Screwed

24

The next day at school was worse than almost any other day in my life. Almost. The second worst day.

I stop at my locker and I turn to Luke, who followed me in the building, but as I do, I am hit hard across the face and I shriek, covering my bleeding mouth with my hand. No Luke anywhere.

I hear laughter and Reese pokes his head out behind my locker door, which he hit me with. "Whoops, didn't see you there." He says and I roll my eyes, spitting the blood out in the trash can around the corner. I don't want to acknowledge his existence. But, unfortunately, I am forced to. I am shoved to the ground and all my stuff scattered and I get a sense of déjà vu.

"Would you fucking quit and leave me alone?" I yell and stand, shoving him back. "I'm so tired of you messing with me!" I say. He shoves me back down and growls.

"Don't talk to me that way, bitch." He says. "Seriously want to mess with me?"

"Yeah, I do." I get back up. He goes to shove me but I kick him in the knee and he buckles and lands on the other. He is still tall, for kneeling down and he tries punching me, but I move back and he stands back up. "Why are messing with me and not some freshmen?"

"Because I don't fucking like you and you make it to easy." He says, before I can do anything, he is punched in the face and my books are gathered in the same  second.

"Don't fucking touch my girlfriend." Calum says harshly and Luke hands me my stuff. I walk away, I'd much rather be beaten up by Reese than talk to Calum at the moment. Luke follows silently beside me.

"Molly." Calum calls after me and I ignore him.

"I'm not your girlfriend anymore." I say loud enough for him to here, but I don't sound so sure of myself.

"Yes." He says simply and I stop.

"What? I said no." I say and frown.

"I said yes, because I'm not giving you up." He says.

"Why not?" I ask, trying not to sound like a child.

"Because I love you, Molly!" He says it loudly.

"Well, you better prove to me that Michael was wrong about you before I'll believe you again." I say and continue down the hall.
~~~

I stand in front of Michael before last hour, where I'm going to hide somewhere until class is over. He looks at me and sighs. "Told you." He says.

"How are you so sure that's why I'm here?" I ask him.

"Because you're stupid and naive and you don't give up because you're so stubborn, so there must be a reason." He says and hugs me tightly. I bury my face in my best friend's hoodie and my hands ball in the fabric.

"You told me." I say. "I'm stupid, naive, and stubborn."

"No, you're not, I shouldn't say that. You liked him. You still like him, but it's okay, because I'll kick his ass if you want me to." He says and keeps an arm around me. "C'mon, we'll ditch and you can catch me up." He says and takes my hand.
~~~

Ever since the conversation with my dad, I've been drawn to it, and I knows it's not the good treats. Maybe, just maybe, I'm hoping he would show back up. I sit in the same booth and consciously search for him outside in the sea of people.

"What's with you? You look like your searching for someone." Michael says and cracks a smile.

Some time ago, I would have immediately told him, but I feel as if I need to keep it to myself, I don't feel the same closeness to him that used to feel, not completely.