Chasing White [Draft 1]

Chapter 4: Pressure Points

Belmont High. March 8, 2016.

My brow furrows as I look down at my computer. I reload the thing to make sure that it's not some software glitch because that happens a lot with this program. The same letter still pops up.

What the hell?

Clenching my jaw, I slam my laptop shut.

"Dammit!" I push myself away from my podium and march outside. My eyes scan the quad, looking for the very lonely girl that I love but am honestly debating on killing right now. I see her at the back of the school, her nose shoved in a school book and her headphones covering her ears. Swiftly moving, I walk towards her but Rachel's face appears in front of me.

"No."

"No what?"

"You know what. No yelling at her. If you're going to yell at her then you need good cop." She gestures to herself. "Not just bad cop." She puts a hand on my chest.

"She has three D's!" I gesture to Tori.

"I know. I just put in my grades and I saw."

"Then why the hell are you trying to stop me?"

"Because you're going to go all apeshit on Tori."

"Hell yeah I am!"

I push past Rachel and march over to Tori. She doesn't look up at me, still completely engrossed in her book on something that looks incredibly dull. I yank off her headphones, nearly breaking them in my grip. Tori's head snaps up, ready to bite my own head off. Her face softens when she sees me and she slouches back.

"Hey. What's up?"

"Don't 'what's up' me. What's wrong with your grades?"

"Addie-" Rachel starts.

"Why do you care?" Tori snaps, cutting the smaller woman off.

I blank, not expecting that response. The truth is, I don't really know why I care. So I come up with the easiest response that I can think of.

"Because I'm your teacher and I want you to get into a good college and I don't think that three D's are going to do that."

Tori grabs my wrist and squeezes in between the two bones. I wince and drop the headphones, unable to keep my hands closed. Tori snatches them from the air and sits back calmly in the bench. I flex my hand and hide it behind my back, concealing my pain.

"Tori, we just need to talk about this." Rachel sits down next to Tori. "Are you not turning in homework?"

"I'm fine. It's nothing."

"What's nothing?"

"Nothing, alright?" Tori shoves her headphones around her neck. "Just go away."

I look over at Rachel, my heart racing in my chest. She bites her lip and nods.

"Okay. We'll go. Just, uh, come talk to us if you need us." Rachel pats Tori's back and pushes herself up. My eyes widen and I open my mouth to say something but Rachel gives me a pointed look. I clamp my mouth shut, not willing to be yelled at by Rachel.

Rachel grabs my hand pulls me away. She stops in front of my door and turns to punch me in the shoulder.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I rub my shoulder, looking down at it to see if something is bulging or red.

"You can't just go up and yell at her! She doesn't respond well to that!"

"And you can't just punch me! I don't respond well to that!"