Common People (frerard)

Chapter 13

There was an odd sense of loneliness when I walked out of my dorm that morning. No one had to walk me to class to protect me. Andy wasn't there for me to cling to his side like I do all day everyday. What do I do? There seemed like there were just vast amounts of nothingness all day.

I went to class and then to the cafeteria to eat. I glanced out the window over the quad and frowned when I saw Jamia and Frank. It seemed like they were in a pretty heated argument. I knew I shouldn't be watching but I couldn't help myself. Eventually things seemed to calm down between them and Jamia gave him a hug.

Someone sat across from me just then, pulling me away from the mild entertainment of my two friends.

"Hey," Bob said.

I looked at him then up at Brendon, who was also in the fray and standing at the end of my booth bench so I couldn't really get out unless he let me out.

"Hey, have you seen Andy?" He asked. "We heard he left the frat but he's not answering our calls."

"He was sent to military school," I said.

"Shit, that sucks," he muttered. "He was supposed to help us set up for a party this weekend."

I didn't say anything and Brendon slid into the booth next to me so now I really couldn't get out if I wanted to.

"Do you think you can fill his spot?" He asked. "It's a fundraiser party for mental health awareness month."

"Oh, that's a really good cause," I said.

"Yeah, he was supposed to be one of the worker kinda of people but with him gone it kind of screws everything up," Bob said.

"I-I don't think I can do that," I said.

Brendon reached over and put a hand on my thigh. "It would really help us out a lot."

I shook my head. Brendon squeezed my thigh hard, digging his nails into my skin.

"Come on, we can make it up to you," he said. "Give you a little reward. Andy told us all about what you like and don't like."

Andy told them about our sex life?

"Why don't you take your fucking shit and get out," Someone said.

I looked up at Frank with watery eyes.

"You're the dumb kid Andy told us to keep an eye out for," Bob said. "Just because he isn't here anymore doesn't mean we won't still respect his wishes."

"Respect his wishes? Of choosing who Gee talks to?" Frank asked. "He's not even in the state anymore, you all need to get over yourselves. He's an adult, fucking treat him like one."

They both gave Frank glares but left anyway. But even when they were gone and Frank was sitting across from me, I still couldn't seem to be able to breathe. Frank seemed to notice me panicking and reached over to hold my hand. I snapped my arm back quickly.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have," he said. "Gee, take deep breaths."

I grabbed my backpack and hurried out, hearing Frank clean up my dishes. I was going back to the dorms when I tripped over a crack in the sidewalk, falling and skinning my knee. Frank—who was still following—sat beside me as I cried. He didn't say anything, didn't touch me. Just sat quietly a foot away.

"I can't be here anymore;" I whispered. "I'm gonna transfer schools. There's this school in New York I like, I'm gonna move there."

"Oh," he mumbled.

I pulled up my sweatpants and looked at the skinned knee.

""It's just not safe here for me," I said. "I hate his frat brothers but I don't think they'll leave me alone, Andy usually helped keep them away for the most part. It's not safe here anymore."