Fight Back

3| one vivid dream

Running. Running from what seemed like a human-sized spider ready to eat me up alive. My long brunette hair, covered in what felt like mucus.

Thank the lords for my hard-training, my lungs had been trained for endurance and agility that I could ninja my way out of this mess. I had been running forever, looking for a spot to hide, my eyes gawk at a cave-like structure easy enough to fit a 5"6 like me if I stoop.

Accelerating into the cave, somehow the black widow spider had managed to catch up into the cave. I run and run until I stumble upon a wall; a dead-end.

What. The. Hell.

I try to find a way around. Maybe there's a magic button that could flip this thing? I press around, it didn't help that the scenery was dark either.

Stomp. Stomp.

Panic rose in my chest, this is it. This is where I die. I knew it. Marissa Kenley devoured by a beasty Black Widow in a Texas Cave.

In one bug swoop, I was taken by the black widow. "NOOOOOOOO!" I screamed.

"What the hell!" A male voice barks breaking me out of my vivid dream.

I had fallen asleep in detention.

Looking around, I see a male figure standing tall, Tyler King. The monkey responsible for this morning's ruckus. If it hadn't been for him, I wouldn't find myself in detention, being eaten by spiders during lunch.

Mr. Gartke wasn't in the classroom. Just me and Tyler King.

"What? You haven't heard the word no before?"

"Usually, it's a yes from the girls. But I was disgusted by the image of you drooling while asleep, Kenley."

Albeit flattered by the fact that Ember High's most popular guy at least knew my last name, I didn't show this.

"hey, I have it worse. Waking up to seeing your face."

"Yo-" I cut him off saying "My 20 minutes of detention is up, try not to fill the room with your large ego, King."

I hear him curse under his breath before I padded out of the Gartke's old dusty room. I took a big gulp of air before heading to the cafeteria to meet up with the leadership group.

"Hey! Where were you?" Dana greets scooting over to the side of the long bench offering me a seat.

"Oh, you know, just the l-library. Looking for a book." I couldn't tell this group I was 20 minutes late to lunch because I was in detention. That would be a bit shameful for the President of the leadership group to be in detention.

"What book was it?" Hanna chimes in smiling. "I was just in the library. I didn't see you though."

"Uh, maybe you just need to clean your glasses. I was definitely there looking for a book called the uhh- the- ermm Harry Potter."

The whole crowd of at least 7 people nodded their heads in reply. Emmet and I shared a look. He knew I was in detention, heck he was partly the reason I'm in detention.

"So, what were you guys talking about?" I ask in desperation of change of topic.

"We were planning on holding a fall festival that would invite junior high kids to welcome them into our school," Emmet says.

"I like that idea. An open house and a festival at the same time."

We continued on having a conversation about this fall festival but the bell rang amidst our planning.

"Drat! We'll get back to this later? After school, room 2301," I state, followed by everyone nodding their heads and walking off into different directions.

"Mer, wait up! I'll walk you to your class." Emmet jogs towards me. "So how's you and your bestie, Karen?"

I laugh in reply, nudging him slightly.

"We're amazing, bonding over dried up mascara and boy stories," I reply, sarcasm lacing through my voice.

---

The bell finally rang and students eager to leave filled the hallways of the school.

Internally, I was doing a victory dance. But outside, I pulled a casual face, smiling at Karen who'd passed me at the hallway.

I had already made my way outside when I realized, the meeting at room 2301. A groan escaped my lips, I turn around re-entering the doors of Ember High.

"So, about that fall festival, let's brainstorm booths and such, Dana take notes," I say with a level of confidence tracing my voice.

I send a quick text to my mom saying I'll be home late and to not wait for me.

"Ok, sweetheart! I'll leave some food in the fridge for you xx -Mum"

An incoming text made my phone vibrate in my pocket, "You have a game tonight -Dionne"

Great.

The meeting was finally adjourned. We had successfully finalized the details of this year's fall festival being held in the school field one week from now.

"You need a ride home?" Emmet offers. "I got my lambo today, you'll be the first person to sit on the passenger," he adds.

"Thanks Emmet but I think I'll pass. I have a game tonight."

"Ok, take care," he says before he walks away but I didn't fail to notice his lip curling in disapproval.

I sigh before I get up and head to my locker, grabbing my spandex shorts, sports bra, and leather jacket to protect me from the cold.

I head to girl's locker room where I'd left my balaclava.

Stepping outside, I'd realized the lights were all off. I have an empty school in my hand, no cameras, no lights.

Doing the unthinkable, I jog to the male locker rooms, I've always wondered what it looked like inside.

Pink lockers? Messy? Stinky?

Pushing the door open, a wave of mist greeted me. The lights were on, meaning someone had been here.

"What the fuck," a male voice had greeted my presence. 

There I was, looking like I'd came from an ACDC concert, balaclava in one hand. And there he was, Tyler King, in his half-naked glory, towel covering his male friend.

Hair wet and disheveled, grey misty eyes, water dripping down his chiseled abs, soccer jersey on the ground.

1..2..3..4..5-

"Eyes up here, sunshine," Tyler says breaking my ogling business. My eyes shoot up as I realize where I'd been looking but it was no use when my eyes keep coming back down.

I hate to say this, but Tyler King's 6-pack was magnet to my eyes. Or anyone's eyes for that matter.

What was he doing in school, showering, at 6 pm?  I rack my brain for a logical response, but all I could process was to run the hell away. So I did.

I fled away from what I thought was an empty school. I dart to my car. Drove to the warehouse past the speed limit.