His Safety Net

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

       "Wait, so you're telling me that you were stuck in detention yesterday with those jerks?" Ryder asked me during lunch. "And I'm only finding out about this now? Did they do anything? Do I have to go fight Jerome? Because I swear, I will."

       I sighed. "It's not a big deal..."

       "It is a big deal," Ryder said, glancing at the table 'those jerks' were at. Well, most of them. Jerome was the only one not there. "They're horrible. They always go out of their way to bug the new kids of the school, so it definitely isn't going to be long before they target you. Especially when they find out you're my brother."

       Orchid rolled her eyes. "Not everything is about you, Ryder. They don't go out of their way to bug me, and I'm your sister."

       "But Nolan is my brother plus the new kid," Ryder said. 

       "Still not about you."

       Ryders girlfriend, Mae, sighed. "I hate to say it but... I agree with Ryder. I sort of grew up with Jerome and he was just a regular sweet kid but ever since we got to high school, he's the complete opposite. You see what his feud with Ryder is like. You see how he and his friends go after the new kids. I really don't think they'll just let it slide with Nolan."

       Hearing them talk about this right in front of me was making me feel a bit uncomfortable. Actually, very uncomfortable. I was anxious enough being at this school. Now I had to constantly worry about those people deciding to bug me?

       I started to pack up my lunch. "I'm going... I'm going to finish my lunch outside."

       "I'll come," Orchid said, about to pack up her lunch as well, but I stopped her with what I said next.

       "No, I... I want to be alone," I said. I stood up, putting my lunch into my backpack.

       "Nolan..."

       "I'm allowed to be alone, Orchid. How am I supposed to get better if everyone else won't give me time to be alone? And I'm just going outside to get some fresh air."

       I left the cafeteria, heading to the front of the school to go outside to eat. Most people who chose to eat outside were in the courtyard in the back, so thankfully the only people outside were those either leaving or returning to the school for lunch.

       I found a bench to sit on and honestly, I did feel a bit weird eating out here alone, but I really didn't want to be part of the conversation anymore that my siblings were having. I didn't want to hear about Ryder's feud with Jerome and how I might end up being apart of it soon just by being the new kid.

       I really was starting to think I made the wrong decision deciding to come to school right now. Maybe I should have at least waited until all those people graduated.

       Who was I kidding? I was always going to regret coming here. Even if I started in my junior year, my anxiety and depression was still going to be here, and surely there would be another thing that would make me regret my decision.

       Despite telling my siblings I was going outside to eat, I wasn't too hungry so I really didn't know what I was going to do out here. I started digging through my backpack, trying to find something I could do. I soon came across my sketchbook, and I hesitated before pulling it out.

       I haven't sketched anything in here for a while, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to look at the drawings. They were when I was in the darkest place in my life, so they weren't too pleasant to look at for me. Anyone else who looked at them would probably think it was a normal drawing. That there was no deeper meaning behind it.