Dizzy Hurricane

“I didn’t throw the first punch, I swear!”

I try to plead with the principal, since I was sure to get suspended for this type of behavior. He leans back in his chair and wipes his face with his hand.

“Aaliyah, this is unacceptable. When Mr. Timberlake told me about your issues, he didn’t mention you being quick to attack someone.”

Issues? Thanks JT, I appreciate it. I wouldn’t put it like that. I’m a calm person, right?

“What do you mean attack?” I shout. “I have the right to self defense,” I say crossing my arms.

After about twenty minutes of arguing, my principal finally comes up with a solution.

“Alright, this is how it’s going to work; you do community service hours, and I won’t suspend you.”

“Psh, that’s it? That’s a piece of ca-” I pause when he glares at me, rethinking my words. “Thank you Mr. Dalone.”

I run out of his office before he gets the chance to change his mind. In the process I bump into Max, someone I’ve been running into a lot lately.

“What, are you stalking me or something?” I angrily toss the words at him.

“Of course, darling. What else would I occupy my time with?”

I shake my head and contemplate insulting him before the principle comes out and sends us away. That doesn’t stop him from following me though. It’s the end of the day so I’m hungry, I was nearly suspended, and now this guy is following me. I am not in the mood for this.

I pause in front of my locker and sigh as he straightens his back, ready for me to lash out at him probably.

“What do you want from me?”

He gives me a small smile, and then digs around in his book bag for something. While I stand there wondering why I haven’t walked away yet, how I could even tolerate being in the same 10 foot radius as him, he takes out a folded piece of paper and slips it in through the vents of my locker. Who decided to make those anyway? It’s not like anything in my locker needs to breath. It makes creeps like Max able to slip weird notes into people’s lockers. Then again, it’s also an advantage for non-creep secret admirers and such.

I was too caught up in my mental babble that I didn’t notice Max lean in. It was too late to push away from impact. He planted one right on my lips and grabbed my bottom, then broke away, walking briskly before I had the chance to say anything. I wiped my lips viciously, furious by his action. I was ready to scream, but noticed that there were students still lingering in the halls. Which means some of them witnessed Max kissing me. Terror fills me as I sprint to the bathroom, trying to hold in my tears I push passed everyone. I was relieved to find the bathroom empty, then locked myself in a stall before breaking down. How could he do that? He knows that I’m mentally scarred from all of the stuff he put me though, yet he still manages torturing me. Now those who saw us will probably think that we’re a couple. That I just yelled at him because I was upset about something and that his letter and kiss would make up for it. How humiliating that was! I cry harder as I think about the letter and wonder what it could hold. I know that it wasn’t him that sent me those letters last year on campus, but I feel like he can have that affect on me.

I grab some toilet paper and wipe my nose. Since I calmed down and am now able to form words, I decide to call Vic. He’s the only one I got a chance to tell Max about in the beginning of the school year. I didn’t want to worry Lizzy too much, what with getting over the cancer and all. Then I tried to tell Naomi, but I got upset that she brought up Vic and changed my mind. I leave myself a mental note to tell her when her voice comes out on the other end.

“Hello best friend,” she sings.

“Naomi…” I push the phone away from my face and blow my nose, not wanting her to hear that I was crying. “Hi. Could you put Vic on please?”

“Okey dokes. Victor,” she says, dragging his name out.

Why is she calling him that? He hates being called that. I hear her giggle as she passes the phone to him. I wanted to ask him what that was about, but didn’t have the strength to. When he greets me I automatically spill out my day and cry about what had happened in the last hour. Halfway through my jumble of words he excused himself from where he and Naomi had been, so he could talk to me privately. I could hear the edge in his voice as he asked me questions, told me that things should get better if I just ignored him completely. He urged me to avoid him at all costs, meaning not to provoke him and lash out at him. Just simply walk away.

I told him it wasn’t that easy. He knew I was a hothead and I just had to stand my ground. He insisted anyway that I should just hold back, and report him if he tried anything slick. I sobbed a little longer as he tried to soothe me – it wasn’t the same as having him at my side, comforting me the way he did the day Jack ended up in the hospital.

He made me promise to him that I wouldn’t do anything stupid like self-harm again, which to be honest I was actually considering. But I brushed that aside and agreed with him that it would just be a dramatic and selfish move. I asked him to make a promise to me in return: to visit me by himself, so that we can have a relaxed day together, the way we usually did in my first year of MJ Academy. He didn’t seem as thrilled about it as I was.

“I don’t think that’s such a great idea,” he mumbled.

“Why, it would be just like old times. And I won’t kiss you, I’m mentally stable now,” I say, smiling triumphantly at the irony. Because we both knew I wasn’t, but I still wanted to see him. “Please?”

“I can’t,” he said flatly.

“Why not?”

“I mean,” he chuckles, “Wouldn’t that be unfair to Naomi?”

“No,” I snort. “She’s been here without you plenty of times. You’re my best friend, plus I’ve known you longer than I knew her. Longer than she knew you too.”

“I know but..” he trails off.

Why is he concerned about Naomi being left out? One day isn’t going to kill her. She’ll be fine.

“But what?” I ask. Wait a minute. Something is off here. First Naomi calling him by his first name and him not reacting to it like he usually would. Just the fact that she called him that threw me off. Then not once did he call me his pet name for me, which he always does, especially when he’s trying to comfort me. And now he doesn’t want to come without Naomi by his side? “Are you-”

“Yes,” he answered without me even finishing my question.

He knew what I was going to ask. He didn’t want me to know, that’s why he didn’t want me to pry him about not wanting to come over alone. He’s afraid I was going to pull something, or that she would get jealous. I didn’t know how else to end the conversation, so I just hung up. I slung my book bag over my shoulder and walked out of the bathroom, then school to wait for the bus. Maybe he shouldn't come over, because if he did, I would be too busy chewing his ear off for not telling me about their relationship.