These Classrooms Talk

XI

Fuck sake. So much drama nowadays.
"Can I please speak to my daughter, alone?" Uncle asks.
"No way, Jose," Mom replies.
"Aunt, it's all G," Emily reassures.
Mum smiles at her.
"We've been arguing about this for hours now, if he wants to talk to her, I say let him." Dad says.
I look towards Emily. Me and her lock gazes.
"Can Kenny stay?" Emily asks.
Her dad frowns.
"I suppose," he says, sternly.
Mom and Dad leave the room, but will presumably eavesdrop from upstairs.
Me and Emily sit on the couch and he sits on an armchair. I squeeze Emily's hand.
"It's alright," I console, "he won't do anything."
I look across at him. The tamed, respectable man. But how can I show him any respect knowing what he's done? Knowing who he is?
"What do you want, Paul?" Emily asks.
"Why so harsh? Call me dad-"
"You reckon!" Emil shouts.
He ignores her; "I want you to take over my drug empire. Dare I say it, you didn't pay for those Jungle Berries a few weeks back, and they ain't cheap. So unless you miraculously have yet to snort it up, I'm not asking - I'm demanding."
I have some Berries left.
Emily squeezes my hand. Be quiet.
She doesn't want him to know.
"Okay, sure, why not?" Emily says.
"Really?" Me, my mom and dad and Uncle ask in unision.
"Were you guys listening the whole time?" Paul asks.
"Duh," I say. I'd expect nothing less.
"We called the police!" Mom shouts, walking down the stairs, "They'll be here any second to arrest you."
"Shit!" Uncle yells. He picks up a walkie-talkie, "fall back! Fall back!"
Then the street is full of sirens. Paul's men start firing at the police.
"Hold your fire, hold your fire!" Paul is at the door. He walks out and my family and I rush to occupy his space.
We see Paul and a few of his soldiers with their hands up.
A squadron has their cars surrounding Paul's, and most have their guns aimed at him.
A lady with a megaphone is speaking; "We're coming to arrest you! You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do can and will be used against you in the court of law."
She rambles on a bit more, but I pay scarce attention.

~

The next week at school, all anyone seems to care about is the encounter.
Is it true he held a gun to your head?
Did he really rape your mother?
No. Rumours. I told them.
It seemed as if the school had forgotten about me and Sean, so that was a bonus.
"Slut," nevermind.
In Sports, Mr Thurston was away, so we had some fat prick who didn't give a rats ass what we were doing.
So I mostly checked my Instagram.
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again shocking death! Why you will still see more of Meryl Streeps character Donna, but less of Meryl Streep.
The suburban family left traumatized after a close encounter with Underbelly kingpin, who just so happens to be related.
Not us, another family.
Someone grabs my ass as they pass me in the hall.
I

spin around to have someones lips meet mine.
They try to slide their tongue in but I push them off.
It's Sean.
"Meet me at mine tonight?" He asks.
"NO!" I call.
People are staring
Slut. Whore. Thot.
Just some of the words I can imagine them thinking.
"Just stay away," I say, calmly, "please."
I walk down the hall and into a,locker room.
It smells of sweat and body odour.
But I pay barely any attention to that. Instead, I push my back against the lovker and slide down, so I'm in a crouched position.
I lean my head forward and cry into my knees.
The room echoes with my moans and my tears flood the floor.
I shove myself as hard as I can into the locker.
Then I hear a crumple. A small, barely noticeable noise.
I unzip the first pocket of my bag. It's empty.
I check the second pocket. Just books and a pen.
Well then, what made the noise? I check the sides but they, too, come up empty.
Am I imagining things? I punch my bag with a burst of frustration, and hear it again.
I recheck the first pocket. I was wrong again. Because at the very bottom, is a small zip-lock bag of purply-pink powder. Jungle Berries.
Only take them if the stress is too much.
I remember that. Remember promising myself that. I can't believe it was even a question. Who am I? I never would've taken drugs before...
But normal girls would.
So, with great weariness and caution, I open the bag.
I slowly slide its contents on the floor.
I grab my debit card from my pocket. Concentrating, I slide all the Berries into a thin line. Then I grab a ten dollar note from my wallet, roll it up, and put it to my nose.