Just Love Me Once Again

Page 5

Caleb.

It's 11.30 pm when I entered home. It was pin-drop silence, the war, must have taken a break. There's always a war in my house, screaming, throwing things at each other, and yes, I grew up in this environment.

My dad is always busy with his social work, which I support, but he never had time for us. And my mom drinks alcohol a lot, every night, anytime.

I opened the window of my room when I heard shouting, calling abusive words from the new neighbor's house. It's just been a day, and they are so noisy.

I stood up straight, ready to forget about it. But then I saw the curtains open, and I stopped.

She was there. That was her room!

And for some reason, I smiled. I liked our rooms faced each other.

I narrowed my eyes to see her better as she opened the double doors but then widened them when I saw what was going on.

What? Was he crazy?

A guy, maybe her father, came rushing into her room, banging her head on the wall.

I yanked up my window and peered out into the night air. "Hey!" I shouted." What are you doing?"

But my voice didn't reach them.

The blood spills from her head, onto the floor, like a long strip of red paint.

I squeeze my eyes shut.

Trixie.

Next afternoon, as Cisco moved his tray down the lunch line, the smell of pizza and French fries made my mouth water. I couldn't believe I was actually in the lunchroom. Cisco and I had been best friends since preschool, and the one thing he'd asked me on Christmas was that I ditch the library and reclaim my old spot at our lunch table.

"Who's hot?" Dustin cut the line by sliding his tray between me and Cisco. A group of guys behind us groaned at him. As usual, he ignored them. Dustin was the second of the two people who refused to treat me like a social pariah because of the gossip flying about me at school.

Cisco paid the cashier." That new girl, Beatrice Borromeo. Caleb is going to tutor some lucky chick, and I'm guessing it might be her. Who could you like to add to our list of hot, sexy yet stupid girls?"

I followed them to the lunch table as Dustin's eyes roamed the cafeteria, searching for the right combination." Sarah Green. She's dumber, but I could eat her for dessert. If you're tutoring her, Caleb, think you could introduce me?"

"Introduce who to whom?" asked Natalie. Dustin, Cisco, and I took our seats.

Natalie gave a big smile when she spotted me. I met Natalie in Freshman English, and it's been a year and a half we are dating.

"Dustin to Sarah Green." Cisco continued his explanation. "Caleb is going to tutor some dumb hottie. And we're trying to guess who it will be."