Walker's Path

Chapter 14 Violation

"Holy—" I said.

Joy continued, "Shit."

What are the chances—

"Language, ladies!" Heather scolded us.

Being called a lady for the first time in my life was odd. But at this point, I didn't even think about it because Jesse sighted me.

"Kennedi!" he screamed as he ran in our direction. His voice made that half-deep half-screech sound that teen guys make. It was rare to see a guy of his size have that particular vocal mishap.

Unfortunately, I'd never gone through those changes. The doctors said it could happen if I kept taking my hormones though. I only brought the one pill to Joy's house but there were more at Rich's in my backpack.

When he made it over he slowed and caught his breath. He leaned on the van and Mark stared at him.

Mark was still someone I didn't know very well and I didn't know his rules when it came to people touching his vehicle. If he was anything like my uncle, he didn't want anyone touching his baby.

I stood there as he breathed heavily. "Hey, Jesse. You probably shou—"

"I'm so glad I caught you," he interrupted.

Mark's face didn't change.

"W-we should talk over there," I gestured at a bench close by. It was near enough to not look suspicious and —most importantly— was not near Mark's van.

"Oh, yeah," he said. The pause he'd made after I said it made me think he was making some hidden calculations in his brain.

Jesse pushed himself off the van and the whole thing dipped.

Even having just met Joy's parents, I could see the anger boiling in Mark's eyes. That confirmed it, he was almost exactly like my uncle.

As Jesse and I moved away Mark grabbed a cloth from his cab and wiped down where Jesse had been.

Joy and the other girls' eyes were on me, which made me nervous.

Jesse sat down when we made it to the bench. I stayed standing.

"You gonna sit?" he asked.

I shook my head. "What's up?"

"Well, I thought—" he leaned back. "That you—" he scooted forward. "You're really not gonna sit down?"

Joy and I shared a look. I crossed my arms. "We're about to leave."

Suddenly he stood up and was looming over me. My heart started pounding and I was having trouble catching my breath.

When I looked up at him, I saw his eyes. Fuck, why do they have to be so nice?

Then he smiled. "You know, I kind of miss the goth look."

"W-what?"

He pulled his fingers down his cheeks. "The makeup?"

He had to remind me that I had makeup on. I closed my eyes and sighed. When I opened them back up he was even closer.

My body was betraying me and that warmth pushed itself through me.

No.

I stepped back. "W-what did you want?"

"So that's how it is?" he asked.

If he was referring to me wanting some space to think, that was exactly how it was. "If you're not going to tell me what you want then." I turned to the van and took a step.