Rugged To The Core

Chapter 54

Denial exists when three beliefs
intersect: 1. It cannot happen. 2. It
cannot happen to you. 3. It cannot
happen to you now.

Johnnie Dent Jr.

_________________________

Song for chapter: Overdose By Alessia Cara

Lucky

I had stared at him so long my friends noticed and were also staring at him. I simply couldn't look away, I thought he had grown tired of trying to get my attention; after all I had been doing a damn good job ignoring him. I thought he would turn around and walk away; instead, he did the complete opposite. He peeled away from the pillar and began advancing to our circle.

Oh no...

"Lucky, he's coming here." Naomi announced despite the fact that we could see him.

"What does he want now?" TJ asked.

"You've been ignoring him. Is is bothering you?" Best queried in exasperation.

"I'll handle this." I sprang up and strode away from them till I got to Abel. "What do you want?!"

He frowned at my outburst. "I just want to talk..."

"Well, I don't want to talk to you. Didn't I make it clear enough?" I countered.

"Lucky, please, don't be like this... It stings a lot." He besought with soft eyes and for a second my exterior collapsed. "At least, let me apologise -"

"I don't want your apology." I snapped.

"You're that angry... " He stated, he didn't question.

"Just leave me be, okay?" I said calmly, lowering my gaze. In that moment, I suddenly remembered TJ's sister and decided to ask him. "What did you do TJ's sister?"

He frowned in confusion. "Whose sister?"

"Tejiri's sister. Her name's Tega, you were both in the same class. You were once friends." I then folded my arms and continued. "Remember her? She broke her hand. You beat her, didn't you?"

Abel's eyes doubled in size. "What? Who told you that nonsense?"

"That's not what's important here." I retorted.

"It's him, right?" Abel queried, throwing a nod in TJ's direction.

"Did you beat her? Yes or no!" I asked, shutting both eyes in frustration.

"Of course not." He replied with emphasises on all three words. "I didn't beat her. I had broken her biro by accident, she became angry and wouldn't leave me alone, we argued, I wanted to leave then she tried to hold me back then she lost her balance and fell. It was just a stupid childish accident."

"You shoved her...?"

"No!" He replied, crouching to bore his eyes into mine as he gesticulated. "No, no, no! I didn't shove her. I didn't even touch her, I swear. She tried following me out but she somehow fell, I even had my back to her. It's outrageous for you to think I beat her up. I don't go around beating people up for no reason, much less girls. Why would you think like that?" He then lifted his gaze above my head to stare at my friends. "You say TJ told you this, right? Alright, let's go. I'm gonna ask him myself." He took a few strides forwards but I palmed him back.

"You're not going anywhere. And you're not asking anybody anything. Everything about you is just so confusing! You're never straight-forward."