Things are Complicated

Chapter 11: "Lover Boy"?

A week passed before I stepped foot in school again. The Doctor’s evaluation of my concussion said that the symptoms could last from days to weeks or even longer. Although I still can’t remember what happened during the actual event, the embarrassment of what followed will never leave memory.

Mother wasn’t pleased to see me banged up, mostly because it meant I was excused from going to school. She simply shoved a bottle of aspirin into my hand and told me to go to bed.

So much for mother-daughter time. I guess we’ll never paint each other’s nails or fix each other’s make-up or whatever it is daughters do with their moms.

The throbbing and overall dizziness passed after a few days, but I still struggled with some issues of sensitivity. Lights both blinded me and buzzed loud enough to give me a head ache. Part of the reason I put off returning to school- besides the long walk and resistance to seeing Jett- is the noise.

When I did manage to return to school, too sick of dealing with the cold looks from my mother, I avoided my locker and excused myself from gym class. Unfortunately, I could not ignore my last class with my worst nightmares.

The triple threat- D’Angelo, Jett and Leah.

Ms. Jieking looked up from her desk in the corner of the room and took in my bruised face and red eyes with great surprise. “Ms. Truman, I didn’t think you’d be back so soon.”

“Jed,” Leah whispered from her seat, practically jumping to her feet. “What are you doing here?”

I handed Ms. Jieking my doctor’s note, just like all the other teachers. “I don’t want to be held back,” I tell her, trying not to break down and beg to stay. Some of my other teachers looked ready to call the nurse, especially after I fell asleep in class.

“Well take a seat,” she said, eyeing me with pity. “Be sure to get the notes from a friend and I’ll prepare your homework.”

“Thank you,” I turned and tried not to wince at all the stares. “I know what I look like,” I glared at them until they stared at their desks.

When I sat down behind Jett, D turned and gave me a hard look. “Why didn’t you call me? I would have brought you to school.”

“Yeah,” Leah pitched in from across the room.

“Shh!” Ms. Jieking hushed them from her desk. “Read your chapter, or I’ll give you a pop quiz worth half your grade.”

Students know how strict she is and she never issued a threat she didn’t mean. Leah turned around reluctantly, but D didn’t seem keen on finishing the reading. He tore out a piece of paper and scribbled something on it before tossing it to me.

At this point in the day, I felt like I had my head in a vice grip and desperately wanted to just toss it back in his face. But he did take care of me that day, treating me a whole lot better than my own mother, so I pealed open the crumpled note.

You look miserable. Why did you come?

D wouldn’t ask this if he spent time alone in my house. Even when my mother’s there, she’s quiet and reserved locking herself in her office. When Frank and Butch were home, there was always some argument or sports event being broadcasted throughout the house.

I quickly wrote an excuse of being bored, tossed it back before opening my book to see where we’d left off. However, work seemed to be the last thing any of my “friends” cared about because Jett reached his hand behind his back and dropped something in my book.

Your mother made you come, didn’t she, he drew in a frowny face.

I gave him the same excuse I gave D, just for the sake of consistency and because I didn’t want to admit that he saw right through me.