Night shepherds

Keeping score

I finally woke up with the sun shining on my face. I grimaced achily trying to sit up. " I feel like I've been hit by a bus," I said out loud. I finally drug myself out of bed to find a pair of crisp jeans and pink and black flannel.  I reached over to my dresser to get my undergarments and headed to the shower. As I got dressed  I looked at the scratches I received from the fall. Aiden has up the ante with is cruelty in which he's not giving me a warning. It was my birthday and I even thought of faking sick to stay home. But I knew that would not be a good idea since my dad would call out and take me to urgent care. It was September 30th and October was near. I like Halloween time and I wish I could trick or treat like I did as a kid. Turning 17 was underwhelming just like 16. Once I entered high school it has been nothing but angst. I always thought it would be different. 

Hopefully, things would get better. When my dad lost his job my mother had walked away from us. He's taking a  job at the airport where he works crazy hours but it does not meet the needs and wants like his last job. All of this started once I reached high school. Losing a friend, your parents splitting, and facing a cruel bully at school was not what imagine my teens would be like. I finally walked downstairs to see my dad standing near the kitchen table with a plate in his hand. "Happy Birthday Sweetie," he said grinning. "Thanks, Dad," I said hugging him. "I hope you like it. I made your favorite confetti pancakes," he said placing the plate on the table. I grabbed a fork and knife vigorously ate the pancakes. "So what do you have a plan this weekend," my dad asked pouring some orange juice. "I don't know. Maybe hang out with Eliza. There's this new horror movie out that we want to see," I said taking a sip of my orange juice. "Your mother is coming down this weekend. She's taking you to "Shogun'," he said. "Yeah, that's cool. They sing happy birthday to you in Japanese and give you a small cupcake with a candle," I said smiling. My dad grin. "I can't believe it you're seventeen it felt like yesterday when you just turned seven," he said. "Yeah time flies' I know one birthday you wanted the "Harry Potter" sorting hat," he said. "Yeah, I still have it. Selena and I  would play with it...." I said trailing off. "I know honey. It has been a rollercoaster for you. But don't worry things will get better," he said patting my hand for reassurance. "Yes,'I said nodding taking the last sip of my orange juice. I stepped outside taking a deep breath and started walking down the path. I was seventeen and miserable. It was a bit windy and  I clenched my arms braving the elements. I started thinking about Selena again and the letter she wrote. 

It was eating away at me on what she meant. I wanted to tell someone about the letter and try to make sense out of it. What was she trying to say and why was it in that strange book? It all was very strange and spooky. It was a bit sunny and I remembered that dream I had. Those two guys seemed to be very intense with one another. I was in the middle of it and I wondered what it all meant. I was almost close to the school where I felt a brush of dread consume over me. As I walked a few paces I heard someone call my name. It was very fast and a whisper."Hello," I called out. Nobody answered and looked around to see if someone was trying to play a prank on me. I stood there for a good minute and continued walking. I reached the school to see the same people doing the same things. 

Cutting glances at me and laughing behind my back. I tried to tune them out. I looked over to the bush by the school stairs which will forever be a reminder of my fall. I did not want to go in right away so I stood over by a gazebo that was in the center of the schoolyard. It was filled with people texting and making out. I looked at my phone to see that Aaron and Eliza texted me Happy birthday. I only had 5 more minutes before the school bell rang and I decided to go towards the backdoor to avoid Aiden. Nobody was around and I briskly headed down the hall. I heard some voices of some boys talking and I stopped dead in my tracks. It was Aiden's voice. I almost collapsed and tried to head back. I hid around the corner afraid to open the backdoor out of fear they would hear me. "Hey, how many points do you get for banging Jennifer McRyan" it was Jason's voice. "I don't know man, she's dog maybe like 10 points," it was Hunter laughing. "Shut up," said Jason who was upset. "Look I got 15 on Samantha Tyson, 25 for Mckeyla Fisher, and 10 for Maritza Peters," said Jason. "What's your score now," asked Hunter. " 95," Jason said confidently. "What? You're catching up to me. I'm at 105, but our main man is beating us " said Hunter. "What's your score right now Aiden. "115 and counting," he said."Wow," they both said. "I need to up my game, fuck consent," said Hunter.

 A shiver went down my spine when he said that. "You need to start fucking bitches outside the school," said Aiden. "LIke who Eliza," asked Jason. Hunter chuckled. "No, she doesn't count. Who hasn't fucked her?" said Aiden. My blood boiled. It has been a year since Eliza left school and the disgusting rumors about her are still spreading She never had sex with anyone ."What about Katherine Hutchens," asked Hunter. "I would not fuck her if my life depended on it," said Jason. I grimaced at his comment. "Yeah, she may be the last virgin left in this school. Her titties looked so good in that bathing suit yesterday, said, Hunter. "Shut the fuck up. Let's go" said Aiden. The bell finally rang and I could not believe what I just heard. But they were not saints so it was no surprise. They were playing a game on how many girls they had sex with. Hunter is a predator and both Jason and Aiden are still keeping vicious rumors about Eliza alive. As if they could not get any lower this was the lowest. I stepped out of the corner and headed down the hall.