How He Broke

Can't Face You (Tate's POV)

I walked into school Monday morning feeling more off than normal.

I hadn't seen Sage in a little over a month, and now that fall and winter break was over, it meant that our next break wasn't going to be until spring; which made trying to avoid Sage and Matty that much harder to do.

In between fall and winter break, it was easy to avoid them. It was a short time in school so I didn't have to worry about running into them, and then during break I just stayed inside getting high, so I never saw them.

Now, with a couple months until spring break, and warmer weather coming, it meant it was more likely I'd either run into them at school, or get kicked out of the house by my mother because "It's too nice out to stay cooped up inside". At least I had an excuse to stay in during the winter...

I kept my head down as I made my way through the halls, avoiding eye contact as much as possible.

I glanced up occasionally just to make sure I didn't run into anyone. It was lunch time now, and the halls were flooded with people trying to make their way out for food.

I made my way to my usual spot outside under a tree. It was just far enough from the common area that no social person ever went there. It was the perfect place for stoners and wallflowers like me.

Once out, I made my way to the tree, taking a seat in my usual spot.

I pulled my lunch out of my bag, unwrapping the sandwich my mother had packed me before pulling out my walkman.

I put on my headphones and turned the volume all the way up to tune out the obnoxious people that had decided to also eat outside.

Per usual, I allowed my eyes to wander over the groups of people as I ate my sandwich. Everything seemed normal, everyone in their own clique. Grouped together in different parts of the common area.

For some reason, my eyes decided to wander over to the parking lot just across the common area, seeing the group of "bad kids".

They were the kids that rode motorcycles, hardly ever showed up to school, or were just too cool to be apart of a "clique".

To no surprise of my own, Matty was right in the center, the leader of the non-official "clique".

I rolled my eyes at the sight.

For some reason, people were surrounding him. I raised an eyebrow, taking a bite out of my sandwich as I continued to watch from a distance.

"Hey, Tate." A girl named, Skyler, said as she sat down beside me. Skyler was one of Sage's closests friends besides Matty, they had been friends for years.

"Hey, Sky." I greeted, my mouth full as I continued to watch Matty and his posse.

"Whatcha looking at?" She asked, trying to look in the direction I was.

"Matty." I answered before, swallowing. "Guess he got a new motorcycle or something because everyone seems really interested in him." I explained.

"No, they're all meeting Matty's new girlfriend." Skyler corrected, pulling a blunt out of her pocket. Skyler was a stoner, a social-outcast just like me, yet somehow she still managed to be Sage's best friend. They didn't hang out over the last two breaks because Skyler got sent to her dad's house. Her parents were divorced, and her mom said that she had to go and visit him so he'd stop annoying her mom.

"Matty actually managed to get a girlfriend?" I scoffed. "Who's the slut that's so desperate?" I rolled my eyes, taking another bite from my sandwich.

Skyler raised her brow, offended by words and looking ready to kick my ass as she lit the joint in her mouth.

"Sage." She answered after taking a long drag, blowing it out; the earthy smell filling my nose.