Teenage Fever

Tahj Is Lying

Monday did it's thang, the thang that Monday's do... which is be a shit show.
The morning was going fine... until the students showed up. I don't know what it was, maybe because it was finals week but they were a hot mess today.

At one point while I was at my desk I saw Marcus and Jerome run down the hall. I perked up out of my seat then Brie was in the doorway having come from the other direction.

"There's a fight and blood, I'm going to grab a first aid kit."
Then she was gone but I was hot on her heels until I diverted into the teen room.

I was shocked to see Raheem had Shawn in a headlock. All the students were either yelling, laughing or filming. Marcus and Jerome were struggling to break up the fight. I shoved my way through and used all my force to tear them apart. Got the job done too.

"Hold him," I told Marcus seeing as how Raheem was not trying to calm down and was instead trying to get back at Shawn.
"Let me go!" He was screaming.

I had a hold of Shawn as I guided him outside, Marcus guiding Raheem. The sky was dark today and the air was warm, it felt like a storm was coming.

"Y'all need this air or something? What's going on with you two?" I asked the both of them.

Marcus hung back while Raheem paced back and forth punching his palm. Shawn stared at Raheem with anger.
"What's going on?" I repeated myself heatedly.
"This nigga punched me first," Raheem yelled as he pointed at Shawn. "Wait till we get out of here, it's lights out for your ass."
"Raheem, cut that. I'm sure it's not even that deep," I said.
Brie showed up with the kit and immediately went to Shawn's aid.
"Why y'all babying that nigga?" Raheem muttered.
"It's cool, Mr. Les," Shawn says.

I can't help but to look at him differently ever since the other day at the restaurant with Tahj. It's weird to think that Shawn may know Tahj somehow.

"It's our problem, you don't need to get involved."
"The hell I do if it's happening at the place where I'm responsible for you two at."
"He's right, Mr. Les," Raheem says. I noticed he sounded funny so I looked back at him and on his face was a smirk directed at me. "Our problem is our problem. The better question though is how do you know Tahj Morris?"

I felt the heat in my neck and cheeks at the sound of his name. Raheem was still smirking at me with his head tilted... as if he knew something that I didn't.

"Raheem, shut the fuck up," Shawn said lowly.
"I'm curious," Raheem shrugged.
"It's none of your concern. If you boys are good then clean yourselves up and get back in there," I say before walking back in myself.
I could feel his smirk on my back as I walked away.

I was too in shock to handle the situation. So this probably means that Tahj knows Raheem. If that's the case why did he question me like that? What if I knew Tahj. What's the problem?
It had to do something with Tahj, my mind was telling me. He had to have some sort of secrets. But, nah, they probably just know and remember him from high school.

Tahj did say he used to get bullied in high school. By Shawn and Raheem? That doesn't even make sense. He also said that Raheem didn't sound familiar when I asked him but here's Raheem asking how do I know Tahj.
My mind was going in circles, something wasn't adding up. Rather, some things weren't revealing themselves.

I debated at my desk for a while if I should bring it to Tahj's attention. Obviously I should since this would get him to open up and tell me what's going on.

"You all in another world."
I happen to hear and look over my shoulder. Jackson was slowly shaking his head. I groan in reply and wipe at my face.
"Want to talk about it?"

After work we went to this little bar and played darts, Jackson's favorite. The rest of the day at work was quiet and I didn't go back into the teen room. From what I heard Raheem left early.

"So," Jackson said as he pulled one of his darts out of the board. "This guy you're seeing sounds like a little bit of a mystery."
I had told Jackson everything.
"I figured that much," I said as I recall the first few times meeting him.
"It sounds like he's hiding something and that's never good. And it has to be something big or serious if he's going out of his way to not mention it to you."
I exhaled. Jackson turns to me.
"You might want to take things slower and definitely tell him what happened today because if Raheem questioned you like that about Tahj that means that Tahj is lying to you."

I had also figured something like this in the back of my head but I liked him so much that I guess I didn't want to think it out loud. I watched Jackson and notice how he stops and thinks for a second while his cup of hard cider is to his lips.

"How old is Tahj again?"
"You think he's lying about his age?" I question.
Jackson squints his eyes at me as if thinking hard.
"If so then he's not lying by much. Maybe a year or two."
"He's 18, why you say that?"

Jackson leaned on the pool table that was nearby, he looked hesitant to say something. I was feeling I was on the edge of my seat. Was there something that I wasn't seeing?

"Well, I guess maybe he isn't lying about that but he definitely knows Shawn and Raheem. I'm going to throw out a wild card, based off of what you told me and assume that he knows them for one out of two major reasons."

Jackson looked at me before continuing, I was leaning forward towards him with my arms crossed.

"Either they did pick on him in school, it's weird to think that juniors would brutally pick on seniors but you never know. Or," he stops and sets his cup down. "He knows them very personally as in he's dealt with one of them intimately."
I was silent. I had never thought of something like that.
"No, that..."
Jackson threw his hands up.
"It does sound out there but you know what? It also kind of doesn't," he tries to assure me.

I go next to him to lean on the pool table too. I tried to think long and hard about what he said. Then the image of Tahj staring at Shawn popped in my head then Raheem's voice asking me how do I know Tahj.
I sighed.
"I need to talk to Tahj."