I Got You

RAINEY

Principal Cameron’s face is a canvas of shock as she watches the video on Olivia’s phone.

Jace’s left eye is nearly swollen shut, a dark bruise surrounding it. His face is a mess of swelling and discoloration.

The school nurse patched him up before sending him to the office. He’s lucky he didn’t end up in the hospital after the beating he took.

Ansel hasn’t spoken since we walked into Mrs. Cameron’s office.

He’s still seething from the fight, and even though he’s wearing his glasses today, I can see the anger in his eyes.

I’m worried he might lose control again, and I don’t want him to get into more trouble. Especially not because of me.

The side of him I saw today was fierce and relentless. I’ve never seen him so angry. It was scary.

Mrs. Cameron shakes her head. “I can’t believe this.”

“Ansel was just trying to protect me,” I say, hoping to sway her judgment. “Please don’t punish him. He was just looking out for me.”

Ansel looks at me, and I give him a sad smile. I feel guilty. He risked his reputation to defend me.

I watch as the anger slowly fades from his eyes and he gives me a small smile. His smile is so gentle and sweet, you wouldn’t think he could hold his own in a fight.

Appearances can be deceiving.

Olivia glances between him and me, then scoffs. “You are so full of yourself. Ansel would stand up for anyone, even a fly. That’s just how he is. Get over yourself. Jesus.”

“Enough.” Principal Cameron glares at Olivia over the rim of her glasses.

Disappointment is etched on her face, and Olivia clamps her mouth shut, picking at her nails instead.

I catch Ansel’s eye as he looks at Jace, who quickly turns away, wincing at the pain from his sudden movement.

“Jace, I can’t believe you went into a girls’ restroom, threatened her, and then tried to touch her.” Principal Cameron tosses the cell phone onto the desk, shaking her head in disgust.

Jace tries to sit up straighter in his chair, pressing an icepack to his bruised cheek. “As you might have—aah…” he groans. “As you might…have seen, she hit me first. She punched me in the nose, Aunt Linda.”

“Don’t call me that at school.” Principal Cameron points a finger at him. “I am so embarrassed to be related to you. You are a disgrace! I saw you push her against the wall in that video!”

“Y-yeah… Yeah, I did that, but she made my nose bleed! There was blood every—” He closes his eyes, sighing in pain. “Everywhere. She packs a punch. She hits like a guy, for Christ’s sake.”

“Well, you deserved it. What you did was disrespectful and disgusting. I am ashamed to be your aunt.

“And Olivia? You’re a girl. How could you encourage him to touch her? Are you really my daughter?”

Her last words make me look up in surprise. Olivia is her daughter? So that means Olivia is Jace’s cousin?

Olivia sighs. “Mom—”

“Enough. You both are a disgrace. And Lisa—”

“I didn’t do anything!” Lisa interrupts, her voice filled with panic.

“Exactly. You did nothing. You just stood there and watched without trying to stop it. You all are despicable!

“Jace, I’m calling your father. I’m sure he didn’t raise you to force yourself on a girl when she says NO. No means no.” She reaches for the phone on her desk.

“Wait, Aunt Linda!”

He winces at his sudden movement and settles back in his chair. “D-don’t call him. I was just messing with her. I didn’t really want to date her. I was just following orders.”

I narrow my eyes at him while Ansel glares. Jace shifts uncomfortably under his gaze as Principal Cameron squints at him.

“Whose orders?”

Olivia looks at Jace, confused, but he doesn’t meet her gaze. Instead, he stares at the penholder on the desk.

“Jace, if you won’t talk, I’m calling your father,” Mrs. Cameron warns.

Jace rubs the bump on his face, refusing to say another word. Principal Cameron nods, her decision made.

“I’m calling your parents. You’re suspended as of today—”

“No, no, no, no!” Jace leans forward in his chair, reaching out as if he can stop her. “Okay, okay, wait. I’ll talk. I’ll talk. Okay? It was Olly—”

Olivia turns to him in surprise.

“Olly told me she needed my help. She wanted me to get the new girl to date me, or sleep with me, so she’d stop hanging around Ansel.

“Please don’t call my dad. He’ll cut off my credit cards.”

Ansel and I narrow our eyes, and Olivia gasps in disbelief. “J-Jace? How could you?”

He sighs. “Sorry, Olly. My dad will take my car, and I can’t live without it.”

“Well, tell them what you got out of it. You said you’d do it if I set you up with Lisa, at your house, ~alone~!”

Lisa looks disgusted. “You two made a deal using my name?”

“Is that true, Jace?” Mrs. Cameron asks.

Jace stammers. “W-well…”

“Yes, it’s true, Mom. He wanted to sleep with her, so he agreed. You’re such a rat!”

“Enough!” Mrs. Cameron raises her hands, her eyes shut tight. When she opens them, they’re filled with disappointment as she looks at her daughter.

“Olivia, I’m really let down by you. You, Jace, and Lisa will be in detention all week. Plus, you’ll be here this weekend to clean the school.”

Olivia’s mouth drops open. “But that’s not fair. I have dance practice on Saturdays, and you know—”

“I don’t care. I’ll call your instructor and tell her you won’t be coming.” She finally turns her gaze to Ansel, offering him a lopsided smile.

“You’re usually so quiet, dear, and you do well in school. You’ve been top of the class since seventh grade, and I’m proud of you.”

Ansel gives a small smile, and Jace’s jaw drops. “You’re supposed to be scolding him. Why—?”

“Quiet.” She shoots him a glare. He looks away in anger while she continues to speak to Ansel.

“You also came first in science, math, English, and geography in the whole country, and you have a lot of scholarships waiting for you at universities.

“You’re a good person, you don’t talk much, and you respect your teachers. They all speak highly of you in the staff meetings.

“Your dad also helped the school by building our auditorium for free, and we’re so grateful. I can see the generosity runs in your family.

“That being said, I’m sure, without a doubt, that Jace was the one who pushed you to do such a thing.”

Jace’s mouth drops open, and he slides to the edge of his chair. “Aunt Linda, how can you—?”

“I’ll let it slide this time, Ansel King, because you’re a great student,” she continues. “But next time, please tell me if Jace is bothering you.

“Violence is never okay, and it’s never the answer.”

Ansel nods. “Yes, ma’am.”

“But you’re not completely off the hook. I need a two-page essay on why violence is wrong and should never be used in schools. I need it by tomorrow.”

He nods again. “Okay.”

Mrs. Cameron lets out a heavy sigh, waving her hand dismissively. “You’re all dismissed. Please go to your class.”

I start to get up from my seat, but she quickly shakes her head, gesturing to my chair. “Not you, Slate. I need to talk to you.”

I look at her curiously, and Ansel glances at me. “Should I wait for you?”

I shake my head. “No, it’s okay.”

He nods, then leaves the room.

ANSEL

“Ansel, wait.” Olivia grabs my arm as soon as we step out of the principal’s office. Jace glances at me, but when he sees my hard glare, he quickly looks away and limps down the hall.

I turn to face her, pulling my arm from her grasp. “What?”

The gesture makes her forehead crease, but she swallows hard, dropping her gaze to the floor.

“Ansel…I’m sorry.

“I did it because…I’ve liked you since you came in the second term of seventh grade…and I know it’s crazy to have gone that far…but I have really strong feelings for you, and—”

“So?”

She lifts her head, confusion etched on her face. “H-huh?”

“Yeah, you like me. So what? Am I supposed to like you back?” My brow furrows as she fidgets under my glare.

“Ansel.”

“You think because ~you~ ~like me~ that somehow I’m automatically yours, and so you have the right to hurt someone I care about?”

She reaches for my hand. “I’m sorry, Ansel. I truly—”

I pull away, shaking my head at her. “You’re selfish.”

Her gaze softens, her lower lip quivering as tears well up in her eyes. “Don’t hate me.”

She’s about to cry, and I’m not sure I can handle that right now. My knuckles are sore, and I’m still mad that Jace touched Rain, so I sigh and start to leave.

“Ansel, please,” she calls after me, but I keep walking towards my math class. I’m really tired.

RAINEY

“Rainey, I know it was Jace who provoked you, but violence is never the right way.” Principal Cameron starts, while I stare at a piece of lint on my skirt.

Being lectured by her feels like déjà vu. I’d been to the principal’s office a few times at Freetown.

They always smell of paper and ink, and there’s always a deafening silence, with only the sound of the clock ticking during each pause in the lecture. It’s unbearable.

I just nod my head, biting down on my lip.

“And considering what happened at Freetown, I know you’re a little…short-tempered,” she continues. “All I ask is that you close your eyes and count to ten.”

“It’s hard,” I mumble.

“Sorry?”

“It’s hard. I’m tired of people taking advantage of me. I dealt with that a lot when I was younger,” I confess.

“I know, but we all have dealt with that one way or another. I’m not saying you’re wrong to have defended yourself against Jace. I’m just saying…you should try to work on your temper.

“I don’t want to use your past to judge you. And what you did to that girl at your former school was—”

“Have you ever been victimized?” I lift my head, finally meeting her attentive and…~hypocritical ~eyes.

“Yeah, Slate. We all have.”

I give a nod. “Okay. But after being used over and over, it gets old. It gets irritating. And I shouldn’t have to say sorry for feeling that way.”

“You don’t have to say sorry, but I think there are a lot of ways you can let go of that anger. Like, extracurricular activities. We have a great volleyball team here. You could try out.”

“I’m not into sports.”

“Okay, then is there anything you like doing?”

I don’t say anything, and she lets out a frustrated sigh.

“All I’m saying is, to avoid what happened at Freetown happening again, I’d suggest you have some positive ‘fun.’ Get out and get involved. It’d help with some of that anger.”

“You wouldn’t get why I did what I did to that girl,” I say, looking her straight in the eye. “And I don’t expect you to. I don’t expect anyone to.”

She sighs, tilting her head to the side. At this point I’m fed up with this conversation. My feelings aren’t something I like to share, especially with someone who doesn’t really care.

“Can I go now? I have math class.”

She nods. “Okay, Slate. We’ll talk next time, okay?”

I get up from my chair and leave her office, hoping that there won’t be a next time.

I was a lot younger when I figured out that people don’t really care about you. They all just want to know your secrets, your fears, and probably use them against you eventually.

Which is why I keep to myself. It’s where I feel safe.

***

“Slate, you’re late again.” Mrs. Forbes states the obvious as she writes on the white board. I walk up to her, holding the straps of my bag.

“I’m sorry. I was at the principal’s office,” I say. Ansel looks up at me from his notebook, and a few kids are curiously staring.

Without looking at me, she waves her marker in my direction. “Fine. Go sit down.”

I walk down the aisle and find my seat at the back. I grab my math book, then dig through my bag to find a pen.

I frown when I can’t find one, and I turn my head to Ansel, who’s wincing while showing his knuckles.

“Um, do you have an extra pen?”

“Yeah, sure.” He reaches for his bag willingly.

I look at the bruises on his hand as he pulls the zipper of his backpack. They look painful. I hate that he hurt his knuckles to defend me. What have I ever done to deserve his kindness?

He’s always been there for me, treating me with such kindness and defending me when I’m being picked on.

I haven’t done anything great for him in return, except buying him a pair of tires. That surely can’t compare to everything he’s done for me.

He hands me the pen, and I thank him. I’m about to turn around, but I’m filled with worry.

“Um, is your hand okay?” I hold the backrest of my chair, half my body turned towards him.

He nods, flexing his hand. “Yeah, it’s not too bad.”

I press my lips together. “I’m so sorry.”

“For what?” He frowns.

“Your hand,” I whisper, looking at him with regret.

“Don’t apologize. I’m the one who should be sorry. I was a bit late to protect you.”

I shake my head. “You weren’t. You were right on time…like a real superhero.”

He chuckles softly, and I smile, sitting up straight. “You know, if it hurts to write, after class I could lend you my notebook, or you could even take a picture of my notes,” I suggest.

His eyes light up. “Yeah, that’s a great idea. Thanks, Rain.”

I smile.

“Slate?”

I close my eyes at the sound of Mrs. Forbes’s voice, then spin around in my chair. She glares at me disapprovingly, crossing her arms over her chest.

~Shoot.~

“Since you have so much to say to Ansel, could you please answer number eight?”

I purse my lips. “Um, okay…sure…”

She leans against her desk, her glare sharp and scolding. I swallow hard when I see the question. I have a feeling she chose the hardest problem.

“Should I come to the board, or—?”

“No, just tell me the answer from where you’re sitting.”

“Okay…” I twist my lips, squinting my eyes as I stare at the board. I have no idea how to solve the problem.

I’m good at math, but I still struggle with a few things, polynomial algebraic expressions being one. The silence stretches as I chew on my lower lip, searching my brain for the answer.

Mrs. Forbes starts to get impatient. “Any day now, Slate.”

“I’m still thinking about it.”

“Well, think fast.”

Suddenly Olivia appears at the door, her backpack hanging off her shoulder. Mrs. Forbes rolls her eyes at her tardiness, pressing a hand against her wrinkled forehead.

“Why is everyone so late to my class?”

She walks towards her. Olivia’s eyes are red and swollen, like she’s been crying, and it catches my attention for a bit, until a gentle nudge in my side makes me look down.

Ansel has a small paper between his fingers, and I discreetly take it, looking up to see if Mrs. Forbes saw the gesture. Luckily she didn’t.

I quickly unfold the note, and my lips form a smile.

~Answer = 6b + 5~

“Slate?” Mrs. Forbes speaks again as Olivia walks to her seat. I look up, and she places her hand on her hip, tilting her head to the side. “Are you ready to answer the question?”

“Uh, yeah.” I crumple the paper in my hand. “That’s six b plus five.”

She looks at me for a moment, then nods slowly, stepping back. “Good job. Alright, class. Copy these from the board and start working on them. I want them done by the end of class.”

I grab my pen, smooth out the paper, and jot down a reply.

~Thanks ~😊

I sneak the paper over to him, then start copying the assignment from the board. Even though I can’t turn around to see his face, I just know he’s grinning.