by Lila Felix
“I’m sorry,” but I couldn’t stop the giggling as I apologized.
I walked around the truck and got in. His right hand twitched the tiniest bit and if I wasn’t really paying attention, I wouldn’t have caught it.
“You’re second guessing again.” It came out before I could stop it.
He huffed out a breath and said, “I don’t know where we are. I don’t know if you’re still angry or if you’ve forgiven me. I’m—,” he turned the radio off, “I don’t know how to act, what I can and can’t say and it’s my fault. I should’ve just told them to go to Hell. I should’ve been the one to get Sean out of that. I just want to go back to you and me.”
I knew exactly what he meant. I would give anything to go back to the comfort of our summer romance. But that wasn’t reality and it couldn’t last forever. Everything in me wanted to keep a grudge against him for being a part of a group of people who preyed on the weak, or weak to them. But I just couldn’t.
I reached between us and took hold of his warm, tanned hand. He pulled both of his lips in between his teeth and bit on them inside of his mouth. I didn’t know what would happen today or tomorrow with his friends but I hoped that what we started during the summer could build into something stronger than the crap around us. And as we pulled into the school parking lot I got an eyeful of the mound of crap we were about to face.
Brett stood against the back of his car with his arms crossed, and smiled. It was creepy at best. He smiled directly at us and Abel’s hand tightened around mine.
“He won’t touch you.” He seethed under his breath.
“I’m not afraid of him Abel.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.”
We got out and Abel purposefully walked in between Brett and I as we passed. Brett cleared his throat and it startled both of us.
“So Corinne, you’re a brave girl. All high and mighty, saving poor innocent people from us bad people. But I bet if people knew where you came from, they might not be so willing to accept your help, now would they?”
I turned around and faced him from where I stood.
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“How do you think Daddy paid for the private school education, the big houses and the shiny cars, huh? Might not be the pinnacle of morale everyone thinks you to be.”
“Shut the hell up Brett. You’re talking out of your ass.” Abel chimed in and I turned my head to him, proud. I wanted to sing ‘We’re not gonna take it anymore.’
We faced the school again and I released Abel’s hand and moved to hug him around his side. He threw his arm over my shoulder and I reveled in one small change at a time. I just hoped it didn’t come back to bite us in the ass.
Abel
One human being shouldn’t have that much power over anyone. Especially not one like Brett.
I didn’t know what he was spouting at Corinne about but I’m sure he’d expound on it sometime. I didn’t care either way. We split up in the hallway and even though we were in school and supposed to be safe, I worried about her. I didn’t want her to be a casualty of my years of blind choices.
It hit me on the way to the cafeteria how high school TV drama my life was about to become. I walked through the double doors and smelled the plastic, reheated food. It was that exact smell that inspired me to pack my lunch every day. I looked around the room and almost laughed. There was one table on my right, a round table of Brett’s knights around him, King Arthur. And then to my left, sat Sean and Corinne. I didn’t hesitate in making a left turn and Corinne looked surprised. I bent down and put my lips to her ear,
“Is this seat taken?”
She turned around and looked me dead in the eye, as serious as I’d seen her since Friday night.
“Are you sure you want to sit here—that’s the question.”
“Am I sure that I want to sit next to the most beautiful girl in here, who also happens to be my girlfriend? Yeah, I’m pretty sure.”
She smiled and even though it had only been a few days since I’d seen it, the sight of it made me remember that I’d do just about anything to keep it on her face. The way her cheeks reddened, the way one line showed in her forehead, it made life better.
I sat down next to her and pulled out my sack lunch. She scrunched up her nose at my plain ham and cheese sandwich. And I’d be the first to admit that it wasn’t culinary perfection.
“Hey Abel,” Sean greeted me and it took me by surprise. Maybe he was finally trying to break out of his shell. The shell that I had a part in making him take shelter in.
“Hey, Sean. What’s up man?”
“Listening to your girl groan about AP Calculus.”
“Oh? Maybe I should go sit…” and I made a fake attempt to go sit somewhere else.
“Oh no Mr. Collins, you have to listen too.” She grabbed my shirt and made me sit again.
So we did. We listened as she groaned about being forced to take AP Calculus even though she’d already scored a four on the AP test because it was the highest level math class that the school offered. Then Sean started cracking jokes about how horrible it was to be so smart. And that eventually led to jokes about going to an all girls school and by the time lunch was over, I was in tears from laughing and Corinne’s face was at a full blush. It didn’t escape my notice how Brett’s stare bore into Corinne from the other side of the room but I chose to ignore it.
After school I dropped Corinne off at her house and then went straight home. She had homework to do and since I wasn’t hanging out with my old friends anymore, so did I. I used to spend the afternoons with them and then study and do homework late at night but now I actually had time to get everything done by a decent hour. It was a new thing for me.
My phone rang and I answered it, failing to look at the caller id.
“So you’ve picked the slut over us, yeah?”
“What?” Over and over Brett was proving my points about him.
“You heard me. She gives you a little ass and you forget the rest of us and start hanging with that Bailey kid. Is she giving you a cut of her Dad’s stuff too?”
“Brett, I don’t even know what you’re talking about. And don’t talk about her like that. I’ve already warned you.”
He ignored me and continued, “What’s she giving you? Weed, coke, maybe some ‘roids to help your game?”
“You’ve lost it Brett.” And I hung up not willing to expose myself to anymore of his stupidity.
I called Corinne to give her every number of my friends so that she could ignore their calls. She didn’t answer, so I decided to call her back later. Then a few minutes later the phone rang. This time I checked. It was Corinne.
“Hello?”
“I’m sorry, but your old friends’ girlfriends…I’m gonna beat their asses.” I pictured her in her school uniform, asking me to hold her earrings and going after the skanks.
“What happened?”
“One of them, Haley or Heather or Hoochie or something, called me and said that I wasn’t good enough for you. And that whatever I’ve got you high on is clouding your judgment in women…” As she rambled on she began to laugh until she wasn’t even coherent anymore.
I laughed with her, they were absolutely ludicrous.
“Oh my goodness, Abel, how did you ever put up with these morons?”
“I can’t even remember why I liked them in the first place.”
“And what is the deal with her asking me what kind of ‘stuff’ I’m giving you? I would love to know what all that’s about. It took everything in me not to ask her if she was talking about Viagra or something. That whole conversation was just stupid.”
“Hey, there will be no talk of Viagra.”
“It was a joke Super-Ego.” That threw her into another laughing fit.
“Ok, Abel, I’m going to ignore every number except yours and Sean’s so I don’t have to hear any more bull crap.”
“Yeah, you do that.” I said and decided to try my luck on
e more step.
“I love you Corinne. I really do.” That shut her up.
“Abel?” Oh shit, I said it too soon.
“I’ve loved you since we walked into the Silent Film concert and you made sure I was in front of you so no one bumped into me.”
“Really? I just didn’t want you to get hurt.”
“Exactly.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow, honey.”
“Bye, Abel.”
We didn’t hear much from them after that for the next few weeks. I kept Corinne and Sean under watch, just in case, but so far nothing happened. October started practices for soccer. Sean drove Corinne home for a few days and then she put her foot down and demanded she drive herself to and from school. I demanded she get pepper spray in rebuttal. I wound myself up for an argument but she agreed and we got her one for her purse and one for her keychain.
Four practices in, we were all dismissed early because of the school dance that night. I grabbed my bag, not bothering to change, and set out for the parking lot. I saw Ryan and Vince leaned against my truck but ignored them as I passed. It didn’t last long.
“Abel, what’s up man?” Vince asked, kicking off of the truck and crossing his arms.
“Just goin’ home.” It came out with an annoyed tone.
“You gonna be at the dance tonight?” He pressed.
“Yeah.”
“So, there’s a party at Brett’s house tonight. If you’re coming, maybe you could, I don’t know, bring something better than booze.”
It sounded like a D rated movie about ‘Saying No To Drugs’.
“I’m not going to the party Vince.” The rest of his proposal didn’t even validate a response.
“Whatever man. That girl has really turned you into a…”
“Watch it Vince.”
He put his hands up in a ‘white flag’ motion and they walked off.
I got in the truck and made my way home. Corinne was waiting for me.
Corinne
I’d been lying to him for weeks. It was wrong and it hurt to do it. I didn’t want him to worry and going to him every single time a person looked at me funny made me feel weak. I could deal with this. If it evolved into something I couldn’t handle then I would let him know. I would.
It started with the girls. Heather, I finally got her name right, cornered me in the girl’s bathroom and asked me if I would sell her some pot.
“Heather is it?” She nodded, “I don’t sell pot. I’m not sure where you got your intel but I don’t do drugs or sell them.”
“Come on Corinne, Brett said your Dad moves it and sells it, you’ve got to be in on that.”
I pushed her away from me and she stumbled into the nasty sinks.
“My Dad is in banking, stupid. Don’t you think I’d know if he was a drug dealer? I swear you people need to lay off.”
I stormed out of the bathroom. I told Sean about it later that night and he said he’d heard some weird rumors about me. He also said he was going to try to do some digging around to see what else he could find out.
And before that Brett passed me a note in American History asking me how my mom was doing. I balled it up and threw it in the trash can, conveniently next to me and returned to listening to the teacher. After class was over, he walked over to me as I packed my bag and said, “Your mom has a big mouth.”
“What?” I retorted.
“She comes over during the day sometimes, has coffee with my mom. But it’s ok, I’ll keep your secrets.”
“Go to Hell Brett.”
I didn’t care what he was talking about. This crap was getting creepy. But on the bright side, apparently whatever they found so interesting about me had stopped them from beating up on so many people. In fact, I hadn’t seen them pick on people in weeks. Maybe I just hadn’t seen it. Didn’t mean it wasn’t happening.
I got ready for the dance Friday night. I was kinda excited about it. My first dance where I could actually go with someone I liked. I picked out a teal colored dress, shorter than I usually wore but nothing compared to the other ones I’d seen in the store. I did my hair myself and wore some heels that I got on sale since I was on my own for everything that wasn’t a necessity. I couldn’t wait to get out of this place.
Abel showed up in a gray suit with a black shirt underneath. I reached out to hold on to the door jamb to stop myself from swaying.
“Your face just went white as a sheet Corinne, are you ok?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. And you look great.”
“Oh, I see, I look so good I almost made you faint.” He chuckled and reached out for my hand.
“Pompous ass.” He laughed back and shut the door behind me. I didn’t know where my parents had gone again but they were practically gone all the time.
“You’re breathtaking, by the way.” He whispered as we arrived at his car.
“Thank you.” The guilt of lying to him these past weeks pounded against my chest a little.
We walked into the streamer clad gymnasium. It was so loud in there that I didn’t even attempt to talk.
“Did that home management class cover dancing?” Abel bent down and practically yelled in my ear.
“Yeah, but not like that.” I pointed with a chin nod towards a boy and a girl who were practically humping to the rhythm.
“I hope not. Come on, I promise not to dry hump you to death out there.”
“Deal,” He dragged me to the dance area.
After the dance we went to his truck and Brett and his friends were sitting on the downturned tailgate.
“We’re leaving Brett, do you mind?” Abel made a move to put his tailgate up and Ryan clamped down on his wrist. “Yeah, Abel, we mind. Used to be you’d be sitting here with us. Instead, you’ve dropped us for this,” he pointed at me, “snobby assed princess.”
He barely got the s in princess out before Abel’s fist connected with his mouth. Brett smiled, looking entertained with the whole thing. I wanted to break them up, stop them from fighting, but my arms were pinned behind me by one of their skanks who wore one of the shortest, tightest dresses I had ever seen. Her hold on me was soon replaced by Brett’s and he jerked me to him and began to spit words in my ear.
“See what you’ve done? Your boy, used to be our boy, is getting shit kicked because you wouldn’t share. Don’t they teach sharing in prep school? I tried to get your attention all summer, but then you were smart enough to get the alarm turned on.”
“It was you? And what the hell are you talking about with my dad?” I struggled against him to no avail.
“Doesn’t Daddy give you some freebies for your friends?” He moved to sniff my hair and loosened his hold on my wrists just enough.
I threw myself on the ground and reached up and punched him right where it hurt the most. He doubled over and by then Abel had taken Ryan and Vince and they were on the ground.
“Get in the car Corinne.” Didn’t have to ask me twice.
We got in and he flew for about five minutes before tearing over to the side of the road and threw the truck in park. He unbuckled his seatbelt with such a fury that it hit his window. I was surprised it didn’t break.
“Let me see your arms.” He barked at me. I showed him my arms and bruises were already blooming on my wrists and forearms.
“Are you ok other than this? What did he say to you? I saw him with his mouth by your ears. I could kill him,” He shook while he still held my hands.
“Abel, look at me.” He did and blood trickled from his mouth. His left eye was almost swollen shut and his knuckles bled. “Move to the other seat and let me drive.” He started to argue. “This is not the time for your male bravado Abel. You cannot drive with one eye swollen shut.”
He muttered a cuss word that I’d never heard leave his mouth and then he scooted towards the passenger’s side of the truck. I stepped over him the best I could in my dress and drove him home. He didn’t look at me or even straight ahead. He looked out of the passenger side wind
ow, his forehead pressed against the glass as his warm breath made white circles in the glass and then turned them invisible as he inhaled. I’m sure he was pissed at me for making him let me drive but I didn’t care.
I pulled into his driveway and we walked inside, him in front of me, and if I didn’t know better I would think that his stomping was that of a kindergarten boy instead of the man that had just defended me and gotten me out of a volatile situation. He sat on the couch and held his face in his hands.
“Abel, first aid kit?”
“Kitchen, on the wall, inside of the pantry.” I went into the pantry and sure enough there was an enormous first aid kit that opened like a bathroom medicine cabinet. I grabbed what I needed and then went to the freezer to get three bags of peas and then slapped two dish towels on top of my pile.
I went over to where he sat on the couch and perched on the edge of the coffee table in front of him.
“Look at me, honey.” I used his nickname for me to get his attention. He raised those enticing brown eyes to meet mine, one of them severely marred. There was some new emotion in them, I could almost pinpoint it as regret but I didn’t have time to explore it just yet. He put his hands high up on my thighs and held on while I cleaned him up and held the frozen peas to his eye.
“This is my fault,” he choked out and then he grabbed onto my waist and settled me into his lap with my knees bent on either side of his hips. I moved a bit against him and he winced, hissing through his teeth. I un-tucked his black shirt and his torso was spotted with bruises making it look like a sadistic tie-dyed shirt.
“It’s not your fault, it’s theirs. You’re just not used to being on the other end of their wrath.”
He pulled me to him, and nuzzled his face in my neck. “I just want you to be all right”
“I’m fine, Abel. I’m fine, except my dress is around my hips.”
He looked me in the eyes while I got up and pulled everything back down where it should be.
“OK, you need to get out of those clothes. Do you want to take a shower?”
“Yeah, I need to.”
“Well, come on.”
“Corinne, I can do it. Just stay here.”
He stood up and had to hold on to every other piece of furniture like a toddler learning to walk.