Hope

Chapter 4

I see Riley walk out of the bathroom. My phone was already up and on the camera. I start snapping as many pictures as possible.
Her eyes widen and she puts her hand up to block her face. She turns around and runs back into the girl's bathroom, knowing I can't go in there.
"Thanks for the photo shoot Riley! I don't need to send them to you, you'll be able to find them all over social media," I call evilly over my shoulder, a laugh at the end to make the whole evil thing really sell.
I start to walk away, and I hear her start crying, I'm guessing for the second time. I feel bad again. That was probably my only shot of a friend. I'm being dumb, I don't need friends. But I do need her to do that project. It's her grade anyways as well, so she'll do it. I put my phone back in my pocket and walk into the classroom.
After a few minutes of sitting there peacefully, quite happy with myself, I see Riley walk back in. She looks fine now, she probably calmed down. As she walks by Kayden and Olivia, Olivia sticks her leg out.
For the second time, Riley goes flying forward. She smacks her forehead off of the desk in front of her and then hits the ground, not moving.
Both Kayden and Olivia start laughing. Kayden gives Olivia a high five. Man, Olivia's cute, I think to myself.
The teacher had just went to the library for the rest of the period to get beginning of the year stuff sorted out, so it looked as if Riley would get no help.
I can't help her, I'll be ruined if I do. I take a quick peak to see if she's moved. She was now moving slowly, taking her hands to her sides to try and help her sit up. As her head lifts off the ground, I see her forehead is all red and starting to bruise, and on the exact spot where it hit the desk, she was bleeding.
The one side of me screamed in my head for me to get up and help her, but I couldn't move. I was frozen. She's a freak, I don't need to help her. What has gotten into me? I roll my eyes at myself and go back to staring out the window.
I glance back over, seeing she had stood up, using the desk to push herself up. Olivia and Kayden were making fun of her.
"I can't stand you, but it seems as if you can't stand in general," Kayden said with an evil grin. That earned a laugh from Olivia.
Riley ignored it, as usual. She finally had enough courage and balance to start walking away from them. She walks back to her seat beside me and sits down carefully.
"That's right, run back over to that ass who thinks he's so cool and deserves to be popular, but in reality he's just Hot Topic with legs!" Kayden said from the other side of the room. Olivia giggled, and the other people laughed quietly too.
That wasn't even a good roast.
"Oh yeah, Mr. Look-at-me-I-play basketball?" (luckily he was wearing a basketball jersey). "You think you're so cool because you play a sport. News flash, that's a common thing. And how's your season been? Oh right, you would know because you have so much time to watch your team when sit on the bench every game, and everyone knows it," I snarled at him, earning "oooo's" from the class.
"It looks like someone's on their period," Kayden said, crossing his arms with an evil smirk. "Why don't you just run home to your mommy and she'll get you some chocolate and new panties," he said so smugly.
"You're the one needing some new underwear, there's so much shit that comes out of your mouth, I can't imagine what goes on down there," I barked back at him.
"Shut it, punk. Now, I'm going to do my work, unlike you who's making their freak that they call their partner do it all," he sneered and sat down.
I sit down as well, and look over at Riley. Her forehead and nose are now bruised.
"Hey, how about we work on this tonight? We didn't get much done this class, and there's more things to make our project better at both of our houses, I'm guessing. Who's house?" I say, trying to sound as nice as possible.
        Her eyes narrow. "Just because of one stupid comment made by Kayden. I said I'd do it, can't you just listen for once?" She said quietly, but hints of anger were showing in her voice.
        I sigh. "Listen, we both don't like him. How about we win those extra credit points so they don't get it. My house, today at 4:00pm. How's that sound?" I asked, really hoping she would just go with it.
        "Whatever," she mumbles. I could tell she started thinking about if she could, maybe she had plans. I remembered this is Riley who I'm dealing with, she was thinking if she has to work or not.
        "Fine, I'll be there," she said quietly.
        I nodded, not too happy about what I just did. I'm going to hate this.

•••

        I'm so done. I hope this day ends soon. I hope Asher doesn't kill me while I'm at his house. I really just want to be done.
        I turn back away from him, looking down at the ground. The bell was about to ring any second now, so I started to pack up my stuff. Asher does the same thing.
        I think back to those pictures he took. He either already posted them, or forgot.
         I bite my tongue, not wanting to say anything unwanted. I want it to be Saturday, work is an escape for me. An escape from the life at home and the life at school.
         I live in a tiny, disgusting apartment with my mom, dad, and sister. My mom and dad were always fighting, but I loved my sister. She was serenity, we could pretend like life was fine, pretend like we both didn't have to work to support our family, and just joke around.
        The bell rings, and I trudge out of the classroom, having another massive headache. I just want to be happy again.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:
16 reads? This is so cool! I'm sorry again if this is crap, I'm currently really tired. I have so many ideas with different ways I can take this, I'm just trying to think of the best way to approach it. I hope you like it, and thank you so so so SO much for reading it!