Who He Is

fourteen

Reece was red in the face as he charged up towards me with Marc trailing closely behind with a worried look on his freckled face.

"Where have you been?" Reece hissed, attempting to keep his voice low.

"I've been sick." I replied, growing annoyed at having to say that same damn thing every time someone asked. It's a lie obviously, but I couldn't say the truth.

"Bullshit." He spat as I held back a laugh from seeing his missing front tooth that was very visible from being just inches from his face.

I should feel bad for him, but deep down I knew he deserved that.

"Whoever that guy you're dating is, I want his information. He's paying to get this shit fixed." He pointed to his mouth and I instantly rolled my eyes.

"Not happening." I told him, knowing damn well his rich dad could easily pay for it.

"I had my parents call your mom already this morning. I'm sure they'll be happy to know you've been hanging around with some thirty year old." He smirked, leaving me speechless.

Of course he would do that, I should have known.

"Fuck you, Reese." I hissed, trying my hardest to eliminate the urge to break another tooth in his mouth.

I instantly turned on my heel and walked away from who I thought was one of my best friends with tears welling up in my eyes. My mom pretty much knows now that I skipped school, and on top of that she thinks I was with a man that's thirty years old.
This isn't going to hold up well.

I ignored Natalie's call for me and kept walking towards the library to wait for lunch hour to be over; I had to finish the rest of my classes for the day. It was agonizingly hard trying not to go towards the exit, believe me, but I knew J wouldn't let me hear the end of it if I went home early.

I felt a little at ease knowing that I would be at home way before my mother, but it was concerning that she hasn't tried to call or text me yet.

I feared, however, that it was just the calm before the storm.

J

I contemplated leaving again after Jessa left for school. I hated that I even considered it, for it would definitely crush her, but her parents- well, mom, would be back soon and I couldn't keep hiding in her damn closet like some sneaky high school kid trying to get some.

I frowned at my thoughts as I filled up the large bowl that's probably meant to be used for popcorn with cereal and milk. After starving and barely getting by with scraps for years, Jessa's tiny ass cereal bowls weren't going to do it for me. I usually ate until I couldn't anymore, just in case it was the last time I could eat like this. It felt good as hell to be full, and it felt even better not to have my damn ribs showing as much as before.

I was getting more comfortable with showing my skin around Jessa, which is something I never thought would happen. I thought back to when she'd caress her fingers over the burns and cuts, and I remembered how it hurt but yet, felt so fucking good.

I've had girls touch me over the years, mostly too-cheap hookers that roamed the streets, unfortunately. Obviously none felt like jess, not even close. They were always cold and she was always warm, even that night in the rain her one single touch warmed me up in seconds.
Fuck-I hated that I was feeling this way about her, because if I wasn't I would have left days ago and saved her from the complicated bullshit that my life entails.