The Street Fighter And I

Chapter 4

Casey

I stayed in my room for days only moving to cook dinner or use the bathroom.

My mind is numb like everything else, the ceiling fan is beginning to relate to my life going in circles never coming to an end never resting.

I perch at the edge of the bed a familiar bird chirping outside, eventually I get up grabbing the warmest clothes after seeing icy frost on the window.

Staring at myself in the mirror is one thing I loathed but one thing I could not help, pin pointing faults in every atom of my body and mind, a bleeping pulls me away from my self pitying.

On my way x - Melissa

My breathing stops as I hear a room door opening, a few seconds tick by with his haunting shadow lingering under my doorway I did not move until the front door slammed shut.

"Hey morning." Melissa greets with a cheerful grin.

"Morning." I mumble not feeling her optimism on a Monday morning.

"You okay? you didn't come in on Friday and haven't replied to any of my messages." A concerned look casted over her features I didn't even have to say anything, she knew why I could see the familar silver of gulit flash through her hazel eyes, she jerked the car akwardly at the side of the road.

"I told you this a thousand times you don't have to keep living like this Casey. You can stay at my house he can't get you there you'll be safe." My chest tightens at her words, no matter how many times she says it, this conversation is like a boulder fixated on my shoulders refusing to shift.

"I-I can't," I merely whisper looking away from her intense gaze rain bounces of the window like pebbles.

"You can I'm really worried about you...more than usual."  Guilt washes over me, I didn't want Melissa worrying about my problems she already has her own burdens to bear.

"I will when I'm 18," I say taking a deep breath finally turning to face her.

"It's only four months away," I say for her sake giving her an encouraging smile.

"You promise?" I couldn't put her or her mom in danger, I know she would not see it that way but sometimes it is better to think the worst in my experience.

"Promise." We seal the deal with a pinkie swear something we've been doing since as far as I can remember.

Melissa swerves gracefully out of the curb with glassy eyes.

...

"B plus ain't to bad Casey." Mrs.Wareen says cheerfully with a tight lipped grin.

"Thank you." My skin is already heating up with stares towards me.

"Zack." Her voice turns venomous as she dangles the assessment sheet over him like you'd do with a kitten and a ball of wool.

"An F once again Zackery leave my classroom." Her black beady eyes don't leave Zack's until his slumped shoulders are the last thing we see as he shuts the door behind him.

"Anyone else that does not feel up to the task to be in my social study group can leave with him." She states slamming folders on her desk screeching the chair off the tiling floor.

I pick up the assessment sheet, for once allowing myself to be proud of something I have done, while fixing some errors two hushed voices began talking behind me.

"No I am serious he didn't show up Friday,"

"Yeah right Chris I believe your bullshit." The boy snickers lowly, I take a quick glance at Mrs.Wareen to see she is indulged within a sea of papers.

"Me and a few of the guys went there to put on a few bets but it was kind of boring without him so we left," Chris sighs heavily before continuing,"Brandon said it was because Ryan is afraid to fight him." It took a few moments for the boy to speak again.

"Yeah right that boy ain't scared of shit, but damn Ryan Carter missed a fight put that one down in the history books." My heart skipped.

I was suppose to meet Ryan on Friday! dammit Casey how could you be so stupid!?

What am I going to do now?

Different scenarios race through my mind all of them ending with me not being so lucky.

The bell snapped me out of my torturous thinking, I trail slowly behind the other students  towards the door praying Ryan wasn't there ready and waiting like a predator ready to pounce at its unsuspecting prey, my shoulders slump back down when there is no sign of him.

Every corner I turn my heart jumps where could he be? Maybe he forgot about the project too, school work and Ryan Carter has never been mentioned in the same sentence as far as I can remember.

I searched my bag rumbling through notebooks to get more quarter's for lunch I do not get paid from the library until Wednesdays.

In the cafeteria queue people shoved and shouted about who was there first as if it would be the last time they get some food which is disgusting but bearable it's riches compared to home.

The grass is glistening like stars in the sky the morning dew lifting, I close my eyes enjoying the sound of birds whistling above, the sun disappears rapidly I furrow my eyebrows and look up to see Ryan Carter looming over me with a dangerous look.

"Well if it isn't the girl who bailed on me." He states blue eyes glaring down at me every cell in my body froze, I breathed in and out but no air seems to be reaching my lungs.

"So are going to explain to me why you didn't show?" Ryan questions titling his head to the side black ink peeks out from under his jacket, "You don't seem the type to skip school work." He adds chiseled jaw clenching.

"I'm sorry I-I forgot my family is s-staying an extra week I went out for dinner." I lied my nails digging into my palm.

"Alright," Ryan says after a moment his intense gaze fixated on me, "Looks like we're going to have to work extra today then."

"Okay." I merely whisper wanting to just crawl into a hole, I hastily  fumble with my bag taking it as my queue to leave, I walk away quicker than necessary my legs feeling like they had bricks on them.

"Casey." Ryan calls out my heart pounds rapidly as I turn back around to find him right in front of me.

"Where are you going?"

"To class..." I say feeling stupid.

"No." He says shaking his head, "I said we had extra work to do today." Ryan takes out a set of car keys and curls the silver ring around his finger.

"We're going to my place." Is the last thing he says before heading towards the parking lot.

"But w-what about school?" I ask looking back and fourth Ryan stops in his tracks and turns quickly on his heel, instinctively I take a few steps back ignoring the pain in my body Ryan's features soften for a split second before they harden.

"I've plans tonight seen that I missed it on Friday, I need to get some of this project done I am not in the mood for Mr.Broads bullshit life lecture." I nod not trusting my words while looking at the faded yellow line on the ground.

With unsteady legs and an even more unsteady heart rate I follow Ryan Carter.

A/N

Hey guys what do you think of this chapter!? I really enjoyed writing it who is your favorite character so far?

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