Tainted

Chapter 7: Please Take Me Before Tomorrow, Amen

The entire rest of the week I spend avoiding Jesse. And by avoiding I literally mean switching lunch lines and getting something else for lunch just so I don't have to be within ten feet of him. I still feel his eyes on me, watching my every move and reaction to the things that happen around me but I never even glance in his direction anymore. Jase still hasn't exactly backed off, sure he's found a new victim, a little freshman who's taken quite the interest in the junior. I don't know how to really warn her but it appears the 14-year-old girl knows exactly what she's in for when she's around Jase, sticking her butt out as far as she can when she's in front of him or pushing her not so developed chest in his direction for his eyes to glue themselves to.

All in all, I guess I've had a pretty ok week since Monday, then again it's only my third week here and three quarters through the school year. Macey, Vicky, and I all plop down next to Rico and James as they're suddenly in the middle of another debate about some random crap that really doesn't matter whatsoever in life but the best friends seem to enjoy fighting with each other.
"I just think schizophrenia is, in fact, demon possession, I mean people are literally seeing things that aren't there," Rico explains and I abruptly stand at that word.
"Uh, I'll be right back," I stutter and before anyone can question me I'm sprinting throughout the cafeteria and into the bathroom stumbling into the furthermost stall and locking myself in it as chills run up and down my body, my day immediately ruined just at the mention of the wretched word that ruined my life.

A sob suddenly escapes my body as I huddle on top the toilet and let my insides turn cold as memories suddenly crash down on me. I feel something in me bending to the point of almost snapping and I know if I don't calm down right now I will, in fact, have a panic attack.
"Kira?" Katie's soft voice echoes throughout the bathroom and my head shoots up in panic. Stumbling to the stall door I slide out to find Katie walking towards me, concern etched onto her features.
"Kira what's wrong?" her soft voice coos.
"I've just been having some really bad cramps and thought I was going to throw up," I lie through a small smile and she nods her head in understanding.

"Well come on let's get some food in you," she instructs kindly while leading me out of the bathroom. Once we slide out eyes suddenly draw towards us as I realize that I literally sprinted across the entire cafeteria in front of everyone towards the bathroom, well shit. One pair of eyes I meet and chew on my lip, Chris stares me down as I walk back to my table. He knows I wouldn't act like that unless it was about him and I know I'll hear about this later today.

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Dinner is silent as tension builds up, my mother's eyes are glazed over meaning she must've been forgetting to take her medicine lately and I haven't even noticed, so she most likely doesn't know what's going on around her whatsoever. Despite my mother's constant reliance on medication I still admire her. I mean she lost the love of her life, twice, once in the Accident and the other time in the Incident, yet she's still here and alive, protecting us with everything she has left. So yes, I do admire her with all my heart.

"Kira what was that," Chris breaks the silence eyeing me across the table.
"What was what?" once again stupidity takes over and I play dumb, well don't exactly play dumb I am pretty dumb.
"Kira," he sighs his food still untouched and I chew on my lip nervously.
"They were talking about it," I sigh and his eyebrows scrunch together in confusion.
"Talking about what?" he asks.
"The illness," it's barely audible but enough for my brother's posture to stiffen as he abruptly stands, leaving the room and his full plate of food.

That illness has done a toll on our family, my mother sits staring at her food, she probably wasn't listening to a single word we were saying thank God. Standing up I take all of our plates and shove the food into containers for tomorrow's dinner cause none of us exactly have an appetite. Then I go over to the cabinets and grab my mother's anti-depressants, slipping them in front of her and staring down at her as her eyes don't even move, she probably doesn't even know I'm here right now.