Fast Times At Clairemont High

18

We were finally going back to school today. Not that I was excited about it, but I missed my friends. I saw Mike a few times last week, but it wasn't very exciting considering he was couch-bound until now. He was on crutches at the moment, but still couldn't put any weight on his hurt leg.

"Hey Mike! Feeling any better?" I asked as I quickly caught up to him snailing it down the hall. He turned to me and smiled.

"Hey Cam. Not really. I mean it's great to actually be able to move, but it still hurts like crazy." He said. I nodded and slid his bag off his shoulder.

"I'll be your pack mule until you get better." I said. I really did want to help him, but this way I could also be excused for being late to class. He rolled his eyes.

"My back works just fine, Cameron." I shrugged and walked along with him. The layout of the new school was similar to our old one, it just had an extra floor with offices on it. Unfortunately I didn't have English today so I couldn't see Vic. I had told Mike everything that had happened while we were washing my car and he found it pretty hilarious.

"You know he likes you, right?" Mike asked. I gave him a confused look. "You said you miss Vic." I didn't even realize I had said anything. "He's just too stubborn to admit it to himself." I sighed.

"What do I do?" I asked. We had arrived at Mike's homeroom and stopped at the door.

"Not sure...just please don't push him into anything? I think you two could work, I just don't want him to regret it." I nodded; neither did I. I headed off to homeroom with Vic still on my mind until I felt someone grab my arm.

"Hey Carmen." I was slammed against the lockers by Andy.

"Cameron..." I corrected him quietly.

"Yeah, whatever. Why haven't I seen you recently? I need you. It's been a long time."

"It hasn't been that long..." I tried to convince him. He scoffed.

"You call two and a half months not long?" I shrugged.

"In the grand scheme of things..." I wanted him to leave. I wanted him to let me get through my day and not have to speak to him.

"You know what I think?" He asked, bringing his face close to mine. "I think you're playing hard to get because you know I'll get you eventually. I know you like it rough, Baby Girl..." He whispered to me. It wasn't true. With him I didn't like it at all. Not anymore anyway. He went to kiss me but I moved my face away. He chuckled. "There it is. That rebellious you I like so much." I cringed slightly and heard footsteps near us.

"Andy, Cameron? You two are going to be late to homeroom. I suggest you hurry." I looked up to see Vic standing there with a concerned look. I relaxed when I saw him and smiled. Andy glanced at me and then glared at Vic but pushed past him and went to him homeroom. Vic gave me that look he did sometimes. His is-everything-alright-between-you-two look when ever he saw me and Andy together. I gave a slight nod and ducked into my homeroom before he could question me about it. But boy was I glad he was there.

After homeroom I waited outside another room to help Mike. I took his bag and I walked him to our math class. This class was awful. It was boring and I had heard this teacher was even worse than our old one who had been put in a different school. There was an overflow so they could only fit so many students and teachers in one school.

I stared at the clock and watched the seconds tick by as my life was wasted away locked in this room. The class was dead and I couldn't help but sigh out of boredom. The teacher, who was pointing at something and explaining yet another method of finding x, glared at me and stopped her ranting for a moment.

"Miss Stewart, is there something you would like to say to the class?" I looked around and threw my arms up.

"Who votes we get recess?" I asked. Most of the class had noticed her yell at me and were now paying attention. They raised their hands and I turned back to the teacher. "Do you want to do the math or should I? Because although no one's listening to you teach, we could all say that that's more than fifty percent meaning that, in the standard democratic society, we get recess." She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Well, Miss Stewart, it's not a democracy." I nodded.

"Oh right! It's a dicteachership, isn't it?" Mike stifled a laugh beside me and I smirked.

"Mr. Fuentes! Do you have something to sa--"

"Oh that's not Mr. Fuentes. That's Mike. Mr. Fuentes it the hot teacher on the third floor. I'm sure you've seen him walking around." I chimed in. The teacher's face got red and she stomped her foot.

"Cameron Stewart!"

"Yes?"

"You have disrupted my class more than enou--" She was cut off by a pounding on the wall and yelling. It sounded like every locker on the other side of the wall was slammed shut at once. "Everyone stay here!" The teacher ordered and ran to open the door. Of course no one listened and rushed the door.

"She's mine! You fucking stay away!" I was on the opposite side of the room and one of the last to get out to see what was happening and who was yelling.

"Get the hell off!" Another voice yelled. I turned to face the lockers to see Vic pinned to them with Andy towering over him.

"Shit!" I whispered. Mike was standing next to me, balancing on his crutches. He looked horrified as Andy swung at Vic. "Why the fuck isn't he fighting back!?" I asked Mike.

"He'll get fired if he hurts him." Mike said. Vic ducked and Andy smashed his hand into the lockers.

"Ahh! Fuck! You little piece of shit!" Andy screamed. The students were gathered all around in a fight ring. Vic slipped out of Andy's grip and stepped away from the lockers. He looked scared, but not panicked.

"Andrew stop." Vic demanded. Andy just went at him again. His hands latched around Vic's throat and tightened. Everyone knew Vic could easily over-power Andy if he had to, so no one intervened. Vic gasped for air and I started shoving people out of my way.

"Andy stop! Get off of him!" I yelled. Vic got Andy's hands off his throat but Andy was too quick and slammed his fist into Vic's side. I heard a sickening crack and Vic yelped, holding his side.

I finally got through the wall of people and grabbed Andy's arm. He spun around, scratching my face and knocking me back. I saw him turn back to Vic and send one last blow to the side of Vic's head, knocking him to the floor, unconscious.