Jackie-

"So... Your dad did that...?"

"Yes," I sobbed. I felt sick. I began heaving. He immediately sat up. "Are you okay?" He asked, voice riddled with worry and guilt. I wonder why he felt guilty... Hmmm...

"Yeah, I'm fine... We need to go to class, Ash..."

"No," he said, voice a booming bass. It was a strong and loud sound, but it was also quiet and gentle...

"Not unless you are safe. Not unless you are okay."

"Fuck off! I can leave if I fucking want to! I don't even know why you fucking care!"

"Jackie! WAIT," he yelled. Loud enough I heard, but not the whole school. You know? He did it in that bass voice of his... 

"I care, alright? I fucking care because when I needed someone, when I needed someone to fucking care, who the fuck did? My mom? No. She had four kids on her hands not including me OR my father. That fucking BASTARD," He hissed. His eyes were glistening green, Hulk smash green. He was pissed.

"Well you and Ally would be THE ONLY TWO. LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE! I'M A GRENADE," I yelled, not caring who heard and that we'd get in trouble. It was the end of his first week. Seriously.

This would earn him street cred as the guy who punched the loser, the guy who hurt the loser girl.

His face fell. So much for street cred.

"Who told you that?" He whispered, deep and sincere, his voice husky from yelling.

"Why do you care. Leave me alone."

And he did. He looked at me sadly, shook his head twice, and said, "If you need anything we literally live two minutes or less away from one another. Call or run or walk or jog. Just get me. At any time. You know where my room is. Alright?"

I smiled slightly. He pronounced 'literally' like Dan; 'Litrully.'

He half-smiled and walked off. I walked after him. We didn't say good bye, we just left it at that.

"I don't need him," I thought.

"He probably doesn't need me."

And with that I walked into Language Arts.