Royce’s POV
Renee and I have been friends since second grade. We are friends, not close friends, but we hang out in groups , well, at least, we did. Now that she has her new pack of famous friends, she’s always with them, so she doesn’t have time for us anymore. I can’t even remember the last time we even had a conversation. She even left our lunch circle, we sit in the art courtyard, I sit with my best friend Jason, my twin Ricky, and our friend Aaron. I see her walk by everyday, but she never sees me. She’s a whole different person now. She’s popular now.
Today I saw her coming our way, she was going to walk right past us again, as usual, but some guy came behind and grabbed her arm. She turned around, he gripped her arm harder. She said, “Cameron, let go of my arm.” She was very calm. He yelled, “No! You listen to me!” she struggled, she got her arm free and tried to run away. He caught her again though, “Damnit Renee! I said listen!” He slapped her in the face so hard it echoed through the courtyard.
Everyone was silent, they were all watching. I wanted to stand up and do something, but someone was holding my shoulder, it was Ricky, “She left us, she’s done with us, so we’re done with her.” I looked back at Renee and the guy. He was up in her face saying something to her. No one could hear him, except Renee, you could see the tears she was trying to fight back. She was scared. He walked away, she put her hand to her cheek, and walked away.
Ross’s POV
Renee came over to us at lunch and sat down; she had a big bruise on her cheek. “Whoa, Renee what happened?” She sat down, “Nothing. I ran into a locker.” Ratliff said, “Yeesh, did that locker have fists?” She said, “Like I said, I ran into it.” I said, “Here.” And handed her my cold water bottle, she pressed it to her face like an ice pack. She winced as she held it there.
After school I went over to her house and her mom let me in. I walked into her room and sat down next to her on her bed, she looked up once she felt the movement on the bed. She smiled, “Hey.” Her bruise looked even worse. I said, “How’s your bruise?” She said, “It’s sore.” I said, “Are you ever going to tell me what happened?” She said, “I did, I ran into a-“ I said, “Stop, you can either tell me what really happened or don’t even bother.”
She said, “Ross, calm down, it’s nothing.” I said, “No, it’s not. If someone’s hurting you I want to help. I’ll talk to her, sign a few posters, it’ll all go away.” She said, “Well, I don’t think that he, will want a poster.” Girls at our school like me, I'll just give her some concert tickets and she'll leave you alone. She said, "But the thing is, it's not a she." I was shocked, "Wait, a guy hit you?" She nodded and said, "Never mind, I'm fine, just, don't worry about it."
I said, "Renee, this is serious, that guy has a problem, a guy is never supposed to hit a girl. That is not okay, I-" she cut me off, "Ross, slow down, I can't understand you. You're mouth is moving too fast. I can't read your lips." I said, "Right, sorry. Renee please, tell me who did this to you." She said, "Ross, please, just leave it alone." I said, "You tell me now, or I walk outta here." I could see it in her eyes, she wanted to tell me. Why wouldn't she?
She said, "I, I can't." I said, "Than I'm sorry to hear that." I went out her window and climbed into my room. I looked back at her, there were tears in her eye. I slammed my window shut and closed the curtains. Rocky walked in, "You okay? I heard the window." I said, "I just had a fight with Renee." He said, "Cut her some slack man, she looks like she was already in one."
I said, "A guy did that to her face. A guy." Rocky said, "Whoa, do you know who?" I said, "No, she won't tell me." He said, "Lets go talk to Riker, he'll know what to do." We went downstairs Rydel walked in the door with Cameron. I said, "Hey Cam, what's up?" Rydel said, "We're dating now." Rocky said, "Hey congrats! Have you seen Riker?" Cameron said, "Oh yeah, he walked out when we pulled up in the driveway. I think he went next door."
I went back up to my room, and I peeked through the curtain. Riker was in there, he was trying to talk to Renee." I shut the curtain and fell asleep. The next day at lunch, Renee came to lunch with a bloody lip. Rydel took a napkin and poured some water on it. She handed it to Renee who dabbed it on her lip. I could see her trying not to cringe. She said, "It's not that bad." I said, "Tell us. Or we can't be friends anymore."
She said, "Fine, but then Rydel has To step away for a minute." Rydel said, "No, I want to hear it too." Renee said, "Alright, it's Cameron." Rydel looked shocked, everyone did but me and Riker. She hid from him for a reason, right? Rydel stood up, "You're lying! You just want attention!" Renee said, "I'm not making it up." Rydel said, "Lies." Renee pleaded, "Rydel, please." Rydel said, "No, we've known Cameron since we were kids. He's never do that."
She pointed at her face. She said, "You need to leave." Renee was about to say something when Rydel said, "Go." Very sternly. Renee put her bag over her shoulder, she looked at all of us, then got up and left. I said, "Rydel!" She sat back down, "Who have we known longer her or Cameron?" We all said Cameron and she said, "Exactly. She lied to us. Okay, and I swear, if any of you contact her or talk to her ill, I'll, I'll quit R5." I said, "ok Rydel, now you're overreacting." She said, "I'm serious." The rest of lunch was dead silent.
