They Don't Know (BOOK TWO)

Chapter 27

"Dough boy you're here!" Corey looks up from his locker to see Sevyn running towards him with Monica, the twins and Shaun sauntering behind her. She grabs him in a tight hug around his torso and it takes all his will power not to scream out in pain as she squeezes his hurting ribs.

"You're acting like I've been gone forever. I was only out for two days," he laughs.

"Yeah but I haven't heard from you in four days." Sevyn corrects, looking up at him.

He shrugs, "Touché,"

The rest of their friends meet up with them and gather around Corey's locker. "Where you been bruh?" Shaun asks dapping him once Sevyn has let him go.

"I was sick with some kind of stomach bug,"

Malcolm scrunches up his eyebrows, "I thought you had a virus and a temperature."

Corey tries not to let it show that he's just been caught in a lie. "Yeah but the stomach bug started it. I was throwing up then I caught the weird virus that had me coughing and stuff." He babbles out, hoping it sounds reasonable.

"Ew," Monica takes a step back from him, scrunching up her face.

"I'm over it now though," He says but Monica's scrunched up face remains.

"Good morning!" Talia's sweet voice sings and Monica steps to the side to allow her to stand by Ty.

Shaun clears his throat, "Let me go before I receive another bloody nose." He says, not even bothering to look at Ty. "I'll see y'all later." They watch as he walks off down the hallway into the mass of students.

Sevyn crosses her arms and looks at Ty, "You're just gonna let him go?"

"What am I supposed to do?" Ty asks. His friends just give him blank looks and he glares back. "I don't get why y'all are looking at me like I'm the one at fault, he started with me."

"You punched him in the face!" Monica exclaims, "I mean I love Sevyn but if she did that to me I'd lay her ass out and cut ties with her till she apologizes."

"We're two different people Monica," Ty retorts.

"But she's right Ty. Just be the bigger person and stop being so immature," Talia says with pleading eyes. She gently rubs his shoulder but he shakes her off.

"I don't care what any of y'all say. I'm not apologizing to him. He needs to man up," Ty says then turns and walks away from his friends. He walks stiffly with his shoulders tensed up, roughly pushing pass anyone in his way. Corey watches his two friends walk away in separate directions. He knew they weren't talking but damn, this is the longest they've gone without interacting.

Talia looks at Malcolm and Corey. "Can y'all please talk to him?"

"He's not going to listen. Stubbornness runs in our family," Malcolm says looking at Sevyn.

She narrows her eyes at him, "What's that supposed to mean?"

He chuckles, "Nothing,"

Talia makes a sound of frustration. "Maybe I should talk to Shaun then. Since I know Ty is just going to distract me by kissing me or something."

"He does have magical lips," Monica says. All eyes shift towards her and she blushes bright red. "What? Just ask the tons of girls he's been with."

Talia looks at her suspiciously then looks away. "I'll try to talk to Shaun later. Maybe he'll understand if he hears it from my perspective."

Malcolm laughs, "Good luck with that." He says beginning to walk away from the group. Talia sighs before leaving to go to her next class.

Now it's just Monica, Sevyn and Corey. They stroll down the halls with five minutes to spare before the bell rings. "So it was really cold yesterday and I had to go to work. You know what I needed Sevyn?" Corey asks.