Bucket List

Opacity Change

By lunch everyone had heard about the mural. The halls were filled with whispers of what I would do to whichever kid was ballsy enough to have done it . None of them knew who actually did it, nor that the culprit had already received his sentencing. I was given a wide berth as I made my way to the cafeteria. People would become busy with the nearest locker when I glanced in their general direction. I'm not normally hotheaded. But like everyone else, I do have my breaking point. Mess with my art and you'll find yourself on the receiving end of my wrath. Sophomore year a guy tried to mess up a painting I was working on. He 'accidentally' painted a fat, diagonal streak of yellow on my purple canvas. I froze while he did it, only moving when his hand reached the other corner. My mind went on autopilot. I pinned his arm behind his back and slammed the side of his face into the table. It knocked the guy out. Him hitting the floor brought me back to earth. I sat back down and continued painting. Lucky for me the teacher was in another room asking for project advice. No one ever ratted me out and no one ever touched my work again. I got in line and noticed the line was moving rather fast today. When I saw a group of juniors abruptly walk out of line, I started to wonder if the lunch ladies switched the menu. I looked behind me to find a three person wide gap and the portion of the line that had left earlier. The fuck? I thought. Shrugging it off I bought my food and headed outside to the picnic tables. I was soon joined by Tasha and Erica.

"Soooo...." Tasha chewed her lip, obviously trying to breach the subject of the graffiti.

"Excuse me," a girl was standing at the head of our table wringing her hands together. "M-may-may I-I sit here?" I moved my bag off the chair while giving her an imperceptible once over.

"Umm... sure." Erica supplied, "Sorry most people don't ask to sit with us. Especially when Kayla here is mad." The girl started to scoot away from me. I chuckled.

"It's ok I don't bite and my anger has been subdued for now. What's your name?"

"Melody." My lack of agitation got Erica and Tasha refocused on the mural.

"Who are you and what have you done with our friend?"

"The idiot was caught in the act and the principal let me choose his punishment." I stated simply.

"So who did it?" Sasha interjected, sitting next to her sister.

"One of the new kids, his name is Ryder Drake." Melody started choking on her water. I reached over, patting her on the back.

"I'm ok. I'm ok." she breathed after the fit subsided.

"You sure?" Tasha asked.

"Mhmm. I've been hearing rumors about what you do to people who mess with your art." Melody admitted sheepishly.

"It was one time!" I interjected.

"You knocked him out with a table." Sasha said pointedly. I rolled my eyes.

"So why the choking?" I asked Melody.

"Because Ryder's my brother."

"So why are you really here?" I asked bluntly.

"Ryder said you're the meanest girl in the whole school and that I couldn't hold a conversation with you without crying."

"Wouldn't that information send you in the opposite direction?" asked Erica.

"Yeah, except I said I could and he bet eighty dollars that I couldn't."

"Would you mind collecting your money and bringing him over. I need to know what he looks like." Everyone at the table stared at me as if I had three heads. "What? If I looked at him I would've attacked him. Can't go to alternative school a month before graduation. I know what your step-mom looks like, but not him."

"How did you know she's my step-mom?"

"I was too busy trying to figure out what Mrs. Drake was so worked up about. I only glanced at him. The principal called her Mrs. Instead of Ms. and She asked what his mom would think." I shrugged. Melody looked at me sideways before making her way over to a table on the far side of the courtyard.

"So where's Trent?" Sasha asked Erica.

"He sent me a text saying he had to retake an anatomy test."

"He aced the last test we took. Maybe he's working on asking you to prom?" I assumed. Before anyone could come up with more theories, Melody arrived with Ryder in tow.

"Yes your Highness?" he grumbled.

"The name's Kayla-"

"I know who you are. What do you want?" he spat.

"I just wanted to meet you."

"We've met. Or have you forgotten this morning? If you have then I do believe I'm off the hook and I shall take my leave."

"Stop being such an ass." I yelled.

"Stop being such a bitch." he countered. I glared at him. He glared back.

"I'm sorry." Everyone's jaw went slack at my apology. "This morning I was so angry about the mural I completely ignored you. I asked Melody to bring you over here so I would know what you look like." He smirked.

"Don't worry your Highness. You'll be seeing me everyday after school until six. You'll have plenty of time to see what I look like." With that he walked away.

******

When four o'clock came, Ryder and a few detention regulars had buckets of water and sponges in hand. They started to work on removing the red spray paint and black sharpie. I grabbed a sponge and joined them. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ryder had stopped scrubbing. I ignored him and continued scrubbing. The wall was graffiti free an hour and a half later.

"Alright everyone back to the detention room." the teacher said, motioning in the direction of the classroom. The kids dropped their sponges in the buckets before making their way back to the room. I grabbed Ryder's arm before he joined the others. He glared at me.

"I dismiss you. We still have work to do."

"How? The wall's still wet. I'm no artist, but paint and water don't mix."

"First off watercolor. Second, we have to clean up." He grumbled to himself as he picked up two buckets. We dumped the water, put the buckets and sponges back, and mopped up.

"Want a ride?"

"Not from you." I shook my head at his childishness.

"Fine then. At least take this." I held out my little umbrella. He just looked at me.

"Your kidding right? There's not a cloud in the sky! Why would I need an umbrella?"

"Trust me. You're gonna need this. Just give it back to me tomorrow." He looked from the umbrella to me and back.

"I'm not taking it. I don't and won't need it." I sighed before putting it back in my bag.

"Suit yourself." I walked to my car only to look back at Ryder. After I started my car there was a flash of lightning, a clap of thunder, and an immediate downpour of rain. I could do nothing but laugh as Ryder ran to the nearest tree. He punched, kicked, and was probably cussing the tree out. Karma is a bitch. I wanna leave him. I really do. But I just can't. So I honk. His assault of the tree came to a halt. He started walking over. I pointed to the passenger's side. He got in.

"Where to?" Ryder pulled out a slip of paper and read me the address. I pulled out of the parking lot and headed towards his house.