~3
1650 Words
“Ugh I can’t believe Kayla”, Jen grumbled as we walked outside for lunch, “I never got detention before, now my boss will be angry if I reach to work late. I already took two days off last week because my sister was unwell and mom had to work, dad was out drinking.”
Jenelle’s life was tough, she had both parents but her father doesn’t contribute financially so her mother has to work extra hours and she helped too by working just to keep food on their table and pay bills. She had a sister who was five years old and most of the time stay by their neighbor when no one’s home.
“Will your father ever start back to work?” I asked as we sat down on a bench.
“He doesn’t even last in his jobs an entire week if he makes it to three days then it’s a lot”, she responded.
“Wow, that’s tough.”
“Yeah, so now on weekends I work a double shift at the restaurant and will be out of a job if I reach late today because my boss gave me a warning”, she sighed.
Jenelle wouldn’t take money from me at all no matter how many times I asked her, it was my father who helped me anonymously with her textbooks each year for school since I made a deal with him. I keep my GPA up and check out colleges when the time is right with him in exchange for supporting Jenelle’s school textbooks and any other thing that was school necessary.
The first time she came to my house was in freshmen year and she was in shock for five minutes just by the entrance of the front door. She gasped at everything and flipped out when I showed her the cinema room, indoor and outdoor swimming pools.
“How about I talk to Mr. Blackman? See if I can get him to give you lines to do instead”, I suggested.
“Thanks, but I can always get another job at burger king which is my back up.”
“Jen, please let me help you”, I sighed.
“I don’t want to feel more like a charity than I already is feeling.”
“It’s nor charity”, I said, “you’re my friend.”
“I know, but the answer is still no”, she said stubbornly.
“Well if you don’t want me to give you a cheque of five grand then you better let me talk to Mr. Blackman”, I said.
“Five grand? Isn’t that a little too much?”
“My monthly allowance is more than that Jen, five grand wouldn’t even scratch my bank account”, I stated.
“If I have five hundred in my bank account then I am lucky.”
“Jen just let me help you.”
“Fine just this once”, she smiled.
“Thanks”, I hugged her.
“You are a charity if I was Mr. Blackman I wouldn’t even let you off detention”, Kayla said behind us.
“Leave me alone”, Jen snapped.
“What are you going to do about it charity? You’re not only a scholar but ungrateful too, mute you here have to practically bribe you just to accept help and you are friends. Do you expect to make it to the middle class if you continue in this bashful way? It’s no wonder Andy left you when he found out who you are.”
By this time Jen was crying.
“Leave them alone Kayla, don’t you have anything better things to do?” Zachary the leader of the popular crew and Kayla’s ex-boyfriend.
“I was just having fun Zack, don’t you have a girl to go make out with or something?”
“No this is more interested, you already got the girl in detention, don’t add more salt to her wounds”, he said crossing his arms.
“Since when do you care about people in the lowest rank?” She asked.
“Because I was once there back in elementary school, go hungry for days”, he replied with a sad look.
“I’m so sorry Zack, it must be hard for you to talk about how much you suffered during your childhood”, she placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Yeah it is”, he shrugged her off.
“But it’s sort of hard not to tease her when she cries so easily”, she added and left.
“Thanks”, I said to Zachary.
“Don’t mention it, see you around muffin”, he winked.
“Did Zachary Grant just call you muffin?” Jen gasped wiping her eyes.
“Forget that, did you see the way he defended you?” I grinned.
“Because he had something in common with me which happened maybe 8 or 9 years ago, look at him now. The richest guy on campus”, she scoffed.
“But he still defended you”, I shrugged.
***
“Hey Mr. Blackman”, I entered my French class.
“Yes, how may I help you?” He asked as he prepared for the next period.
“I want to talk about dropping Jenelle’s detention”, I replied.
“And why would I do that? He frowned.
“Because she’s a good student, it was a big misunderstanding with Kayla, she was harassing Jenelle just because she is a scholar student. You know how hard scholar students work to get in here”, I said.
“You’re right, she is one of my top students and this is her first detention. I’ll let it slide this one time, but if it happens again I wouldn’t hesitate to give her detention.”
“Thanks, Mr. Blackman”, I left.
“Did you get through?” Jen asked when I reached by my locker.
“Looks like you wouldn’t be out of a job after all”, I grinned and she hugged me.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
“What are friends for?” I smiled.
“Hey mute girl”, Andy said as he walked passed me.
“Hey.”
Everyone in the hallway gasped and looked at us.
“Did she just talk?”
“Why Andy greeted her?”
“I heard they’re partners for AP chemistry”, someone said.
“No way, both of them, partners?”
“That’s preposterous.”
I ignored the comments and opened my locker.
“Are you free Friday afternoon?” Andy whispered to me.
“Yes, why?”
“We can hang out just the two of us, none of my friends will be there where I am going”, he answered.
I looked at Jen who was looking at the floor.
“Can Jen come as well?”
“It’s okay Brit, remember I got things to do?” She said.
Oh yeah, she has to work.
“Please”, Andy begged.
“Fine”, I sighed.
“Thanks”, he whispered so no one can hear us, “see you Friday evening at the parking lot partner”, he winked.
He left and caught up with Buzz and Zachary who had his eyes on me the entire time of our conversation.
“Did Andy just asked you out?” Jen whispered.
“As friends, it’s not a date”, I closed my locker after getting my book for next period.
“He’s taking you to a place where none of his friends know about, that’s a huge deal.”
“We’re just friends Jen, I know you still have feelings for him just let him explain his side of the story”, I sighed.
“No I don’t and I don’t trust him”, she scoffed.
“I know Andy since middle school, he wouldn’t think of hurting you like that in that way at all”, I said.
“I still don’t want to hear it.”
“You would believe a lying girl like Kayla over a kind-hearted guy like Andy? Heck, your six month anniversary with him he gave you a lovely necklace which I know you still have with you up to this day. Why didn’t you throw it away Jen?” I challenged.
“Because I couldn’t bring myself to throw it away ok, that was the only thing I had left of him”, she wiped her nose.
“Yet here you are standing in front of me denying that you don’t have feelings for him”, I crossed my arms.
“It’s complicated, I’m scared. I am always seeing him with a different girl every other day, he doesn’t feel the same way about me.”
“Have you ever considered he is doing that just for show? I doubt he even slept with any of them”, I explained.
“I’m just not ready”, she shook her head and walked down the hall.
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- Writer
