Skyler’s POV
I’m in my mom’s car on the way to school from my doctor’s appointment. I’m obviously late. I think my friends should be on nutrition break now. I try to call Sugar. She doesn’t answer, at first, but a few minutes later she does.
“Hey, Sky!” She says. She sounds kind of like she’s catching her breath, like she just finished running or something
“Hey, Sugar! Everything ok?”
“Yeah! How was your doctor’s appointment?” She responds
“It was alright, they had to draw blood and I didn’t really like that but other than that it was fine”
We keep talking until I get to school. I then go through ELA like normal. We’re reading a graphic novel in class, and there’s one character in it that I relate to. He’s really anxious and insecure like me, thinks everyone’s always judging him. But more importantly, he’s in love with his bully’s girlfriend. And it will probably never change. It’s unlikely that they will break up. That’s more of a subplot though. He’s friends with the main character, AKA the author’s highschool self, because the whole thing is a memoir.
After ELA…
I had to stay in ELA late to finish the assignment, so the hallway is empty. It’s so quiet I can hear the echo of my footsteps. But then I start hearing the echo of someone else’s footsteps too. Suddenly, I get aggressively shoved against the lockers.I turn around and see Jake.
“What the hell is wrong with you?!” I shout. I’m less scared to be aggressive with him now, after what happened with him and Celeste
“Sugar broke up with me!” He responds
Don’t look happy, don’t look happy… “Well, what does that have to do with me?”
“I know you like each other! It’s obvious!”
Each other? Does Sugar like me? “I don’t know what you’re talking about. We don’t like each other. Maybe the reason she broke up with you is because you’re not fun to be around. Ever thought about that? Maybe you’re an unlovable asshole!”
Jake looks extremely upset at what I just said. My confidence suddenly goes away. I go back to feeling anxious and intimidated. Like I usually do. Then, he puts his hands on my shoulders and starts shoving me against the lockers repeatedly. Yanking me back and forth. My vision is blurry. I’m scared I’ll get a head injury from this. I jerk my leg up, aiming to kick him in between the legs. From the way he reacts it seems that I succeeded. He’s distracted long enough for me to run away.
“AH! YOU MOTHERFUCKER!” I hear him shriek as I sprint to math class
After a few minutes of being in class, the principal comes in and says she would like to speak with me for a few minutes. Suddenly, my worst nightmare is happening all around me. Everyone is whispering things to each other. Wondering what I did. Maybe they’re actually not, but I feel like they are. I feel like everyone is staring at me wondering what I did to have to go to the principal’s office.
When I get there, Jake is already sitting there.
“So, well, this is a little uncomfortable, but according to Jake you kicked him in his… you know,” Ms. Cara says, “is that true?”
“Uhm, well…” I say. Jake is staring at me. Making me feel like I can’t explain what really happened out of fear of him getting mad.
I look at Jake anxiously. Trying to figure out what I should say. Ms. Cara seems to pick up that Jake is making me feel like I can’t be honest.
“Jake, leave the room. I’m gonna talk to Skyler privately”
“What?? That’s bullshit! What if they lie?”
“They are not going to lie. Do as I say and leave please” Jake is annoyed, but reluctantly leaves the room. “So Skyler, what really happened?”
“I did do that to him, but it wasn’t just for no reason. He shoved me against the lockers, and told me he was mad because Sugar broke up with him. I told him that wasn’t my fault, and well, what I said next was really mean…”
“What was it?”
“I… told him that he was an unlovable asshole. I’m sorry, I know that’s wrong. He just has bothered me and Celeste so much over the school year. He got really upset when I said that. He put his hands on my shoulders and started shoving me against the lockers repeatedly. My vision was blurry and I was afraid of getting a head injury if I let him do that for too long. I had to kick him somewhere really sensitive so that he would be distracted. So I could run away. So, that is why I kicked him there,” I explain
“Well, thank you for being honest Skyler. I understand why you did what you did and you are not in trouble. You are free to go back to class,” Ms. Cara says
“Thank you,” I say as I get up and leave
At PE…
I do the stretches with Sugar and talk with her, as always.
“By the way, when we run the mile, there’s something I wanna talk to you about” I say
“Oh, ok, is it bad?” She responds
“Well, kind of, but the problem is resolved so there’s nothing to worry about”
“Oh, alright”
When we’re done with the stretches and it’s time to run the mile, I wait until Sugar and I aren’t close to any other students.
“So, Jake kind of attacked me in the hallway today…”
“What?!”
“He shoved me against the lockers, I asked him what the hell was wrong with him, and he told me that it was because you broke up with him. When I asked how that had anything to do with me, he um…” I get kind of embarrassed saying this next part, “Said it was because we like each other. Which, is obviously not true!” I say that defensively, but I feel bad when it seems to make her a little disappointed
“Yeah, obviously not! What is he talking about?”
Never mind, I guess she’s not disappointed. I guess she really doesn’t like me. But I don’t overthink it for too long, because I have to finish telling the story. “Anyway, so then, I basically told him the reason you broke up with him was probably because he’s an unlovable asshole. He got really upset, and he put his hands on my shoulders and started shoving me against the lockers repeatedly. I kicked him in the crotch to break free, he told the principal, I had to go to her office, she could tell him being there made me not wanna tell the full story, made him leave, then I told her the full story, and so I’m not in trouble”
The fact that I’m not in trouble doesn’t seem to help. She still seems angry.
At lunch…
I’m sitting with the friend group. I start the story by telling them I had to go to the principal’s office.
“What?! You never do anything bad!” Kat exclaims
“The worst thing I’ve ever seen you do is take three pieces of candy during trick or treating when there’s one of those signs that says to only take one,” Dante says
“Why the hell would you have to go to the principal’s office?” Celeste chimes in
I explain the full story to them. It makes more sense once I explain it. They’re also happy that Sugar broke up with Jake. Dante is pleasantly surprised like me. Kat and Celeste almost seem like they knew it would happen.
“Hey, speaking of Sugar, why isn’t she here?”
I look around. I look in the direction of the hallway where the bathrooms are, and I see what appears to be Sugar yelling at Jake.
To be continued…
Broken Minds 