Corin knew she had to help Jay, whether he accepted it or not, she had to find a way to get through to him.
I didn't know what to say, what to do or even what to think. Jay just looked at me, dead in the eyes, his breathing deep, determined and rugged. I watched a tear form around his eye, welling above it's lashed cradle, determined to stand ground, refusing to fall. But Jay gave in. The tear didn't, but he did. It slipped down his cheek so slowly it seemed time itself had slowed down. As it came to the curve of his top lip, he parted them, and spoke.
"Go."
"Jay, I-"
"No. No, go. Go home. Go home, delete my number, delete Fern's, take down all the pictures of us and don't talk to me, Fern, Sasha, Tommi or even Frisk again. Have fun being alone, Corin Winslow."
"Home? Go home? Where is home, Jay? 'with friends like ours, anywhere is home'?", I scoffed, "Seems that way."
"Yes, Corin. Anywhere is home for you; anywhere away from me and my friends."
And that was the last day I ever spoke to Jayden Alexander Daniels.
Nah, I'm just kidding you. But the next few weeks were tough.
..............
I woke up on a mostly bland Wednesday morning and sighed to myself, knowing that it was another day I'd have to spend with Chandler, whilst the year eleven knobheads ran around without me. In their little "We hate Corin" group.
Honestly, I couldn't be less bothered if I tried. I'm also a liar.
So I grabbed the duvet from over my head and sighed at the empty bed beside me: Fern had already left. She'd been waking up an hour earlier so as to avoid me in the mornings. I climbed out of bed and opened my wardrobe, seeing various items of Frisk, Jay and Fern's clothing that id stolen. I have a thing for wearing other people's clothes.
I pulled out a jumper with small palm trees embroidered into it and wore underneath it a pale green vest top that I knew Fern payed for but, I mean, I bought her popcorn the day before she did so, like, she owes me.
I swung my bag over my shoulder and kicked my cat down the stairs. "Get out my way bumface." I love him really. "Get out my way pooface." That's my brother, Fabian.
"Love you, Cos."
"Love you more Fabbo."
Then, ya gal left the house, finally.
"where's Corin?" Asked Mrs Denver.
"I am Corin, Mrs Denver."
"Ah. Where's the pretty one?"
I sighed, not taking offence. Nope, not at all. "Just drive."
Fern had been getting lifts from Tommi the past few weeks, as had Jay. Tommi was younger than I was by a few months but they'd passed their drivers' test, whereas I hadn't even started my lessons. Denver attempted small talk, which I, of course, politely participated in. But in my mind I was lost, beyond lost, actually. I kept seeing the same flickers of emerald I'd grown to adore over the years, and the bright, brave smile of the bright, brave boy I'd treasured, yet still lost.
Denver pulled up beside Knights' and I clambered out, waving a goodbye I'd forgotten to say as I left the vehicle. My own feet were my biggest point of interest as i listened to the rusty old car pull away and made my way to the gym. Exercise first thing? So glad I don't know how my life could get any worse! I threw open the door to the lockers and grabbed my gym kit from the locker, accidentally hitting a year eight round the head. She whimpered; I don't think getting smashed round the head by a 5'11" college student is exactly fun for anyone, let alone a 5'nothing" twelve year old. I dropped my bag and grabbed her by the shoulders, checking she was all okay.
"Oh my goodness, sweetums are you okay? I'm so sorry! Here, let me, don't worry, it was my fault." I was brushing her down, apologising profusely, when suddenly, she hugged me. I held her, treasuring her warmth.
"You're Corin, right?"
"Yes, darling. Why'd you ask?"
"I heard-"
She was cut off as she was thrown backwards into the lockers. 'No,' I thought, 'this shit only happens on tv.' But there she was, against the lockers, her eyes had left mine to look down at the hands gripping her collar.
I didn't know this girl, heck, I didn't even know her name. But something in me told me I had to protect her. Moving quicker than even I anticipated, I gripped the arms holding her captive and swung them, slamming the body into the wall across the hallway and looking him in the eyes. Dead in the eyes. My breathing deep, determined and rugged. My eyes flickered across the face inches from mine. The freckle on the left side of his nose, the naturally perfect eyebrows, the cheekbones, the jawline, the hair, the lips, the eyes.
"Jay?"
He smirked, "Winslow."
Jay headbutted me and I fell to the floor. He spat on me and as he walked away, gave a confident, "I thought i told you never to talk to me, Winslow."
I blinked away the blurriness clouding my vision after the headbutt and felt the girl's small hands on my shoulders.
"I'm sorry, Corin, that was my fault, he told me not to ever tell you abut him doing this."
I tripped over my words a bit but stammered, "but, you didn't tell me?"
"He thought I was going to," she reached down to hoist me up, "here, I'll take you to the nurse."
We walked through the corridor and a large part of me was telling me I had to look after this girl, I needed to keep her safe. I didn't know why, and it wasn't just because I felt guilty that it was Jay. I just had a feeling I couldn't explain.
"Corin?"
"Yes, little one?" She giggled at the nickname then carried on.
"You knew my brother, didn't you?"
It clicked.
"I did, little one." I responded with a fond sigh. "I'd like to think I still do."
Corin wanted to slap the girl silly, tell her he's dead, he's gone, give up on him. But she wouldn't, because she'd get suspended.
