Walls

A month had passed since that day, and it was the end of September now. Alex and I still hadn't spoken a word to each other, we just avoided each other at all costs. I wanted to be friends with him again, but couldn't knowing he was keeping something from me. At school, I would hang around with a friend from music class, Kara, while Alex was always with Rian and a boy who I remembered as Jack. I only spoke to Rian, and he would always ask when things with Alex would blow over. I always gave him the same answer: when he stops being a jackass.

The day things got worse, was in music class, which I had with Alex, Rian and Kara. The teacher had given out an assignment that made me want to run out of the class. We had to write a song about someone else in the class but didn't get to choose who. When the teacher paired me with Alex, I muttered a string of obscenities and groaned. Glancing over at him, I could see him leaning back in his chair, staring at the ceiling. And then the teacher said one last thing about the assignment.

"You have two weeks to complete it and when it's due, you have to either sing it in class, or show it to the other person." The bell rang signalling the day was over, and I couldn't leave the classroom faster if I tried. Kara ran after me, all the way outside where I was sitting on the steps, lighting up a cigarette. Kara frowned and sat beside me.

"You okay?" I shook my head and sighed.

"This sucks. I got paired with Alex. Who'd you get?" Kara grinned, she got who she was hoping for.

"Rian." She had developed a crush on Rian over the past few days of being in the same classes. She figured he had little to no idea who she was but he would now.

"You're lucky, Rian's a good guy. You'll ace the assignment." More kids emerged from the school, including Alex, Rian and Jack who stood a few feet away from us, engaged in their own conversation.

"How do you know Rian?" Hearing his name, Rian looked up at the two girls and tried to listen to more of the conversation.

"He's my best friend's cousin, I've known him for years. Why? Want me to introduce you or something?" She nodded her head and we both got up to go to Kara's car. Rian left the guys and followed them, tapping Skylar on the shoulder once they got to the car.

"Hey Skylar, can you help me throw a party for Lacey's birthday?." I stared at him as if he had two heads. He hates parties, and hates Lacey drunk even more so what was he doing?

"Um..sure..but if I'm the one planning it, then you should expect alcohol to be involved. All we need is a house I guess. I know how your mom is and my parents will say no." Just then, Kara chimed in, while sitting on the hood of her car.

"My parents are out of town for two weeks, its all yours if you need a party space." Rian looked up at her and smiled. I nodded and opened the car door. Alex and Jack were starting to make their way over to us.

"Rian this is Kara. Kara this is Rian. I'll text you later though, I've gotta go." Rian nodded, understanding the bad vibes between me and Alex. I got in the car with Kara and we drove off to go home.

--
(DOING IT IN 3RD PERSON'S POV FROM THIS POINT ON. I feel like it would be better..)

The next day at lunch, Skylar and Kara were sitting in the cafeteria at a table by themselves. Out of nowhere, Rian and Jack sat down with them, not saying a word. Skylar stared at them until they noticed.

"Sup?" Jack mumbled with a mouth full of food. Rian laughed and Kara was grossed out at the chunks of food that went flying out of his mouth.

"Why are you guys sitting here?" She hadn't meant for it to sound so rude, but she knew who else would soon enough be joining them. Jack shrugged, pointed a finger at Rian and went back to eating.

"Everywhere else is full" Skylar looked around and sure enough, every other table was taken. Kara merely sat there staring at Rian. He took notice and waved hello.

"Kara right?" Kara nodded and waved back, smiling.

"Where's you know who?" Rian shrugged and picked up his phone, going through texts. He told her Alex had detention for talking back to a teacher. He then rambled on about how he was doing that a lot lately and how he was getting more irritable every day.

It was silent between everyone while they ate and when they finished, Skylar spoke to Rian about the party. At the mention of a party, Jack asked, or more like screamed out 'where?' and Kara, who had been sitting quietly, answered that it was at her house. Skylar started catching up with Jack. They had been friends before Alex left, but drifted after he did. She missed Jack and was glad in a way, that him and Rian had sat here. He was still the same, crazy old Jack that he had been two years ago.

Thirty minutes before the end of lunch, she went outside on her own for a smoke. She leaned against a wall and started thinking about what she was going to do for her assignment. Just then, Alex came out, walked past her and sat on the steps, going through his phone. She watched, him, and remembered the day she found the note addressed to him.

**

Lacey, Alex and Rian were playing video games in Skylar's living room. It was raining, and the day after her brother died so they were staying inside. Skylar was in her brother's room, looking at all the soccer trophies and photos. She laid down on his bed and let a tear fall. As soon as her head hit the pillow, she heard something crumple. Reaching underneath it, she pulled out an envelope with Alex's name on it. She didn't want to open it no matter how curious she was. Instead, she went downstairs and asked to speak to Alex alone. They went into the kitchen sat at the table.

"What is it Skye?" She took the envelope and put it on the table in front of him. He looked at it and carefully opened it.

"It was under his pillow." He started reading it, sighing and shaking his head as he did so. Once he was done, he got up and put on his jacket. Skye got up and followed him to the front door. He stared at her with glassy eyes and hugged her. The hug lasted longer than usual, Skye figured he needed comforting after reading the letter. She heard him sniffle and then whispered in her ear.

"Goodbye Skye." His voice was low and cracking. She guessed he was too upset to be around friends so she shrugged it off, hugged him tighter and said goodbye. He then walked out of her house and continued down the street in the pouring rain. Once he was out of sight, she went back inside and back upstairs to her room without saying a word to Lacey and Rian. She just wanted to know what was in the letter that made him upset.

**

A voice snapped her out of her thoughts and she looked up at an unfamiliar face. He was tall, shaggy black hair, brown eyes, and had tattoo sleeves. Skylar was pretty sure he didn't even go to this school.

"Are you Skylar Raine?" Her hair was blowing in the wind, and she flicked away the roach of cigarette, only to start another one.

"Depends who's asking?" He shrugged and stepped closer. She noticed a few other guys not too far away, who looked much older. She was starting to get bad vibes from this guy and felt uneasy.

"Doesn't matter. So are you or not?" Despite how intimidated she was right now, she was never one to back down or let her fear be shown.

"What do you want, exactly?" She was getting tense, and quickly glanced at Alex who was still on the steps, facing the other way.

"Tell your shit for nothing brother that he owes me a grand." Her eyes went wide and her mouth hung open.

"Why does he owe you a grand?" She was in disbelief, there was no way Cody would have ever associated with these guys, let alone be owing them money. Did they not know he was dead?

"Will you just fucking tell him and stop asking questions, bitch?" A few other kids had started staring at them, but only the ones in close range. She raised her eyebrow and smirked at him.

"No I can't. Sorry." She ran a hand through her hair and took a long drag. Her phone buzzed in her pocket but she ignored it.

"You what? You can't? Why not? You trying to protect him or somethin'? 'Cause I don't think you can take on all of us." She looked at the other guys again, and counted four of them.

"I'm not gonna tell him anything for you." He stepped closer so he was an inch away from her face. She could smell the alcohol on him and a faint smell of weed.

"Bitch I won't tell you again. Pass on the message to Cody or I will make both his life and yours a living hell." And then she laughed.

"You'll make his life a living hell? That's a joke right? My brother is dead you prick." By now, more kids had stopped to stare at the scene. The other guys had come closer, and she once again glanced at Alex who still hadn't moved. Her phone buzzed again and she still ignored it.

"So the fucker is dead? Finally. But i'm still out a grand. Guess you'll have to pay up on his behalf." Something in Skylar snapped and the next thing she knew she had punched the guy right in the face and burned his arm with her cigarette. He cursed rather loudly and lunged at her. He shoved her against the brick wall and pinned her there.

"You're gonna pay for that, and for your dead brother's debt." Anger coursing through her veins, she spat in his face, and smirked. He sighed, wiped it off, and raised his fist to punch her. She closed her eyes, waiting for it but it never came. When she opened her eyes, Alex was next to her, holding the guys fist in his hand, staring the guy down.

"Fuck off. Don't you know not to hit girls?" When the guy saw Alex, he let go of Skylar and laughed. Skylar straightened herself out and looked at Alex, who was standing there, fists clenched and hatred all over his face.

"Gaskarth. We meet again. And guess what? You owe me a grand too."