Chapter 11

"Lexie, I don't have time for your remarks today." I said. 

Lexie crossed her arms over her chest-her eyes peered at Lauren. "How come you couldn't send us text or call us lately?" 

"Stop looking at Lauren like that, and I've been keeping my distance until you two sort your shit out." 

"Our shit?" Lexie frowns "What do you mean our shit?"

I stood up and walked over to Lexie. "That petty beef you two have-I don't know why you two are constantly fighting or arguing, but I'm not about to cry over you two shit. Lauren comforted me while you two were suspended. I didn't ignore you because of some shit, I ignored you to think about our shit." 

Lexie squinted her eyes at me. "Stop speaking in riddles, and tell me straight up." 

"Fucking someone's rapist and having a continuous relationship with him is petty." I crossed my own arms over my chest. "She got pregnant by your boyfriend and had a fucking miscarriage. She told me a while ago, and i'm not trying to tell you what you should do. I'm trying to tell you what I think. I think you should talk about it like two responsible teenagers without using your fists. If I have to hear about my two best friends fighting again-i'm going to lose my shit." I blinked back the tears that were forming in my eyes. "Talk to me when you're ready to tell me the reason why you're doing this." 

I turn around and walked back to Lauren, but Lexie's voice stopped me. 

"T-threatened..." she mumbled. 

I turned my head to her. "What?" 

"I-I was threatened by him..." she spoke a little louder. 

My eyes go wide. I walked back to her and held her shoulders. "Lexie...what did he threaten to do?" 

"To kill Melanin if I didn't let him touch me..." she looked up with sad eyes. "And If I muttered a word then she would've been killed." 

I took a deep breath before saying, "I'm going to find Melanin and we're going to solve this. I'm not letting you two break what you have over a criminal. Go to 'D' building and wait for me there." 

Lexie nodded and left. 

I walked back to Lauren and helped her stand up. I kissed her soft lips and pressed my forehead against hers. "I'm sorry but I have to do this alone with them." 

She smiled. "It's okay, you go do what you have to do. I'll go to class early. I need to complete a group project anyways. I mind as well get a head start." 

"Thank you Lauren...I'll tell you how it ends." 

I pressed my lips against hers once more before leaving for 'D' building. 

I walked through the doors to see Lexie leaning against the wall by the doors looking down. She looked up the moment the doors closed behind me. 

"Where's Melanin?" I asked. 

"Study hall." Lexie mumbled. "I saw her." 

"Come on." 

I excused Melanin from study hall temporarily saying a teacher needed her, and took both of my best friends to an empty room. It was a room used for teacher/parent meetings, but luckily no one was in here at the time. 

I closed the door behind us and they sat in chairs a bit far from one another. They looked uncomfortable. 

I stood in front of both of them with a stern look. "We're solving this shit in this room. Right here. Right now. Lexie you told me your statement already, but before I reveal your reasoning. I need Melanin's statement." I looked at Melanin. "How do you feel knowing I know about your pregnancy before you told me?" 

Melanin looked up at me. "I figured you knew when you started growing distant, and your eyes looked at my stomach a lot. That's why I didn't question you when you didn't react to my miscarriage news." 

"Melanin, even though you know that I know about your pregnancy, you didn't tell me about why you got pregnant. You take pills and use condoms, but you still ended up pregnant-which is which because you'll take plan b too." 

Melanin looked down at her hands. "I-I...I can't say what happened. Lexie won't believe me." 

"Tell me. I'm your friend Melanin, if she doesn't believe you, then I'll help you anyways." 

Melanin looked up at me. "He told me he was single, and I know I broke girl code by being around him. I didn't fuck him by consent. He fucked me without acknowledging my feelings. He spiked my juice and drugged me up to fuck me. I woke up naked and couldn't remember a thing. I knew I was pregnant when I remembered that I forgot to take my pill the day before." 

She looked back down at her hands. "Also there was no condom in sight, so I knew he put his semen inside me." 

I sighed. "Fucking bastards." 

Melanin didn't say anything else. 

"Melanin, I suggest you take a break from having sex for a while, just to heal your body and mind." I looked at Lexie and back at Melanin. "And talk to Lexie, she's hurt too and emotionally in pain. Your rapist threatened her about coming back to rape you again if she didn't be with him. And if she muttered a word-you'd be dead." 

Melanin looked at Lexie, who was tearing up with her hands on her face, and looked up at me. Her own tears came down. "I-I want to be friends with her still, b-but I can't just walk up and hug her like nothing happened." 

I combed my fingers through her hair. "Sometimes a hug means more than words. A hug can tell a person how much they love you and how much pain they need saving from. I'll let you two talk it out in here, and i'll go back to 'E' building to help Lauren. Try not to fight." 

I walked to Lexie and ruffled her hair. I do this whenever she's down to let her know i'm here without saying anything. I walked out of the room to 'E' building without another word. 

I walked past people glaring at me again, but my mind was in the clouds. 

"Please be okay." I mused. 

I walked into the classroom to see Lauren in her chair sobbing. I ran to her and hugged her tight. "Lauren, what's wrong? What happened?" 

Lauren was trembling. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hide it from you." 

"Hide what? I don't understand." 

She looked up to look at me with teary eyes. "I knew about Melanin's problem before you did. I'm sorry. She told me not to tell you, but she went to court to file a restraining order on Lexie's boyfriend-well ex boyfriend." 

I kiss her forehead. "Lauren, it's okay. I know you care about me and love me. I'm not mad, okay?" I put my chin on the top of her head. "I'm going to put an end to this damn charade. I'm taking those two bastards into court. I'll put them behind bars to get Melanin and Lexie justice. Even if I have to talk to my damned father."