Women And the Demons Who Love Them

Possessed-5

REZZ- Certain Kind of Magic (NEW ALBUM MIX)

Nothing is broken thank goodness but I do have to wear a stupid hand brace on my right hand. It takes me a little longer to get dressed and get in and out of my car. To rush down the stairs to do anything really. I can just be sitting there and the sharp pains take over relentlessly. My dad wants me to stay home the rest of the week but I already missed two days and I hate it. I've never missed school a day in my life and now I have two absences. 

"I think you should listen to Neil," Colton said as I parked in my usual spot. I looked over at him with a glare. The only way I got out of the house earlier was because Colton agreed to come with me. Not to mention we're already here.

"I think you should shut up," I said reaching for my bag in the back seat. I tried not to but I groaned anyway. He chuckled before grabbing it for me and taking it with him as I stumbled out of the car. He came around to help me stand up straight refusing to hand me my bag. Rite jogged over to us the instant he laid eyes on us.

"Shouldn't you be at home?" he asked making Colton laugh. 

"Don't fight her. She has a mean right hook. Just ask Austin's shut-eye," they both laughed. 

"You guys get to come," I argued pressing the alarm on my car. 

"Yeah, we didn't get jumped or stomped on," Rite said his tone a little dark. 

"Hey, Baby. You should be in bed," Jamal called from the other side of the parking lot as he ran towards us. He has on a basketball jersey and a duffle bag strapped over his shoulder.

"You play basketball?" I asked when he stopped in front of me gently giving me the usual hug. 

"Why you sound so surprised though?" he asked a little insulted.

"You have a four-point-oh GPA. Thought you'd have a better use of your time," he chuckled. 

"What's that supposed to mean?" Colton asked. 

"Dead ass," Rite added looking over at me. 

"I tutor both of you it's self-explanatory," Jamal laughed. 

"Dang she got jokes," he said. "For real tho. You should be at home. You got really hurt," 

"I'm fine. I just have to take it easy," I said gently taking my bag from Colton. He rolled his eyes but still let me take it as I slowly made my way up the stairs. 

As soon as I walked through the doors, it was like everyone was talking about it because the usual echoing chatter died down and a lot of people turned back to look at me. I sighed letting Rite hold the door open while I stepped through the threshold towards my locker. There's a group of people standing in front of it. 

"Don't," Rite said putting his hand in front of me as I began to push through the crowd. I moved his arm and continued until they opened up enough for me to see the big black letters tagged across my locker. n****r FUCKER. 

I looked over at Rite feeling embarrassed. He looked away hiding the anger probably boiling in his belly just like it is in mine. I shooed them away and then began to put the combination in. I took what I needed and took one last look at the big bold letters. It was the murmurs that did it. 

"Is she really with that black guy?" one girl asked loud enough for me to hear. 

"What the f**k do you care if I am?" I shouted turning to face her. She flinched looking around embarrassed that she had been caught gossiping. "What the hell do any of you ugly mother fuckers care who I'm f*****g? Huh? What does it matter if he's black? This n****r is a better person than all of you racists ass holes combined so mind your own f*****g business," 

"That's enough, everyone get to class," the dean shouted cutting through the crowd. "Baby, Rite, come with me," 

"I didn't do anything. Neither did he," I protested. 

"Let's go," he said sternly without raising his voice. Colton reached for my bag before I walked away and told me to go. 

Not having it on my shoulder is a relief. Rite and I followed the tall man into his office. By the time we got there, I started to think about why the hell I decided getting out of bed when I have a stay in bed and binge watch Shameless all day card. I slowly sat down in the chair when he motioned us to take a seat. Are these painkillers even working?

"Your parents on their way," he said. 

"Can I ask why?" Rite asked. 

"Because he's suspending us as a safety precaution until the find who tagged my locker," I said sitting back. 

"You can't do that sir, I have practice and a game Friday," Rite argued. 

"I know son and I am sorry but your safety is my concern. It wasn't just your locker who was tagged. A death threat was sprayed on yours," 

"What?" I asked looking over at Rite. 

"Look, you two. Whatever is happening between the two of you it's causing a lot of attention," 

"Nothing is happening. We're just friends. Rite has been friends with Colton since little league I don't know how all of this happened," I said truthfully. He nodded looking over at Rite. 

"She's right," he shrugged looking down at his hands. 

"Ok," Dean Johnson nodded before there was a knock on the door. The door was opened, my dad and a woman walked looking over at us. 

Rite and I both stood up without saying a word. Both our parents agreed on making us stay home for our safety. My dad walked me over to my locker and asked for my combination. He carefully opened my locker an handed me my things one by one. Rite and his mother came over to us when she spotted us walking back to the front of the school. 

"I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to introduce myself back there. I'm LaTierra Williams, Rite's mother," she smiled looking my face over with pity. I do look pretty bad. What was I thinking coming back to school like this? 

"I'm Baby," I said extending my arm to her. She took it and gently shook it. "This is my dad. Neil Colin," 

"Baby?" she smiled and I nodded. 

"Baby," my dad chuckled confirming that Baby is, in fact, my birth given name. 

"It's nice to meet you," I said.

"Rite is it?" my dad asked him. Rite straightened up meeting my dad's gaze without challenge in his expression or fear and for that, he gets extra points. 

"Yes, sir," Rite answered. 

"I want to thank you for what you did, son. Colton told me you didn't think twice about defending my daughter while others just stood there and watched," 

"Baby and Colt have been my friends since we were kids. She's gone to all my games and is important to all of us. We'd never let anything happen to her," my dad nodded. 

"I appreciate that," my dad smirked. "You raised a fine young man, Mrs. Williams," 

"Thank you," she said looking at Rite her eyes gleaming with pride. She looked over at me and stepped closer. 

"Momma," Rite protested but she didn't listen. 

"You are too beautiful to have been treated like this, Baby," 

The way she said my name wasn't just to call me by it. Her tone indicated that she was calling me Baby in an affectionate way. It had been a very long time since I have heard that tone. My throat instantly tightened up and tears breached my eyes as she reached to tuck a strand of my hair. I stood very still afraid of reacting too dramatic or completely breaking down in front of this poor woman. 

"Thank you," my dad said when I couldn't answer. This woman's eyes filled with tears as if she knew the war in my head. Lightly, her fingertips caressed my jawline before she stepped away. It is very hard for me to breathe now. 

"I'll see you later, Colin," Rite said leading her away. I nodded giving him a little wave. 

"You're Night Riot," 

I blinked away the tears quickly cleaning them up before I cleared my throat. I turned around to see a girl standing there. Her Blonde hair has multiple shades on the right side of her head, piercings ran along her earlobes, more on her eyebrow, lip, and nose. The only reason her outfit goes is because all the colors of the rainbow are presented on it in an orderly almost perfectionist fashion. 

"Yeah, I am," I nodded.

"I knew it. Even with the-" she motioned my face making me want to laugh. "I'm sorry. I'm Clary. I'm new. Dude, what the hell happened to your face?" 

"Racists," I said she flinched back. "I got beat up by racists because they think my music is too diverse," 

"Yo, that's what makes it magical. You have a gift. You bring people together. Don't ever let anyone take that from you. Fight on," she said raising her fist. "You're a cop," 

"I am," my dad said nodding when she pointed at him.

"This is my dad. Niel Colin. Dad this is Clary she's new," 

"Clarity Corvinus?" he asked and she nodded. 

"Yip," 

"We should go, Baby. You need some rest," my dad said walking away. 

"Sorry, he's had a long week. I'm Baby by the way. Baby Colin," 

"Your name is Baby Colin?" she asked excitedly. 

"Yes," I chuckled. 

"That is so dope. See you around, Baby," 

"Maybe not for a while. I just got suspended," she sighed. 

"That blows. I'll see you then," I waved at her before turning around to follow my dad who was already at the entrance holding the door open for me. 

"I want you to stay away from that kid," he said as he walked me back to my car. 

"May I ask why?" 

"She transferred her from the city. Her parents moved her out here," 

"For?" 

"Arson. They think she lit someone's house on fire. Two girls her age died inside. The doors were barricaded so they wouldn't be able to get out. No evidence was found. The only reason people think it was her was because she threatened the girls earlier that day," 

"That doesn't mean anything," 

"Baby, try. Another thing, the girls inside were Hmong. The argument was over the girl calling the dead girls c****s," I looked back towards the school doors and wondered why she had said what she did. It didn't make any sense. "I know she's pretty to look at but sometimes the prettiest things hide the ugliest tragedies," 

"Okay," I nodded. 

"Go home. Get some sleep. You look exhausted. Take your meds. If you can get Colton's mail. You'd be doing me a favor. Yeah?" I nodded. He opened my door and put my things in the back seat before he walked over to his Challenger. 

I watched him drive away before getting in my car. I didn't put the music on the pounding in my head wouldn't allow it. The drive back to my place felt longer than ever. I walked over to Colton's house and just looking at it gave me goosebumps. I opened the mailbox and took the envelopes out before shutting it. 

I jumped when I looked back up towards the living room window. The curtains weren't shut they hardly ever were. My heart started racing when I saw the shadow move across the wall. My eyes watered again my body began to shake as goosebumps covered my skin but I couldn' bring myself to look away. It isn't a normal shadow. The way it moves. There is nothing to reflect it or cast something like that. 

"Hey," I screamed in a manner I never thought I could. I turned to see Rite standing behind me. 

"Rite," I said breathlessly the tears in my eyes spilling. Every bone in my body trembled.

"I am so sorry. Are you okay?" he asked looking over at the house. I looked back to see that it wasn't there anymore. Whatever that thing was, it's gone. I tried to catch my breath at more tears came on their own accord. 

"Boy, you almost gave her a damn heart attack," his mom said behind him. I laughed my face flushing with embarrassment as I tried to clean myself up.

"It wasn't his fault. My mind is somewhere else," I said clearing my throat trying to shake this feeling. 

"My mom wanted to bring you something," he said looking over at her. She extended a basket covered with a pink towel out for me to take. 

"Just some things for the bruising and to help you feel better,"

"Oh," I said nodding. "Um, would you like to come inside? I'm alone anyway. Colt's at school and my dad went back to work," 

"If it's alright with you, suga," she nodded. I motioned them to follow. "I think you got the wrong mailbox," 

"This is Colton's mail. My dad asked me to get it," I said taking the mail from my mailbox. 

"You alone here with two boys?" she asked looking around once I let her in. 

"Yes. They're a handful," she laughed. 

"Mhm, I know whatchu mean, Baby," she laughed. 

"Are you guys hungry? I'm going to make something to eat," 

"I got you, sweety. Foods hot n' ready," she said taking the pink towel off the basket. I can't remember the last time I ate a home cooked meal without having to make it myself.