Seventeen year old Safaya Bennett must navigate young adulthood under the stresses of her sins, her crumbling relationship with her twin sister, Rue, and a crippling mental disorder that makes her very dependent on her relationship with Nate Jacobs...
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Returning to school after the weekend was a cluster fuck
Now, what had happened was that morning, Maddy went to school. And Maddy's first class was Intro to Calc in room 202, which unfortunately was in the upper left wing of the school. The air conditioning was non-existent and Maddy wore a turtleneck and thick black hoodie to school. If it were any other day, Maddy would have just taken off her hoodie. But since Nate choked her, Maddy woke up three hours early, applied more concealer than a burn victim, and tried her best to cover up.
To compound the problem, she also suffered from a drop in serotonin from the Molly she took at the carnival, got depressed, and therefore hadn't had anything to eat or drink the entire weekend. Plus, she actually was on her period. So that tiny part of her lie she was telling everyone was actually true.
And all of this is how my sister ended up in Principal Hayes' office.
"Safaya, do you know what happened involving Madeline Perez and Nathaniel Jacobs the night of the carnival this past weekend?" He asked. "I've been told by numerous students that you and Nate are close. And that you've been present at both the back to school party at Christopher McCay's and the East Highland Carnival."
She furrowed her brows in confusion. "Well it's true that Nate and I are close. We've been friends since we were like thirteen, but, I don't know what you're talking about in regards to the carnival. I was at the Jacob's booth most of the night, and when I wasn't there, I was helping Rue find our little sister."
"It's recently come to my attention that Ms. Perez has severe bruising on her neck and to my understanding she and Nate Jacobs are romantically linked. I'm told there was an argument that night between them? Something involving a pot of chili and Madeline calling Mrs. Jacobs the 'C' word?" Principal Hayes' leaned closer in his seat.
Safaya was in total disbelief. "Principal Hayes, Nate would never do something like this no matter what would have happened. His dad told me he got angry and wanted me to check on him, but, he came back to the booth not even five minutes later." She thought back to the weekend and everything that was happening the night of the carnival. "Nate would never put his hands on anyone let alone his girlfriend. I've pissed him off plenty of times and he's never done anything to me." She defended.
The older man nodded his head slowly, writing down some notes onto his legal pad. "You stated that you and Nathaniel have known each other for quite some time. I've heard from around school that there was a rumor spread about you and Mr. Jacobs being romantically involved. I have to ask if those rumors are true, Ms. Bennett."
"No." Safaya said firmly. "No, they're not true at all and Maddy was the one who started that rumor because she and Nate broke up, and, for the duration of their relationship she has had an issue with me and Nate being so close. Nate and I look out for each other. We protect each other. And we surely don't allow people to take advantage of our friendship."
The truth is, my sister was heartbroken at the question. She was sick, as a matter of fact, because everything she had said was honest. Nate adored her. Nate loved her. But he never touched her, never even seen her naked. The closest he came to seeing her inappropriately was when she got drunk at Daniel Rivers summer pool party and she took off her shirt, throwing it around in the air. If Principle Hayes asked her what was running through her mind then that would have warranted a different response.
Every time Safaya looked at Nate she imagined him snatching her clothes off. Laying her onto his grey bedding, his long fingers caressing her butterscotch skin before he snatched off her panties and tossed them across the floor. She wanted nothing more than for Nate to fuck her from behind while she watched them both in the reflection of his mirror covered closet. Saf wondered what his face looked like when he came. How loud he could be in bed.
"Ms. Bennett," Principle Hayes interrupted her thoughts. Safaya closed her legs tighter, the heat from her dirty thoughts missing her cheeks and going straight to her vagina. "you are dismissed. Unless there's anything else you would like to add?" He questioned.
*play Biting Down by Lorde*
She shook her head, grabbing her bookbag that was on the floor beside her. "No."
Safaya left the office with a heavy heart and cloudy mind. Grabbing onto her bookbag straps, she walked the halls feeling as if the world was against her. She was furious that someone would lie on Nate and she couldn't help, with her track record, that Maddy was the culprit. As she walked past the office she saw the brunette sitting in an empty room screaming at her mother. It was slow motion as she made eye contact with her. Maddy looked horrible and it was absolutely shocking because she was known to be vain. She was pale, and sweaty, and frantic while she sipped on an orange Gatorade.
Safaya kept going down the hall, head down counting the tiles on the floor while she stepped into them. I never saw Saf in this state, so, when I passed her in the hall it made me do a double take. I didn't know what to really say to her. Saf and I didn't have that nurturing relationship anymore. If we were to ever build it up again I highly doubt the first topic would be Nate Jacobs being investigated for physical assault.
"Hey, Saf." A smiling football player came to her side, walking with her.
She didn't look up from her feet. "We're not friends, TJ." She said softly. "Please--"
And then her heart dropped.
From the South corridor Nate emerged, his parents and two police officers following behind him. He walked calmly down the almost empty hall. His gaze turning to Safaya and mouthing "I love you" to her as he was escorted away. She was absolutely dumbfounded. Nate looked troubled and a little thrown off and her mind went to the worst. She knew he wasn't being arrested but people who aren't in trouble don't just get escorted out of the building by police. Safaya felt sick to her stomach.
"Please leave me alone." She said shakily to TJ.
She sped walked in the opposite direction, trying to catch her breath, when the weight of the world dropped on her fucking head and the severity of the situation finally hit her.
Safaya was completely, one hundred percent, alone.
