Stay Away From My Friends (Jenna McDougall and Vic Fuentes)

Chapter 8

I drag myself to first hour, still half asleep. Why does class have to start so early? I'm convinced schools like to see us suffer. That would actually explain a lot.
I make my way to my locker to get the textbook I forgot to take home yesterday. On my way there, I pass Jenna and Ronnie. I'd say hi to Jenna, but Ronnie would slaughter me. I just pray they don't notice me.
Jenna does. She glances over and waves. "Hey Vic."
I stop walking. Ronnie looks over at me.
"Hi Jenna."
"What's up?"
Jenna and I make small talk, but I'm not even paying attention. My focus is on Ronnie, who's mentally killing me, cutting up my body, and feeding it to sharks.
"I uh, I have to go turn something in," I lie. "I'll see you later."
I run off without looking back. I'm so dead later.
I dread what'll happen to me as I sit through my first few classes. Ronnie doesn't have time to beat me up between classes, but there's plenty of alone time for us at lunch. And his anger is just building up more and more as time goes on. He told me to stay away from Jenna. The project's over, and we were talking. So I'm probably fucked.
The bell rings, letting us out. Lunchtime.
I sprint as fast as I can, trying to get to the courtyard. Safety in numbers. I'm stopped by an arm that sticks out in front of me as I'm running past. I get knocked back, landing flat on my ass. The wind is knocked out of me for a moment. It's terrifying.
I look up and find, not surprisingly, Ronnie's standing there.
"I thought I told you to stay away from Jenna," he says, getting right to the point and giving me a sharp kick.
"We're just friends," I defend. Probably not the best argument.
"You don't have friends," he kicks me again. "Who would want to be friends with a freak like you?"
I want to say other freaks, but I shouldn't push it.
Ronnie pulls me up, slamming me against the lockers. The hall's empty, so he can do what he wants. I'm shaking, I'm so terrified.
To my surprise, he let's me go.
I give him a confused look.
"What?" he asks. "You want me to beat you up?"
I shake my head rapidly.
"Don't worry," Ronnie assures me. "What I have planned for you is worse."
That just makes me worry more.
"What is it?" I ask, even though I don't think I want to know.
"I know your secret," he says darkly, a twisted smile on his face.
"What..?" my heart rate increases.
"Kellin and Oli," he continues. "I know they're dating. And I know you're keeping their secret for them."
My heart drops. For a moment, I don't feel anything.
"And now I know," Ronnie says. "Which is why you're going to help me."
I don't say anything. I just let him talk.
"Unless you want me to tell the whole school about them, you're going to do what I want. I could threaten them myself, but they don't care what happens to them. You however, do. I can get things from you."
I try swallowing the lump in my throat. "What do you want?" I ask, barely able to speak.
Ronnie shrugs. "Little things. You help me cheat on tests, take the blame for stuff I do, all that," he looks at me. "But most important," he punches me, dropping me to the ground. "You stay the fuck away from Jenna."
I'm frozen in fear and pain.
"You know what will happen to your friends if you don't, don't you?"
I nod. Kellin and Oli Will be tortured by the school and the town. No one will accept them into any programs or activities. They'll get beat up even more.
"So are you in?"
I nod. I don't really have a choice.
"Good," Ronnie kicks me again, then walks off.
I just stay laying on the floor. I want to cry. What have I gotten myself into? Fuck.