(tw: abusive parents)
- V E N U S -
I sit down slowly, letting the tall grass cover my figure completely. The darkness swells around me, I can't even see my hand right in front of my face. My back hits the ground. I glance at the sky. The stars align. It's like someone poked holes into a giant container, and I'm just a little bug that's trapped inside of it.
I love it. I have come out here every night since I moved, just to look at the sky. Just to get away from everyone. My parents, mostly. I don't know anyone here. Yet. I start school tomorrow. I am terrified. Why did I have to move senior year? It's annoying.
I adjust my position, hearing something in the grass next to me. I sit up, my heart racing.
I'm about to get killed.
My arm brushes up against something. Someone?
"Is someone here?" I ask, shifting away.
"Yes." A voice says from beside me. I jump.
I know, I shouldn't talk to someone I don't know, or can't see, but what's the best that could happen?
"I was just seeing if someone was out here." I say softly, tilting my head to the side slightly. I catch a glimpse of green eyes.
Pretty.
"I like your eyes." I say suddenly. I know I'm never going to see this guy again. Hopefully not.
"Mhm." He hums, brushing off my compliment.
"I never heard your car. I had no idea you were even out here. How did you even-"
"Just shut up. Stop fucking talking." He snaps, cutting me off.
I flinch, closing my mouth. I wrap my arms around myself, shivering against his shoulder. He notices, sparing me a glance. He tosses a hoodie onto my face. "Thank you." I say.
"You're welcome."
I pull the hoodie over my head. "What's your name?" I ask.
"Tell me your first." He puts his arms behind his head. Hopefully he's in a better mood.
"Yeah, no. I have no idea who you are. You could be a psychopath for all I know. You could have a chainsaw behind you or something. Tell me your name first, then I'll reconsider."
He scoffs. "Fine. It starts with a G."
"Mine starts with a V." I mutter. "How old are you?"
"What is this? Twenty fucking questions?"
"What? No. I'm just curious. I have no clue who you are. You showed up at a random hill in the middle of nowhere. I'm seventeen and going into senior year." I glance over at him.
"You're lying. You don't sound seventeen. And you're the size of a freshman." I can see his shoulders moving. Like he's laughing.
"Why would I lie?" I scoff, offended. "And I'm 5'5, for that matter."
"That's pretty short." He sighs, shrugging.
"How tall are you then?"
"6'4 and seventeen." He sounds like he's bragging. "My hair is brown, my eyes are green, and if you're curious, my di-"
"I'm not curious." I say quickly, shaking my head.
Neither of us spoke after that. It's not awkward, but again I wouldn't call it comforting. It's about one in the morning when I hear the grass move around me.
"You have to leave?" I ask him, standing.
"Mhm." He grabs his car keys out of his pockets, unlocking his car. The headlights shine on the both of us- and holy crap. He's so cute. And I was arguing with him.
I watch him, his eyes traveling over my face, and down to my body. His lips tilt up into a smirk. I glance down at my skirt. It's ridden up to my high- high thigh. His gaze falters. I stare as he just turns around and walks back to his car.
"Nice meeting you too." I mumble to myself, getting into the passenger seat of my car. I pull down the sun visors, looking at myself in the mirror.
My eyes fall down to the lettering on the hoodie.
WEST-VIEW HIGH SCHOOL
On the pocket, it says:
MONROE #32
Great. I start there. Tomorrow.
~ ~ ~
The next morning, before school, I can't stop pacing. I put G's hoodie in my backpack when I got home last night. I realized how good it smelt.
I shake my head at myself, opening my closet quietly. My parents aren't usually awake by now, but if they are, they shouldn't do anything to me. It's my first day of a new school.
I pick out a brown sundress with small white splotches all over it. This is fine, right?
Right. It's fine.
I'm kind of freaking out. I mean, what if I see him? How will I give him his hoodie back? Will he act like he doesn't even know me?
I creak open my door slowly, stepping down the stairs carefully. By now, I've learned all of the noises in the stares. It's hard not to. I grab my smoothie out of the fridge, sneaking out of the front door.
I drum my fingers on the steering wheel. What if everyone hates me? What if I get banished to the druggies? So many things could happen and I'm totally overthinking everything.
I stop at a stop sign, glancing out the passenger seat window. There are boys playing football. They must be having practice. I bet G is out there.
I pull into the school, parking somewhere empty.
Inside, I follow the signs to the front office. There's an older woman there. Her eye shadow is a light blue and her lipstick is red.
She glances up at me, smiling. "Hello. You're new, right?"
"Yes ma'am. Venus Madden." I smile softly.
"Alright. Here's your schedule, locker code, and also go to the library during break to get your books for classes." She hands me a slip of paper.
"Thank you." I look at the paper. Math is my first class. Great.
My locker number is 286. I look at the tiles of the floor when I walk through the halls, not paying any attention to where I'm going.
My shoulder bumps someone, my schedule falling out of my hands.
"I'm sorry." I mumbles, reaching for the paper on the ground.
They reach it first, handing it to me. "That's alright." He smiles at me. "You have math?"
I nod. "Yeah. Do you?"
"Mhm. I'm Jason. It's nice to meet you-"
"Venus." I smile.
"Venus. I like that name. Never heard it before." He shrugs.
"Yeah."
"I'm guessing we're friends now, you know. We've already introduced ourselves and you seem cool enough to be my friend-"
"I like your dress." I turn my head quickly, looking at the girl next to me.
"Thank you." I put in the code of my locker, opening it.
"I'm Naomi, by the way." She smiles, grabbing a math book out of her locker, which is next to mine. "But, oh great, it looks like I can't be friends with you. You've already been claimed by Jason." She pretends like she's scratching her forehead, but really she's flipping him off.
"I'm Venus." I laugh.
"Oh, shit. I have to go. See you later, Venus?" Jason walks backwards, giving me a small wave.
"I can walk you to math." Naomi says, tilting her head towards the hall.
"Yeah, okay." I follow her.
"Where did you move from?" She asks as we walk into the classroom.
"Colorado."
"That's a long way. Colorado to Virginia?" Her eyes widened.
"Yeah. It was kind of spontaneous." It was for me, at least. There were teachers catching on about my parents drinking a little too much, so we moved before they got into trouble.
"That's crazy."
"Mhm." I turn towards the teacher when she walks in.
Good impressions are what I need.
~ ~ ~
Lunch rolls around. This might be the longest day of my whole life. I feel like I've been in this school for years. I have a lot of my classes with Jason and Naomi. They've made me feel welcome. I'm glad I have someone here.
Both Jason and Naomi invited me to sit with them at lunch. I said yes to Naomi first, though. I haven't seen anyone who even closely resembles G.
I'm too distracted to remember any of Naomi's friends' names. He has got to be in here. Has to be. Plus, I don't want to keep his hoodie forever.
I keep glancing over at Jason's table.
"What do you think of Jason?" One of the girls asked. I think her name was Ella.
"Hm? Oh. He's nice." I nod.
"Yeah? I'm sure you like him already." She tilts her head slightly.
"And what if I do? Hm?" I copy her, tilting my head.
Speaking of Jason, he pulls up a chair, putting his arm around my shoulders. I'm just trying to mess with the girl. I don't feel any attraction to Jason. He's not my type. Jason's friends follow him.
I catch most of their eyes, but only one of them I recognize.
Yep. G goes to this school. I guess I was losing hope, and thinking maybe he just borrowed the hoodie from someone. Why am I nervous to talk to him? To even look at him?
I stand quietly, whispering to Naomi that I'll be back in a second. She nods.
I open the doors to the hallway, pacing the short length. The doors open from behind me. I don't look. I know who it is. I'm not an idiot.
"Hey." He leans against the lockers.
"Hi." I open my locker, grabbing the red hoodie.
"So, V. Or Venus, is that right?" He catches the sweatshirt, walking over to the other side of the hall. He opens his locker. Why didn't I see him this morning?
"Yeah. Venus." I nod, watching his eyes fall down to my dress.
"Griffin. If you were wondering." He shrugs, shutting his locker.
I jump. He gives me a look.
"Nice to finally know your name." He says, a smile tugging at his lips.
"Yeah. Nice to know yours too." I nod, crossing my arms over my chest.
~ ~ ~
After lunch, I have geography with Jason. He walks up behind me, poking my sides. I smile at him.
"I wanted to tell you that Griffin-" He points to Griffin, who is talking to a girl in the doorway. "-is throwing a party tonight. I thought since we are friends now, I should take you as my plus one. What do you think?" He sits down in front of me.
"Sounds good. What time?" I'll do anything to get out of the house.
"Six. I can pick you up if you want." He pulls out his textbook.
"That would be great. If it's alright with you-" Griffin takes a seat beside me, tugging on a strand of my hair.
"Hey, asshole." Jason sends him a sarcastic smile, then rolls his eyes.
"Jason, you're just mad I'm taller." Griffin motions one hand up high, and one down low.
"An inch. An inch! Venus, tell him it's not that much. I'm done speaking to you." Jason sets out an exasperated sigh, crossing his arms.
"I don't know. I think if it came down to it, it could be life or death." I shrug, resting my feet on the metal basket on Jason's desk.
"Told you." Griffin smirks.
"I'm not saying that you're in the life factor, G."
"G?" He tilts his head. Jason looks at me like I'm losing my head.
"Griffin, I meant." I cringe at myself.
"Do you two-"
Jason is cut off by the teacher walking in. "I am separating everyone into study partners." He sits in his chair, grabbing a piece of paper.
"Jason and Ella. Harlem and Olivia. Tammy and Kayla. Venus and Griffin." He goes on and on.
Just amazing. Just my luck. Random hill guy turned into study partners.
"Find a time to meet up. You have about ten minutes left of class to figure it out." The teacher yawns, sinking into his chair.
Griffin immediately tugs on my hair. "I can't at my house."
"Mine either." I fiddle with my fingers. Who knows what my parents will be up to.
"Why not?" He asks, rolling his eyes.
"What is this? Hm? Twenty questions?" I mock his words from last night.
"Fuck off."
"Mhm." I scoff. "Just meet at the hill after school. That'll be easiest."
"I have practice. After that?" His eyes linger down to my dress, then back up to my eyes.
I nod as the bell rings.
--------------------
2004 words.
(edited.)
hope you enjoyed!