He stood for everything she was against and he wouldn't be caught dead befriending someone like her, but when the worst happens and they find themselves in a similar situation, only then will they realize they need each other to discover the anatomy...
Fair warning readers: This contains a little more foul language than usual
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I leaned my forehead against the cool locker, fighting against the headache and heaviness of my eyelids. I hadn't gotten much sleep last night. I was still thinking about my conversation with Caleb and the lies I'd told him. I hadn't thought about that picture in so long-it had been almost two years since it was taken- that it was only a background memory now. I hadn'tbeen asleep, more like blacked out, really. Jasper and I had been on a binge and I've always been a lightweight. We were at his apartment and he thought he'd left me with friends when he went on a sell for King.
I hadn't realized what had happened until I felt the aftershock the next day at school. I'd made it to third period, still high, and everyone had been shocked to see me. Some would laugh behind their hands, others would just follow me with wide eyes. Zealand was the one who told me about it. He was livid, telling everyone to fuck off if he noticed their stares lingering too long. Somehow, the picture had been contained to the students only and no one from the office pulled me out of class to talk. My parents were never contacted. It was a short lived incident and when it was over, I had a shiny new reputation as the class slut, and everyone had had a good laugh. I didn't care though. I didn't care about any of them. Zealand and Marlow told me I should have reported it, but I wasn't being dragged out onto the streets and stoned to death. Most insults were whispered and every laugh was behind my back, so what was the point?
Jasper hadn't just told his roommates off, he'd nearly killed one of them, but I couldn't tell Caleb that. Not when he was looking at me like that. He'd think I was even crazier for defending Jasper for having shot Ricky. It was supposed to be a warning shot, but it found its way into his leg, and they rushed him to a hospital. He claimed it was a hit and run and he'd taken the bullet out himself so it couldn't be traced to anyone. They bought the lie and Ricky now has a bad leg and a fear of guns. He still lives with Jasper. Or he did before...
It felt weird to tell Caleb the story; or half the story. It felt weird to talk to him so candidly. When we were going to the boutique, he'd started asking me questions. I found out he liked classic rock, very predictable, and that his favorite authors were Stephen King and J.R.R. Tolkien, which surprised me. He kept asking me what I liked and what my family was like. He seemed really interested in the fact that dad had emigrated from Mexico when he was a teenager. It was as if he wanted to know more about me. I didn't like that. I didn't want to be his friend. It scared me because eventually, I'd somehow manage to disappoint him. Like I did with everyone.When we got to Zealand's, Caleb was still very quiet and barely looked at me when I said goodbye. Maybe I already had disappointed him.
The rest of the group arrived and grabbed their stuff and we started walking to class together. Marlow still hadn't come back to school and I shot her a quick text, hoping she'd respond soon. If she didn't, I was going to brave my way through her parent's stink eye and visit her at home. Pari hooked her arm through mine as we pushed our way down the hall.
