Mind the Code: The Problem with Revenge

Matt, Mark, Clark

I woke up later that same night with DJ in my face, asking me if I was okay.

I stood, feeling pain. So much pain. I cringed, and my mother asked if I had ran. I gave her a flat look and said nothing, slowly crawling up the stairs.

I was going to have an icebath.

...

I went to school the next morning and sat on top of Melanie's car again. It was cold.

"What's with you?" She asked, blowing out smoke from her cigarette.

I waved it away from me, trying to avoid the smell sinking into my clothes, "I ran yesterday."

She raised an eyebrow. "How was it?"

"It was nice at the time." I layed back, stretching out and lifting my shirt, rubbing my belly to rid the knots I had from curling into a ball and sleeping after running so much. My stomach felt bruised. "But now everything hurts." I sighed.

"When was the last time you ran?" She asked casually, looking around at the people in the school parking lot, watching as they were watching us. For some reason, we were just so interesting. Honestly I bored myself so much, I was surprised I hadn't bored myself to death. I never could understand the people I went to highschool with.

"About a year ago." I muttered, annoyed with myself.

She suddenly let out a loud laugh, and slapped my leg in amusement. I jumped and cringed, letting out a quiet whining groan at how painful it was. She laughed even more, trying to apologize, but laughing too hard to do so. Finally after she calmed, she turned to me while I was rubbing painful circles in the knots around my belly. "How much?"

I knew she was going to call me stupid, and I didn't blame her. "Seven." I grumbled quietly, not bothering to add in the extra .5 because it would just be worse.

She laughed again.

Alex called me casually, and I saw as he walked towards me with his hands in his pockets, his face more purple, but for some reason not covering up the fact that he was very good looking. My brows furrowed at him.

I painfully exited my laying position and sat up slowly like an old person. I cringed to myself, every part in my body feeling strained and worn. "Are you okay?" He asked curiously, seeing as I tried to stretch my arms out.

Melanie, slightly recovering from her laughing fit, and now able to speak. "This stupid girl here went out and ran seven miles after not running for an entire year." She laughed more.

Alex look at me in surprise. "What the hell, Ava?"

I rolled my eyes, for some reason his presence irritated me.

He reached over me and took a cigarette from Melanie, having her reluctantly hand him her lighter and he lit it up. I looked at him, feeling confused. I never knew he smoked.

"I don't usually smoke, I just have a headache." He explained, probably reading my expression.

"I'd think smoking would make it worse." I said bluntly.

He ignored me, and brought up my stupid decision again. "Why did you run so much?"

I shrugged.

Alex suddenly looked frustrated, and took three long hits, finishing his cigarette with ease and dropping it to the ground and crushed it with his foot. I felt turned off by that.

He held out his hand, waiting for me to take it and get down from Melanie's car. I narrowed my eyes at him and he sighed. "I just want to talk to you." He said in irritation.