Broken Memory ✓

5. Orange Juice is so Mediocre it Hurts

The next morning, after getting dressed, I find Dad asleep on the living room couch. Mom and him must still be at each other's throats. I continue my morning as usual, ignoring the sleeping figure but making sure to stay quiet, and the morning goes quickly as normal.

When I arrive at the school, I head straight to the cafeteria. Not many kids are here yet, so I find a seat across the entrance of the cafeteria where hallways lead in. It's quiet and unpopulated over here.

My mind is still cluttered with thoughts of the tension between Mom and Dad. I wonder when they'll make up, especially because Mom is stubborn. Dad would be the first to apologize, I already know that for certain. A part of me is positive that we're going to move soon. As much as I want to fight against it, try to prevent it, I know that it's next to impossible. Mom always wins.

A muffled yell takes my focus away from my thoughts. I can just barely hear it. It comes from the hallway behind me. I leave my backpack on the table, shoving my phone into my jean pocket, and hope nobody steals my backpack as I investigate.

I see a boy with pitch black hair being shoved into a locker.

"All you are is a monster, Caleb!" I see Liam holding Caleb by his shirt collar. So that's his name. "You've ruined so many lives! I want to ruin yours!"

"I don't even know what I did!" Caleb cries out. I take this moment to step up.

"Liam, leave him be!"

Liam's gaze shoots towards me, fire in his eyes. "You don't even know what he did! Why do you keep defending him?! What's wrong with you?!"

"Look, just let him go," I calmly speak, motioning my hands towards Caleb.

He stares at me for a moment before banging his fist against the locker next to Caleb a few times and throwing him against the floor. He stomps past me, shoving me against the lockers as well, but I ignore him to check on Caleb.

"Are you okay?"

"Why won't you stop?" he asks instead of answering.

"Stop?" I sit down next to him against the lockers, taken aback at his aggressive response. He sits up and stays seated against the lockers as well.

"I can't even remember what I did... But if so many people despise me for whatever happened... It must have been terrible. I must deserve all of this."

"How long has this been going on?" I ask, looking into his brown eyes.

He shrugs. "Years."

"Why won't you tell any adults? How can you just take it?"

He stares at me and stands up. "You don't understand."

"You don't either. What if this was really just a rumor that you never denied..? And it became the truth to everyone, even yourself?"

"You will never understand. Please just stop."

"I was... I was just trying to be your friend. And to help. I'm nearly all alone here, too."

"I appreciate the thought, I really do, but now you know I don't want the help and I don't need it. So you can stop." He gets up and I stand up as well. I stare into his eyes, his hazel eyes that remind me of sweet cinnamon, and he stares back into mine for a few seconds. His cheeks turn a light shade of pink and he quickly turns away, walking down the opposite direction of the hall. I watch as he walks away, and once he's out of sight, I make my way back to my backpack.

Caleb. He's going to be the death of me. I have so many questions with no answers. What are people saying he even did? Wouldn't he know by now? How is it that no adults know about all the bullying he's taking? I want to say something to an adult... But at the same time, I know Caleb would hate me for it.