The Cliche Gone Wrong

Chapter Forty-Two

My phone vibrates on the table. I could have sworn my phone was in my backpack earlier...

I chalk that up to forgetfulness as I look down to see Killer's—Kenedi's contact information pop up on the screen. My eyes travel over to her table, but she isn't there; the space next to that guy she normally flirts with just to piss me off filled with someone else I don't recognize. I smile as I answer the call, bringing the phone to my ear.

"Hello?" I ask, looking around the cafeteria to see where she is.

"What the hell is going on?" She practically yells into the phone.

"Woah woah woah!" My eyes widen as I sit up a little straighter on the table. "Why are you yelling? What happened?"

"You need to get your fucking friends in line, Shills. I don't have time for this bullshit bruh!"

"Killer, what the hell happened?" I hiss, drawing the attention and curious glances from the people sitting at my table. "Wha—"

"Why don't you ask your fucking best friend?" She barks before she hangs up without another word.

At that second Alan walks up to the table, a confident smile on his face as he sits in the empty spot behind me.

"What the fuck did you do?" I ask him, my nostrils flaring.

Everyone at the table stops and stares at us, trying to figure out what is going on. Alan stops in the middle of taking his seat, hovering over the bench to the table with a surprised look on his face.

"What're you talking about?" He asks, his eyebrows furrowing together.

"Don't play dumb, Alan. What the fuck did you do?"

Alan finished sitting quietly, purposefully avoiding eye contact as he gathers his thoughts. Connor decides to interrupt at that moment, leaning forward as he looks back and forth between us.

"What's going on?" He asks curiously, his tone trying to lighten the mood.

I ignore Connor, not in the mood for his happy-go-lucky vibes. I wait for Alan to say something but he doesn't, looking everywhere but at me.

"Man fuck you," I finally growl, roughly standing up from the table. I can feel eyes all throughout the cafeteria on me but I don't pay any attention to them. "Just mind your own fucking business and stay out of mine."

"Jude, I'm doing this because you aren't looking out for yourself," Alan finally says, his voice barely higher than a whisper.

I glare down at them, resisting the temptation to punch him in the face. Who does he think he is to mess with my life like this? What the hell does he think I am? A five year old? This isn't like elementary school where I was the new kid at school and he had to protect me from the bullies! I don't need him anymore to fight my battles for me.

"I can take care of my fucking self," I tell him, my voice just as low. "Get in my way again and you aren't going to like what happens."

I turn to leave, but not before I hear Alan's whispered response. "Neither will you."

I don't stick around to ask him what he meant by that, practically stomping out of the cafeteria and yanking my phone out of my pocket again. I unlock my phone and call Killer, but she doesn't answer. So I try again, but then she sends me to voicemail. So I just start calling her over and over again as I wander around the halls, looking into empty classroom after classroom as I am repeatedly sent to voicemail.

Just as I am searching through the library Killer picks up. "What Shills?"

"Where are you?" I ask, turning around and walking back out of the library since I don't see her anywhere in here.

She doesn't respond for a few seconds before she sighs heavily. "The science wing."

I smile as I start to jog down the hallways making my way toward the far back corner of the left building. There I find Killer sitting on the ground, leaning against the wall outside one of the biology classrooms. Her eyes are closed, with her head tilted up slightly as if she was looking at the ceiling. I walk over and sit next to her; almost the entire left side of my body pressed against hers as we sit in comfortable silence.

"What happened to me?" She asks quietly. I don't know what she's referring to so I keep quiet.

"Just a couple weeks ago, everything was in order. I was just waiting out my days until I'd graduate and leave." She opens her eyes slowly, but doesn't look at me, now staring at the crease where the wall meets the ceiling. "But now..."

"...Now you don't want to go?" I try to finish for her.

"No, I still want to leave," She smiles sadly, finally turning her head to look at me. "That much hasn't changed."

That makes my chest tighten, not sure what she's getting at. What the hell did Alan say to her? "Then what's your point?"

"I'm not sure," she says slowly after another minute, her normally vibrant tone languid with its lack of emotion.

We sit there in silence for a few moments, both of our thoughts travelling in different directions. It seems like she was just trying to say that she wanted to stay here. That something changed over the last couple weeks. And the only thing that I can think of that changed for her was...me.

So this is a good thing, right? She must feel the same way. She has to like me, or else why would she even have put up with me all this time. But she doesn't want to admit it to herself or me. So all I have to do is...what?

How do I get her to admit it?

I reach over and grab her hand, interlacing my fingers with hers. She allows me to do it, but she doesn't grip my hand back, her limp fingers held tightly by mine. I try to think of what to say to her. But nothing sounds right. I've always prided myself on being good with words; being able to convince even the most stoic of people and closed off women to open up with me.

But nowadays it seems like words never come that easy with her.

Before I can start a conversation the bell rings. Killer gently extracts her hand from mine as she stands up, stretching her arms high above her head. I follow suit, climbing to my feet as I stand awkwardly next to her.

"Soooooo...I'll see you at detention later?" I ask hopefully.

She stares at me intently; those wide brown eyes blank as she just looks at me. An eternity later she nods, her lips pulling into a small smile.

"Of course."

I watch her turn and walk away, even though it looks more like she's floating down the hall. She doesn't look back once, disappearing around the corner with little fanfare. But even after she's gone I still stare, trying to figure out what I can do to make this better.

Maybe its time for another note.

A/N Merry Christmas everyone! Or happy holidays!

I thought I would grace y'all with an early Christmas posting since I couldn't sleep anyways!

Are y'all happy that Killer and Shills didn't get into huge fight because of that? What do you think that means? Do you think Shills can buy his way out of this slump again? What van he get her now? Another puppy??

Let me know what you think! And everyone stay safe if you're traveling at all! The roads, and drivers, are treacherous!

Much Love,

Naomi