Rude

15

Reed didn't show up to school that morning.

I sat in seventh period, leaning back in my chair as Mrs. Sanders was leaning on her desk. I took my seat, ignoring my desk mates completely. Before the rumors about Reed and I having sex went around, they'd say hi to me and I'd greet them back.

Ever since the rumor, they've ignored me for the most part. They don't greet or look at me, or at least not in the same way. I didn't mind it too much, though. I was used to being by myself by now. I'd come to be familiar with being alone but I hated silence more than anything. I have for a long time.

We were supposed to be doing an essay about what it meant to be a friend, which was due Monday. The last time I'd written this essay was in ninth grade, and I'd dropped a lot of the friends I had at the time. Writing the essay made me realize the type of friends I had wasn't the type I deserved, that the type of friends they were wasn't the type they should've been.

I barely had any friends now, just Noah, Olivia, Jasmine, Anthony, and Elias. I was completely fine with that, though. I didn't need a whole lot of people. I already knew what I was going to write, I really didn't need any time to think. I was good at writing essays and I loved it. It was fun to me, though I'd never found anyone else who loved it.

I plugged my headphones into my phone, pressing shuffle and blocking out the world with Tinashe's voice. I focused better with music, it made it easier for me to write about the things I thought. My mom often had to tell me to turn down my music when I was writing or drawing, because I turned it up so loud. It was a habit.

By the time class was over, I'd finished my essay and continued listening to music until the teacher dismissed us to last period. I walked into art, grabbing the paint project we've been working on from off the shelf before sitting in my seat. I tucked my hair behind my ear, setting my bag into the seat beside me as I glanced down at my paper.

I grabbed one of the clean brushes, dipping my brush into the black paint before getting some white. I mix them together, slowly adding more black until it makes a soft, dark gray and then painting in the fourth moon. While the fourth moon dried, I took some of the black paint and painted the seventh moon pitch black.

I continued with the fifth and sixth moon, slowly making the paint darker until I was finished. I placed the finished piece back onto the shelf and then head back to my seat, checking the clock to see that it's almost time for school to end.

I kill the remaining time by cleaning up my area, Jason and Anahi's voices chattering quietly. The two had a habit of putting conversation before their work, whereas I was the opposite. I tended to focus on my work, most of the time at least.

When school ends, I leave art class and push through the swarm of bodies crowding the halls. I end up having to walk home, as I missed my bus once again. I wasn't even off of school property when Reed's car pulled up next to me, coming to a stop. I stared at him and he gestured for me to get in, so I did. I really didn't feel like walking home.

I climbed into the passengers seat, sitting my bag on the floor by my feet as I glanced up at Reed while putting on my seatbelt. "Thanks." I muttered, swiping my hair out of my face and tucking it behind my ear. He nodded in response, driving off.

The drive to my house was silent, but not awkward. It wasn't comfortable, but not awkward either. It was just..silent. I was itching to ask him where he'd been today, why I hadn't seen him at all in school but I didn't. If he wasn't going to bring it up, neither was I. I didn't know if it was something personal and I didn't want to risk making him mad.

Reed follows me up to the front door, pointing his hand over his shoulder and clicking a button on his car keys, locking his car. I pushed open my front door and he pushed past me before I could even set foot inside, walking past me. I bit my lip, following inside and being sure to lock the door after closing it. I slip off my shoes and walk up to my moms room first, a little unsure of where Reed had gone to.

I let Cookie out of her cage, pushing open my bedroom door and Jack comes barreling out excitedly. I go to close the door but a hand stops the door closing by gripping the other side of the doorknob. I hurriedly yank my own hand away, glancing up to see Reed standing there in my doorway. "Why were you in my room?" I frown, confused.

"I had to piss." He shrugs. "Oh." I say, turning around and heading down the stairs with Jack following me, Cookie in my hand.

I open the backdoor, pulling my skirt up a little and Jack races out. I bend down and carefully placing Cookie on the concrete porch before I stand up straight and push my hair over my shoulder. She runs away after Jack and I sit down in one of the seats we have outside. Jack pees on several different parts of the fence, running to find a new spot every few seconds.

"Why do you stand out here with them?" I hear Reed speak up and I look over my shoulder at him. "I don't mind it." I shrug, "Plus, Cookie could get out." I explain. Our fence had holes all over from old age, which made sense. It was fifteen years old, after all.

Reed came and sat beside me as I smoothed down my skirt, holding it under my thighs. It was silent aside from the leaves swaying in the light wind, but then he spoke up again. "That guy didn't try anything today, did he?" His is voice is low, curious.

I glance up at him, confused, "Which guy?" I ask. Reed looks down at me with his brows raised, "What do you mean which guy? I thought it was just the one who was trying to touch you." He scoffs. I shake my head slowly, frowning, "No, lots. Which one were you referring to?" I ask again, and he clenches his jaw a little before replying.

"The one who sits beside you in seventh period. Why the hell didn't you say anything about him trying to touch you in the middle of class?" He sounds a little upset but I don't read into it too much. "I didn't want to make a scene." I admit. He stared at me intently. "You didn't say anything because you were scared of getting in trouble." He states.

"It's not a big deal, okay?" I sigh. "It happens." I shrug. He doesn't look happy with my casual dismissal, a prominent frown on his face. "It shouldn't." He says.