Jaylin.
"So what do Lithium and Sodium have in common? You guys should already know this! You guys learned this in 8th-grade people!" I hardly hear. "So if you guys..." his voice fades out of my ears.
"Hey," I slightly lift my head that my hand was holding. "You all right? You look pale," Rayne leans down.
"Oh, I'm fine."
"Okay let's get into groups!" I hear Mr. Brand's clap, waking me up.
"Did you get hurt yesterday?" Rayne asks me as we stand up to get assigned groups. "Not...Really," I get up.
"You look like a walking dead man," she whispers to me. She's not wrong. "You slammed really hard on the counter last night, are you sure you're all right? I only got a cut on my forehead and that's it."
No, I have a humongous purple greenish bruise on my rib and it really hurts and I didn't take anything to help it so I'm in raw pain. Hah raw...
I don't want to worry her. She's a great person to even at least worry for me. I smoothly lean my back on the counter as our teacher give us group numbers. "Yeah. I'm..." Andrew's eyes caught my eye as he also leans against the counter and being right next to Rayne. "All right..."
"And Jaylin, Rayne, Axel, Leith, and Andrew. You guys will be in group 5 over there."
"You're going to split me with my twin?!" I hear someone yell.
"Well yes Asher, you and Axel are literal two peas in a pod who could literally turn into a ticking bomb within a second. So yes I'm splitting you and your twin."
"So that refers...to what?" I look at the kid named 'Asher'.
"That refers to you guys being the absolute crackheads that won't focus in this class," I see Mr. Brand looking at Asher like he explained this for the millionth time.
I, and the entire class watch Asher think. "Agreed," he admits.
I turn my head back to our group table that we were sitting at and I swear I saw a glimpse of Andrew's smile curve up, but it disappears as I thought I saw one. It was a beautifully rare smile. I sat at the very end of the table and Rayne sits on the left side of me while Andrew sits right across from me, Leith sits in front of Rayne and Axel sits beside him.
"That mother fucker..." I hear someone say at our table. "Is he high?"
High...? Like drug "high"?
"Nope. He only had a juice box this morning," I hear Axel say calmly.
"A juice box?" I hear Leith laugh, I think. "He's still the same fuckin' five-year-old," I hear Leith laugh, hitting the table as he laughs, leaning all the way back in his chair.
Me and Rayne glance at each other as we eavesdrop on their conversation, Rayne watches them talk shit about Asher and these other two people named, Theo and Wade I think.
But I, keep taking short glances at Andrew instead.
He rests his head in his left hand while fidgeting with his ring through his right hand. I see a slight tattoo appear as he turns his head to Leith and Axel as they see Theo and Asher fighting with Wade stopping them.
"Okay stop you two!" Mr. Brand pushes them both back, placing his hands on their chests.
"Don't. Touch. Them," I hear Wade whisper at Mr. Brand.
Everyone goes silent. Seeing Mr. Brand taken back.
I see Leith and Axel sit up straight up in their chairs, they have their bodies tensed like they are some sort of...guard dogs? Like bodyguards? Like their bodies are alert.
"Okay. Okay," Mr. Brand puts his hand up beside his head. "Okay!" he claps his hands and walks to his desk. "Grab your science notebooks please!"
What just happened?
I see Leith and Axel un-tense themselves but still have their eyes on Wade, Theo, and Asher. I see Andrew unfazed either, still playing with his ring.
I see everyone going to their assigned tables and getting their notebooks. Rayne handed me a new notebook that she grabbed from a cabinet and sat down.
Mr. Brand started to explain directions but I started to faze out, the pain was numb but my body felt weak and light. I feel stabs all over my right rib, to the verge of me crying out in pain and pouring out tears. I just want to go home.
I slowly slide down in my chair, crossing my arms over my stomach, mostly to settle and calm the pain in my ribs. I'm guessing the pain is written all over my face because I see Andrew looking at me with a "worried" slash "what the fuck are you doing" look. Can't judge him on that.
I mouth to him a 'What?'
We both just stare. I see Rayne leaning down to me and whisper's "What the hell are you guys doing?" She gives me an "Ohhh" look like we "are" something. I shove her away and I sit back up.
"Matthew, could you pass out this paper to each table?" I hear Mr. Brand say.
I hear my name get called.
"And Jaylin, I would like to speak with you about some assignments you have to finish since you started our school in the second semester. "
I push out my chair and I stand up, turn to my right and I walk behind Andrew. But as I walk behind Andrew, I feel a sudden piercing pain in my ribs again. Why are my ribs such a nuisance today? I only bumped into the counter very lightly though.
I fall to the floor from the sudden stab feeling, I see papers scatter all over the floor. I feel someone grip my forearm. I look up and I see the 'Matthew' kid with glasses grabbing my arm. "Hey, you alright?"
I let him help me up even though I hate people touching me. I don't want anyone to think I'm being disgusted or rude. Even though his touch is sending shivers to me, I let him help me up. I feel weary eyes on me.
"Oh thank you. Sorry," I go on my knees to try and help pick up the papers.
"Oh, it's okay."
I hand him the papers I picked up and I go to Mr. Brand. Please. Stop looking at me. People.
Everyone starts talking again and they start doing the assignments. Mr. Brand catches me up on things while I stand in front of his desk, feeling an unsettled feeling in my stomach. I don't like school. I don't like people.
Hands grab my shoulder, I tense up, I turn around and I see Rayne. I bring my shoulders down.
"I'm going to need to go the bathroom with her," she grabs my wrist.
"No. We're in class Rayne. Go back and sit down," Mr. Brand angrily places his pen down.
I hear Rayne inhale and exhale. "I'm on my emotional period right now. And there's tons of blo-"
"Okay! Okay! H-hurry and go."
Classic. Men would never understand.
She drags me out of the classroom and we go to the bathroom. Oh is she actually on her period? I wonder as she ACTUALLY takes me to the bathroom.
"Hey are you actually on your-"
"You got hurt last night didn't you?" she cuts me off.
How did she figure it out?
"N-no I didn't," I lie.
It was obvious, wasn't it?
"It's obvious Jaylin," she gives me 'I caught you now bitch'.
I start fondling with my fingers. She's my friend. It's okay to at least have one person worry. Right?
I look back behind me, checking for anyone. I lift my hoodie and I show her. I see her eyes go wide.
Her eyes go wide more than I expected. I glance at the mirror to my right and I see a huge black-purple bruise, now covering my entire right rib cage. Shit. It's gotten worse.
"You've been enduring this?!" she comes closer looking at my ribs. "You got this from hitting the counter didn't you?" correct.
I nod.
"You've probably have been having a hard time breathing..." she says quietly. "You have some painkillers?"
I shake my head.
"Shit, I don't have any either..." she puts her hand on her hips. I bring my clothes down.
We hear the door open, I peek behind Rayne's shoulder and I see...
Andrew...?
"Hey, this is girl's bathroom dick head!" Rayne yells.
We both make eye contact. He doesn't move until he throws something. I catch it.
I look from his eyes to the thing he threw in my hands.
I turn it around and I read "Motrin". Painkillers.
"Those are all I have," I hear his voice again, I look back up at him and he's gone.
"What the hell...?" Rayne murmurs. "Well...I guess we have painkillers now," she shrugs her shoulders. I guess we do have painkillers now.
We head back to class and we sit back at our table but they're gone. Andrew, Axel, and Leith are all gone, same with Wade, Theo, and Asher. They're gone.
"You guys will be having to this assignment on your own today," Mr. Brand comes up to our table.
"They left again?" Rayne asks.
Again? Do they always leave in the middle of class? It's only the first period though.
"Yeah just do this assignment together or join their group if you want," he points to the group beside us.
"Yeah we'll just do it with the two of us," Rayne laughs. I laugh too. The pain is getting better.
Thanks to Rayne.
Thanks to the Motrin.
Thanks to Andrew.
We end up finishing the assignment before everyone else. Duo Power. Class ended, the rest of my classes went smoothly, and finished school on a good end. I end up walking up with my headphones plugged into my broken phone, playing 3 songs repeatedly. The only songs I have on my phone.
I walk up to my doorsteps until I saw three large man's reflections through the window.
Should I just go inside? But they will follow me inside, that's not smart. Should I pretend I didn't see them?
"Hey," I hear one of them say.
Shit. It's too late now.
"Is Chase Cregor home?" I freeze at the name.
Dad? How do they know dad's name?... What did he do?
"I don't know a Chase Cregor," I lie.
Please be believable.
The guy with a cut on his cheek, smirks. "You. Don't. Know. A Chase Cregor?"
I think he knows, fuck it.
"No."
The guy steps closer, making my backpack hit the door. He leans down to me. "You're his daughter..." he says beside my ear. "Jaylin Cregor."
He knows.
I clench my phone in my hand, fuck, fuck. What did dad do? Why are three scary men, wearing suits, coming up to our door?" and...Why were they camping outside of our home? I see two black expensive cars outside of our home.
"You shouldn't lie, when you know the truth Jaylin," he puts his hand in his front pockets.
He nods to the two behind him. They suddenly turn around and the man comes closer to me than before.
"Hey get awa-"
"Umph...! Mmph!"
A cloth gets put over my mouth and nose. I smell a sweet put strong smell get breathing in by my nose and mouth. I try to punch the guy's arm away, hitting his elbow, trying to bend it down, but it's not working. C'mon.
"You shouldn't have lied Jaylin...Shhh...Shhh," I hear him say.
I kick his shin, I hear a grunt release from him.
"Fucking Bitch!" he pulls me closer to him pressing the cloth to my face even harder.
I feel my head throb as I feel my head spin, I see my eyes closing out. My hands drop to the floor.
And I'm out.
~~~~~
"Where is he?" I hear a rusty voice.
Hearing multiple footsteps echo in the room. Shit, what did that guy fuckin' use in that cloth? My head throbbing. I feel my ribs also starting to punch me again, fuck.
"Um, we didn't bring him. He wasn't there but as we were about to leave we saw a girl walk up to the house and figured out it was his daughter," I hear the same voice from before.
I open my eyes and I see nothing. Something is over my head. I can't see anything.
"You could've fucking said 'oh we brought his daughter instead' what's with the fuckin' long explanation," I hear the rusty voice snap at the guy from earlier.
"Sorry, sir."
Sir? Who is this man to get called 'sir'?
I move my hand and feet around and I feel ropes wrapped around my wrist and ankle, shit they even fuckin' hurt when I move. Like it's scraping my skin.
"She's awake, take the thing off her head."
Shit.
They yank off the cover over my head, making my hair fly up, covering my face. I throw my head back trying to move my hair but also looking where I am. Once I put my head back down, there I saw about twenty men standing behind a man.
Is this like some sort of movie?
I see the man get up and he brings his cigarette up to his mouth and inhales it. He walks closer to me as I start to breathe heavily. I feel my heart race and pound, maybe being able to hear from a mile away.
He steps on his cigarette and walks towards me, he grabs my jaw with his cigarette-scented hand and weed scent on him with a mix of alcohol scent. He releases the puff of smoke he inhaled and breathed it out onto my face.
I cough, moving my head out of his grip on my jaw. I wheeze as he still doesn't let go.
"You look just like your mother."
I feel a pinch in the bottom of my stomach as I turn stiff to his words.
(2359 words)
Published: Feb 7 2/7/22