ILYSB (it hurts)

[𝟻] a truce?

Hero, 13 years old

As if I'm not busy enough with school and football practice, Phoebe just bought me a polaroid camera and a bicycle for my thirteenth birthday. She said she doesn't want to see me doing skateboard in the evenings so she bought me this instead. I don't want her disappointed or sad so I agreed to it. A few hours of mindlessly strolling the neighborhood doesn't sound so bad. It's going to be Christmas break and I'm excited going back to London. It's a bummer I would have to spend my 13th birthday here and spend it with the blonde weirdo next door.

She just egged my helmet a couple of hours ago and I'm still devising a plan on getting back at her. Maybe feed Bailey something that will make her dump her poop inside the house.

I grabbed my helmet which is carefully tucked between the cushions of the chair outside. I wear it on my head and snapped the lock in. After hearing a click indicating my helmet is in place, I ride my bike, ready for my weekend afternoon stroll.

"Don't go fast, baby." I hear Elizabeth say and I regret that I looked back. Little Miss Perfect is there, complete with her pink helmet, pink shoulder and knee pads, and of course her pink bike.

"You've got to be kidding me..." I sighed, not sure if I'll be annoyed or pissed about this.

She waved at me like we're friends and I roll my eyes at her. We ride the same block together, I'm purposely going faster so she doesn't have to catch up with me but when I glance, she's there at arm's distance.

"Why didn't you just stay at home and scroll endlessly with your stupid phone?" I tell her while pedaling, trying to get away from her as far as I can. There's always trouble when she's with me and she's too pretty for her own good. She can't even defend herself.

"Why didn't you stay at home and play with your stupid PlayStation?" she fired back, smirking at me like she'd won something.

Once we reached another gated neighborhood, it's time to turn back. I let her go first, not wanting to have another conversation with her. I take in the surroundings, realizing we're too far from where we're supposed to be at. I saw a few people in front of us, same age as ours, doing skateboard exhibitions on the side of the street. Some of them hollered at Josephine, some whistled and another one just slid his skateboard across the road, causing her to stumble along with her bike. Thank God for her extreme safety measures, I just know there won't be any serious injury but then she looked back at me, her eyes begging for help and that's when I saw her face is bleeding.

I pedal faster to her and got off my bike as quick as I could. The sound of metal scraping the asphalt when my bike thuds to the ground. I stoop down to her, checking her body if there's any broken bones.

"I hit my cheek on the concrete." She already has tears in her eyes and like on impulse, I wiped them with thumb. I tried removing her hand and I see her face is still bleeding, one of her cheekbones skinned. I try not to touch it with my bare hands, thinking I might make it worse.

I look up, removed my helmet and I wanted to give a piece of my mind to whoever ganged up on her. One kid came up to me, looking all proud but then I stood up and he was surprised I'm taller than any of them.

"What are you going to do pretty boy?" he remarks but I can see he's on flight mode. His foot rests on his skateboard, moving it up and down. I wanted to punch his face but it would do nothing to make this situation better.

"Just go!" I shout at them and just like scared little kittens, they ran off. I went back to Josephine who's still on the ground, asking her if she can stand up. She didn't say a word but she got on her bike and tried to stay beside me until we got home.