Purple Sharpie

Twenty-four: Josh

I waved at Brennan, his brown eyes lighting up as he saw me. “Hey, Sweet Tooth.” He said, and my eyes blazed at him from underneath my hair. “What?” He grinned as we started to walk. I straightened my glasses. “Try again.” 

The first time that we had met, Brennan decided that he hated saying my name. So for the past few months, he had been replacing ‘Josh” with everything from Marilyn Manson to Lollipop. It would get on my nerves, except they sometimes made me laugh. But they never stuck. The only person who could think of names that did was- well- Cammie.

I can’t say that I didn’t know it was coming. 

But what I didn’t see coming was Brennan hitting my chest in a violent backhand. “Oomph!” The breath whooshed out of me.  “Hey Hoops.” he whispered. “Come off your Cammie cloud for a second and listen.” My ears pricked. Brennan’s hand went to my arm to stop me. 

Lilting from a window, there was a girl laughing. “And then that little Cammie whore was like-”. I almost didn’t catch what Cammie had said because my heart was playing a drum solo on my lungs. I looked at Brennan, my mouth opening. “A-“ The hand was off my shoulder and onto my mouth. I looked at him, my eyes wide as saucers.

“-couldn’t stand looking at her anymore, so he told me to find her in the locker room. I thought… Yeah, exactly!” My breathing was fast, and I couldn’t even feel Brennan’s hand anymore. No…

“Anyway, I took Andrew and Charlie and we taught that little slut a lesson. Fugly-“ By this time, I was shaking with anger. “Let me in there.” I growled, struggling against Brennan.  “No.” He kept me back, whispering in my ear. “It’s too dangerous.” 

I stopped for a moment. “What’s too dangerous.” I said. Brennan turned an almost cartoon shade of red. “Well…” he started, looking at my arms. Then I heard the girl’s voice rise, and I froze. “One sec, Court.” she said. 

Trying to think fast, I grabbed Brennan and pushed him against the wall next to me, right under the window. It was his turn to glare at me. “Who’s there?” The girl called in an almost harpy-like voice.

Brennan opened his mouth, looked at me, and shut it again, something in his eyes saying “Tell you later.”. 

There was the sound of the window shutting and I breathed heavily. “Look,” Brennan whispered, starting away from the wall now that it seemed clear. “We don’t even know if it’s our Cammie that she’s-“

I heard a sound like running steps, and I put my finger over his lips, cutting him off. Wait. I mouthed, directing us to the sidewalk.

“AH-HA!”

And we ran.