Chasing Holden

Chapter 1

CARLA'S POINT OF VIEW

I rushed through the school hallway as the bell echoed throughout the school. Kids pushed against each other, yelling and laughing. I pulled my backpack up a little higher as a boy bumped into me. I finally made it out of the school doors and onto the sidewalk. The school year was finally over and I had three months to avoid people before senior year. I watched as kids rushed to the bus, cars, or got into groups with their friends. I stood alone as I watched students walk around me. I then reached into my backpack and grabbed my ear buds. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and plugged the earbuds into it. I unlocked my phone and scrolled through my music. I tapped on the song Scar Tissue by Red Hot Chili Peppers and the song began to play. I was supposed to be walking home by now but I decided to take a seat on the bench.

 I sat down and sat my backpack on my lap. I pulled out an old Bluntman and Chronic comic out of my backpack. I opened it up and started flipping through it. I then turned to the cover of the book and looked down at the bottom. I looked at the author's names. Holden Mcneil and Banky Edwards. Every time I read those names I just couldn't help but smile. They were two geniuses. They created such great comics that were so clever. It was such a shame they stopped working together. I sighed and then opened the book, beginning to read. Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I saw three pairs of feet on the ground. I looked up slowly, already knowing who was standing in front of me. I looked up to see Brandy, Jennifer, and Lisa, the most popular girls in the school. I sighed as they looked at me with evil smirks on their faces. 

"May I help you?" I asked politely, turning my phone off.

"Oh," Brandy said, who was the leader of their little group. "Just wanted to know what you were reading."

"Oh just a comic book," I said with a shrug. "It's actually pretty funny."

"Well let me see," Brandy said snatching it out of my hand.

"Don't rip it-"

"Bluntman and Chronic," Brandy said and looked at me with a smirk. "See girls, I told you she was a pothead."

"You guys smoke weed," I replied. "But I don't."

"Yeah you're right," Brandy said. "But I'm sure you do much worse drugs."

"Actually no," I replied. "Drugs can ruin your life."

"Weed doesn't," Brady replied defensively. "You're just scared because it is illegal. You see, I'm rebellious which gives me a good reputation. I'm fearless."

"Fearless isn't always a good thing," I said, "it can get you killed."

"I'm willing to take that risk," Brandy said. "You want to know why?"

"Why?" I asked.

"Because I'm fearless," she replied as if she were the smartest person in the world. 

"Can I just have my comic back?" I said reaching my hand out.

"Why should I give it back to you?" Brandy asked, pulling the comic away.

"Because it's mine," I replied.

"Oh look girls," Brandy said teasingly, "it's your typical only child. Spoiled rotten and so territorial. Wait a minute...I totally forgot why I was here."

"Why are you here?" I asked.

"Just wanted to know how many girls you screwed around with today," Brandy replied with a smile.

"I didn't screw around with anyone today," I said. "Especially not girls. How many times do I have to tell you that I'm straight?"

"So have you ever even done it?" Brandy asked. 

"No," I replied, "even though it's none of your business."

"Prude," Lisa hissed.

"You know," I said, "it's just not at the top of my list of things I want to at the moment. I'm seventeen so there isn't any reason to do it."

I grabbed my backpack and put it around my shoulders and began to walk away. But then Brandy began to talk again and I stopped walking.

"If it's not at the top of your list of things to do then that means you have no life," Brandy said. "I mean your seventeen so that means you have to do it then you aren't cool."

Kids starting eavesdropping on our conversation and soon started surrounding us. 

"I just don't want to get knocked up," I replied with a shrug.

"Oh," Brandy said, "but I'm sure you'd love for me to get knocked up."

"Why's that?" I asked raising an eyebrow.

"Because you probably think you're mom will make some money off of me," Brandy replied, "since she does kill babies."

"It's called an abortion clinic," I said sarcastically. 

"How does it feel to know that you're mom kills babies daily?" Brandy asked taking a step closer to me and getting into my face. "How do you know she didn't try to kill you once? What does your father think about her job...oh wait. Where is your father? I mean, I've never seen him before. Was he just tired of you and your mom. Was he tired of a baby killing whore and a lesbian daughter?"

"I'm not a lesbian," I said and I could feel tears stinging in my eyes but I held them back. "And I've never even met my father. I've never seen a picture of him and I don't know his name."

"He probably killed himself," Jennifer laughed.

"Tell me what is a baby killing clinic like?" Brady asked in an evil tone.

"Well," I said a smile spreading across my face, "my mom told me a story once about the clinic."

"Let's hear it," Brandy hissed.

"A woman came in to get an abortion about seventeen years ago," I began. "But the abortion ended up failing and she was so depressed because she really didn't want a baby. If I remember correctly...it was your mother who got a failed abortion." 

Brandy's mouth dropped open and she backed away as a huge gasp escaped her mouth. All the students that were crowded around us starting laughing uncontrollably. Brandy raised the comic book in the air and began to tear it to shreds.

"No!" I yelled and dropped to the ground, watching the water fall to the ground. That was my favorite comic book ever. I had read it a ton of times and it was so special to me. It was gone now and it would be impossible to find.

"Take that you fag," Brady hissed in my ear. 

"Are you sure it's me that's the fag?" I  whispered to Brandy, her being the only that could hear me. "Every popular kid is here right now and I don't think you want to push me."

"If you say anything," she replied, "I will destroy you."

She stood up and looked around. She then walked away with Lisa and Jennifer. Soon everyone else walked away. I stood on my knees picking up the pieces of the comic. Then, out of the corner of my eye I saw someone still standing near me. I looked to see my next door neighbor, Brody. He was also Brandy's boyfriend. He looked at me and he looked hurt. A tear escaped my eye the instant I looked at me.

"I'm so sorry," he said walking towards me. He knelt down and began picking up the paper.

"Why are you two together?" I asked with a sniffle.

"I don't have time to go into all of that," he replied. "Peer pressure mostly...I'm so sorry she did this. I know it was your favorite comic and..."

"It was my property," I said. "It's vandalism. Also...you were standing there for a long time. You didn't stop her. You've never stopped her before. I sometimes wonder how I consider you my friend." 

"I have stopped her before," he replied. 

"That was before she started calling my homophobic names and disrespecting my family," I said. "I guess I should get used to it."

"I just thought the more she does it," Brody said, "the worse of a life she'll have after high school because she will deserve it."