I stayed the rest of the weekend with Gina. We didn't do much but go to the mall with my loaded credit card from this month's allowance and eat ice cream at Lulu's. After 17 years of my parents taking me there, it's still booming with business. Mom taught me to dip my fries in the ice cream, and now I love it. Dad thinks it gross, and so does Gina.
I couldn't go longer than a few minutes, the whole weekend, without thinking about what had happened at the party. Does Macy always do drugs? It's normal to see teenagers drink and try a cigarette or two; I know of a few who even dabbled with more hardcore drugs, but they never got addicted. The way she spoke about needing them last night made me believe she was. But she wants no help from me. I just want to know why? What did I ever do to her?
Never mind. I don't think I should be asking myself that. Technically I dropped her as a friend. For three years, I watched her across the hall with her head hanging low and her hoodie drawn. She didn't speak to anyone, and no one bothered to try and talk to her. It never seemed to phase her, but I could be wrong. Some people are just loners and like to be outside the crowd. I'm the opposite. I know if no one talked to me, I would be extremely bothered. Which is why I never spoke to her... I was afraid of losing all my friends. I mean, I wouldn't lose my family, and I know for sure I wouldn't lose Gina. She has actually been encouraging me to talk to her for what feels like forever.
"Addy!" Camden yells from behind me and kicks the back of the passenger seat. I looked up from fidgeting with a string on my jeans and didn't notice we had already made it to school.
"Boy! Kick my damn seat one more time." Dad glares at him. I was always a mommy's girl, and Camden is a daddy's boy. He's always been. He wants to follow in Dad's footsteps at the agency and listens to every word she says.
On the other hand, I can be a rebel and get away with more because Mommy is on my side. Rayden, well, she has both my parents wrapped around her little finger. The youngest always gets away with things the oldest wouldn't have. She bats those long eyelashes, and her wish is their command.
"Sorry," Camden whispers, causing me to chuckle.
"Forgiven. Here's lunch money. I'll see you later. Love you."
"Love you too," Cam yells and shuts the back door.
"Talk," Dad says to me once my brother is out of ears range.
I sigh and look out the window noticing Macy walking towards the school entrance. She has her grey hoodie drawn as usual, with her hands in her pocket. Her eyes meet mine before she rolls them and walks inside the school.
I groan and lean back in my seat. "What's wrong, Princess?"
"Why did you have to make me walk with her?"
"You know why!"
"To keep the bullies from messing with her. This won't work, Dad."
"Why not?"
"Because they aren't my dogs or something, I can't just call them off. One punch in the face isn't going to stop Chase. He lives for the thrill of taunting others. And because of that, they will continue to mess with her."
"It's only been a few days; give it time. Just stay by her side, and eventually, it will stop."
"Or... they'll start to come after me instead, for hanging out with her." I snatch my lunch money off the dashboard and grab my backpack before leaving the car and conversation. I was frustrated that she even suggested this as a solution, and I was even more pissed knowing that Macy was on drugs. I wanted to tell my parents, but I didn't want her to get into trouble. I just wanted to help her, but she won't accept it. I don't blame her.
I hear Dad's footsteps behind me but ignore them, going straight to my locker. Gina appears in my peripheral as I take my first two period books out. I can feel her eyes burning a hole into my cheek, and I groan. "What!"
"Damn, who pissed in your cheerios?"
"No one, sorry." I close my locker and lean against it while she does the same next to me. I notice Macy sitting in her usual spot, biting her jacket sleeve.
"What happened Friday with you two?" It's the second time she asks. The first time she asked at the mall, I shut the conversation down. Not because I didn't want to tell her but because I didn't really know what to tell her. I don't know what is going on with Macy, and I don't know how bad her addiction is. Maybe she was just trying it for fun, right? Like other kids in this school. It was a party she was smoking and drinking and wanted to try something new...?
Wrong. I know that's wrong. The way she said she needed it... it's definitely an addiction. Somehow Macy and I locked gazes, and I feel as if I see a subtle head shake. What is she telling me no about? What? To not tell anyone?
The bell rings, and our staring match ends. She grabs her bag, tossing it on her shoulder, and walks away. "I have to go. I'll see you later, Gi."
"Um, okay? Love you, Sugarplum," I hear her say behind me.
"Love you too, Babycakes." I kiss two fingers and send it her way. I move my feet quickly through the crowd to catch up with Macy.
"Hey," I say, grabbing her arm. She stops walking and yanks her arm from my grasp. "We need to talk." She looks around at the many students seemingly minding their business walking around us.
"No, we don't. You need to leave it alone."
"I can't." She tries to walk away, and I grab her arm again. When she goes to take my hand off her wrist, someone slams into her causing her to collide into the lockers hard.
"How's it going, scumbag?" Chase asks, with Brooklyn grinning next to him. The crowd stops to inquisitively watch.
I stand there from the side, watching as Macy gets sturdy on her feet, rubbing her shoulder. Her eyes close, and she takes a few deep breaths as if to calm herself. The last time I tried to help, she told me she had it, so I didn't want to get in her way this time. But I also don't want to see her get into a fight or get into trouble.
"Are you okay Addypoo? Did her filthy touch hurt you?" I scrunch my nose, confused at Brooklyn's words. Who the hell is Addypoo? She has never addressed me as such. We are friends, but not like that. For the beginning part of the boathouse party, she was attached to my side until she realized I wasn't interested and left with the basketball captain. I don't like her as anything more than a friend, and recently her antics and her messing with Macy are starting to annoy me.
She rubs my wrist as if I'd been burned by Macy's hands, and I yank it away.
"I'm fine. What is wrong with you two?"
"What? We're just here to save you from this low life." Brook smirks, and Chase chuckles. Macy grabs her bag and tries to push past them, but Chase slams her into the lockers again.
"Where are you going, dyke?"
"Get out of my way."
"Or what?"
"Fight fight fight fight!" Chanting from the group of students watching fills the air. Brooklyn claps her hands, bouncing up and down with excitement. I try to walk towards Macy to get her out of the middle of the circle, but Brooklyn grabs my hand and pulls me back to her.
"She is capable of fending for herself." She gives me a devilish look, and when I look back over, I see Chase shoving Macy once more before she drops her bag and socks him in the stomach. All air leaves his lungs, and he leans over, groaning.
"Alright, alright. Break it up. Head to class now before I call everyone's parents to let them know their child has detention and cleaning duty for the next 4 Saturdays." My father's words are enough to disperse the crowd right before the 5-minute tardy bell goes off.
Chase is still hunched over, trying to compose himself. He coughs and starts pointing at Macy. "She..."
"Yeah yeah yeah. The pain will subside. Get to class Chase." My father says, walking past him. Macy and I stand there watching as he makes his way to class, then look up to see my father with her arms crossed. "What did I say, Macy?"
"I didn't start it."
"But you hit back."
"What? I'm supposed to just sit here and take the bullying." My Dad shook her head.
"No. I don't mean that. I just mean we..."
"Yes, I know we can't do anything about Chase Mrs. Reed. Money talks" She looks between the both of us before storming off in the direction opposite of our first class. I glance at Dad, and she sighs and nudges her head to go after her.
I groan and do just that. But I take my time because all I can think about again is the drugs. When I turned down the hall, I thought I saw her turn down. She wasn't there. I stop in my tracks and look around the empty hall. All the students are in class right now, and I know we'll have to get a tardy slip from my Dad again.
When I glance down the hall again, I notice a rock wedged between the door and frame leading to the back of the school. As I approach the door, I smell the odor of cigarettes once more. I peer through the crack, and there she is, sitting on a red crate, staring up at the sky with a lit cancer stick between her fingers.
"Seriously. Put that shit out before you get into trouble." Her eyes are drawn to me, but the rest of her body remains still as she gives me an irritated look.
"You're a nuisance; you know that?" I cross my arms and sit on the box next to her while she blows smoke into the air.
"Yeah, well, I wouldn't be if you'd just agree to let me help you," I say, fanning the smoke out of my face.
She sarcastically chuckles, "Let Queen B help me? Do you mean the same one that dropped me as a friend? Who sat on her entitled throne with friends and family watching as I got pestered by the football team and your little girlfriend."
I wrinkle my brow. "Brooklyn is not my girlfriend. I'm not even ..."
"Save it, Princess. Just because you haven't admitted it to anyone else around you or to yourself doesn't mean you aren't gay. I can spot a queer from a mile away."
I look elsewhere. Only my family and Gina are aware. I haven't told anyone at school, and Brooklyn simply wants to assume more popularity status and volleyball captain after I graduate this year. She thinks kissing my ass will put her on top.
"Don't worry... my lips are sealed."
"Yeah, whatever. But we aren't entitled." She flicks her cigarette and drags the bud against the ground.
"Keep telling yourself that. Maybe it'll come true one day." We sit there in awkward silence, me twiddling with my thumbs and her staring off into the abyss.
"Does my dad know?" I ask, finally breaking the silence. She picks up the bud of the cigarette and picks at it.
"Yeah..."
"Great." I sigh, getting agitated at the fact she never told me.
"Don't be mad at her. I asked her not to tell you."
"Why?"
She shrugs. "I have my reasons."
It falls silent between us again. "So... this addiction? How bad is it?"
She sucks her teeth and stands up. "Adelaide, I don't feel like talking about this with you right now."
I stand up, matching her height. "Okay, so when then."
"Never. I told you to leave it alone."
She starts walking away from the school building, and I follow after her.
"What if I don't want to leave it alone?" Her strides got wider, and I noticed we were going in the direction of her house. Well, the back roadway she seems to like more.
"You're beating a dead horse. Go back to school, Adelaide."
"No! Why are we even leaving school anyways? Didn't my father say you aren't allowed to skip classes?" She ignores me getting further and further. I pick up my speed until I'm running to catch up to her. I grab her arm sharply, turning her back to me. "Hey! I'm talking to you."
"What!" She screams in my face.
I ball my fist and yell right back. "Why won't you let me help you!"
"Because I don't need your fucking help!"
A high-pitched growl rumbles under my breath as I try to keep composure but can't. "You selfish piece of shit!" I shove her into the fence of the alleyway we found ourselves in. She begins to laugh, scratching the side of her nose and pointing to herself.
"I'm the selfish one... me?" Her laughing continues as she frantically nods her head. "Adelaide Reed, you are the most self-centered, entitled, cowardly, narcissistic jerk I've ever met. You only care about your pathetic ten seconds of fame, which, might I add, will get you nowhere in the real world. All you do is sit around squandering your parents' money on expensive ass clothes and jewelry in order to boost your egotistic mentality and fit in."
I pierce my lips, trying to fight back the sharp pain I feel in my chest. My hand raises in the air and lands cleanly across the side of her face. She holds her red cheek and stands there stunned as tears stream down my face.
"Fuck you, Macy." I stand there for a second before wiping my tears and slamming her back into the fenceline. "Fuck you." Walking back towards the school, I leave her there and never look back.