Grease Lightning | K.M

Why do you hate me?

I watched both boys walk off in opposite directions, still not sure who to chase after.  I came to the dance with Leo, so I should leave with him. He's been the one consistent friend I've had sense I've moved here. I wouldn't know how to handle loosing his friendship. Still, I'd already made up my mind without even knowing it.

I watched Leo get in his car and hit the steering wheel. Then I turned my head and watched Kenickie keep walking down the street.

"I'm sorry", I mouthed to Leo. I started running to catch up to Kenickie, even though I saw the hurt on Leo's face.

"Slow down", I shout at Kenickie when I'm close enough to grab him. I pull the rough end of his jacket back against me so that he couldn't run without taking me with him.

We both stop on the sidewalk, now in front of a Thai food restaurant that had already closed for the night. This was a horrible spot to start yelling, it had no privacy. I couldn't even spot a dumpster to stand behind.

"Why would you do that", I say out of breath but firmly. I tried to pull him around to me so I could see his face, but he wouldn't budge.

"I deserve an answer and neither of us will be leaving until I get one", I snap.

My hands remained tightly clenched to his jacket, knowing he'd lever leave his leather behind. I waited for an answer, staring at the back of his back until I realized he wouldn't respond. I couldn't really be shocked, ignoring people was his signature move.

I punch the middle of his back, although I knew I wasn't strong enough to cause even a bruise. Still nothing, not even a flinch.

I suddenly felt like crying. Here I was trying to talk to someone who hates me when I might have just lost a friend.  All the memories of getting ignored, laughed at, and degraded finally started to fizzle to the surface.

I started hitting him harder, not caring if letting go of his jacket gave him the opportunity to run off. I'm sure his car wasn't far from here.

I punched faster now. My hands hurt against his back, but it was one of the most real emotions I've felt sense coming to this town. Pure, raw sadness had manifested into a crying rage.

"Why do you hate me"? I said, hearing my voice get louder every time I said it. I just kept hitting him and repeating it. But I needed to know. Once and for all. Then I'd leave him alone.

I was aware of the people passing by watching with judgmental stares, which just made me get louder- if even possible.

"Just tell me why you hate me and I'll leave you alone", I scream at Kenickie. He spins around in a blind rage, "I hate you because you're the only person I don't hate".

I'd let his jacket go, to confused to remember how limbs worked. Kenickie hated himself for liking me? So if he pushed Leo off, then it was because he thought of me as a sister. Or perhaps he thought of me as more.

I couldn't fathom a sentence, so I was stuck staring into the blurry eyes of the scared boy in front of me. I'd never seen someone look this vulnerable.

"Right, nothing to say", he scoffed and pulled away from me. I watched his hand wipe away the lingering gloss from his eyes as he tried to act tough.

The chill of the night air hit me when he distanced himself, causing me to snap out of it. "Please don't go", I croaked. I wasn't sure what I was saying or how I felt, but I knew being away from him isn't what I wanted right now.

I stepped forward. "I'm sorry for messing your night with Cha-Cha up", I said looking down. I made sure to say her name with as much obvious distaste as possible. "And I'm sorry for Leo's behavior. I didn't want to kiss him".

He stopped backing up, instead opting to lean against the end of the Thai restaurants wall and listen to me. "But can you blame me for not knowing what to say right now? I mean, you've hardly said three words to me sense the second I moved here and it was all mean. Then you tell me to stay away from you and the t-birds. I'm in open water right now and I have no idea how to act", I vented.

It felt good to say. I watch him run his hands through his hair in thought. "Yeah well I'm headin' out now. I'll catch you later chick".

I titled my head, confused. It was like a flip had switched in his brain. In the blink of an eye, he looked completely fine- like our conversation had never happened. He was acting like the guy I met on the bleachers on my first day.

I sputtered in disbelief, throwing my hands up. "I'm done with your crap. If you want to play like this then fine, I will too".

With all the confidence in the world, I marched past him in search of his car. It was only a few rows down so I could still hear Kenickie walking slowly behind me.

Once I saw the stolen hubcaps, I climbed over the door and plopped into the passenger seat in the most unladylike way possible. I snap at him as he walks up to the car with a reserved face, "I'm not getting any warmer, hurry it up".

"Get out of my car Cynthia".

"Absolutely not. If you want to start a fight, fine by me. If you want to treat me badly, fine by me. But because of your actions, now you're stuck with me. So I'm not moving. It's called playing hardball". I buckled and crossed my arms firmly.

I sat quietly as Kenickie glared at me, probably hoping I'd give up and walk away. Little did he know, I'm the most stubborn person he's ever going to meet.

"Hardball? Fine. We can play that way", he said getting in and slamming the door.

Unedited.