Strength

Thursday

I sat up in a panic and heavy breathing type of way from dream...no...nightmare. My hear was coming out of my chest. I still see the same images flash through my brain. I was on the track holding my face as blood came out. Everyone was surrounded by Nevaeh. She was laying on the ground crying. They all gave me hurtful looks and Ace came over to me and and slapped me.
"What the hell?" I asked out loud.
I looked at my phone. 4:30.
——
After about ten minutes my breathing was normal again, it my head hurt so bad.
I laid back and looked up at my ceiling soon drifting back to sleep.
——
I woke up just before my alarm and I still see parts of my nightmare it head.
I go to the bathroom and look to see the same thing the gas yesterday. Dark red cut, dark purple and blue bruise.
"The only thing you have to fear is fear itself" I said out loud.
——
I walked into the school one hand wrapped around by backpack strap an the other by my side. I felt free. I felt strong.
I made my way to my locker and as I turned around Mr. H, Kelsey and Carter came into the hallway.
"Good morning Mr. H. Morning Kelsey, Carter."
"There she is. She's back." Mr. H said.
"All I have to fear is fear itself."
"That's a good policy to live by."
"Morning Coach."
"Morning Skylar."
"She's back." Mr. H said smiling.
I laughed.
——-
I checked my watch while Mr. H and coach talked about something with schedule changes.
7:35
Yeah I get to school early. I don't know why.
I was watching a few teachers and other peers pass by in the hall when I saw Xavier.
"Xavier." I called from inside room.
He turned back and came into the room.
"Hi."
His eyes went wide and his jaw dropped.
"Is that what were hiding yesterday?"
"Yup."
"What happened?"
"Long story. Not a story for now."
"Damn. Does it hurt?"
"Only when you touch it."
"Dang. I'm glad your ok."
"Thanks."
We both talked probably another ten minutes and I saw Ace passes by the room.
"Hi Ace." I called out sitting on the desk.
Xavier laughed and Ace came by the room. He looks at me and his eyes went big while his jaw dropped.
He skidded into the room and stopped right in front of me. I smiled and looked at him.
"That's what you meant by see tomorrow?"
"Yeah."
"What happened? Who did that to you? I'll kill em'."
"That's for me to know and you to hopefully not know."
"What's that suppose to mean?"
I shrugged my shoulders he slowly and softly took his finger over the bruise causing me to wince a little.
"Sorry."
"It's fine."
He looked at me and then at Xavier.
"She never told me dude." He said.
"The person who dis that to you needs some Ace up in their face. Why won't you tell me?"
"Cause I'm fine. I have nothing to fear but fear itself."
"You know I'll know one day."
"I do know that. Come on Xavier we got class. See you later Mr. H, Coach."
"See ya later."
And we left Ace there clueless.
——-
•English•
I walked into English and to my luck Mrs. Elliot was standing right at the door.
"Oh my. What happened?"
"Long story."
"Yeah long story you won't even tell me." Ace said walking into the classroom.
"Are you ok?"
"I'm fine, thank you."
"Thank god."
I went to my desk which, no surprise, Ace was already standing by.
"You know this is bothering me right?"
"I do know that. The thing is, if I tell you who did this you would either do one of two things or something completely different."
"Well what's the two things?"
"1. Go off at me 2. Completely not trust me and never talk to again"
He looked at me and then sat down in his seat, still looking at me, giving me a look of what the hell.
I looked at Xavier and he looked at me. He raised his eyebrows and I shook my head.
——-
•Lunch•
Usually at lunch I'm in the computer lab working on my own blog that I just started. Usually it's only me and sometimes Mrs. Hoss, the technology teacher.
I was sitting at the computer looking through designs and styles when Xavier walked into the room.
"This is where you go during lunch?" He asked.
"Yeah."
"What are you doing?" He asked looking over my shoulder.
"Trying to create a blog page."
"That's cool. What you got so far?"
"Nothing really. I'm still trying to get it set up."
"I see."
He sat down in a chair next to me and watched as I tried to se this up.
I closed my eyes trying to think and instead those images from my dream popped into my head.
I breathed out heavy and that sparked something in Xavier.
"You ok?"
"Have you had a nightmare and the next day images keep rolling in your mind from it?"
"After I watched a horror movie and then went to bed. Why?"
"Cause I had a nightmare last night and I woke up in panic almost crying."
"What happened?" He asked scooting a little closer to me.
"All I remember was laying on the track and looking a few feet away from me was someone on the track crating and everyone surrounded around that person. Someone came up to me and slapped me across the face. That's when I woke up."
I wasn't going to tell Xavier the names of who it all was considering he doesn't even know any part of the story. Actually I have been thinking about that. Should I tell Xavier?
"Hey. It was only a dream. Why don't we turn this around and make something happy. You wanna see me attempt a cartwheel?"
"Go for it."
He completely failed that and I laughed.
"Could you do better?"
"Yes."
I got up and did an actual cartwheel.
"Show off."
I stuck my tongue out at he laughed.
"Childish." He said.
———
•End of the Day•
The last bell rang, I grabbed my bag from my locker and decided to join practice again today.
I leaned up against the fence, watching as the boys filed onto the field. Ace caught sight of me and gave me a look of I'm watching you and smiled.
I was watching for about another five minutes when Mr. H and his kids showed up.
"Hi Kelsey, Hi Carter."
"Hi." They both said.
"How was your day dudes?"
"My teacher liked my sentences from what I asked you yesterday."
"That's good."
"What about you little dude?"
"I played dodgeball in gym."
"That's fun."
"Skylar?"
"Yes."
"Is that the girl from yesterday?" Kelsey asked pointing over by the fence.
"Yup."
I caught attention of coach and waved him over.
"Warning label. Nevaeh is here."
He looked by the locker room fences.
"Warning label is right. Thank you."
——-
Mr. H and his kids left half an hour before practice was over so that left me sitting on the bleachers by the railing and swinging my feet off the edge.
"Good practice today boys. Tomorrow's game day."
The boys chanted as they all made their way to the locker room.
I laughed as some were jumping on each other and giving each other high fives.
"Does she come to every practice?"
"Not usually. Ever since the beginning of the week she has been here every day."
I nodded my head.
"Well I probably should get going."
"I'll see you tomorrow."
"Bye."
In my head I wasn't going home. I saw coach go over to the locker rooms and I ran back to the bleachers and sat behind a sign that was covering a part of the railing so no one could see me.
Eventually all the boys came back out for their day before game day speech from coach.
After Coach was done they did their weird chanting thing and then left. I looked past the sign just to see Coach, Ace and, of course, Nevaeh.
"Tomorrow's game day." Coach said.
"Pumped."
"Well I got to get going. Got some work to do" Coach said.
"Wait" Ace said.
"Nevaeh go to the car. I'll be in there in a minute."
"What?" Coach asked.
"Skylar is worrying me. She won't tel me how did that to her and I need to know."
"Why do you need to know?" Coach asked.
"Because She's my best friend and I need to protect her."
"I'm going to tell you I'm a perspective of Skylar. She really want to tell you, but I can see why she doesn't want to. If you found out there is a good chance you will flip out."
"You think can get it out of her somehow?"
"That I don't know. It's more than just a little convincing."
"Ok. Thank you."
"Yeah."
Ace left to his car and I saw him drive away.
"Skylar I know you're here." Coach said.
I stood up and looked at him.
"How?"
"I saw you peek around that sign you're hiding behind."
"Oh."
"Yeah."
"Well thank you."
"You do know how much that's killing him right?"
"Yeah."
"You ever going to tell him?"
"I don't know."
"Do you want to?"
"Yes and no."
"Decisive. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Yeah."
——
•Midnight•
Ace✌️: You awake
Me: Yeah
Ace✌️: I have a question
Me: What
Ace✌️: Do you have something against Nevaeh?
Oh God...how am I suppose to respond to that?
Me: So what if I do? You're her boyfriend. I ain't nothing to her.
Ace✌️: Because you are my friend and you should be happy I have one.
Me: I am happy for you that you have one, just not her. This is something different.
Ace✌️: What is it that you have against her?
Me: ...
Ace✌️: What does that mean?
I didn't even text him back. I just put my phone down and looked at the ceiling. I took a breath and closest my eyes tight.