The Woods (Original)

I'll Always Be With Her, She'll Always Be Just Out Of Reach

   I crawled out of bed and checked my phone. It was 6:56, April 28th, 2016. I walked groggily over to my closet to grab my clothes for that day. I chose to wear my new Fall Out Boy shirt and black skinny jeans with a hoodie on top, accompanied of course by my new Vans. After sweeping a comb through my bed-ragged hair and brushing my teeth, I walked into the kitchen. My mom was already up.
   "Good morning," she greeted as I grabbed some pop tarts out of the cupboard. "Did you sleep well?"
   "Surprisingly, yes," I answered.
   I walked out the door and met Petra, instantly getting butterflies in my stomach.
   "Morning," I greeted.
   "Morning," she said with a warm smile as she hugged me.
   When we arrived at school I had a huge crowd of people, half of which I didn't even recognize, surround me. They were all so eager to know what happened to me.
"What happened to your eye?!" One student cried out.
"Is it true you were stabbed?"
"Is Petra your girlfriend?"
"What?!" That last question made my cheeks flush rosy red out of disbelief.
   "Give him some space!" Petra scolded the wild animal-like students.
   Everyone swarming around me demanding answers to their questions made me extremely nervous. I just wanted to go to class.
I was bothered continuously throughout the day, and finally a break at lunchtime came. Petra, Olivia, Axel and I all sat at the same table. On the way to English 3, the class I had with Axel, we spoke about what happened between us.
"Look... I'm really sorry. It was wrong for me to treat you the way I did, you're my best friend. I shouldn't place Olivia higher than you, and I wouldn't do anything to hurt or lose you," he said with a smile.
"Thanks Axel..." I didn't really know what else to say.
We entered the classroom and took our seats next to each other.
"So what's the deal with you and Petra?" He whispered.
"What do you mean?" I whispered back.
"Boys!" Our heads shot up. "Pay attention!" The teacher scolded us, but we continued on anyway.
"Well are you like... Dating?"
"I don't know..." I admitted.
"What do you mean you don't know?" He seemed confused.
"I mean we've..." I began to lower my voice in fear that someone would hear me, "... kissed but I haven't actually asked her out," I said as I felt a blush creep upon my face.
"Ohhhh... So you're friends with benefits," he smirked.
"What? No!" I started getting really embarrassed.
"Boys, I will not ask you again!" The teacher yelled at us as heads began to turn our way.
"Sorry miss," Axel and I said in unison.
We ended the conversation there in fear of getting into real trouble. When the bell finally rang, we continued.
"I'm just saying, until you ask her out, you're friends with benefits," Axel brought up again. The thought of that disgusted me. I hated the term "friends with benefits". She was much, much more to me than that.
"Well... She's my date to prom. That counts as something right?"
"Nope."
"Oh, come on!" I complained.
   "Some people go to prom with their cousins, so as far as I'm concerned, you may as well be cousins."
   "Gross!"
As the day neared less and less people seemed interested in what I had to say about my encounter. When the school day had finally came to an end, Petra drove me to my house.
"I think it's time for you to meet my mom properly," I said as we got off her bike.
   "Cool," she answered with a smile.
   I opened the door for us as we entered my house. "Mom?" I called out.
   "Jesse," I heard her answer. "Something came for you today in the mail," she said as she entered the living room, a white envelope in her hand.
   "Oh... Ok thanks," I said as I took it from her.
Jesse
   It said simply on the front. I shrugged and ripped the top open, pulling out a folded piece of paper.
Dear Jesse,
I need to talk to you. It's about Aiden. It's urgent, please come to the juvenile hall as soon as you get this.
   -Lukas
   My heart stopped as the cold reality hit my face. Why does he want to talk to me?! Why should I trust him...
   "What is it?" Petra asked.
   "It's a letter from... Lukas."
   "Lukas?!" She snapped, shocked.
   "I'm as surprised as you... He wants me to come to the juvenile hall to talk to him," I said getting more confused by the second.
   "Maybe we should go... I wanna give him a piece of my mind," she said through gritted teeth, slamming her first into the palm of her other hand.
And with that we were on our way to the juvenile hall, just ten minutes out of town. When we arrived we were greeted by a guard, who let us in without any problem surprisingly. When we told the lady at the desk we were here to see Lukas she led us to the visitation area where he was soon brought out. We had to speak through a pane of glass.
   "Ok I'm here, now what do you want?" I started off.
   "Look, I know what I did was wrong and you have no reason to trust me, but please know I didn't want any part of it," he pleaded.
   "You're right about one thing, I don't trust you. And why should I?"
   "Look, I give you no reason to trust me. I just ask that you listen," he said as Petra and I exchanged worried glances. "Aiden forced me to accompany him. I wanted no part in it! I know I've said mean things in the past but... I would never do anything to hurt- let alone almost kill someone."
   Petra scoffed. "And how exactly did Aiden make you hurt Jesse?"
   "He threatened me! He said it would be me in the hospital if I didn't help him. I feel awful... Just awful for being so selfish. And I'm sorry- I'm so, very, deeply sorry that things ended up this way." He seemed genuine in his words. But I still had my doubts.
   "Even if what you say is true it doesn't make up for any of it. And let's say I did- for some unknown, astronomically thin chance- did forgive you. That won't get you out of here, so you're wasting your time sucking up to me," I said coldly.
   "I'm not asking to be let out of here! I deserve to be here- I know that! I just wanted to say I'm sorry... Like I said, I just feel awful for what I did. He didn't say anything about stabbing you! I swear! If I would have known he would do that I would have told someone. And look, everything he said, it was all lies. I can tell you that much." He glanced at Petra on that last part.
   I sighed and shook my head. I didn't know what to believe anymore. I'm just a huge softie though. "Okay. I forgive you," I said.
   "What? Jesse-" Petra protested.
   "Look, I know it seems ridiculous but I think he's telling the truth," I interrupted her.
   "Thanks Jesse. I hope maybe one day... We can even be friends," he said as he smiled at me.
   "If you ever try anything- and I mean anything-" Petra began.
   "Yeah. I know," Lukas said, reading her mind.
   When we left the juvenile hall, Petra drove to the lake, our usual spot.
   "I just don't want you to get hurt again..." Petra said.
   "I know..." I said as I gave her hand a squeeze. "But he won't be out of there for a long time, maybe he'll have changed. And if he was telling the truth then... Maybe he won't need to," I reassured her.
   "This whole thing just seems... Fishy to me." She seemed terrified. I can only imagine what it's like... What it's like to think someone in your life will die. Especially someone you care so deeply about... I can only imagine the pure terror she felt.
   All I could do was hold her. Just hold her and say everything was gonna be okay, I knew I couldn't promise that but it was all I could think of. She promised me she would stop worrying and start being a warrior instead. There's the Petra I know and love.