brenton's girl

three

When I walked downstairs the next morning it was clear that it was Wednesday, I could hear the church music playing loudly from the church down the road.

Sam was sitting at the table already eating some oatmeal, she had a second bowl in front of her. "I made you some oatmeal." She told me, pointing her acrylic nail at the red bowl.

"I don't like oatmeal." I reminded her. She should know this by now, I haven't liked oatmeal or grits since I was a young child.

"I know, but I do." She smiled and grabbed the bowl, stuffed her spoon inside and took a bite.

I rolled my eyes and made toast in the toaster, then after Sam and I finished eating and brushing our teeth, we got in her car and drove to school.

I was at my locker when Carson walked up. "Hey, do you have the Spanish homework? I completely forgot to do it." I looked at her and she smiled and said, "oh hey leah! How're you doing?"

"I'm doing great, thanks." She smiled at me and I reached into my locker, I flipped through a couple of notebooks until I found my Spanish book, I passed her the spiral. "They're in here." I said as I looked down at my phone.

Brenton texted me asking me to meet him in our class before the bell rang. "Okay thank you." Carson chirped. She kissed my cheek and walked away towards her class. I grabbed my bag and began walking to english class.

"Leah." I turned and looked at the direction of who called my voice. Brenton smiled and hugged me.

"Hey," I studied his face and slowly pulled away, he had bruises and a cut on his cheek bone. "Do you need me to clean that?" I asked softly.

I hated when he'd come to my house with the after math of a wayside fight. It was always scary and made me think of what happened.

"You know me so well, princess." Brenton kissed my cheek and walked past me so that he could sit at a table. The teacher wasn't in the classroom yet so it was easy to walk to her supplies closet and grab the first aid kit.

"What happened?" I asked when I pulled the red and white container from the top shelf, I then walked back to the table Brenton sat at.

"Just a fight, nothing to worry about." He opened the box and passed me a saline spray, cotton swabs, and alcohol. "Fix me please." Brenton had a joker like smirk on his lips and then he grabbed my hand and pulled me so that I was face to face with him. 

"Okay." My voice came out shaky, but I pulled back some and began spraying the saline on a swab, then genteelly I wiped the blood off his cheek, then I dabbed the alcohol on a cotton ball and pressed it to his busted wound. "Did this happen this morning?"

"No. I went to the Cold Croc last night when I left your house and a couple of guys got out of hand, I stepped in and one guy didn't like that. You should see the other guy." His joke did make me laugh until I realized the irony of it.

"So you didn't decide to clean this up last night? Rather stress me out and have me do it before school?" I asked. "Is it all part of what you have planned for us?" I snapped. I began packing up the teachers first aid kit, then I stood up and walked to the closet. I placed it back and when I went to turn around Brenton was behind me.

"What's wrong?" He asked. I shook my head and tried to walk past him, he put his hand out and stopped me. "Don't make me be mean, Leah."

"You're not fair."

"I never said I was."

"You can't tell me that you have something planned for us and then make me clean up your mess." I said. "It's not fair nor healthy."