Teen Drama

5

"I printed off the class notes for each of you. Take them home, work through them and highlight anything you want to elaborate on tomorrow." I instruct my study group, sliding out the paperclipped pages to each one, and Elisa slides half the pile from them to pass to the next table.

We're in the library on the second floor, taking our class free period as a time to catch up on biology. This is how I use any free time I get during school hours, unlike some I could mention. My entire existence is about doing well and getting the grades I need to go to Harvard when I graduate, so becoming our class president and the study group leader for our year feels like an achievement.

"These are well laid out and really helpful, Kayla. Thank you." Jordan, a boy from my class, flashes a shy smile, giving me those puppy dog eyes he sometimes has for me. I know he's had a crush on me since junior year, but I don't have time for boys. As nice as he is, I don't need the distraction of dating.

He's not unattractive. He's that typical rich, preppy boy bookworm type. Good bone structure, clean cut, sandy hair, blue eyes, tall and lean with glasses, and a neat cut back and sides. He reminds me of Clarke Kent in a way.

"Guys, guys..." A rushed, hyper voice invades the quiet of the roomy library, breaking the near silence as a middle year kid rushes in, knocking into a book stand by the door and sending a few sliding to the floor. An angry librarian shushes him with a glare, but he waves his hands in the hair with excitement. "There's a punch-up between two seniors in the main hall. They're going crazy." He whoops and turns on his heel to run out before he gets a demerit for ignoring the rules in here, and a dozen student chairs scrape across the floor as they shift ass to see.

There's an instant buzz of excitement, and I roll my eyes, glaring at the two from our group, who get up so that they slowly slide back down and look sheepishly at the rest of us.

"We have more important things to do than watch two idiots thump lumps out of each other." I raise a brow and go back to opening the pages in front of me. Tutting at how many students have exited the room to go view something barbaric.

"Dane Masterson and Greg Kent from the seniors are beating the shit out of each other." A voice echoes our way loudly from a group being ushered out by an excited teen, and my whole body stiffens. It feels like the blood runs cold in my veins, my heart skips a beat, my breath falters, and I hesitate about getting up. My hands tremble instantly.

This is not my problem. I shouldn't care. He told me to stay away from him a few days ago, which is fine. Let him get expelled for something as stupid as fighting. Let him get beaten to a pulp. Why should I have any sort of emotion about that – he's nothing to me.

"You're really not going to go look?" Elisa nudges me, sensing my stiffness. My heart is hammering in my chest, and I shake my head. Unsure why suddenly my pulse is racing, and my stomach is fluttering like I'm nervous. I don't get the internal reaction, so I swallow it and shake my head, pasting a fake smile to brush it off.

"Sorry, Kayla, but that's something I want to see. Greg was a jerk to me all these years, so seeing him get beaten up...." Shy boy David slides up, and it seems the only encouragement some of them need as my group dissolves with a sudden up-and-run behavior. More than six of them follow suit and depart as quickly.

"It's your brother, right?" Jordan eyes me up and looks from the door to me, trying to gauge my reaction from my blank expression. He seems torn about following them but knowing he likes me probably is the reason he's still sitting here.

My hands start getting clammy, and I mentally scold myself to sit here and let it go. Impulses jumping inside my body and brain to move my legs and go with them are being pushed down hard. I don't even know why my instincts are trying to get me out of this chair. I don't care if he gets punched to a pulp.