my lack of initiative. She was fair, sensible, and empathetic, which was exactly what I needed. I hoped to be whatever she needed from then on out.

The final bell rang, and I remembered how Carlos and I were supposed to 'hang out'. I'm not even sure what that means or if I was up to meeting up. Plus I think it's a date, which I didn't like the idea of. I just wanted to go home, believe it or not.

I thought about Carlos on my way to meet Malik in the parking lot. Sometimes, he agrees to take us home, and sometimes, he doesn't, it's a gamble, depending on how he feels. I walked up to his shiny grey chariot, and the whole crew was hovering around the thing, laughing and coughing up smoke. The moment started a flickering film of getting humiliated in the hallway. I felt all the pain in my chest.

"Can I get a ride?" I said through my teeth.

"C'mon, ya." He directed his crew as he got into the driver's seat. Everyone followed into the car, shrieking with laughter and drove off. I couldn't believe it, for a moment, until I did.

I started to feel cold, to which I realized I had no choice but to walk. I had no bike, scooter, nothing. As I started along the side of the school, I realized how slow of a walk it was going to be. I heard a shuffling behind me, which climaxed into a hurried stop, creating a collision right into my shoulder. I winced and groaned between my teeth. My shoulder felt bruised as if someone was still squeezing me.

I underestimated the damage Malik did from that push. I opened my eyes to which I realized it was Carlos. He was apologizing all over the place. I didn't care much since it was him. I was happy to see him.

I held my shoulder and squeezed out, "No, no it's fine. You're fine." It was true, he was fine.

"I saw what happened in the hallway, are you okay?" He said. I enjoyed how chipper he was. Most chipper people aren't empathetic just chipper, laughing over everyone, not caring. But he was a kindness simultaneously.

"Yeah, it's nothing. My brother's a fool." I responded.

He giggled and grabbed the top of my non-hurting shoulder, to get a good look at me. I got a real kick out of him. Then he let go, which I wish he hadn't.

"Yeah, well. I would've stepped in to help, but security got into it before me." His voice was notably smooth, enough to serenade the pain away.

I got high on the thought of him stepping in to defend me. Then shriveled at the thought of damsel-ing myself.

We stared at each other, and I wanted to twirl my hair or something.

"So where are we going?"

Right.

"Well-" I started. But my body froze, and so did my chest at the same time. I clenched my jaw.

I wanted to cry for some reason. It made sense for the circumstances, but right now? It was a tear-jerk I couldn't help.

I shifted over to a corner where I knew nobody could see. I knew what was coming. I came to the ground, and wept at my knees. Carlos' legs were still beyond my watery eyes, I couldn't believe he was still willing to stand here. I started apologizing through my shaky voice, to which he blew off. I stood and tried to catch my breath to no avail. I tried again, but couldn't. Carlos attempted to grip my shoulders to soothe me, repeating 'you're okay'.

It really wasn't a big deal. But this tends to happen. Even when I'm alone, and everything is fine. Suddenly, all at once, everything is not fine.

He got even closer to me and held me, so I naturally sat my chin on his shoulder, silencing my heartbeat. He smelled good and familiar, starting a slower sequence of thoughtful breaths.

It was especially awkward, but necessary for the time, and he let me, as if it was normal. I stepped back, but only at the idea that someone might see.

"What happened?" He sounded broken. A tone of voice that felt odd on him.

"Nothing it wasn't you. A lot is going on. You saw some of it. This tends to happen, but a lot of different things happened today, which made it worse. Whatever, you probably don't want to hear any of that." I started. I apologized again.

"I don't know what to say." He bit his lip.

I laughed.

"I know where we can go!" I wanted to bubble him up again so started walking and he followed behind. I felt a little crazy.

"Is it far? I can drive."