American Honey
The warning bell rings.
“Fine. I’m sorry.”
“If you want to apologize to someone, do it to Laney.”
“You going to tell her?”
“Afraid she’ll kick your ass?”
“No,” Darla huffs.
“You should be. She’s tough. Trust me, I know. I’ve wrestled with her.” Darla scrunches her nose. Didn’t like that mental picture, huh? I grin to myself.
“So are you going to tell her?” Darla sounds a little more worried now. And she should be. I wasn’t kidding when I said Laney was tough. She can definitely throw down.
“Are you going to leave me alone?”
“Yes.”
“Then, no. Let’s keep both our asses out of trouble.”
“Fine.”
“Good.” I open the door to a hallway full of my peers. I don’t make it two steps into the crowd when I run right into the person I most wanted to see … just not at this moment.
Laney’s eyes widen as she looks between me and Darla. This is not good.
“No, Laney. It’s not what you think.” I panic.
“Oh, really? Because it looks like you and Darla coming out of the storage room after a morni
ng hook-up.” She gets shoved by someone and loses her footing. I grab her before she falls. “No. Laney.”
“Don’t touch me!” she snaps, pulling away. “God, you really are a douchebag.” She calls me out in the middle of the hallway and stops pedestrian traffic. Fuck. Just what we need- an audience.
“Can we talk about this someplace else?” I lower my voice so only she can hear me.
“Talk? You think I want to talk to you? Shit Kam, you really had me fooled.” She sounds so hurt. But it’s not what she thinks. If I can just explain!
“I never lied to you!”
“Are you seriously trying to play that card?” she asks disgusted.
The bell rings again, and everyone starts to scatter. Half the school is late for first period. Laney takes off, and I rush after her. “Laney! Laney!”
She walks into chem and straight to Mr. Johnson’s desk. “Can I have a pass for the nurse please?” Her voice cracks. Shit. No!
“Is everything alright, Ms. Summers?” the older man with white hair asks as he writes it out.
“Fine. I’m just suddenly not feeling so well.” She takes the small pink piece of paper.
“Do you need someone to take you?”
“I will,” I interject.
“No!” Laney seethes. Mr. Johnson looks between us concerned. “I’m fine, really. I just need to go now.”
“I’ll mark you as present. Go ahead.” Laney walks out the door, and I follow.