My New Boyfriend (Sequel to My New Brother)

Part 8

I got out of my bed when my alarm woke me, cursing Tuesdays. Tuesdays need to seriously die. They can burn in hell, along with Mondays. Wednesdays are okay because by then the week is half over. And then there's Thursdays which are pretty cool. Fridays and Saturdays are by far the best. And Sundays make me cry. 

It's only the second day of school...fuck my life!

"Hallie, come here for a second." Mom said.

Sighing and suddenly remembering last night, I got up to see what she wanted.

"Were you in Braden's room last night?" She asked.

"Um...no?" I only went in briefly to give him his food. Why was this such a big deal anyway?

"I know you were." She said.

I didn't know what to think. She was being creepy. "Um yeah actually now that I think about it I went to give him his dinner."

"Oh." She said. "Well, you better hurry. You'll be late for school.

I got as far away from her as possible. She was scaring me. Why would it matter if I was in Braden's room last night?

Now done getting ready, I went to the bus. 

But then I noticed Braden wasn't on it. Where was he?

"Hey." I looked up to see...Nikki. The girl who told Braden she saw what had happened to him on the news.

I looked down immediently. I really wasn't in the mood to make friends.

"Are you okay?' She asked.

"Um yeah." I said.

"Is your brother sick?"

I shrugged. "I haven't seen him all morning."

"Oh." There was a brief moment of silence before I thought it would be best to put in earbuds before it got even more awkward.

"Hey is that My Chemical Romance?"

I nearly jumped out of my seat. "Um...yeah."

"Mama?" 

I nodded.

Nikki smiled. "That one is awesome! But my favorite is This World Is Ugly."

"That one makes me cry." I said.

There was an awkward silence before she was asking what else I liked.

I named a few bands like Green Day and Pierce The Veil and before I knew it I was opening up. I hadn't thought of Braden once and I was talking about something I was passionate about to a complete stranger. And it was a strange feeling.

"Looks like we're here." Nikki said. "I have lunch same period, wanna sit with me? You seem lonely. And if Braden ever shows up you can invite him over."

"Uh maybe." I said. I personally didn't have a problem just sitting with Braden. I only saw him at lunch and P.E. anyway. I know it sounds sad but I don't have any friends. Braden is my friend, boyfriend, and brother combined. Okay that came out a lot worse than I imagined...

I wonder why he isn't here...I know school sucks and he missed the bus but...where is he?

As I walked in the school Nikki disappeared and Monica was suddenly by my side. She bumped shoulders with me. Michael appeared beside her, holding her hand and kissing her. Oh god...they date? Again?

"Hey loser, where's your emo brother?" She sneered. 

Ugh, not today. I decided it best to ignore her.

"I said where is he!" She said before pushing me into the nearby lockers.

I gasped in shock. Being an only child for so long...I had never actually been pushed or hit or anything. And I was scared.

"I don't know!" I said, voice trembling. My head was spinning and people were looking at me. I honestly wanted to die at that moment.

Monica laughed, seeing my scared reaction.

"Maybe he killed himself." She said.

I could feel anger boiling inside of me.

And in a flash she was on the ground, with a nose bleed.

I looked confusingly at my hand, to see it was purple with bruises. What just happened? Did I...punch Monica?

A teacher must of spotted what happened because in an instant Monica and I were led to the principal's office.

"Hallie Coleman and Monica Pearson, hold on, let me get your records." Principal Jackson said.

After a moment he looked up. "Ms. Coleman, why did you punch Ms. Pearson?" He said.

I rolled my eyes. I was tired of this school. But I was also scared. Scared to get in trouble and even more scared how my parents would react.

So I explained how Monica pushed me into the lockers and then was joking about how Braden could commit suicide.

Then he turned to Monica. "Why would you say such a thing about Mr. Coleman? Do you even know how much he's been through?"

Oh god, he knows.

Monica raised an eyebrow but said she didn't know what Braden had been through and that I was twisting her words. She said that it didn't matter anyway because Braden wasn't even at school.

Mr. Jackson sighed. "I am going to have to suspend you both from school by law. Monica, you are suspended for the rest of the week. As for you Hallie...you actually made Monica bleed. She may have pushed you into the lockers and said hurtful things about Braden...but they were just words and you actually hurt her much more severely. You will be off until next Tuesday. I will call both of your parents. They will pick you up today. Go and get your work from your teachers."

When we were sent out, Monica punched me in the cheek.

"Payback bitch." She said with a smirk. "You got me in trouble. Just wait till you get back to school on Tuesday. You're going to pay. And so will Braden.

"He had nothing to do with it!" I said. 

"I don't give a fuck!" She said. "He matters to you so he's going to get it too."

Not wanting to start anything else, I ran to my class to get my homework.

About thirty minutes later I had gotten all my work and was waiting to be picked up.

Mom and dad are going to kill me...