14 Chapter 14

The break went by relatively quickly for me. I fed Ezekiel rice once while giving him more water, that way the rice expands in his stomach. I talked to Zen a bit more along with Alex but that's about it. It was back to school already. My body had already adjusted to late nights and junk food as I watched Netflix till I passed out. I had to get dressed and actually try to look reasonable instead of walking around in my underwear like I have been doing. Free house, my rules.

As I started to talk outside my car, I noticed a black Jeep parked to the side of the street. It was a bit far from the house so you had to walk a bit but it was still there. Hmmm... no one seemed to be in it and I have no reason to be getting followed right now. Whose car is it anyway? I don't have neighbors, I kinda live in the middle of nowhere. If it's still here by the time I come home then I'll investigate. I drive off to school.

I picked up Alex that morning, it was my first time seeing her since our day at the mall. She came out of her house looking exhausted and dazed with coffee in her hand.

"Wow, you really DO look like shit every morning!" I say as she gets in.

"You wanna...drive?"

"I'm just appreciating your consistency. I know mornings are hard for you and you get super cranky an-"

"If you know I get cranky, then can you drive?" She says as she takes another sip of her coffee.

"Jeeezzzzzz okay okay." I can't help but to smile as I pull off.

We get to school, everyone is happy and talking about what they got for Christmas. I can't really say anything since I'm 1) rich and 2) spent my Christmas alone. There was no one there to even give me anything. I see Zen and I give him a kiss on the cheek. Our small talks before class always cheer me up and make me feel...stable. My day goes on and I feel somewhat fine, although I keep seeing Rhea and she keeps nagging me about how she's ready to live on her own. I ignore it of course, she's still so young! It would be stupid for me to let her go. Lunch comes and I sit at my table and wait for the others to come. Hmm, I start to look around and notice Elizabeth's friends standing at the wall that they usually do...but no Elizabeth. She must've not come today.

Rhea comes from behind me and sits on top of the table. She sits criss-cross and rocks back and forth. "We can call her! Oh I wanna do that. I wanna I wanna I wanna! She's so sweet! I'm not calling her. Why not?? I don't want to talk to her. Then why are you looking for her? Or thinking about her??? You are. Not me. I love Zen. See, we wouldn't have this problem if you would just let me g- why do we keep having this fight?!?! I'm in control. No.

"Hey, you okay?" Malcolm taps me on the back while he passes me to sit on the other side of the table. Alongside him is a girl I've never seen or talked to before.

"Yea I am." I reply. "Hey." I redirect my attention to the new girl.

"Ummm Hey." Her voice was smooth and kinda raspy. "My name is Jace." Her hair was straight and blonde. Her skin was a bit tan, her arms toned and slim along with her. Her eyes were a cool and calm green. "Nice to meet you."

"I'm Xena. Nice to meet you too." I smile to ease her nervousness. She's avoiding eye contact a lot. They both sit down and Zen soon follows with Alex and another new person. They all sit.

"Hey, this is my friend, Kuya. I want him to hang out with us more and I only ever see him when we have volleyball practice.

"Hey. You guys seem chill." He had a big, curly Afro. He was a bit shorter than Zen. His skin was dark and smooth while his eyes were brown.

"Hey nice to meet y-" my words are cut off by the PA static buzzing.

"May Xena Ackerman report to the principal's office? May Xena Ackerman report to the principal's office please? Thank you." The Speaker in the cafeteria says. All eyes turn to me and silence breaks into murmurs.

"Jeez, Xena. What did you do?" Zen asked as he sat.

Fuck."I have no idea. I don't know, I'll have to see." I get up as I grab my bag and I give him a soft kiss on the cheek. "See you later, bunbun."

"Bunbun?" He smiled wide.

"Yes. Bunbun." I walk away.

I enter the principal's office with as much sass I can possibly muster up. I sat in front of him, Mr. Jackson. He had brown skin and was bald with glasses. I didn't like him much. I didn't like him at all. "Hey, Mr. Jackson."

"Hello, Xena. How have you been?"

"What do you want, sir?"

"Jeez, so so rude. Relax."

"You called me on the PA machine. I must've done something so bad that you needed to use it. What did I do?

"Well, if you must know. We have footage of you placing dead squirrels in Elizabeth Walker's locker..." Fuck, I got sloppy. "Then you proceeded to vandalize it."

"Yikessssssss."

"So you have two options. You can Either 1) Go to a therapist every Wednesday and Friday that the school is connected with or 2)be suspended for two weeks." He folded his hands on his desk."

"How about we do neither????" I suggest.

"If I were you, I would take the therapy. You don't want to ruin your record or grades. You've managed to get straight As up until now. You are the perfect student. That record is your everything."

"Take the therapy?"

"Take the therapy."

"Alright then." I guess I'm going to therapy.

He starts to write down on a piece of paper the address and the name of the doctor I'm supposed to see, then hands it to me. "You know, you look so much like your mother." Here we go. "I remember when I went to highschool with her. She was beautiful."

"Wow, are we done here????" I ask. I'm getting annoyed. All he does is talk about my mom over and over anytime I see him. Just how beautiful and amazing she was and how he sees so much of me in her.

"How is she?" He asked. I never told her she was killed.

"She's dead." Welp, there you go. "Been dead for a while."

"Oh."

"Bye Bye, Mr. Jackson!" I grab my bag and leave in a hurry. Gross.

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