Transition

11

*** TRIGGER WARNING FOR USE OF HOMOPHOBIC SLURS AND VIOLENCE ***

Silence took us all over, namely the four of us who weren't trying to instigate. Kayley was on her phone, every so often scoffing at the screen or muttering snide comments to herself. Kayley had changed from the nice girl that I once knew into... well... whoever the hell she was on Riley's front steps. Riley herself, on the other hand, was very much the same. She didn't confront Kayley for the comment she had made about her cousin, and she kept quiet. Maddie, Dylan, and I were all texting each other on a group chat to keep from starting anymore drama.

Dylan's face still held a scowl, and her eyes would gradually go from giving Maddie meaningful glances to giving glares to Kayley, who would smirk right back at the older girl. I looked to Riley, who was sitting in silence, fiddling with her fingers. I nudged her softly with my elbow, looking into her soft brown orbs and smiled at her awkwardly. She grinned shyly, nudging me back.

"Again with this?"

My eyes snapped up to Kayley, whose look of disgust was back in action. Dylan snapped, "Do you have a problem with Sawyer too or are you just that bitchy?"

Maddie put a hand on her girlfriend's shoulder and muttered loud enough for only she and I to hear her, "Lans, she's not worth it. Let it go."

Or so we thought.

"Yeah 'Lans'- I'm not worth it," Kayley commented. "Hopefully you are though. Once everyone in this town figures out what you and your precious little girlfriend are up to-"

Riley's face paled and she whispered, "Kay-Kay please stop-"

"No no, Riley. Your cousin has been acting like she's 'all that' for years, and it's about time some brought her down a peg or two. And why are you defending her? You know she knows something about Savanna! Plus she's a lesbian-"

"And what's wrong with that?" I asked, finally speaking up to Kayley. Her eyes narrowed, but I didn't waver my gaze. I took a deep breath and continued, "You don't even know that for sure, but if Maddie was gay, and dating Dylan, what's the problem with that? It's not like she has some kind of contagious disease or something. Being gay just means you love someone that's the same gender as you, not that if she breathes the same air as you you're gonna get sick-"

"Gays make me sick," Kayley barked, and added, "And I know she is. I found a love note to her girlfriend over there on the lunch table one day this week. I've just been waiting till the right time to mention it. Turns out I didn't have to wait that long."

There was an eery silence that overtook us. It felt like time had stopped, and even though this didn't quite affect me whatsoever, I felt fear overtake my being, and I could tell when I looked at Riley, the same had happened to her. But Maddie looked like she couldn't breathe, and her eyes were filled with panic and a sliver of anger. Dylan, on the other hand... everything felt as though it happened in slow motion. Kayley continued to talk, but her words were falling on deaf ears. But Dylan lunged at the girl, and not in the "pulling hair, scratching eyes out" kind of way... instead, she grabbed the girl by the collar of her shirt and began to wail on her with her closed fist that connected to Kayley's face without any sign of stopping. Punch after punch landed and the oldest Latina's eyes showed no intention of stopping.

Maddie jumped into action, trying to pry her girlfriend off of the girl we'd known since a young age. I couldn't help but feel proud of the older girl. Dylan had no hesitation when jumping in for Maddie when not even her own cousin could do the same. As Maddie wrapped her arms around her girlfriend, the girl snarled, "You leave her the fuck alone and shut your fucking mouth!"

Riley then helped to pry Dylan off of Maddie, and took to her best friend's aid. Even with only about ten or so landed punches, she had caused a significant amount of damage to Kayley, who was still spewing nonsense from her lips and I couldn't help but wish she would just stop.

"Is that all you've got, faggot?!" Kayley screamed as Maddie attempted to drag Dylan away from the girl. "You hit like a pussy!"

Dylan tried to rip out of Maddie's firm hold, "Then why didn't you hit me back, you piece of shit?! But hey, if you think that that was nothing, I can come give you another taste-"

"Baby please stop," Maddie begged and whirled around in front of Dylan so the smaller girl could face her. I made my way to them to attempt to keep Dylan from getting back to Kayley, who was getting some help from Riley to stand up. Blood and cuts riddled her face that was dark in rage, and she was still talking, but only Riley seemed to have been listening. Maddie's green orbs were filled with tears but she caressed the older Latina's face, searching into brown eyes. I put a hand on each girl's shoulder, trying to steer them down the driveway to my truck, but once the two girls made eye contact it was difficult to move them. Maddie whispered, "Please..."

Dylan's face softened and she nodded wordlessly. I looked between the two and said, "Alright ladies we need to go before the situation escalates more... go wait in my truck and I'll drive you home."

They didn't argue with me and they did as I asked, which was abnormal, at least for Maddie. But her focus was elsewhere as she lead her bruise-knuckled girlfriend to my truck, placing a hand on her back so that if Dylan did try to run back to Kayley, she could intercept her. Once they hopped into my vehicle, I turned toward Riley and Kayley, who were now in their own heated conversation. I sauntered over to them and without looking to the beaten girl's way, awkwardly murmured, "I'm gonna take them home, so... I guess I'll see you around?"

Riley nodded and gave me a small, sympathetic smile before turning back toward Kayley. I easily drowned out whatever bullshit was spilling from the Desai girl's mouth.

In less than an hour and a half, what was supposed to be a calm day had turned into a fight club.

...

Author's Note:

I wasn't planning on posting this one this soon, however, this is my present to my best friend Noah, who turns 19 today!

I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I really fucking hate Kayley Desai with a passion (even though she's my own character) so this gave me life to write.

Anyways, happy Monday!

- Mason