Messages on a Coffee Cup

Chapter 4

  I had told Kimberly a billion times already! I wasn't ready for a relationship yet! Plus, what if Ethan turned out to be a jerk or, I don't know, a serial killer. I mean seriously, I had met him 12 hours ago.

   After Kim left, I started working on my English assignment that was given to us the day before. We had to write an explanation about an experience that has changed our lives so I decided to write about the day I dislocated my knee cap as, to this day, I still walk with a barley noticeable limp. It was probably the worst day of my life, I mean who wouldn't love to have their patella take a random vacation to the left side of their knee. The description consisted of 85% swear words and 15% gross  wording that made me sound like a homicidal psychopath. After about 20 minutes, I officially gave up on the impossible task of writing a creative and descriptive, yet clean poem at eleven-thirty at night and sunk into my soft bed, allowing beautiful sleep to pull me into it's wondrous abyss of darkness. 

~

   Two days later, I walked through the dreadful doors of the jail most people call "Westfield High" and met up with my group of

"friends" in front of my locker. There was tall and blonde Anika West, druggie extrordinaire; this girl was friends with me since grade four but I barely talked to her anymore since every time I try, she would offer me a joint. Designated clique: The Stoners. Then there was Cece Forester, long story short, she would try and screw anyone that looked her way. Designated clique: The Maneaters. Finally, there was Opal Saunders. She ditched me for the extravagant life of botox and mansions. Girlfriend of the ever rich Corey Griffin, she basically ran the school. Designated clique: The Plastics. Each of these bitches have turned on me in some way but they seemed to stick around once they realized that I had more dirt on them than anyone else in this abnormally large juvinile institution. After years and year of putting up with their bullshit, today was the day I broke up the squad.

   "Listen, guys. I've had enough of faking it, go away. I know the only reason you guys have been sticking around is because I know all of your secrets. I promise, I won't tell anyone anything. Just leave me alone."

   With that, each of them glared at me in disgust.

   "Wow Holland. After everything we've been through," Opal whined.

   "Oh shut up! We have been through nothing. The only thing you guys have done for me is stand her and make it look like I actually have friends. Now leave me the fuck alone!"

   The school warning bell rang, relieving me of further explaining and sending the girls walking to their respective classes.

   "Have fun being a loner!" shouted Anika in mid stroll.

   "I'd rather be alone than have the constant stench of marijuana following me around," I retorted.

   She flipped me off and headed to her Chemistry class, stumbling past a garbage can and almost crashing into the lockers.

   Trainwreck.

~

   I completely slept through first and second period, leaving a remarkably red mark on the bottom of my chin where my hand had been resting to hold up my 300 pound head. I left second period French in a hurry, switched my books, and bolted to English all the way on the other side of the school. I entered the classroom to find some girl sitting in my spot. Annoyed, I tapped her on the shoulder and told her to move her skinny little ass back to her desk.

   She shruged, "Sorry, some new guy took my seat".

   New guy my ass. Frustrated, I sat down two seats over, put my head down, and waited for class to start. Mrs. Bullard walked in with a stack of papers the size of the Burj Khalifa* and set them on her desk.

   "Good afternoon guys. I would like to introduce you to a new student here at Westfield High. He moved here last week all the way from Chicago.", she exclaimed while gesturing in my direction.

   Confused, I looked behind me and there he was. His piercing blue eyes stared into mine as he seductively whisperd my three favorite words, "Grande pumpkin spice".

*Burj Khalifa: Tallest building in the world built in 2004 located in Dubai. I would usually use this word to describe abnormally large objects.