Asked to Compromise

I circled around the campus three times already out of boredom. I didn’t feel like staying in my room all day, and it was almost two in the afternoon. It’d been a first week full of classes and hell with everyone, except Mr. Sullivan. I even got detention again on Thursday, except this time I actually did the work quickly with the help of Sullivan again.

Most people were getting ready to get on the bus to leave and hang out for the day. Then there were the ones like me that had to be left behind. I wasn’t allowed to go anywhere because of my “bad behavior”, but it’s not like I was expecting to. I didn’t care. I still didn’t know anyone anyway. Though, I wouldn’t mind going to some shops by myself. I knew at this rate, I probably wouldn’t step one foot off this campus.

I still didn’t want to be here. If I had a match, I’d burn the school. If I could, I’d just walk back out the gates I came through. But it wasn’t that simple. They actually did have security around here. I wasn’t surprised though.

My first week was over and I wanted to know why everything was like this. This school wasn’t the way everyone said it was, and I was thankful it wasn’t. At the same time, I wanted to know how the rumors even came to be. No one here back talked the teachers, except the handful like me. Everyone was in class on time, doing the right thing. This wasn’t what I was used to, but what I was sent here to be like.

Everyone back home kept me updated on what was going on. Adam got in trouble for weed, but we were all expecting that to happen sooner or later. I wanted to be there with them. I just kept walking the perimeter of the campus, with nothing to do. I hadn’t seen any of the teachers around. I already called back home to talk to my friends and still rejected every call from my parents. I wanted to see what they’d do.

“There’s nothing to fucking do around here,” I muttered to myself, deciding to just head back to my room after getting something to eat. I was going to have many boring weekends here.

“Priscilla?” I heard from behind me.

I turned around, looking for the person who called me. They had to be talking to me, not everyone had my name.

“Holy shit, it’s you!” A boy laughed, jogging towards me. Then realization hit me.

“Eric!” I couldn’t help the grin that came to my face. “You--” He hugged me, picking me up and spinning me around. I hugged him tightly, noting how muscular he’d gotten since I last saw him in freshman year.

“I can’t believe you’re actually here. I wasn’t sure if that was you,” He laughed, setting me on my feet. “’Cilla, what the fuck did you do?”

I shrugged sheepishly, “You know me… But what about you? What have you been up to? You being good?”

“Uh, yeah. I was just getting ready to go with some friends. We were going to go to the beach, maybe hit up some stores,” He said.

“Oh,” I said. “I was just going to go back to my room and chill, I guess.”

He got the hint that I wasn’t allowed to go.

“That sucks ass. How long have you been here?” He asked.

“Today’s one week,” I said, sighing.

“Damn, I wish I’d saw you sooner,” He said.

“Same, I guess I couldn’t have spotted you out, you’ve…changed,” I smiled.

“Yeah, well you know… Don’t want to sound cocky but look at me,” He said, gesturing to his body.

I laughed, smacking him in the chest. “Sure, sure. I think those people are waiting for you…” I pointed to the small of group calling his name and waving him over.

“Ugh, yeah. I should go, but I’ll see you later,” He said.

“Okay,” I said, hugging him. “We’ll catch up soon then.”

I let him go and watched him walk back to the group of people he was with. I turned on my feet and kept walking in the direction I was heading for. I was so glad to see him I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t take the smile off. He was here, and I hoped that we could be best friends again, which I knew we probably would.

I heard footsteps behind me before a voice, “You thought I’d really leave to go with them instead of hanging with you? I just went to tell them I wasn’t going.”

“I don’t know, I thought you would,” I said, turning to Eric once again. “I don’t want you to stay behind because of me.”

“It’s cool, I can always go tomorrow or next weekend,” He shrugged. “I’d rather be with you.”

“Thanks,” I said. “Are you hungry? I was thinking about going to get some food. You know, I really like this 24/7 food thing.”

“Don’t we all,” He said. “Come on, I’ll go with you. We can sit and talk and shit.”

He put his arm around my shoulders as we walked into the dining hall. It was mostly empty, there were some people were just sitting around eating and talking with their friends. Eric took his arm from around me so we could each pick what we wanted to eat. I didn’t want as much real food than I wanted sweets. I ended up with some fruit, a small bowl of ice cream, and some other unnecessary junk.

Eric and I sat at a table away from everyone else. He sat across from me with his own bowl of junk food. It still blew my mind that I was here sitting with him.

“So tell me what’s been going on,” He said excitedly.

“Fuck, where do I begin? I can’t- You don’t even know what I’m feeling right now,” I said, laughing a little. “For starters, look at you! You’re not scrawny emo Eric anymore! You’re taller, you cut your hair, and have you been working out?”

“You’re actually in a v-neck and skinny jeans, and you look damn good and I’m not just saying that. But I know you’re still the same douchebag Eric at heart,” I finished, smiling at him. I did have a small crush on Eric way before he was sent here, but now he just looked ten times as good.

“Well, look at you,” He teased. “That ass and those--”

“Shut up,” I gasped, throwing a grape at him.

“I’m just saying, I’m only a guy,” He put his hands up in defense.

“I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever, and it’s only been about a year and a half,” I said, leaning my head on my hand. “We all missed you so much.”

“I could say the same,” He said, stuffing a cookie in his mouth. “So, you never told me what you’re here for…”

“Hell, if I really knew. Probably for getting into too many fights,” I shrugged. “Then, attacking that one teacher…you know.”

“You got sent here for fighting, I got sent here for marking up school shit,” He said, chuckling.

“But you did it all the time,” I said.

“Hey, you fought all the time,” He retorted.

“Touché,” I laughed. I spooned my vanilla ice cream into my mouth before it melted.

“So you’ve been here a week and I hadn’t noticed you. How’s it been?” He asked quietly.

I would’ve asked why the change in his demeanor when he said it.

“The same if I were anywhere else,” I shrugged. “I guess you know Haner, right? I almost pounded his face my first day and I’ve had detention twice. How do you fucking survive here?”

“Haner’s pretty chill, unless you piss him off which is what you did. You get used to being here. I mean, I did. I learned my lesson really quick,” He said seriously. “Don’t want to go back to those times.”

“So you’re a good boy now?” I teased him. “Staying out of trouble? Though, it doesn’t look like you can even do much here.”

“I’m staying out of trouble so far. I still have one more year to go, remember?” He asked.

“Yeah, I’m only here until June if I ‘change’, which I probably won’t,” I shrugged. Eric muttered something I didn’t catch. “What was that?”

“I said you probably will,” He said, looking up at me.

“And why do you say that?” I asked curiously.

“I don’t know, I’m not one to say. Just… be careful, alright? I know how headstrong you are. I learned my lesson here, and you’ll probably learn yours.”

I rolled my eyes at him. I was starting get annoyed as to why everyone kept telling me I was going to learn my lesson. This school wasn’t going to change me at all and if they did, good luck with it.