When They See Us (Book 1.0)

Chapter Nine

"She is capable of fending for herself." She gives me a devilish look, and when I look back over, I see Chase shoving Macy once more before she drops her bag and socks him in the stomach. All air leaves his lungs, and he leans over, groaning.

"Alright, alright. Break it up. Head to class now before I call everyone's parents to let them know their child has detention and cleaning duty for the next 4 Saturdays." My father's words are enough to disperse the crowd right before the 5-minute tardy bell goes off.

Chase is still hunched over, trying to compose himself. He coughs and starts pointing at Macy. "She..."

"Yeah yeah yeah. The pain will subside. Get to class Chase." My father says, walking past him. Macy and I stand there watching as he makes his way to class, then look up to see my father with her arms crossed. "What did I say, Macy?"

"I didn't start it."

"But you hit back."

"What? I'm supposed to just sit here and take the bullying." My Dad shook her head.

"No. I don't mean that. I just mean we..."

"Yes, I know we can't do anything about Chase Mrs. Reed. Money talks" She looks between the both of us before storming off in the direction opposite of our first class. I glance at Dad, and she sighs and nudges her head to go after her.

I groan and do just that. But I take my time because all I can think about again is the drugs. When I turned down the hall, I thought I saw her turn down. She wasn't there. I stop in my tracks and look around the empty hall. All the students are in class right now, and I know we'll have to get a tardy slip from my Dad again.

When I glance down the hall again, I notice a rock wedged between the door and frame leading to the back of the school. As I approach the door, I smell the odor of cigarettes once more. I peer through the crack, and there she is, sitting on a red crate, staring up at the sky with a lit cancer stick between her fingers.

"Seriously. Put that shit out before you get into trouble." Her eyes are drawn to me, but the rest of her body remains still as she gives me an irritated look.

"You're a nuisance; you know that?" I cross my arms and sit on the box next to her while she blows smoke into the air.

"Yeah, well, I wouldn't be if you'd just agree to let me help you," I say, fanning the smoke out of my face.

She sarcastically chuckles, "Let Queen B help me? Do you mean the same one that dropped me as a friend? Who sat on her entitled throne with friends and family watching as I got pestered by the football team and your little girlfriend."

I wrinkle my brow. "Brooklyn is not my girlfriend. I'm not even ..."

"Save it, Princess. Just because you haven't admitted it to anyone else around you or to yourself doesn't mean you aren't gay. I can spot a queer from a mile away."

I look elsewhere. Only my family and Gina are aware. I haven't told anyone at school, and Brooklyn simply wants to assume more popularity status and volleyball captain after I graduate this year. She thinks kissing my ass will put her on top.

"Don't worry... my lips are sealed."

"Yeah, whatever. But we aren't entitled." She flicks her cigarette and drags the bud against the ground.

"Keep telling yourself that. Maybe it'll come true one day." We sit there in awkward silence, me twiddling with my thumbs and her staring off into the abyss.

"Does my dad know?" I ask, finally breaking the silence. She picks up the bud of the cigarette and picks at it.

"Yeah..."

"Great." I sigh, getting agitated at the fact she never told me.

"Don't be mad at her. I asked her not to tell you."

"Why?"

She shrugs. "I have my reasons."

It falls silent between us again. "So... this addiction? How bad is it?"

She sucks her teeth and stands up. "Adelaide, I don't feel like talking about this with you right now."

I stand up, matching her height. "Okay, so when then."

"Never. I told you to leave it alone."

She starts walking away from the school building, and I follow after her.

"What if I don't want to leave it alone?" Her strides got wider, and I noticed we were going in the direction of her house. Well, the back roadway she seems to like more.

"You're beating a dead horse. Go back to school, Adelaide."

"No! Why are we even leaving school anyways? Didn't my father say you aren't allowed to skip classes?" She ignores me getting further and further. I pick up my speed until I'm running to catch up to her. I grab her arm sharply, turning her back to me. "Hey! I'm talking to you."

"What!" She screams in my face.

I ball my fist and yell right back. "Why won't you let me help you!"

"Because I don't need your fucking help!"

A high-pitched growl rumbles under my breath as I try to keep composure but can't. "You selfish piece of shit!" I shove her into the fence of the alleyway we found ourselves in. She begins to laugh, scratching the side of her nose and pointing to herself.

"I'm the selfish one... me?" Her laughing continues as she frantically nods her head. "Adelaide Reed, you are the most self-centered, entitled, cowardly, narcissistic jerk I've ever met. You only care about your pathetic ten seconds of fame, which, might I add, will get you nowhere in the real world. All you do is sit around squandering your parents' money on expensive ass clothes and jewelry in order to boost your egotistic mentality and fit in."

I pierce my lips, trying to fight back the sharp pain I feel in my chest. My hand raises in the air and lands cleanly across the side of her face. She holds her red cheek and stands there stunned as tears stream down my face.

"Fuck you, Macy." I stand there for a second before wiping my tears and slamming her back into the fenceline. "Fuck you." Walking back towards the school, I leave her there and never look back.