Complicated

25. Doing The Most.

Nothing much went on during the school day until lunch came. Courtlen got his lunch but instead of sitting around with his friends in the cafeteria, he went back to his class to work. For the past couple weeks, he's been trying to boost his GPA and get ready to graduate. He has a long way to go but is willing to go the distance. Kiloni, on the other hand, was taking Chresanto's advice in consideration from the party. She was looking for Abby.

Abby's been distant from everyone lately so she sat alone in the cafeteria, picking at her full tray. She felt that people have been distant to her or upset with her but in reality, they were probably hormones messing with her. Kiloni sighed and walked up to her with her lunch. "Is this seat taken?" Loni asked, cracking a small smile. Abby looked at her then back at her tray without responding. Kiloni sat across from her and thought about what to say.

"Um.. I want to apologize." Abby instantly looked up from her lunch. "What?"

"I said I want to apologize."

"For?"

"For being an asshole instead of a friend. I shouldn't have overreacted like that and done you dirty.."

"Oh.." Kiloni squinted at her as she started eating her food. "Oh?"

"Yea."

"What do you mean 'oh'?"

"Well I mean, you hurt me pretty bad since you're like a sister, calling me a hoe and stuff-"

"Sorry for that too. I was overly upset at the time."

"Uh.. yea. As I was saying, you did all that and you apologized but it's not gonna be accepted. Yea, I was careless and now I got your niece or nephew in my gut BUT rashing my life and completely dumping me is makes you sorta fucked up as a friend." Kiloni glared hard at Abby. "Are you serious?"

"Very." Kiloni scoffed at Abby and left her to herself, eating her lunch. She knew Abby had a point but Loni didn't feel it was as serious as proving herself to Abby along with apologizing.

After school felt just a plain as school was in session. Everyone was back at their daily routines until one thing would be out of place. Ilianeliz was back in school and went to practice with everyone else. When it was over, she caught up with Chresanto and Roshon when they left the locker rooms. She approached them with an innocent smile on her face, "hey peoples!" The boys stopped in their tracks; Roshon smiled back and Chres had a face of discomfort. "Hey Ili," Roshon said. Chres stayed silent and avoided eye contact. "What's up?"

"I need to talk to Chresanto real quick, nothing serious."

"Then I'll just wait in my car. See you tomorrow, Ili." Roshon left the two in the hall and went outside.

They glared at each other in silence for a while. "Why do you want to talk?" Chres asked. "Why'd you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Don't play dumb with me, I know it was you and your lil' homeboys who raped me."

"What are you talking about?"

"Chresanto.. I don't remember how I got to where ever I was but I remember seeing and feeling you, Jake, Trevante and some other dudes taking advantage of me."

"Well, I don't." Chresanto tried to walk away from Ilianeliz but she grabbed his arm, turning him back around. "Don't fucking walk away from me! Look," she shouted at him and lowered the edge of her jeans, revealing her bruises. Some were fading but some were still there. "Oh shit.." Chresanto said under his breath. "Yea, 'oh shit' is right. You should see the rest."

"The rest?

"Yes." Ili pulled her jeans back up. "I don't think you understand how bad you hurt me. I haven't been in school because I've been afraid to see any of y'all who did this. I'm so paranoid that it could happen again.." Ili started to tear up between her words. "I'm here now because.. I'm not scared anymore.. and to tell you that.. you're nothing but a bitch for what you did. I dunno how you sleep at night.. and you're lucky I didn't tell anyone that you did this.. yet." She wiped her eyes, took a deep breath and walked proudly out of the building. Chresanto, on the other hand, felt like shit, and he knew he deserved it. After a while, Chres followed in her trail out the door and to Roshon's car. He got in without saying anything, blankly staring. "Well sheesh, what took you guys so long? I was ready to leave you," Roshon complained, starting the car. "Nothing.. let's just go.." Chres muttered. He stared out the window silently the whole way home without looking back.

All day, Courtlen has been job hunting to start saving up money for the baby. The problem was that Courtlen was a boy of very low patience. He would usually get responses like "we're not hiring right now" or "you're not what we're looking for." Courtlen was losing his motive to find a real job. By the end of the day, he gave up and went to his last resort; Jake. He pulled up to his house before going home and Jake was sitting on his front porch, smoking a blunt. Courtlen slowly walked up to his house, as there was an awkward silence between them. "Where you been, Courtlen?" Jake said, blowing out smoke. "Laying low.. just busy.."

"Hm.. whatchu' busy with?"

"I got a baby on the way."

"You? Well shit, congrats! Who's the baby mama?"

"One of Loni's friends.. it's tough shit at home, bro."

"Haha.. and I thought I was a bad dude. Why you here tho?"

"I tried to get a job besides making drops but that shit ain't easy.. it's slow money."

"So you're tryna go back at it, huh?"

"Yea.." Jake got out of his seat and went towards Courtlen, dapping him. "Welcome back."