"You can use my locker"
"I'll just keep them in my bag" I mumbled.
"I'm not gonna use it Ellie. You're smart, you need somewhere to put your books. I'll text you the combo"
"Thanks" I mumbled and Daniel opened his locker and looked at me. "What?"
"Nothing" His eyes look behind me.
"Hello!" Jasmine chirps from behind me.
"You scared me" I nudged Daniel. I turned around to Jasmine. "Hello"
"Is that your locker?" She asked, pointing at the locker with the spray paint on it.
I nodded. "Sadly so" I mumbled. "It's a nice welcome back to school"
All of looked at Vinnie as he walked past, without even saying hello. "Very nice of him to say hello" Daniel interjects.
"We're not public yet" I reminded him.
"I know, Ellie. Still"
"Who's locker is this?" I turned and saw the principal looking at the spray painted locker. "Mine" I mumbled.
"You vandalised it, that's a penalty"
"Why would she write loser on her own locker?" Daniel asked. "You actually think she done that?"
"Then who done it?"
"We don't know. Why don't you pay attention to your students who are being bullied, yeah? Happy first day" Daniel snaps.
"I don't like your tone"
"I'm sorry, but I truly don't care. Now, stop harassing your student who is literally a child of God and go worry about football" I looked at Jasmine with wide eyes.
"I'll see you in my office"
"Of course. I missed it" Daniel closes his locker. "Let's go, Daniel"
"You remember me?" Daniel said, with sarcasm in his voice.
Daniel walked off with the principal and I leaned against my locker, looking at Jasmine. "He is one hell of a character" She said and I laughed.
I look behind her at the person walking towards us. It's Chase.
"Hey, Ellie"
"Hi" I mumbled
"I heard about your locker. Whoever done that is a dick" I looked up and his eyes met mine. "Just wanted to wish you a good first day"
"Okay"
"Do you know who done this?" He asked and I shook my head. "No"
"I heard it was Bryce or Vinnie. They need to grow up"
"I guess"
"Nice talking to you" He walked away and I rolled my eyes.
"Vinnie?" Jasmine asked, looking at me.
"I don't think he did it"
"And if he did?"
"I'd break up with him" I said, looking at her. Vinnie walks past with my sister and I look away.
"Is everything okay with you both?"
"He's been off lately"
—
Lunch came by sooner than I expected. I don't eat during school, I sit behind the stage on my phone. I slid down the wall and extended my legs out. I pulls out my phone.
Daniel: How are you doing??
Daniel: rumour going around is Vinnie wrote on your locker
Daniel: Did you ask?
Me: I'm fine and no
I locked my phone and furrowed my brow when I heard footsteps. It was Vinnie. I rested my head against the wall. "I thought I only knew about this"
"Me too" I said and he sat next to me, at a distance.
"I saw your locker"
"Everyone did" I sighed
"Are you okay?" I looked over at him.
"Yeah, you?"
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"You've been weird the last few days"
"There's a lot you don't know about me, Ellie" he started. "And I want to keep it that way"
"So I only get the happy, good side of you?"
"Yeah" He replies and I roll my eyes.
"Why?" I asked him.
"Because I don't feel like talking about anything depressing in my life" His voice was dismissive.
"People think you wrote loser on my locker" I looked at him. "I didn't do it"
I stayed quiet. "Did you think I did?" I shook my head. "No"
"How did you hear that?"
"Chase told me and then Daniel text me"
"Chase spoke to you?" He had a lot of tension in his voice. "Yeah"
"Why didn't you tell me?" He snapped. "I told you to tell me"
"I just told you. It's not like I can tell you when I see you"
"You can text me"
"I'll keep that in mind" I mumbled.
"What did he want?"
"I forgot" I replied and I could feel his eyes burning on me. "I'm being honest"
"Okay" he mumbled. "What do you have next?"
"Art, you?"
"Same" he mumbled. "Maybe we'll be in the same class"
He looked at me. "If you ever want to talk I'm here" I shook my head and he looked at me. "I'm not talking about the bad stuff with you"
"Why?"
"Because you wont with me" I said and he sighed loudly. "I'm gonna go now" He said, moving away from me.
"Okay" I mumbled.
"I'll text you later"
"Whatever" I said, picking at the dead skin on my nails. He sighed and sat down next to me again and rested his hand on my knee. "I don't want you feeling like you're on your own" he said, kissing my head.
"I have Daniel and Jasmine"
"And me"
"I'm not talking about my issues until you can talk to me about yours. That's what a relationship is" I looked at him. "I'll try"
He wrapped his arms around my low waist and rested his head on my shoulder. "Come over after school?"
"I wanna nap after school"
"We can nap together" I looks up at him. "Please?"
"Maybe" He smiles and pecks my lips.
