Scarred Knees

nine.

nine.

 

[Daniel]

 

Party. Party. Party. The only fvcking damn words that I had been hearing all day. I didn’t know what the craze was about, but somehow, deep down inside I was kind of looking forward to it as well. Well, I was looking forward to seeing Serena. If it wasn’t the hope of her going, I could have given a single fvck about tonight’s lame ass party. It was mostly like going to be a total trash anyway.

Stretching my neck to the left and then back to the right, I relaxed my strained shoulder muscles. Maybe working out last night as a result of annoyance wasn’t such a great idea. But I was frustrated… mad even. Summer telling me about Kyle making a move on my Serena, drove me over the high cliff. She was mine for taking. Her heart was my token.  Nobody could have her. I hissed, ruffling my hair as I pushed opened the doors to my English class, causing a welcoming grand entrance.

“Mr. Mathis, so nice of you to join us.” Mrs. Barney, my English teacher, spoke as she rolled her eyes at me.

“Sorry for being late Mrs. B.” I replied, walking to the back of the class.

“Hey big D.” A voice boomed from behind me, and I snapped by head up, watching Summer take a seat next to me. I smiled, fuming at our inside joke. She started calling me big D at a young age, I remember her calling me small D, and I actually cried about it. But whom could you blame? I was a growing man at age 10. It hurt my ego. But S apologized for her mendacious choice of words, and I forgave her.

“Hi S.” I whispered, clearing my throat.

“You still coming to the party tonight, D?” Summer asked, twirling a strand of hair between her pale fingers.

I nodded, opening my textbooks. Mrs. B began the lesson with a new piece of poetry. Sonnet 113, a classic patch by Shakespeare. To be honest, fvck him. I don’t understand shit. Why couldn’t he just speak normally? Was there really a necessity to add thou, thee, or art in to the words of wisdom?

I don’t even know why they call him the man of love. Didn’t he kill lovers in play and murder the youth of innocence in poetry? That’s no act of affection, but definitely a turn on abhorrence.

I wandered of to the land of boredom, as the whole class inked sheets with meaning. I probably should have been doing the same thing, but it just lacked me interest. I was failing English either ways, so what was the point of trying?

My phone vibrated through my pants, alerting that I had received a text message. I quietly slid my fingers in to my back pockets, pulling my phone out at once. It was a text from Kyle.

Kyle: I fucked up, man. Real bad this time.

 

I arched an eyebrow at his ambiguity, before replying back.

Daniel: What did you do?

 

He responded back immediately, and that made me nervous. He was in deep shit with Cassie, probably, I chuckled.

Kyle: Dude. It’s Serena. I shouldn’t have but I swear it was all Cassie.

 

It was like someone had knocked the breath out of me. My heart clenched together, as my eyes blinked rapidly. I stared at my phone, inaudibly, trying to come up with words. What had he done to my Serena? Was she okay? Did he ask her out?

“Mr. Mathis, is there something you would like to share with the class?” Mrs. B interrupted, as everyone in class turned to stare at me.

I snapped my head up, slight embarrassed, before I shook my head saying ‘no.’

“Thought so, now put your phone away. I wont hesitate to take it away if I see you using it.” She announced sternly as she turned her attention become to the Shakespearean recitation.

The lesson went on, as time seemed to pass gradually. My feet clapped against the ground in anticipation as Summer turned to look at me.

“You okay, D?”

She had asked me that multiple times throughout the period. I just wanted to get out of here. I wanted to see if she was okay.

And soon, English had come to an end. I quickly packed my belongings, rushing to the exit.

“Mr. Mathis” Mrs. B stopped me as I stood in front of the classroom door.

“Yes?” I asked.

“Daniel, I know you are a very capable boy. But you’re going to fail English with the way you have carrying out. I’m afraid if you don’t get your marks up by midterms, you will have to repeat this course again. If you do want help, you could always get tuitions. There are many bright students that would like to help you out, I’m very certain of that.” Mrs. B said with a smile painted across her face.

I nodded in agreement. I could get some help. I most likely didn’t want to fail. But right now, I just wanted to get the heck out of here.

“In fact I know a young lady, Ms. Boyle. She was even looking for a job.”

Ms. Boyle? That seemed to ring a bell but I couldn’t snap my fingers, just yet. Once again, I nodded my head in agreement.

“Thanks, Mrs. B. I’ll get going. Have a good day.”

“You too, Daniel.”

I rushed out to my locker, pulling my phone out shortly.

Daniel: Meet me next to my car in five.

 

Kyle: Okay.

 -

 written by @babiedoll13