The Girl Who Rewinds Time [Life is Strange]

Chapter 4: Unpleasant Encounter

I sat slouched in my black leather chair. Pushing my skateboard from left to right under my feet. Browsing the internet. And suddenly my mother texted me. Emily Connors. My mother. Since my dad left us, she has been working her ass off. For herself and me.

E- Hey Daniel. How was school today?
D- boring as usual
E- Sorry to hear that. So what are you doing right now?
D- just chilling in my dorm
E- Make any girlfriends?
D- yo not cool mom. how was your day?
E- It was fine. A little quiet around now but I'm okay.

I hate it when mom talks like that. After dad left and never came back, she's had it pretty rough. One day he said he was going out with some friends. But he never came back. She later found a letter saying he was done with her and that I was the "biggest fucking mistake he ever made." I was about five years old at that time. She never told me until just a few years ago.

E- Call me sometime okay? I love you
D- love you too

I hadn't called my mom in a few days. Probably should one of these days. Just to make her feel better. I unplugged my phone from my stereo and stood up. I put my earbuds in and turned on some more music. I swooped up my skateboard and left my dorm room.

Once exiting the dorms, I waited until I was out of sight to start skating. I checked behind me to see if David was watching. All clear. I jumped onto my skateboard and skated away. I jumped onto the rail with my skateboard and grinded down the rail.

I suddenly caught sight of Max being confronted by Nathan. Warren standing beside them. I'm not really the type to get into someone's business, but I had to see what was going on. I pulled out my earbuds and stopped my skateboard.

"Get away from her, dude!" Warren said, hitting Nathan's shoulder with his palm. Nathan looked at Warren and headbutted him. Sending Warren to the ground. "Hey man!" I called out. "What's your problem?" I said as I gripped Nathan's shoulder. He quickly turned, swatting my arm away and punched me across the right cheek.

"Hey, leave them alone!" I heard Max say. I sat up and placed my hand against my sore cheek. Dazed. Not aware of what's happening.

"Nobody tells me what to do." I heard Nathan say. "Not my parents, not the Principal, or that whore in the bathroom." I finally looked up and saw Nathan's hands around Max's throat. "Stop that! Right now!" Max demanded and ripped her fingernails off of Nathan's face. He pressed his hand to his face. Pushing Max down with the other.

I quickly stood up and sent a fist across Nathan's jaw. He quickly countered with a left punch to my face, then a right fist to the stomach. Dropping me to my knees. He then kicked my ribs. Sending me onto my back. A truck suddenly skidded to a stop in front of Max. She used the hood for support to stand back up.

"Max?" A sudden voice called out. "Chloe?" Max questioned.

"No way. You again?" Nathan said. Gesturing toward the truck. Warren suddenly tackled Nathan and fell to the ground with him. "Go, go! I got this." Warren told Max. Nathan shoved Warren off of him and started to punch him in the face.

"Get in Max!" The voice ordered.

Nathan looked up from Warren and stood up. "Get your punk asses out of there now!" He demanded. "Don't even try to run! Nobody messes with me!" Nathan shouted. "NOBODY!" He shouted again as the truck sped off. Warren and I slowly stood up.

"What the hell is going on here?!" Oh shit. David saw us. "We tried helping Max because Nathan—" "Shut up! Come on, I'm taking all three of you to the Principals office!" David told us, interrupting Warren. "Come on! Let's go!" He said to us. "Just you wait." Nathan said to us. "Enough already!" David said to him. "What's the deal, Prescott? Always starting things up?" David huffed. Nathan shoved his hands in his pockets and walked with us to Principal Wells' office.

************

It took a while before Principal Wells came to talk to us. We sat in an awkward silence until finally Principal Wells and David came into the office. As he walked to the desk, he straightened his tie and cleared his throat.

"Fighting. Threats. Assaulting." Principal Wells listed as he sat at his desk. Warren, Nathan and I sat ashamed in the chairs. "Do I need to report this to the police?" He asked us. "Principal Wells, let me explain—" "No. That's quite all right, Warren. I think Mr. Connors has it covered." He said. "What?" I questioned. Principal Wells looked me in the eye. Locking his hands together and placing them against his chin. "Tell me what happened. All of it..." Shit. He really wants me to explain the situation.

"Uhhh... I was skating—" "So. You disobeyed the 'no skating policy'. Even after I explained to you that skating is NOT aloud on school grounds, correct?" I slowly nodded my head. Refusing to meet his eyes. "Continue." Principal Wells told me. "And I saw Nathan harassing Max. Then he attacked Warren, so I stepped in." I told him. "And was it any of your business?" He asked. I shrugged. "Don't be shrugging your shoulders! You tell him what happened! That's an order!" David demanded. Principal Wells raised his hand. Stopping David from saying anything else.

"I'll repeat myself. Was it... any of your... business...?" I sighed. "No..." "Then why did you intervene? Is Miss Caulfield a friend of yours?" He said. "I'm not sure..." I told him. Principal Wells sat back in his chair. "You're dismissed." He told us. We all stood from our chairs. Nathan gave Warren one last glare before leaving.

Warren slowly closed the door and looked at me. "Thanks for stepping in. I would've had my ass beat." He said. "We both got our ass beat." I told him. "Well, at least you got him once. I just got my ass handed to me." Warren said. "So. How do you know Max?" Warren asked as we started walking out the building.

"She's in two of my classes." I told him as we pushed the doors open.