Complicated People, Complicated Love

Roasted

Maya

      We make it to school on time and go straight to Mr. Matthews's class. Today's lesson is on World War Two, apparently he's been teaching it all week.

     "So you were at Lucas's these past couple days?" Riley quietly asks me. I nod. She wiggles her eyebrows at me, implying something.

       "Shut up! He was sick, nothing happened!" I say as strictly as I can in a whisper.

        "So you're saying you would have done it if he wasn't sick?"

       "No! Now shut up!" Riley laughs at my uncomfortableness and I try to pinch her or something as she laughs and swats my hands away.

       "Girls, what's up?" Mr. Matthews is looking at us and so is the whole class.

       "Nothing, sorry Dad," says Riley and we both settle down. I place my arm in my usual spot on Lucas's desk and pretend to listen to the lesson like I do everyday.

         When class gets out we all go our separate ways to out next classes, which is the worst part of the day in my opinion.

          When the lunch bell finally arrives, I make my way to the cafeteria. I'm the first one of our group there today and I'm about to get into the lunch line when I hear a snicker from my left.

        It's Billy Collins. I sigh as he continues to giggle in my direction. "What Billy!?" I finally demand.

       "Oh, it's nothing, it's nothing," he says waving his hand at me. "It's just I saw your mom buying all these little frozen meals, in fact that was all she was getting. Do you only eat those cheap frozen meals?" I don't know what he's getting at but I'm not going to let him get it.

      "Oh, and I saw your mom coming out of the waxing place, whatever they did in there didn't work though, she still had the unibrow and mustache. Oops," all the boys at Billy's table cover their laughs with their hands. Billy's face turns to hatred and I smile smugly.

       "At least my dad still lives with us," he snaps.

       "Yeah he does, I've seen him around by that building with all the lights on it. You know the one with all the pretty girls, I think it's called the Foxy Mamas," his nostrils flare.

       "Even if he does spend some money there, which he doesn't, he still gives our family new clothes and, oh yeah, a house!"

        "Is that all he gave you? See, I though he gave you that brain the side of a grape that's been out in the sun for too long,"

         "Well at least my dad didn't give  me those scars we all know you have!" I open my mouth to respond but nothing comes out. The whole cafeteria has gone quiet.

       "Yeah that's right, you're not fooling anybody with those long shirts. I bet you he did that because of the same reason why no one likes you. You're a skanky, fugly, good for nothing bitch who only has one friend and has only ever had one friend," I feel tears coming on. What's wrong with me, I should be able to handle this. All of his friends laugh and all of a sudden that's all that I can hear.
    
         I turn away, ready to run, but before I've taken two steps I collide with a broad chest and stay laying against it. I don't have to open my eyes to know its Lucas. His arms wrap around me and my hands are scrunching up his shirt next to my face. I will not cry. I will not cry.

       "Hey Loser, she doesn't only have one friend. She has me," I recognize Farkle's voice.

       "And I count as way more that just one friend." Riley says.

       Lucas pulls me away from him and looks me in the eyes. "Stay here," he whispers. "And me," he yells. He walks past me and I look towards him just in time to see him take a big swing at Billy. His fist collides with Billy's face. Clutching his cheek Billy falls to the floor. I see Lucas's foot wind up behind him and it slices forward with lighting speed and hits Billy square in the stomach.

       Billy's eyes open wide as he holds his belly, the wind knocked out of him. He makes gasping noises and Lucas bends down, grabs his shirt with one fist and puts the other in a position to strike.

       "Lucas, stop!" He doesn't look at me but he doesn't hit Billy either. He's breathing heavily and glaring at Billy with a look of most utter hatred. "Please, it's not that big of a deal, he didn't say anything that wasn't true, you know that,"

        He doesn't look away from Billy. The whole lunch room is gathered around us all now. "That doesn't mean it's ok," he yells through his heavy breaths. Billy's lip has started to bleed and now his fear filled eyes are looking at Lucas.

       "It's not okay, I know that. He totally deserves to get his ass kicked, but I'm not letting you get into trouble for doing it," I walk up to him and cup my hand around his raised fist.

        I pull him up and he releases Billy's shirt. He turns his back on Billy, eyes closed. The back of my hand hits Billy's forehead and he cries out. "Oops, my bad," I say casually and guide Lucas away.

       "I'll keep and eye on this sleezebag," says Farkle, inching towards Billy as I lead Lucas out of the cafeteria.

      "Riley, you too," she looks at me with a face that says she wants to come with me, help me, but she nods.

        I bring Lucas outside and lead him behind a tree.

       "Are you okay?" I ask him, holding his clenched hands in mine. He opens his eyes and looks at me.

       "I should be asking you that question," I laugh.

       "I'm fine, people were bound to find out about my dad at some point, but I don't need a bodyguard,"

       "Oh, I know you don't, trust me, but I just couldn't let him say those things to you, something just came over me and I just had to make him pay. I'm sorry," his hands relax and I smile.

       "If the school rules were up to me, I wouldn't have stopped you, I would actually have joined you. I just don't want you to get into trouble,"

      "Too late I'm guessing," he says. I sigh and nod. He reaches out and touches my cheek. "I'm sorry," he says again. "For everything,"

        "It wasn't your fault," I say holding his hand against my face.

        "It still hurts you, and that hurts me. I love you,"

       "You're going to be in so much trouble," i shake my head.

       "It'll be fine," he says pulling me in for a hug. I sigh against him. I wrap my arms around his torso and squeeze hard for half a second. I am grateful for what he did. So grateful. "Thank you. I love you too,"