Wicked End Academy

I look down and sit in my seat.

"He better stay the fuck away from her," Brian mutters. Johnny chuckles.

"I know, man. We all know," he replies. I snap my head up to look at him.

"Matt knows," I whisper-yell.

"No," Brian tells me, wide-eyed. "You said not to tell him, so he won't find out till you want him to know." I breathe a sigh of relief and take a notebook out of my bag. Brian sits next to me and looks at the multiple drawings. "You drew all these?"

"Yeah," I say quietly, hearing Mr. Laine walk in and shut the door. Brian just watches me for the next few minutes until I put the notebook away.

"Aww, keep going," he murmurs, smiling. I shake my head and slouch down in my seat. "You should really sit straight up."

"Ugh, shut up, I'll sit how I want." His smile fades a little and he turns to look at the teacher. I instantly feel bad so I pull out a piece of paper and my pen.

I'm sorry for saying that. I slide it on to his desk and he reads it. He takes his blue pen out and starts writing.

It's not what you said...

Then what was it?

You're losing that genuine smile you had when I first met you. And it's all Rodney's fault. Which is why I would really love to kick his ass right now.

But you won't.

Why not??

You'll get in trouble and might not be around to take care of me so Rodney doesn't get me.

Why do you say that?

Say what?

That Rodney will "get you". It doesn't sound natural.

What he did isn't natural, Brian. I see him cringe out of the corner of my eye.

I know, Char. I put the paper in my folder and see Mr. Laine erasing the dry-erase board.

"Okay, everyone. Get a partner and sit at a lab table," he tells us. Brian stands and looks at me.

"Who's working with who," Johnny asks, looking at us. Brian looks at him.

"You work with Rodney," he says. I see Rodney walking over. "I'll work with Charlotte." Johnny nods and steps in Rodney's path.

"Hey, bro, what's crackin'," Johnny asks him. Rodney shakes his head and locks eyes with me as I walk with Brian to a table.

"This ain't over, Charlotte," he growls, but I can hear him perfectly. "You can't get someone to protect you forever."