Destroy Me

12 // IS IT TOO EARLY TO TEXT YOU AND STILL BE A BAD BOY

I DUCKED BEHIND A tree as I saw Elijah turning the corner. I wasn't sure what I was doing, but I knew that I had been staying in the school library until five so that I wouldn't run into either him or Isiah on my way home.

Life at home had, somehow, been getting better. My father was actually home long enough that we could have a full conversation, Lindsay was learning how to cook and Vincent had shaved his beard.

I hadn't seen Jessie since I found out about her and Isiah, which was three days ago, and that meant I had one less person to try and avoid.

When I decided that the coast was clear, I stepped out from behind the tree and someone slammed into me. It took me a moment, but I realised that someone was Kendall.

"S-Sorry," I stammered. "I didn't-"

"Are you okay?" She asked and I looked at her in disbelief.

"Am... Am I okay?" I repeated. "I'm fine... I guess."

Kendall looked around, but we were in the back of the school. No one really came back here. Then I remembered that I had run into her while hiding from Elijah, which means they were either together or she was looking for him.

"He went that way," I muttered and pointed in the direction that Elijah had gone in.

"What?" She frowned and looked where I was pointing. "Oh, no. No I'm avoiding him."

"Why?" I narrowed my eyes at her.

"He wants to talk," she sighed. "I know what he wants to talk about and it's really not something that I want to deal with today."

I bit my lip to stop myself from saying something bitter and she sighed.

"I know I'm the last person you want to talk to," she said, "but am I as bad as Isiah?"

"I mean, Isiah doesn't roofie people," I joked, but Kendall must not have realised that i was just teasing her because she looked as though I had just killed her puppy. "You've been really mean to me, but you haven't ruined my life. That's what Isiah did to my brother, which I guess you already knew. In a way, I can kind of understand you Kendall. Elijah is nice to you, he doesn't use you like Isiah does, he's genuinely your friend."

"You don't have to be nice to me," Kendall said, "especially since I'm such a bitch to you."

"You should treat people the way you want to be treated," I told her. She gave me a look, then sighed again.

"Now I feel bad for being so mean to you," she whined.

"You should," I scoffed. "I did nothing wrong to you. It took Isiah finding out that you're cheating on him to realise that."

I truly believed that Kendall would bite back, but she didn't. In fact, she agreed with me.

***

"Why don't you invite Jessie over for dinner?" Dad suggested as he put his work bag on the table. "I haven't seen her in years."

"I'm sure Jessie is busy," I said quickly. "Saving cats that are stuck up trees and whatnot."

"I'll ask her," Vincent shrugged. "Run it by Lindsay first though, she might not want Jessie here."

"Good," dad smiled and Vincent walked into his room. "Anyway, how was your day Devon?"

"Fine," I muttered angrily.

My dad was looking healthier every day. His skin colour was no longer translucent and he had trimmed his beard just enough so that he no longer looked like a caveman. The other day he started waking up earlier to go to the gym as well.