Oakwood Academy (Book 1)

Chapter 8

"How was school?" was what greeted me as I got into the car.

"Good, good," I said. 

I wanted to tell him how it actually went, but when my father asked "how was school," he didn't want to know—not really. All he wanted to hear was that it went great. I'd made the mistake of being honest about how my day actually went when I was younger, and I'd gotten a lecture on how much my parents sacrificed for me in turn.

We do all this, and you go to school and act like a fool. I shuddered at the memory.

Never again, I told myself.

"That's good. That's good."

Several minutes passed with complete silence. Not an uncomfortable kind of silence, just silence. But I was bursting with joy from today and I just needed to say something...anything.

"We have a project in one of my classes. We have to design social media profiles for another person to demonstrate how important a good presence online is. I'm gonna be working with Guzmán to—"

"Guzmán?"

I realize my error, but it's too late.

"Uh, yeah. He's my partner. He—"

He gives me a stern look that I know is meant to silence me.

"We sacrifice so much for you and your siblings Nadia. So much. You better not be going to this school and acting like a fool." 

Where have I heard that before?

"I know Papa," I said. "Guzmán and I are nothing but partners. I understand how important school is."

"Good, good," he said. 

We continued the rest of the car ride in silence, and this time I didn't feel compelled to share other aspects of my day. 

***

We've lived in our little house behind the family store my entire life, and a reasonable portion of my parents' lives.

Samuel moved next door to us a couple years ago. 

I'm not sure how it happened exactly, but I know him and my brother Omar really hit it off. They became best friends, and because of that Samu was always over.  So he became one of my best friends too.

"I'm going over to Samuel's," I said to my dad as soon as I stepped out of the car. 

"Why?" he asked suspiciously.

I sighed. He'd finally stopped questioning me and Samuel about our friendship, but I guess the mention of another boy really threw him off.

Even though the likelihood of me and that boy happening was slim to none.

"I just want to talk to him. I feel like we haven't been seeing much of each other since school started."

"Okay," he relented. "But don't take too long, I'm sure you have work to do and that's more important than any boy."

Subtle, dad. Really subtle.

I walked over to Samuel's and opened the door to find him sprawled out on his living room couch.

"What were you thinking today?" I asked as I slapped his legs onto the ground.

He groaned. "Please Nadia, not from you. My mom's not home yet, but I know I'll be getting this lecture from her later. So right now...right now can you just be my friend?"

I sat down next to him and let out a breath.

"Yeah I can do that." 

We were both silent for about five minutes before I started questioning him again.

"Seriously, Samu. What happened?"

"Oh you know, just Guzmán being Guzmán," he laughed, but I could tell he didn't think any of this was funny.

"That guy is actually the devil incarnate. I'm sure of it."

I didn't know what to say, but I was positive now wasn't the time to tell him about how Guzmán seemed to be turning over a new leaf—that I was the one who was blackmailing him do it. 

"Samu, they're all the devil incarnate."

He smiled and looked over to me.

"I'm serious Nadia. You don't even want to know what he's been saying to me."

"I suspect it's probably the same thing Lu's been saying to me?"

He sighed. "Worse. Way worse," his voice faltered. "He brought up Nano."

I paused. I didn't know what to say to that.

Nano was Samuel's brother who was currently in jail. For what, I can't remember. He was always in and out of there.

I don't know how Guzmán found out about him, but it was a sucky thing to wave that around Samuel's face. 

Nano was, and would always be I was sure, Samu's blindspot.

I could feel my blood boiling at the idea someone would use that against him.

"What am I gonna do Nadia?" he asked. I knew what he meant. What was he going to do about the suspension, but I couldn't help feeling like he meant something else too.

"I'll figure it out. We'll figure it out." I smiled reassuringly. "I feel like I could probably get Guzmán to talk to someone and explain that this was all some big misunderstanding."

He scoffed. "Yeah right. And why would he do that?"

And then I told him. I told him about catching Guzmán cheating, about him agreeing to leave us alone. I even told him about our group project.

I expected him to be shocked, but proud of what I'd done. Except, when I looked him in the eyes he was anything but.

He looked skeptical.

"Are you sure about this?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" I asked, a little agitated. "They've been making our lives horrible every chance they get," I huffed. "Someone had to take them down a notch, and I did. Look, don't worry. I know what I'm doing."

"I hope so," he said a little worriedly. "These people—they only care about themselves. Lu and Guzmán are two of the worst. You know that. They'll throw anyone under a bus to protect themselves."

I wanted to object, but what he was saying did have a little truth to it.

I stayed a little longer, but on the walk home I couldn't help but replay everything Samu said. 

As handsome as he was, Guzmán could be a horrible person sometimes. Most times. In fact, up until today, all the time.

How could I ever like someone who could say the type of stuff he'd said to my friends? To me?