Chapter 6: Texting

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I manage to sing myself my whole playlist in my head. We finally get to the house and the car stops.

"Thanks for the ride," I say trying to be polite. He did take time from his day to do this for us.

"Not a problem darling."

He's making me regret thanking him. 

I open the door and jump down on one leg. My dad hands me my crutches from inside and I take them carefully to not let my bag of clothes fall. I head up our steep driveway in the grass so I can get better traction. 

My dad follows me and that questionable car drives off. He pulls out his keys and fumbles with them to open the door. Once unlocked I quickly go in.

You know the worst part about all of this? You don't even create a fear of cars. You create a fear of alcohol. Of drunk people. Of bars. Of those bottles. And yet people make it sound like its the best thing in the world because it lets you forget your pain for a bit. And I really wish I had something like that.

I take a turn and head to my room. I put my clothes in the laundry basket that sits in the corner of my room. I then head over to my drawers. I need a shower so bad. I grab a pair of basketball shorts and a tank top and grab a few plastic bags.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm gonna take a shower."

"Alright, careful of the cast."

"I know."

The cast goes around my shin till it turns into a knee brace right before my knee and the cast goes down to above my Achilles heel. I close and lock the bathroom door setting my clothes on the counter next to the sink. 

I wrap my cast in plastic bags keeping water from ever reaching it. I get in the shower and wash away the smell of ash, burning gasoline, blood, and tears. Once I finish I am careful to dry off since the water was so hot. The bathroom mirror is fogged from the steam of the shower.

I take off the plastic bags and get dressed, which by the way is a struggle, then put my hair in a towel till I can brush it out. I head out and let the fog slowly lead out of the bathroom. I brush my teeth and try to clean myself up a little.

I grab my crutches as I walk out of the bathroom and head to my room. I let my hair dry as I grab my phone. As I brush it I see I have four messages. I don't know that many numbers unless the pizza place texted me.

As I run the brush through my tangles I click on my messages. It brings me to my line of message history and at the top is a chat room labeled 'the cool guys'.

I click it with the hand I'm not brushing my hair with and the messages open.

Gray: Hey Beth how u holdin up?

L.J.: You were pretty out of it

Mason: When you able to walk again?

A: Give her a break

Me: I'm doing alright, how did you guys get my number?

Trever: We found your phone and looked for your number before we turned it in

L.J.: So when do you get to walk again?

Me: Not for a while, how out of it was I?

Gray: You were talking about goats and the queen of England

L.J.: And chick flicks that were never made

Me: Shoot...That bad?

Trever: Yeah

I drop my phone and put my hands on my face. What have I done? I sigh deeply.

Me: Are you guys texting in class?

Gray: Yep

L.J.: Nope, skipped class

Trever: You coming to school tomorrow?

Me: Most likely, why?

Gray: Going to fast food place after school, wanna come?

Me: I don't think I have too much going on tomorrow, sure

Mason: Cool, meet us in the northside parking lot

Me: Alright

A: Gtg teacher is hovering over my shoulder

Me: Good luck with that

Mason: Later

L.J.: Teach caught me, bye

Gray: See ya later

Trever: Bye

I set my phone on the side. The bad boys saved me twice. Then I realize, I got a fight tonight. I quickly scrabble to pick my phone back up. I go to Liam's number and quickly start to type.

Me: Hey Liam, I sprained my foot in training and won't be able to fight for a while, it's pretty bad. Even though is there a chance to make some money without fighting for a while?

I wait for a moment watching the screen till my phone buzzes and a message appears.

Liam: Sorry to hear, get better soon. Maybe I could set up a signing tomorrow tonight and we do it Thursday?

Me: Perfect, you are a lifesaver!

Liam: Your the one making us both money, sounds fair to me. Plus if you ever get signed to UFC I get to be your manager making us both millions.

Me: My identity?

Liam: Figure that out when it comes. Till then, if you just come and bring a marker that could catch us up for bids

Me: Sounds good, see you tomorrow

Liam: See you then

I sigh a breath of relief. I'm so glad he didn't want me to fight anyway. It's always been his plan to find a great fighter and sign them to UFC, sadly I don't think I will be able to do that because of my age. 

I put down my phone and look at my vanity mirror. I only brushed one side of my head. I continue and brush the rats nest out of the other side. I brush it back into a bun and head out of my room. Footwork may be out of my options but keeping fit or working on my punches will be something I need.

I open the door and make my way to the stairs. I sit down and go up backward one step at a time dragging my crutches with me. I finally make it to the top and go to stand using my crutches and rail along the stairs. When I get up I go to my gym room. Sit-ups, weights or punching bag? Weights.

I go to a chair next to the wights and grab the twenty pounds. 

I soon realize just how late it has got when it is dark outside and it was morning before. I drop the weights my arms are like jelly. I place them back in their place and make them straightened to look nicer. 

I stand up on my right leg and grab my crutches to make my way, slowly out of the gym room. I go to the stairs and put my good leg on the edge of the step. I hang onto the rail and let my foot slide down each step, stopping every now and again to pull my crutches again. 

When I make it to the bottom I stop on my toes and grab my crutches pulling them to under my arms. I turn to go beside the stairs and down the hall to go to my room when my dad calls me.

"Want anything to eat?"

"No, I'm alright."

I continue to walk into the room that was supposed to be an office. I make my way to my bed and grab my backpack. I also reach for my phone laying on the bed to see what homework we have. 

I finish the homework after a while and pack it all back up. It's about 9 PM. I decided to get my clothes ready for tomorrow and I set out a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt with 'ska8ter' written on the back. I then pull out a thin gray jacket and a pair of dirty white converse. 

Once I finish my setting out my mediocre outfit I go to bed not wanting to reflect on anything that happened today. I fall asleep hugging an extra pillow and with tears in my eyes as the thought of what I could have done differently to change all this.

oOoOoNext MorningoOoOo

I jump and pound my fist on the alarm because it never stops ringing and I'm irritable. Once I open my eyes I realize I just might have broken it. Then it starts ringing and my grin of thinking it was broken disappears. 

I go over and turn off the alarm annoyed. I bury myself of blankets and pillows and go to stand up. As I do I realize reality like to hit hard. I look over at the end of my bed and see my crutches. I grab my clothes off the bedside table and change quickly and take out my ponytail only to brush it and put it in another. 

I grab my crutches and put my bag on my shoulder. I head out of my room and into the freezing cold house. I decide not to eat anything this morning and instead grab my phone and keys and leave.

The cool air makes me want a bigger coat but I don't want to go through the trouble and just deal with it. I have to walk to school on crutches...yay...

I begin my long voyage of a walk wishing I had left earlier so that I already suffered through most of this. I am careful to not let my injured leg touch the ground and I get weird looks from a lot of people. A girl on crutches, walking to school. Well, I have no driver license even if I am sixteen because after the charges in my younger years I can't drive till I'm seventeen, and my dad already left.

I finally make it to the school just a bit early and head to the office.

"Beth, I heard what happened on the news. How are you feeling?" One of the ladies asks with a worried expression.

"I'm alright, I just needed to make sure I am excused from P.E. and that I could have an elevator pass so I can get upstairs?"

"Sure thing, I am pretty sure everyone knows what happened though it was breaking news last night and this morning."

"Really?"

"Sorry hon, here's your elevator pass."

"Thanks, Mrs. Peterson."

"No problem, be careful."

"Will do," I say heading out. Our high school has an upstairs and elevators just to give you an idea of how big it is.

I head upstairs to my first class. As I walk in and go to my seat Mrs. Wallece turns her undivided attention to me.

"Hey, Beth. How is it going?"

"It's going."

"I wasn't expecting you to come today."

"Had to come eventually. Sooner is better than later."

"How is your dad doing?"

"I don't know. Is it alright that we don't talk about this?"

"Yes, sorry. If you need a break or anything during class, let me know."

"Is it alright that I take that test I missed before class starts?"

"Yeah, you sure you don't want an extra moment to study?"

"I'm good." 

She turns back to her desk and grabs a paper while I pull out a pen. She sets in in front of me and I quickly remember every answer, making the test pretty easy.

I stand up on my crutches and go to hand it the test but Mrs. Wallece stops me.

"That's alright, I can grade it over there, sit back down." 

She quickly stands up and grades my test after looking it over. She writes 100% and an 'A' next to it and circles it.

"Nice job Miss Jones." She says smiling at me and walking back to her desk. I stuff the test into my bag with all my other graded assignments.

I work on other work for about five minutes till the bell rings. Students flood the room and I hide my work. 

"Hey, Little B. Heard what happened. Pretty sad huh? Your life?"

"Zoom Zoom Little B."

"Leave me alone."

"Oh, did that car accident mess with your head? Did you forget how this works? Or was it losing your mom that made you lose it?"

Anger fills me and my blood boils. One more word and I might not be able to keep myself from punching you. The rest of the gang soon surrounds me.

"Aw Little B lost her mentor. The older b-"

I stand up loudly and everyone's attention is on me while the room turns silent and I grab Henry's shirt twisting it as I pull back my fist like I'm gonna punch him and I'm pretty sure if it was just us, I would have.

"Leave. Me. Alone."

"Miss Jones!"

I drop my fist and let go of his shirt pushing him away. They all look at me like I grew two heads.

"Beth, hall. Now."

Of course, I get in trouble!

I grab my crutches and walk out of the classroom and as I do I see Gray in the corner smiling at me with a look of shock. I walk out and stand up outside the door. 

So I have detention and got a reputation as long as I am in this school. I sigh and lean my head on the wall. The door opens and I straighten myself till I see who it is.

Gray comes out and smiles at me.

"What are you smiling about?"

"Never seen you stand up for yourself before."

"Don't get used to it. That's the last time I do anything like that."

"Why don't you stand up for yourself?"

"Don't want to fight. Don't wanna get kicked from school and taking on three guys all older than me doesn't sound like an ideal situation."

"They left you alone right? If that's all it takes then just do that."

"They won't throw a punch as long as the teachers are around. But I won't hear the end of it after school."

"Good thing you are coming with us after school."

"Yeah. Wait a minute you're not in this class, are you? What are you doing here?"

"Transferred. The last teacher didn't want to put up with me."

"What did you do?"

"What didn't I do? My point is you should stop taking hits from them."

"Three V.S. one. Six counting the girls."

"From in there seemed like you handled yourself pretty well. I was just about to come over before you almost knocked him out."

The door soon swings open with a force and we both look over. Mrs. Wallece is standing there.

"Grayson, back it the classroom."

"It's Gray. And no."

"Then you can serve detention with her."

"Gray go inside before you get in trouble," I say looking over at him with a head tilt.

"Fine." He sighs and walks back into the classroom.

"What happened?"

"I thought it was obvious."

They bully me and you do nothing about it.

"Beth, what happened?"

"Nothing. Nothing happens."

"Beth-"

"It's nothing. Can I go back to class now?"

"No. What were they doing?"

"I just lost my mom and a leg. I'm irritable, I lost my cool. Can I go now?"

I don't want to deal with this right now. 

"What do you mean by 'nothing happens.' Do they pick on you?"

"No. Can I go back to class?"

They don't pick on me. They bully me. 

"Go ahead."

"Detention? Or anything?"

"No, you get a warning. But next time the consequences will be a whole lot worse."

"There won't be a next time," I say as I walk back into the class.


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