You're Different - Scott Reed

14

"Morning guys."

"Morning Z, Alex."

"Hey, Izabela."

"How are you guys?"

"Good, not looking forward to the field opening tonight."

"Me either, I have to go though, for the guys."

"H-hey guys, um can I talk to Izabela?" Scott interrupted.

"We'll catch you later I" Zach said as he began walking away not before turning and mouthing 'he likes you'

"Good morning Scotty."

"Good morning beautiful." he smiled down at her.

She giggled trying to hide the blush.

"What's with the sudden confidence in you Reed?"

"I don't know, I guess I think you should hear that as often as possible." he shrugged.

"I mean, I'm not complaining." she laughed opening her locker

"You coming tonight?"

"I have too, I don't want to but you know have to support my brothers and Jeff... and I guess you." she blushed.

He lowered his head laughing "Yeah, and me."

"Scotty! get your ass over here." Bryce yelled down the hall.

"I'll see you later yeah?"

She nodded as she watched his entire demeanor change. He was back to that asshole she was scared to let in.

Her mother's word lingered in the back of her mind everytime she wanted to give up on this good side of him.

Once the group moved she saw the black lettering of the word 'rapist' painted on Bryce's locker.

The tapes had been released last night but she hadn't heard them yet.

"Dude, that's pretty fucked up. Should we do something?" she heard Scott ask as they began to walk down the hallway.

She too began to walk making her way to the first period.

"You want to call it rape, call it rape. She wanted me, me. She was practically begging me to fuck her."

It was a recording of Bryce, her eyes went wide at his words but she tried to remain unnoticed as she continued her walk to her classroom.

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Izabela sat with Izac, Izaiah, Jeff, and their parents waiting for the ceremony to begin. They were talking until she saw Zach speed walking looking around for someone.

"Hey, hey Z. What's wrong?"

"I need to go, I need to find my mom and sister and go. Stay with your brothers and Jeff or even Scott but stay away from Bryce okay?"

"Okay, Izabela?"

She nodded "Call me later okay?"

He nodded hugging her and continuing to looking for his sister and mom.

The ceremony began shortly after with Marcus walking up to the podium.

"Good afternoon I'm Marcus Cole, student body president. Happy to be here, happy to be here today. Since 1913, Liberty High has been committed to helping students achieve academic excellence in a safe, supportive environment. But in recent years our values have...gone to shit. I am part of the problem. I lead a group called ingydent which is supposed to be for enlightened guys. But today I'm officially resigning from that group because I am a hypocrite. How can I say that I care about protecting girls when I have been protecting... a rapist like Bryce Walker.