Neutral Zone (Jordan Baker) COMPLETED

Chapter One: New Kid

JJ walked over to our table during lunch and sat along the table adjacent to me. "I wonder what this new kid is gonna be like,"
I shrugged as Asher spoke. "He's from South Crenshaw High so probably not gonna be like us,"
I looked over at Asher, knowing exactly what he was gonna say. "Oh, and what's that Asher?" I inquired.
Asher looked at me. "Rich,"
I rolled my eyes and watched my best friend Jordan walking up to the lunch table with a tall guy. "Meet the crew,"
Jordan started pointing at all of us and commenced to introduce us. "This is Hadley, Layla, and up top, Lucy, JJ, Asher," Jordan said and then pointed at me. "This girl right here is one of my best friends Christina. Guys, this is Spencer,"
JJ was the first one to speak. "Hey, what's up? Spencer," JJ said.
Spencer nodded and said a Hey back.
I got up from here I was sitting and held my hand out. "Please don't call me Christina. Call me either Chris or Chrissy. Jordan knows I don't like Christina,"
Spencer chuckled and shook my head. "Got it,"
Jordan shrugged and looked from Spencer to Asher then back to Spencer. "I think you and Asher play the same position,"
Asher, clearly not invested in the conversation looked up at Jordan. "What's up, man?"
Spencer looked genuinely interested. "Oh, receiver, huh?"
"Yeah, broke the school record for receptions last season,"
Asher was seriously trying to one-up Spencer, I elbowed him in the side. He looked at me and mouth 'ow'
Spencer, obviously saw what just occurred, but chose to disregard it. "Me, too," Spencer stated.
Layla was the next one to talk. "So how are you liking Beverly so far?"
Spencer obviously took a liking to Layla by the way he looked at her. I mean Layla is the resident IT girl. I looked over at Asher and it was clear he noticed Spencer eyeing his girlfriend. "It's OK, I guess,"
Layla always knows how to make people feel better that why she's so well-liked. "I know it probably feels like lost footage or rich kids from Instagram, but it's not so bad once you give it a chance,"
Spencer gave her a half-smile which Layla returned a full grin. I felt Asher shift next to me. Oh, this isn't going to end well. "I'm sure it'll grow on me,"
Asher looked back at Spencer. "Hey, so lay it on me. Crips or Bloods?"
Spencer looked at Asher like he could at any moment reach over at punching him the hell away. "Excuse me?"
I looked at Asher. "I'm dying to check out a Crip walk for real," He blurted out.
I can't believe what I'm hearing. "Asher!" I hollered.
"I've only seen one on YouTube," Asher replied.
I punched Asher in the arm. Spencer looked completely pissed and began walking towards Asher. "Yo, yo, he's just joking, man. Ignore him," JJ said getting in between them. "Asher, you wouldn't know a Crip walk if it bit you in the damn white ass,"
Spencer was fuming. "That didn't sound like a joke to me, bro,"
Asher, clearly not understanding the effect his question had on Spencer. "Don't be so sensitive,"
Spencer sighed. "Sensitive? Hey, yo, thanks for the welcome," He said to Jordan and walked off.
I looked at Asher and started to walk off, but moved around to face Asher. "Asher, I seriously can't believe you did that," I pronounced.
Asher looked very confused. "What? I was making conversation,"
Layla got up after that. "No, you were being an ass," Layla said getting up from the table and walking over to where Spencer was.
"What? It was a joke!"
I rolled my eyes. "Some things aren't jokes, Asher. I'll catch you at the end of the day," I said to Jordan and then walked away.
"Way to piss both the women away," I heard JJ say.
****
The bell rung signaling that school was over and everyone was filling out of classes. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going while walking out of class as I was fumbling with putting my papers in my backpack when I bumped into someone and all my papers flew out of my hands. I looked up at who I bumped into and smiled. It was Jordan. Jordan smiled and stooped down to help me pick up my papers. "Chrissy, always bumping into me. I'm gonna consider you have something for me,"
I looked upward at him for a second, then reached for a piece of paper. "Oh yeah? What's that?"
I looked back up at Jordan who was half smiling. "I don't know, a crush maybe?"
I rolled my eyes at him. Jordan and I have been best friends since I could remember mainly due to me being friends with Asher but since Asher started talking to Layla and of course eventually dating her, he had spent more time with her and less with us which resulted in Jordan and I hanging out more. I did have a crush on Jordan. I mean who wouldn't? Jordan is the star football player. He's had a smile that every girl enjoys. He's super caring, super sweet and always does what he believes is right for others. Jordan shrugged. "I don't think we'll have a problem. Olivia told Spencer that Layla is Asher's girl and he holds no right to feel like he's challenged or being replaced,"
I rolled my eyes and booty bumping him. "Alright, whatever you believe,"
He looked at me and chuckled. "I'll see you after practice,"
Jordan walked to the locker room while I walked up to the bleachers to where Layla was sitting. "Hey, Chris!" She said.
I smiled and sat next to her. "Hi,"
Layla looks back along the field. The boys had just gotten out there and they were doing their exercising. "You need to tell Jordan,"
"No idea what you're talking about,"
---
I just made it to my room and set my backpack on my bed when I heard my stepfather call me downstairs. "Christina, get your ass down here,"
I glanced over at my clock and it was six-fifteen. I sighed and walked away from my bed, walked out of my room and down the stairs to where my stepfather was which was in the living room.
I leaned against the wall and faced at him sitting in the chair. "Yes, Grant?"
My mother and my biological father got a divorce when I was ten due to my mother cheating on my father multiple times with Grant whom she married a year after. Grant was a decent stepfather until he lost his job five years ago and set out to get drunk every day. My mother is the reason they even live in Beverly Hills. She is the CEO of a very successful business firm. Grant was a big named real estate agent until he fucked up a great sale by screwing one of the client's wives.
He didn't even look at me. "Where have you been?"
I scoffed at him. "School?"
"At seven pm?"
"It's not even six-thirty," I stated.
"Are you correcting me?" He inquired.
I jumped as he shattered glass as he slammed it down along the table. "I'm sorry sir," I said.
He was already drunk which means I have to be careful with what I say. He came up from his seat and walks towards me, I cautiously took steps back until I hit the wall beside the stairs. I was four or five steps up the stairs when he reached through the spaces between the beams and pulled my foot from underneath me. That resulted in me hitting my chin hard against the stairs which are gonna form a bruise. I flipped over and commenced to kick at him but I couldn't manage to get him off me. "Did I say you could walk away from me?"
I begged, pleaded and cried. "Grant, please stop,"
He grabbed my shirt, yanked me off the stairs and dropped me onto the floor. I landed on the floor with a loud thud, pain shooting through my entire physical structure. "Shouldn't have gone away before I told you, you could,"
My mother knew about Grant hit me, but she didn't worry. All she cared about was the thing in between his pants and keeping him happy. I could be laying in the hospital bed dying cause of injuries caused by Grant and she would defend him and soothe him.
"I-I'm sorry," I said.
His fist collided with my face. "Are you gonna keep talking back?"
After a few seconds of excruciating pain, I tried to get up, seeing as he was no longer on me. He didn't say anything but he just stepped on me and held his foot on my spine. With each second, he pressed his foot down harder. I cried through it all. He finally gets off me, but grabbed my hair and forced me up by it. "Go to your room and don't come back out," He spat at me.
He lets me go and walked away. I slowly turned to start back up the stairs to my room. When I got to the top step, I looked over to my half sister's room to which she was standing in front of smirking at me. "What?" I inquired
"Zilch," She shrugged, walking into her room and shutting the door behind her.
I walked into my bathroom that was linked up to my room and flipped on the light switch. The bruise underneath my chin was already forming, I didn't think he got my lip, but my lip was cut and it had dried blood on it. I bent down to open the drawer to my counter to get a rag to wash the blood off my chin.
It was maybe an hour or two since the incident occurred when I heard my phone go off. I reached over to my dresser slowly and grabbed my phone and realized that it was my dad. "Hey, dad!"
"Hey, sweetheart!"
I almost could cry hearing his voice. I just want him home now. "How're things going on your honeymoon?"
"It's going great, how are things with you?"
I bit my lip and lied. "It's going well!"
My father and his wife just got married recently and they finally could have a honeymoon and I didn't want to tell them about Grant cause they would come hurrying home and I didn't want to ruin the honeymoon. I typically live with them, but since they were going to be gone for a month they didn't desire me to be alone even though I was old enough to stay alone. "How's Brittany?"
I absolutely love Brittany. She's the mom, my actual mom couldn't be. She was my best friend since we met. "She's good! We're missing you! Will be home in two weeks," He stated.
I could feel tears threatening to come out, but I kept them back. "See you then!"
I hit the red end button on the screen. I can't wait for my father to get home.