Trying To Endure

Chapter Four

Trigger warning: sexual assault. 

SONG: Nick Jonas - Jealous

🌼

April Levesque

"Oh. It's you."

Overwhelming rage courses through me. I want to see him suffer. Hushed, I turn to leave—

"Have you seen Derek and Tanner Matthews?"

"They're not here."

The sky is a brilliant black, angelic and tremendous. The opulent neighbourhood is embroidered with dying cherry blossom trees, their petals scattered across the sidewalks like a wedding aisle. In the distance, the city's skyscrapers blend with the soft hum of traffic. The night is so beautiful, I crave a peaceful solitude to gather my thoughts. Too bad he's here to ruin it.

"Wait!"

My hands freeze on the doorframe, wanting to leave. "Yes?"

His shadow stretches toward me. "I want to talk to you. Please. And, erm, don't worry." He tries a smile, and it almost looks genuine. "I won't bite."

"You expect me to believe that?"

He hesitates, hooded and analytical. He looks disheveled, wearing a worn-out hoodie and flabby jeans that hang loosely around his hips, almost showing his rear—ugh, I hate when guys are dressed like this. His dreadlocks are tied into a low ponytail, revealing the sharp angles of his jaw and cheekbones. "I get it. But I'm not the enemy here."

I swallow the bitter taste of bile rising in my throat, quickly flickering to the rooftop. They're too drunk. I don't need anyone to protect me. But if Bodie attacks, will my strength be enough?

Bodie follows my hopeful gaze. "Why are you friends with that crowd?"

"That crowd is huge. Who do you mean?"

"You know who I mean."

"I'm not friends with them."

He tilts his head, his dreadlocks falling aside. "Your Prince Charming is." As if on cue, Roy's laughter rings out, loud and carefree. "You attract what you are. You're a reflection of who you surround yourself with—reflections of your subconscious."

"He's not friends with them. He's just being polite."

"So no one could piss him off, right?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

He lazily shrugs. "Birds of a flock stick together." In the dim light, I discern a tattoo creeping up his neck, barely visible beneath his shirt. "Did Roy tell you about Ishaan Shah? No? Not surprised. You're a good girl, April, and good girls deserve to know the truth—like how your boyfriend got away with murder. Twice."

The air grows heavy. "Murder?"

Roy's glass nearly slips from his grasp. If someone in our school died, I would've remembered the name.

Bodie distantly stares past me. "Ishaan Shah was found dead on an empty street. Guess who the culprits were?"

Phlegm clogs my throat.

"You know, I've done a lot of shit," he continues, his voice low. "But it opened my eyes to how the world works. People are blind, April. They don't want to see the truth because ignorance is bliss. Status, upbringing—it all shapes who we are. And people like Roy, Rhett, and Hunar? They're the worst kind."

I shake my head. "You're-you're lying."

His eyes harden. "Why would I lie? They're prejudiced. So are your fucked-up friends. Camila, Aasvhi, Destiny—"