< -- five -- >

· ·

Once the song ended, I looked up the instrumental version turning the volume all the way up. Just twenty seconds into the song I lifted my head feeling my baby calling out to me from the deep dark parts of my closet in her case. The bass guitar sent chills over my skin my fingers twitching to play the cords. Looking at my bionic arm I moved my fingers knowing the difficulty I would go through trying to play with a prosthesis. Tapping my fingers on the floor I smirked at the vibrations I could feel in my chest with every note played from the bass guitar.

For some reason images of Neema sitting on my bed while I played her this song from my desk chair came to mind. Head back on my pillow her amber eyes would be hidden under her lids while she listened to me play as if it was something I did for her often. In my mind she looked more than comfortable with her sandals on the floor at the foot of my bed. One foot resting on the bed while the other crossed over her knee she rolled her left ankle with the braided anklet.

"Shit." I jumped at the vibration through the floor coming from my cell not realizing that the song had ended. Picking up my phone I looked at the numbers carefully before opening the text.

[Unknown] : Hey Lars, it's Neema. . . You saved me from my ex earlier today. Anyway, I wanted to say thank you and I was going to call you but I realized I didn't have your number so I asked a friend of a friend who knew your friend Ethan and he gave me your number. Hope you're not mad or anything. So thanks again :)

Quickly saving her number I opened her message to reply: Neema Marshall? The fascinating girl from detention?

[Neema] : The one you took a picture of?

Chuckling at her text I thought back to the picture I took of her never taking the chance to open my gallery and thoroughly look at it. Just as I was about to reply a second text came from her.

[Neema] : Can I call you?

Smiling at the text I pressed the phone icon without sending a reply. The cell screen changed to the calling screen with Neema's number underneath the empty picture icon where her contact picture would go.

"You called me."

"I did." The line was silent for a few seconds making me think that she was either smiling from excitement or she was fidgeting from nervousness. "Neema?"

"Yes?" She answered instantly.

"Why won't you tell me where we know each other from?"

"Why do you want to know so bad? Isn't knowing that we go to the same school enough?"

"No."

"Lars -"

"Are we related or something?"

Neema laughed from the other line. "Are you mixed with black somewhere in your family tree?"

"Not that I know of, no."

"Then I don't think we're related."

Moving from the floor to my bed I scooted up until my head rested on the headboard straightening out my prosthetic arm once situated. "I haven't slept with that many girls to forget their names or faces."

"It's nice to know you have a list." She laughed.

"I didn't mean it like that. I'm just saying that you're not someone I've slept with . . . Did I ever hurt your feelings or something?"

"Hurt my feelings, how?"

"I don't know." I shrugged even though she couldn't see me. "Did I turn you down - no I couldn't have, I could never be that dumb."

"How do you even know if your my type of guy?"

"You're right." I thought back to Derrick. "I don't know but I would like to think that I have a chance if I tired. Do I not?"

"Is this your way of telling me that you like me Lars?"

"I'm fascinated by you Neema Marshall. Take it how you want." Hearing her laugh I smiled to myself hoping that she smiling as hard as I imagined she was. "So you're not an ex or anyone I had . . fun with?"

"Correct."

"And you do know me outside of school?"

"We knew each other outside of school once upon a time, yes."

Moving my prosthetic fingers I rolled to my side looking out the window at the clear blue sky. "Have you thought more about being my other half?"

"A little . . . not enough to give you an answer right now though."

"We should hang out Neema Marshall. So I can grill you with questions until I figure out our connection."

"I have band practice everyday after school for the assembly -"

"Can I watch?"

"What?" She laughed. "You want to watch the band practice?"

"I want to watch you practice."

"You don't beat around the bush, do you?"

"I believe in shooting your shot one hundred percent."

"Is that what you're doing?"

"Soon Neema Marshall. Right now, I'm just warming up. So what time is your practice?"

"Four to five-thirty."

"I'll meet you at your locker."

Confirming our plans for tomorrow after school we got off the phone soon after since we were both being called for dinner. Trying to rid my face of any happiness that my mom would detect I took my time walking to the dining room that wasn't set. Following the smell of charcoal burning I walked out to the back porch where Eloise sat at the table talking to a little girl with brown hair braided into one side braid. They giggled about something that I couldn't hear from the door when I noticed the other little girl to Ellie's right staring at me with her chin resting on her hand. The dreamy look in her eyes made me uncomfortable so I retreated.

Taking a step backwards I called for Ellie to follow me inside. Rolling her eyes she excused herself following me in the house and down the hall.

"Who are those girls?"

"Lacey and Kimberly."

"Who's the one with blonde hair?" The creepy one.

Eloise crossed her ten year old arms. "You are disgusting Lars! She's almost ten years younger than you and it's illegal! I'm telling -"

Covering her mouth before she could finish I stared daggers into her face. "Eloise Christianna, you are the one sick in the head if you think that I would do anything to a ten year old." Feeling her lick my hand I snatched it away wiping it on my jeans in disgust.

"Why are you asking about my friends then?"

"Because the little blonde girl was staring at me the same way you stare at Harry Styles."

"He is -"

"Older than you. A lot older than you."

"So what and dad said I could invite them over for dinner since mom said I couldn't go out and play today."

"Of course." Eloise always got her way especially when it came to dad. Mom let her get away with some stuff but not everything like dad did.

There was nothing I could do about the little girl watching me so I snuck texts to Neema during dinner more than happy that she replied to them all. We texted well after midnight when we both should have been sleep but there were too many random things to talk about with someone new - or not new but reintroduced back into your life.

The next morning I was more tired than when I went to bed. Getting in the passenger seat Ethan kindly reminded me that I needed to go to bed early since I looked like crap. Taking my cell out I looked at the screen before locking it back lightly tapping it on my knee.

I wanted to call Neema or send her a good morning text but I didn't think that we were there as friends yet if you could even call us that since she wasn't even my fake girlfriend either. I could see myself being something more with her later on but what would really be the point in that? How long would it take to become more and then to only date for almost a year just to be separated when we go to college. She still hadn't seen my prosthetic or learned the haunting story behind it.

Getting to school with more time than one needed I made a detour going in the direction of Neema's locker in case she was an early person like Ethan. There weren't too many people in school this early but once I turned the corner I couldn't help the smirk that came to my face as she paced in front of her locker. Holding a couple pieces of paper in her hand her mouth moved as if she was talking to herself. Black eyebrows furrowed she stopped walking looking down at the notebook paper before nodding and continuing to pace again. As I got closer I could hear her more clearly as she spoke about Walt Whitman, America, and the Greatest Poem.

Stopping again she looked at her paper pulling her bottom lip underneath her front teeth. Such a simple movement paused my own steps. Something low in my stomach had me clearing my throat after a low groan got her attention.

Smiling at me as if she was really happy to see me I met her halfway surprised when she continued to walk towards me. Wrapping her arms around my body awkwardly around my hidden arm she released me as quickly as she held me. "Good morning Lars."

"Morning."

"How'd you sleep?"

Taken back by her question since no one has ever asked me that I actually had to think over how I slept before answering. "I slept fine I guess. How'd you sleep?"

"Good. My body isn't used to being up that late but I don't regret texting you." She smiled.

"Me either."

"I was going to text you this morning but I didn't think you would be up."

"I thought about texting you too."

"You should have."

"Didn't want to disturb your beauty sleep."

"Well if it isn't the fake couple of Colonial High."

Hearing Derrick's voice so early in the morning was something I could live without. I didn't understand how girls could stand talking to him. He sounded like a smoker and he licked his lips almost after every sentence that a small whitish ring was forming. It was disgusting.

Neema rolled her eyes getting ready to turn for her locker when I grabbed her waist pulling her close like last time.

Derrick shook his head. "I never took you for the desperate type Neema. Going around paying guys to be into you so I would get jealous."

"Excuse me?" She stepped forward amber eyes narrowed at her ex.

"He isn't the type of guy you would be into Neema look at him. The guy is lame as fuck and he hangs out with that loser that runs in the halls to get to lunch first."

"You got something you want to say to me?" I stepped towards Derrick moving Neema behind me.

Derrick looked at me as if I was a waste of oxygen. "Get the fuck out of my face is what you can do. I was talking to Neema."

"And I'm talking to you."

"Why are you over here Derrick? Don't you have some virginity to sweet talk out of a freshman or something?"

His brown eyes moved to hers with a hint of sadness. "It was a mistake Neema."

She held up her hand cutting him off. "I don't care. I'm with - I'm with Lars now so leave me alone and enjoy the freedom you wanted."

Just as he opened his mouth some kids came running down the hall yelling that there was a fight going on in the cafeteria. As their heavy steps faded in the distance, my mind went to Ethan and where he would be. Usually he skipped breakfast getting a five star first meal of the day by his mom every morning so he would stay at his locker but something just didn't feel right.

"Come on." I grabbed Neema's hand kicking her locker shut as we ran past it towards the cafeteria. Seeing through the class surrounding the cafeteria the crowd that surrounded the fight was huge.

"No wonder the halls are empty." I heard Neema whispered behind me trying to catch her breath.

Pulling the doors open I pushed through the crowd with one shoulder still holding Neema's with the other. I didn't want to lose her in the crowd circling like vultures.

"Leave us alone!" I heard a voice crack that sounded all too familiar. Shoving students that wouldn't move I froze once reaching the center.

Blood ran down is nose and a knot sat at his hairline, Ethan hovered over his friend Mike who was laying on his side clutching his stomach in pain with one arm and protecting his head with the other.

"Leave us alone! He didn't run into you on purpose someone tripped him!"

"Does it look like I give a fuck? Look at my shirt. Look at it!" The guy with light brown skin and braids yelled angrily holding out the bottom of his shirt. "Are you going to pay for this? Are you going to buy me a new shirt? Matter of fact." He looked at Mike. "Aye, give me your shirt."

Letting go of Neema's hand I stepped into the center. "What the fuck is going on?" Looking from Mike, to Ethan's face, to the guy and his friends behind him that now included a smirking Derrick I was ready to fight everyone.

"Ethan, are you okay?" Turning back to Ethan, Neema kneeled next to him gently touching his arm.

"It's Mike."

"Okay. Help me lift him up."

The rage that I felt in my chest was so tight that my lungs felt like they were on fire. Grinding my jaw every muscle in my body was tense ready to charge for the guy with food on his shirt.

"Lars, we need your help. Lars!"

"Lars."

Moving to Neema as she struggled to carry Mike, Ethan was limping just a little himself trying to hold his friend up. No longer caring about what people thought I removed my hidden prosthetic arm taking Mike from them both as Neema made a path ahead of me followed by Ethan then Mike and I.

"Hold on, hold on. I need that shirt up off of him." The guy kept talking behind us. "Yo! I said I need that fucking shirt! Hand it over before I take it myself."

Holting my steps everyone stumbled to a stop as well. "Lars don't." I felt Neema's hand on my back. "Mike needs to see the nurse. Let's just go."

"You hear me talking to you!" The asshole yelled louder as Mike grunted in pain. Wanting nothing more than to hand Mike over and punch the lights out of Derrick's friend I tugged at my lips piercings splitting the healing skin from my previous fight just days ago.

Placing Mike on the cot in the nurse's office he immediately curled into a ball. Our school nurse, Mrs. Gloria rushed over to him. "What on earth happened here?"

"Nothing I don't plan on tending to myself." I said from the door. "Ethan, can I talk with you for a minute?"

"You need to go get the principle and let him handle it." Mrs. Gloria said.

"I'll be sure to do that after he's held Griffin accountable for his actions. Ethan. Now."

Walking out the room I could still hear the nurse talking. Not sure as to who she was talking to I just hoped that she wasn't worried about anything other than Mike.

Stopping a ways down the hall I rubbed the knuckles to my right hand. "I-It wasn't Mike's fault. Someone t-tripped him from the table." Ethan stuttered coming towards me.

"Do you know any of those guys? They're all seniors, right?"

"Yeah. The guy that Mike bumped was Eric Williams. I only know of Eric and Dru. Not the other guy with the braids."

"Where do you know them from?"

"Lars."

"Ethan . . . I'm asking nicely. Tell me what you know."

· · ·