Evicted

by Traci Sek

  I tell Spencer everything I heard, and he listens intently.

  "Am I a terrible person? I mean, what have I become? What if his situation is worse than mine?"

  "Whoa calm down. First of all, you have been through a lot. You are not a terrible person; everybody has their good and bad days. But I can see where you're coming from."

  "I think I should apologize, at least." I hesitate because I know how Spencer feels. Spencer grits his teeth and then rubs his face. He’s struggling with an answer, but he finally nods.

  "I think you’re right, but I want to be there when you do it. I don't trust this guy, Jeremy."

  "I think it's cute that you want to protect me, but I can do this on my own," I say with a smirk.

  "I know you are strong. I just really don't trust this guy. He rubs me the wrong way. Please just let me be with you when you apologize."

  "Will you apologize as well?"

  "For what?"

  "Spencer, you weren't the nicest yesterday. You were rude when he tried to introduce himself." I chuckle and grab his hand.

  "Do I have to?" he asks with puppy dog eyes.

  "Yes, it's the right thing to do. If I've learned anything over the past couple of months, it's life's too short to be rude and angry."

  "Ok, baby, if that's what you want, I'll do it." My heart swells at Spencer’s words. I smile at him and lean close to his ear so that only he can hear and whisper, "I'll be sure to give you a kiss when we get out of school."

  He wags his eyebrows at me and smirks. "I can't wait."

  Apologies

  The next day Spencer and I get to school early in hopes of catching Jeremy before class to apologize. After my job hunt yesterday, we rehearsed what we would say to him, and my stomach feels a bit uneasy, but I push the feeling down. I sit on the steps between Spencer's legs, his arms wrapped around me— I love this feeling of contentment. I waited so long to feel protected and loved like this.

  Jeremy finally comes walking around the corner, and I quickly jump up and walk over to him, with Spencer closely following behind. Jeremy sees us coming and starts to slow down; his eyes grow wide.

  "Jeremy, hi," I say as I come face to face with him. He seems shocked at first looking behind him and back at me.

  "Hi?" he questions with a curious look.

  "Yes, hi. I'm talking to you. I just wanted to apologize for my behavior yesterday. It takes a lot for me right now to open up to people and accept them." I say shyly.

  His face registers complete shock, and he glances at Spencer. I nudge Spencer in the stomach, and he clears his throat. "Yeah, sorry, man." The strain in Spencer’s voice is evident, but I’m proud of him for being kind and indulging me.

  "Um... it's ok? I'm sorry, but why the sudden change?"

  "I told you. I feel bad about the other day. I'm not a mean person, and I know what it's like to be the new kid at school, I was just going through a lot."

  "Oh."

  He just stares at me until Spencer coughs. Jeremy glances back up at Spencer.

  "Well, apology accepted," he says with a smirk. Although I feel relieved, I still feel awkward. I’m not sure about his smirk, but I don't know him very well either. Maybe that's how he reacts in uncomfortable and embarrassing situations.

  "Well, we better get to our first class," I say as relief washes over me.

  "I'll walk with you, Jeremy offers."

  "We can walk together," Spencer says once again, struggling. I can tell he’s holding back, but it still comes off as protective. I’m just happy that at least he’s trying.

  Before entering my first class, Spencer pulls me aside and gives me a peck on the lips.

  "I love you," he whispers, making me smile.

  "I love you too."

  "Ahem." I glance up at Jeremy, who’s staring at us. I can't help but blush and then notice Spencer eyeing him with irritation. Did he just do that on purpose to remind Jeremy of who he is? My boyfriend! I quickly put my hand on Spencer's chest, making him look at me, and his eyes soften. With one last smile for me, he walks away.

  "Man, your boyfriend has possession issues," Jeremy says sarcastically. I stop in my tracks as a surge of anger courses through me. Nobody talks about Spencer.

  "Listen, if you want to stay in my good graces, don't talk about my boyfriend like that," I warn him as I point my finger at him. He throws his hands up in mock surrender.

  "We have been through a lot. He’ll come around, just give him a chance." I implore.

  All he does is shrug, which forces me to roll my eyes skyward. This guy has some nerve!

  Gia’s already sitting at her desk, and her ability to always be on time amazes me. She gives me a confusing glance.

  "Hey, Gia," I say.

  "Hi," she slowly responds, looking between Jeremy and me and back again.

  "It's ok, Gia. I... well, we apologized to him. It's all good now."

  "We?" Gia asks, another confused look on her face.

  "Yeah, Spencer and I."

  "Spencer... apologized!" she exclaims.

  She’s shocked, which makes Jeremy snicker. I glare at him this time as he sits down in his chair.

  "Why is that so shocking?"

  "Spencer doesn't apologize to anyone. I thought you knew that about him?" Gia declares.

  "That's ridiculous." I think about it for a minute, and realize Gia’s right. I’ve never known Spencer to apologize to anyone.

  "Girl, he must really love you. What did you do to get him to apologize?" she asks coyly.

  "I just... I don't know..." I feel Jeremy's gaze on me, and I’m uncomfortable. "Let's just talk about something else. Moving on."

  I hear the girl from the day before snicker behind me. Jeremy doesn't seem to know that her snicker and scorn is directed at him.

  Class ends, and I head to my next course. Jeremy quickly catches up with me.

  I can't contain my curiosity anymore. "So, what happened to you yesterday? Why did you ditch your first class, and why did you show up late to all the rest?"

  He gives me a look, and emotion flashes through his eyes, but it’s gone instantly.

  "Oh, I wasn't feeling my greatest, so I stayed home a little later, and then I kept having to go to the bathroom. Can't be too careful with those germs." He gives me a quick, albeit fake smile.

  "Right..." Does he really think I am some naive girl that will fall for a garbage excuse like that? Even though he doesn’t know me, I feel angry at him for even thinking such things.

  "Well, one thing you should know about me is that I don't take crap from anyone. You might think because Spencer acts the way he does, that I'm some scared little girl who can't defend herself, but I'm not. And I especially hate liars. So, if we are going to be friends, you need to come up with a better excuse than that one."

  He seems shocked at first then he smirks again.

  "Wow. Good to know. I'll keep that in mind." He winks.

  You’re Hired

  The following week of school goes by in a blur—same old boring things to learn, essays, and homework that piles up. I sit at my desk, staring at math homework. I hate math, and It’s my worst subject. Quite frankly, I have no idea how I made it this far or if I was even going to pass Math class.

  "Ugh," I groan out loud as I let my head drop with a thud on my desk in defeat.

  My phone beeps with a message, and I quickly pick it up and read.

  Want to go to the mall? Gia

  Finally, I need to get out and clear my mind. I quickly reply.

  Yeah, I'll meet you there.

  I put on my favorite sweater Spencer bought me, throw it on, and head for the door.

  "Where are you off too?" Sarah asks, looking up from a book she’s reading.

  "To the mall with Gia to look for jobs." The last part is a lie, but I didn’t want a lecture.

  "Alright, good luck."

  "Thanks." Grabbing the doorknob, I open and close the door behind me. I’m met with a cool breeze. It’s only Sep
tember, but the weather is starting to turn. The mall isn't too far away, so I quickly pick up the pace. When I finally arrive, I spot Gia waiting by the front door.

  "Hey, girl," she shouts.

  I wave.

  "It's chilly out here today," Gia responds by jumping up and down like a little school girl on picture day.

  "Come on, let's go inside." I laugh.

  We take the escalator to the second floor and start walking around, looking at each store until we come to Gia's favorite clothing store.

  "We have to go in. There's a sale today!" she squeals.

  I inwardly sigh and shake my head. I hate clothes shopping. It’s a waste of energy, time, and money. The first table of clothes we see is the sales items. Immediately Gia starts digging through them. I touch one of the shirts, which is soft like a feather.

  "These are so silky and soft." Gia nods in agreement grabbing a few in different colors.

  "Can I help you with anything?" I instantly recognize the strong Australian accent. We both look up to find Jeremy smiling a toothy grin, and Gia rolls her eyes.

  "Nope. We are good," she replies sarcastically and keeps digging through the clothes.

  "Hey? What are you doing here?" I ask.

  "I work here, of course," he says and chuckles.

  "Yeah, stupid of me for asking that question. I would have never guessed you would be working in a girly clothing store."

  "Hey now!" he puts a hand to his chest as if he was hurt and offended. "I'll have you know, miss, that there is a fabulous selection of men’s clothing along that back wall over there." He points his long, thin finger to the back of the store. I quickly glance back over my shoulder.

  "My bad," I say with a grin. Gia looks up from her pile and moves to the next table holding several shirts in one arm. She suddenly gasps, and I turn in the direction of where she’s looking.

  "Jessa," she exclaims. "They are hiring!" She turns to Jeremy, who’s still standing with his hands behind his back, watching her. "You can recommend Jessa, can't you?” she implores. “Jessa needs a job ASAP."

  "Gia," I whisper yell.

  "What? It's true." Gia shrugs her shoulders.

  "So, you do need me, after all,” he says with a coyness I don’t like. “I was wondering when that day would come?" Jeremy seems to be enjoying this a little too much. I blush.

  "I don't need you. I am quite capable of getting a job on my own." I state with defiance.

  "Oh, Jess, stop! Plus, think about it, you could buy me clothes with a discount!" Gia is finding this to be the perfect scenario, without thinking about how I would feel. I suddenly hate my best friend.

  I turn to Jeremy with a sigh. "Can I have an application, please?"

  "Of course. Let me get it to you. Right this way," he gestures for me to follow him. Jeremy walks behind the front counter and pulls out a thin piece of paper and a pen.

  "Here you are. The manager’s here today as well, and I can get you in for an interview right away."

  I suddenly tense and look at my outfit: It isn't the greatest, but it will work. Jeremy seems to know what I’m thinking.

  "Don't worry, you look fine," he winks and disappears into the back room. If Spencer had seen that look, he would have hammered his ass. I start filling out the application, and a few minutes later, Jeremy reappears with an older looking lady.

  Her blonde hair is wrapped in a messy bun, her glasses on the edge of her nose, and she smiles at me. "Hello, I'm Melissa, the manager. I hear you are looking for a job?"

  I nod and reach out to shake her extended hand. "I'm Jessa. Nice to meet you," I say politely.

  "Come with me, and I'll give you a quick interview." I follow her into the back to a small, yet quaint office—Melissa gestures for me to take a seat. I hand over my application and wait.

  "So, this would be your first job?" she asks.

  "Yes, ma'am."

  "Well, I've hired a few newbies. The job isn't too hard, but It will be part-time for now. All you will be doing is folding, refolding clothes, stocking the tables, and asking customers if they need anything. Does that sound easy enough?"

  "Yes, and part-time is fine." I agree.

  "Well, during Christmas, I'm going to need you full time. It gets hectic. Then after the Christmas season, including about a week or so after new years, you will go back to part-time again."

  "That's not a problem," I assure her.

  "You come highly recommended by Jeremy out there. He is very persistent and promises; I won't be disappointed."

  I blush and smile. "Well, I'm a very hard worker. I help when I can, and I think I will be good at dealing with customers." I don't know what else to say. After all, this is my very first job. I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

  "He's a good boy. I will trust him on this one. So, when can you start?" she asks expectantly.

  I sit stunned for a moment before I reply. "Is tomorrow okay?"

  "Perfect. You will be training with Jeremy. I'm going to put you on Saturday and Sunday and then one day during the week and then go from there." Luckily tomorrow is Friday, so that wouldn’t be a problem. I can go home and finish my homework and be ready for my first day. I’ve got a job, I think nervously.

  "Four to seven shifts also," Melissa speaks up.

  "Thank you so much. Yes, that's fine. I'll be here." Both Melissa and I stand and shake hands one more time, and I quickly exit the office to where Gia’s waiting for me.

  "So? What happened?" She asks excitedly.

  "I got the job!" I announce with pride.

  Gia jumps up and down. "Yay! I'm so excited for you, Jessa!" I look around for Jeremy but don't see him. Oh well, I’ll thank him tomorrow at school. We quickly leave the store and head home. Sarah’s thrilled with the news and rushes to make a celebration dinner for me. I quickly finish my homework and debate telling Spencer, but I decide to do it in person tomorrow at school.

  You Did What?

  I wake up with a new excitement building in me. Today’s my first day on the job, but first I have to make it through school. All the usual clicks are standing outside of school chatting—no doubt about the latest music, artists, haircuts, etc. I just roll my eyes and scan the area for Spencer. Spencer’s nowhere in sight. My eyes fall on, Jeremy. I smile and head towards him.

  "Hey, Jeremy! Where did you go last night?"

  "Hey, Jess. I was in the backroom doing inventory, sorry. I heard you got hired, congrats." He stands up and forcefully pulls me into a bone-crushing hug.

  "Ow!" I protest with a hint of laughter in my voice. He loosens the hug but keeps his hand on my lower back. I can't help but feel uncomfortable. Before I can move away, Julia and her posse walk by.

  "Look at the loser holding the tramp."

  She puts her hand to her mouth in shock. Her eyebrows rise to her hairline.

  "Wait, does Spencer know about this? Wait till he finds out!"

  All the girls laugh hysterically. I quickly move away from Jeremy.

  "There's nothing to tell Julia; he was just giving me a hug."

  "That's not what it looked like to me. Isn't that right, girls?"

  They all nod in agreement. I can feel my blood boiling.

  "Get out of here, Julia, before I teach you another lesson," I say through gritted teeth.

  Julia scoffs. "Please, bitch, You taught me nothing," she rolls her eyes.

  I’m about to pounce when a hand reaches out and grabs my arm. I look back, and it’s Spencer. Jeremy’s nowhere in sight. Where did Jeremy go?

  "Is there a problem, ladies?" Spencer asks, his left eyebrow raised.

  "Yeah, your bitch was messing around with that new kid. I called her out, and she tried to hit me. Obviously."

  "Liar," I shout. Now the whole courtyard is looking in our direction. Spencer loosens his grip on my arm but doesn't fully let go.

  "It's not my fault you can't control your hormones and anger,” Julia snickers. "I just thought a decent man like you, Spence, wou
ld want to know when your girlfriend is cheating on you."

  At that, the whole courtyard burst into whispers. I’m so angry, and all I see is red. That’s it. I don't care what happens. My dad isn't here anymore to be disappointed, and that just makes me angrier. I rip my arm out of Spencer's and lunge for Julia, who screams and tries to move, but I’m too quick. I grab her by the hair and twirl her around and push her to the ground. I lean on her shoulder and raise my fist to punch her, but strong arms quickly rip me off.

  "Jessa, calm down. Don't do this!" Spencer's loud panicked voice rings through my ears.

  "How dare she say such garbage!"

  My breathing’s out of control. I think I might pass out as all the emotions I held in are now pouring out like rain from a black cloud. Julia’s huddled up in a ball on the ground crying.

  "Get up, you stupid bitch and fight back! You’re a coward!" I spit at her.

  "Please babe; You’ve got to calm down. She's not worth it!"

  Spencer’s in my face stroking my cheek, his hot breath on my face matches my heavy breathing. The red is now clearing from my vision.

  "Miss Miller! What is the meaning of this?" The principal stands outside ushering people to their classes. Julia’s sobbing but now standing.

  "She hit me again! She grabbed my hair and...and... spun me around!" She wails.

  What a pathetic excuse for a human being, I muse to myself.

  "This is unacceptable, Miss Miller. Both of you in my office now! As for the rest of you, get to class," she yells, and immediately every student starts filing into the building.

  "We need to talk about all this when you are done in the office," Spencer says in a low whisper. I don't reply.

  A half-hour later and more lectures, I’m released from the principal's office with double detention. Julia, of course, only gets a warning. I hurry into my first class and sit quietly in my seat, trying to ignore all the stares and whispers. Jeremy’s in front of me but doesn't glance my way. What the hell is his problem? Does he just think he can disappear and act like that? I'll show him. The class ends, and before I can catch Jeremy, Gia grabs my shoulder.