Set Free

Chapter 11: For the Sake of my "Friends"

I wasn't exactly sure why I liked Sana, maybe I didn't at all. But I knew for sure that I liked seeing the look on Eddie's face when I placed my arm around her shoulder. He looked at me with anger hotter than the sun, I could feel it as he glared at me. I hardened my stare at him, and from the corner of my eye I could see Reggy watching both of us with a scared look on his face for the battle he knew was about to come.

"All right we're almost t-there guys." Reggy said, his voice cracking in the process.

No one replied, besides getting a loud huff from Eddie we all kept walking a couple more blocks until we reached one of the scariest places known to child kind. A place where there was a fight around every corner, lots of homework, stress, and sometimes even death. I let go of Sana as all four of us walked side by side, looking like a confusing crew of mixed up and messed up people. Compared to us, everyone looked so much younger, so much more healthy, much more put together than I think I had ever been in my whole life. Guys wore cheery smiles and clothes that had no holes in them and hadn't been faded to the point where they lost their colour. Girls had bright smooth skin and glossy hair to compliment their clouds of nice clothes and perfumes wafting through the sidewalk like cooked food through a restaurant. Most importantly, none of them had bags underneath their eyes that had been there for years like we all did. The school itself was normal, basic even. We just didn't fit that style at all.

I was glad I wore a hat today. Since Jamal cut some chunks out of my hair a month ago, and given the fact I dyed it over and over again, my hair didn't grow back that fast. Meaning I still had bald patches in some places while kids here had hair that glistened in the morning sun.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Eddie asked staring at Sana who stood by his right side.

"I don't know what I'm doing ever, as we learned this morning." She said not looking at him but rather stared straight forward and walked faster with the rest of us standing behind her.

"You know I didn't mean-" Eddie began but cut himself off by giving up and sighing running to catch up with her.

As they walked far ahead of us now Reggy and I walked in silence. I knew he was still on edge from the glares between Eddie and me, but bringing up issues was hard for me even if I knew it would get worse by staying quiet.

"You know he likes her a lot. Don't fuck this up by playing with his and her emotions." Reggy said instantly as if he knew what I was thinking about.

"What do you think I'm going to do? Get involved in some stupid love triangle just to see him angry?" I asked huffing as I looked at my shabby clothes and rough slim appearance in the reflection of a water puddle we walked through.

"If you already have an idea of what would happen in your head, then I think I'm not the only who believes that would happen. You and Eddie have your differences of course and a rocky friendship nonetheless. If you don't really have feelings for her, don't make it worse by getting in their way, I don't want to go to the hospital again any time soon." He said turning his face away from me emotionless and continued a couple steps ahead of me.

"What the hell, does everyone see me as this jealous petty monster?" I thought to myself stomping with all my might into the next puddle I saw causing water to fly up hitting my clothes and my face causing other students to stare. Their eyes were puzzled as they carried their books in their arms talking quietly to their friends as they stared in my direction. Tugging my hat on lower I continued into the building shoving my hands into the pocket of my torn jeans with dirt on them hoping no one got that on camera.

***

"And with that concludes our first day of Biology, now just to get through the rest of the year..." My sad science teacher responded as the bell rang confusing us if even he wanted to be here. The bell rang sending everyone running for the door, and just as I was ready to bolt someone called my name.