Tic Toc

Chapter Eleven

That day when I got home I sat in my room going through everything in my head again. Zeke some day some how was going to kill himself unless I could do something to make things better for him. His father beat him. His mother is dead. And somehow I could see these things but nothing indicated when they would take place nor how to prevent them.

I began spending as much time as I could with Zeke and the next time Tyler and his hooligans started in I approached that group of assholes and shut them down for what I thought was forever. Later I would find that it really wasn't.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?! Who do you think you are?!" I practically screamed at him.

"Chill sweetheart it's just a joke!" he shrugged me off like it was nothing major just that fact that he was continuously pushing a kid to suicide.

"You're just being an asshole is what you're being!"

"Woah watch your language little girl you wouldn't wanna end up looking like your boyfriend here."

At that I pushed him, "Shut the hell up Tyler!"

He smiled, "You shouldn't have done that!" and he punched me in my face right in the center, bloodying my nose, "Take that you little bitch!"

I had enough time to pull back for a rebound before the principal was present and the three of us were being ushered into his office.

The principals office wasn't at all inviting. In fact it was the entire opposite. It was rather plain and just overall felt like a terrible place to be. He invited us all to sit down and the three of us did so, strategically I placed myself between Tyler and Zeke making sure my body language read that I would not hesitate to beat the shit out of Tyler had he tried something smart.

"What happened in the hallway just now?" the principal asked us.

None of us were eager to explain, I figured the first one to speak should be the less guilty one in the end so I made that person me, "Tyler was bullying Zeke! He bullies him everyday sir and I'm afraid of what the end result will be."

The principal looked confused but said nothing, instead Tyler spoke, "It was just a joke sir, Freak--I mean Zeke understands. Don't you Zeke?" Zeke said nothing. The principal turned to me.

"What did you mean Lyndsey when you said you were afraid of the end result?"

"I'm afraid that.. that Tyler is pushing Zeke to choosing to commit suicide," the second I said it Zeke shifted away from me and would no longer meet my gaze as I looked over to him.

"Do you have reason to believe that Zeke has the intent to kill himself?" I said nothing so he turned to Zeke, "Zeke are you inclined to hurt yourself?" Zeke shook his head and folded his hands.

"Sir I think that Tyler and his lot ought to be suspended," I suggested.

The principal shook his head, "Lyndsey it was merely a little joke and besides Tyler along with all his buddies have a big football game to play this Friday, can't have them missing that!" A football game? Never mind that Zeke's life was at risk and I sat holding a towel over my still gushing nose; as long as they didn't miss a few players for the game!

After a short while we were dismissed. I approached Zeke and tried to apologize for what I had said and explain why I was so nervous when he reached up and touched a finger to my lips in the shh movement that parents use against there own children, pulled on his headphones and in doing so his sleeves rolled up.. what did I see? Both arms were marked with scabbed over horizontal scratches.. He was already drifting too far...