I Know It's Hurting You, But It's Killing Me
0001. -EDITED-
I walked down the hall quickly trying to get to my locker and get to class before the bell rang. I spotted Jen standing at my locker and ran over to her. “Hey,” I murmured.
“Did you really think I wouldn't find out Audrey?” She asked, and I could hear the anger in her voice.
“What are you talking about?” I asked.
“You slept with Brandon the other night at the party!” She accused.
“No, Jen. You don’t understand.” I shook my head.
“Don’t lie Audrey! Ryan and I could hear you moaning and screaming for him. And to think we were both going to save ourselves for marriage. You’re such a slut!” She spat.
“It’s funny how you have no fucking idea what you’re talking about Jen. I’m not a slut. I didn't ask for it so get your facts straight before you accuse me of shit.”
“Obviously you are a slut if you slept with him Audrey!” She called out over her shoulder as she raced off to class.
“Bitch,” I muttered before opening my locker.
As I swapped my books the bell rang and the hall cleared. I slammed my locker door shut and start walking to Math. “Look who we have here.” Brandon said from beside me. I turned around and started to back up into the lockers behind me.
“What do you want Brandon?” I asked.
He stepped closer and put his hands on both sides of the locker to block in. “Relax Audrey, I just want to have some more fun.” He chuckled.
“That’s never going to happen again, Brandon! And you’re fucking lucky I haven’t gone to the police.” I hissed before shoving him back with all my might. He stumbled backwards and I took off running down the hall, praying I don’t trip.
My books were long gone but my backpack was still slung over my shoulder. I could hear his footsteps behind me and I started to run faster. I got to the entry of the school and I pushed through the doors before I started running outside.
“This isn't the end Audrey! You can run but you can’t hide!” He shouted with what little breath he had left from running.
I kept running until I was out of the schools distant. I didn't plan on going back, but I also didn't know what to do. Then I did something I never thought I’d ever do. I picked up my phone and called my dad to come get me.
---
“Why am I picking you up on a street corner when you’re supposed to be at school?” Dad questioned as I climbed into his SUV.
“Because I just can’t be there today, please don’t take me back.” I pleaded.
He looked over at me and smiled before chuckling. “Fine you can hang with me and the guys for today. But tomorrow you’re going to school.” He gave in.
“Thanks dad,” I muttered.
“You’re welcome sweetheart.”
“What are you supposed to be doing today?” I asked.
“Well, the guys are over at Papa Gates. Do you want to go over there until your doctor’s appointment at three?”
“Oh, yeah, what do you I have to get done again?” I asked turning my gaze towards the window.
“You just have to get a few shots, nothing big.”
I nodded. “Okay, I guess we can go over to Papa Gates until then.”
“All right then, Papa Gates it is. Have you had lunch yet?” He asked looking at the time.
“Nope, lunch period is after Math dad.” I said before I started chewing on my lip.
“Then you must be hungry. What do you want to grab real quick?” He questioned.
“I don’t care,” I shrugged.
“How about Subway? I know it’s your favorite.” He suggested.
“Okay, sure.”
---
“Sugar Plum is here!” Jimmy announced as dad and I walked inside of Papa Gates house. I was swept up into a bone-crushing hug before dad could even shut the front door behind him.
“Jimmy, put me down.” I whined. He dropped me to my feet and I stumbled for balance.
“I smell food, what did you get?” Zacky asked from the couch.
“We got subway,” Dad said.
“Hey Papa Gates,” I said as I gave him a small hug. “Where’s Suzy?” I asked him.
“You know Suzy; she’s probably getting her hair done or something like that.” He chuckled.
I sat down on the floor next to the coffee table and pulled out my homework for the three classes I had actually went attended. “Skipping school Audrey? Hasn't your dad taught you that’s a bad thing to do?” Brian teased as he came from the kitchen with a cold beer in his hand.
“You did it all the time, and I’m sure Papa Gates told you it was wrong.” I retorted.
“That I did Audrey.” Papa Gates muttered loud enough for me to hear.
“That was back in my day Audrey,” He pointed out as he sat down the couch next to Zacky and my dad.
“So you admit you’re old?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at him.
“She got you there Brian.” Jimmy said.
“You’re a little smart ass today,” He noticed.
“She got that from Val,” Dad chuckled.
I started finishing my English essay and did my best to ignore them.
“Did you get invited to the party?” Jen asked bouncing into my room with excitement.
“Yeah,” I laughed at her goofiness.
“What are we going wear?” She asked as she walked into my closet.
“I don’t think I’m going to go.” I shrugged carelessly as I continued to work on my English essay.
“What do you mean you don’t think you’re going? Of course you’re going, you have to.” She exclaimed as she popped her head out of my closet and starred at me.
“No Jen, I don’t have to go. Besides, everyone’s gathering at Uncle Brian and Aunt Michelle’s place tonight, and I really want to go and hang out with the girls.” I gave her a cheeky smile.
“Oh, come on Audrey. You’re always with them and you can hang out with them anytime you want. This is supposed to be the best party of the year and all the popular guys are going to be there, including Ryan and Brandon. You can’t let me go by myself; I might get into trouble or something.”
I laughed at her as she acted like a drama queen. “Jen, you’ve been to plenty of parties by yourself before. I think you’ll be fine tonight. Besides, aren’t you going to be hanging out with Ryan?”
“Well, yeah but Ryan and Brandon are best friends which means you can hang out with Brandon.”
I rolled my eyes. “I don’t want to hang out with Brandon.”
“Please Audrey! Please, do this one thing for me!” She pleaded.
“Uh, fine! But you so owe me bitch.” I joked as I stood up and went to search for something to wear.
“You’re the best Audrey! I promise you, you won’t regret this!” She squealed and jumped up and down.
“Did you really think I wouldn't find out Audrey?” She asked, and I could hear the anger in her voice.
“What are you talking about?” I asked.
“You slept with Brandon the other night at the party!” She accused.
“No, Jen. You don’t understand.” I shook my head.
“Don’t lie Audrey! Ryan and I could hear you moaning and screaming for him. And to think we were both going to save ourselves for marriage. You’re such a slut!” She spat.
“It’s funny how you have no fucking idea what you’re talking about Jen. I’m not a slut. I didn't ask for it so get your facts straight before you accuse me of shit.”
“Obviously you are a slut if you slept with him Audrey!” She called out over her shoulder as she raced off to class.
“Bitch,” I muttered before opening my locker.
As I swapped my books the bell rang and the hall cleared. I slammed my locker door shut and start walking to Math. “Look who we have here.” Brandon said from beside me. I turned around and started to back up into the lockers behind me.
“What do you want Brandon?” I asked.
He stepped closer and put his hands on both sides of the locker to block in. “Relax Audrey, I just want to have some more fun.” He chuckled.
“That’s never going to happen again, Brandon! And you’re fucking lucky I haven’t gone to the police.” I hissed before shoving him back with all my might. He stumbled backwards and I took off running down the hall, praying I don’t trip.
My books were long gone but my backpack was still slung over my shoulder. I could hear his footsteps behind me and I started to run faster. I got to the entry of the school and I pushed through the doors before I started running outside.
“This isn't the end Audrey! You can run but you can’t hide!” He shouted with what little breath he had left from running.
I kept running until I was out of the schools distant. I didn't plan on going back, but I also didn't know what to do. Then I did something I never thought I’d ever do. I picked up my phone and called my dad to come get me.
---
“Why am I picking you up on a street corner when you’re supposed to be at school?” Dad questioned as I climbed into his SUV.
“Because I just can’t be there today, please don’t take me back.” I pleaded.
He looked over at me and smiled before chuckling. “Fine you can hang with me and the guys for today. But tomorrow you’re going to school.” He gave in.
“Thanks dad,” I muttered.
“You’re welcome sweetheart.”
“What are you supposed to be doing today?” I asked.
“Well, the guys are over at Papa Gates. Do you want to go over there until your doctor’s appointment at three?”
“Oh, yeah, what do you I have to get done again?” I asked turning my gaze towards the window.
“You just have to get a few shots, nothing big.”
I nodded. “Okay, I guess we can go over to Papa Gates until then.”
“All right then, Papa Gates it is. Have you had lunch yet?” He asked looking at the time.
“Nope, lunch period is after Math dad.” I said before I started chewing on my lip.
“Then you must be hungry. What do you want to grab real quick?” He questioned.
“I don’t care,” I shrugged.
“How about Subway? I know it’s your favorite.” He suggested.
“Okay, sure.”
---
“Sugar Plum is here!” Jimmy announced as dad and I walked inside of Papa Gates house. I was swept up into a bone-crushing hug before dad could even shut the front door behind him.
“Jimmy, put me down.” I whined. He dropped me to my feet and I stumbled for balance.
“I smell food, what did you get?” Zacky asked from the couch.
“We got subway,” Dad said.
“Hey Papa Gates,” I said as I gave him a small hug. “Where’s Suzy?” I asked him.
“You know Suzy; she’s probably getting her hair done or something like that.” He chuckled.
I sat down on the floor next to the coffee table and pulled out my homework for the three classes I had actually went attended. “Skipping school Audrey? Hasn't your dad taught you that’s a bad thing to do?” Brian teased as he came from the kitchen with a cold beer in his hand.
“You did it all the time, and I’m sure Papa Gates told you it was wrong.” I retorted.
“That I did Audrey.” Papa Gates muttered loud enough for me to hear.
“That was back in my day Audrey,” He pointed out as he sat down the couch next to Zacky and my dad.
“So you admit you’re old?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at him.
“She got you there Brian.” Jimmy said.
“You’re a little smart ass today,” He noticed.
“She got that from Val,” Dad chuckled.
I started finishing my English essay and did my best to ignore them.
“Did you get invited to the party?” Jen asked bouncing into my room with excitement.
“Yeah,” I laughed at her goofiness.
“What are we going wear?” She asked as she walked into my closet.
“I don’t think I’m going to go.” I shrugged carelessly as I continued to work on my English essay.
“What do you mean you don’t think you’re going? Of course you’re going, you have to.” She exclaimed as she popped her head out of my closet and starred at me.
“No Jen, I don’t have to go. Besides, everyone’s gathering at Uncle Brian and Aunt Michelle’s place tonight, and I really want to go and hang out with the girls.” I gave her a cheeky smile.
“Oh, come on Audrey. You’re always with them and you can hang out with them anytime you want. This is supposed to be the best party of the year and all the popular guys are going to be there, including Ryan and Brandon. You can’t let me go by myself; I might get into trouble or something.”
I laughed at her as she acted like a drama queen. “Jen, you’ve been to plenty of parties by yourself before. I think you’ll be fine tonight. Besides, aren’t you going to be hanging out with Ryan?”
“Well, yeah but Ryan and Brandon are best friends which means you can hang out with Brandon.”
I rolled my eyes. “I don’t want to hang out with Brandon.”
“Please Audrey! Please, do this one thing for me!” She pleaded.
“Uh, fine! But you so owe me bitch.” I joked as I stood up and went to search for something to wear.
“You’re the best Audrey! I promise you, you won’t regret this!” She squealed and jumped up and down.
♠ ♠ ♠
