Chapter 26: Rage
There was no point in staying here. I pushed myself off the wall and started the slow, defeated walk back downstairs. The hallways were mostly empty now, just the echo of my own footsteps.
I limped out the front doors of the school and into the afternoon sun. The walk home felt like the longest walk of my life. I didn’t even have the energy to be angry anymore. I was just tired. Tired of the drama, tired of the system, tired of myself.
I was a few blocks from my place when I saw them up ahead, standing on the corner. Tyler and Ronnie. They were laughing about something, their backs to me.
I stopped dead. I didn’t want to deal with them. Not now. I ducked behind a parked van, hoping they’d just keep walking.
Their voices carried over in the quiet afternoon air. I wasn’t trying to listen, but I couldn’t help it.
"So for real, man," Ronnie said, his voice loud and obnoxious. "You fuck her yet?"
My stomach twisted. What a disgusting piece of shit.
I expected Tyler to tell him to shut up, or to brag, or something. But his laugh was just... mean.
"That annoying bitch?" Tyler scoffed, and the sound of it made me freeze. "Dude, I can’t even get her to kiss me. She’s all like, ’I don’t think I’m ready for that’ and a bunch of other crap. It’s so fucking lame."