We walk out of the class after informing the teacher we'll be at the library. On the way to the library we both make small talk and finally reach the library a few minutes later to find that it is locked. Darn it! Why is it locked out of all the days today?
"It's locked," I tell her.
"Oh." She whispers. "That's okay. We can just go back to the class." She says and almost turns around but I stop her.
"No wait. We can stay here and wait till the librarian comes" I suggest and she takes a moment to answer, probably thinking about it.
"Okay" she agrees and I smile and lead her to the stairs.
We get into a serious conversation and I tell her a little bit about Ilan and how he died two years ago because of cancer and how it was a tough year for me.
"Ilan has been my best friend since kindergarten. We've been pretty much like brothers" I tell her. I've never spoken to anyone about my friendship with Ilan before. What am I doing?
"I'm sorry..." she says and I give her a small smile. I miss him. A lot.
"Hey, can I show you around?" I ask her to lighten up the mood.
"Uh yeah sure, thank you" she smiles and we both stand up. I thought of starting off with the ground floor, the lobby area. I show her where the auditorium is. The basketball court. A few of where my classes are. The grounds. The ground that some of the nerds and myself hang out normally during free periods or after school. The pool.
I show her a few of my favourite spots but don't tell her that they are. I show her the huge tree that hovers a part of the ground near the pool. I used to sit there under the tree and read. Then I show her the rooftop I'm sure nobody has ever gone to. She's the first person.
"Wow..." I smile when I look at how she takes in her surroundings.
"Let's go down before somebody finds us here" I tell her and lead her downstairs.
On the way back to the library we converse a little and then I spot the people I didn't want to see and especially at this time.
"So you work…" I couldn't focus on what she was saying because my attention landed on the four seniors coming our way. No, not now. I closed my eyes just because I can and when I open them Meriliya is looking up at me confused. I give her a small smile not knowing what else to do.
"Ahh look who it is!" Dan grins evilly. Oh no. "Oh and who may this….lovely young lady be?" His eyes fall on Meriliya and if I could I would smack that ridiculous smirk from his face. He smiles flirtatiously at her and I want to throw up right there.
"Uhhh hi" she answers and I already know she's getting nervous.
"Oh she talks." He laughs and Meriliya looks up at me again. "Where'd you find this girl anyway?" He asked me.
"I didn't find her Dan. She's my friend" I answered him and he huffed.
"Friends is it?" He questions and I nod. "Well then, I bet she wouldn't mind getting to know you then huh?" He smirks and I mentally I scream 'No!'. "Little girl, I hate to break it to you but your 'friend' works at a garage and his mother works at a restaurant. Some waitress, she is!" He laughs and without realising what I'm doing, my fist makes contact with Dan's face. Oh wow! He's beyond angry now. Probably more because I hit him in front of a girl. I would laugh but not in this situation.
Before I know it I'm tackled on the ground and he beats me up. I defend myself and I must say I'm getting better at it.
"Stop! Stop it!" It takes me a moment to realise that Meriliya is standing right there witnessing all this.
"Meriliya go" I manage to say despite all the punches I'm getting. She looks at me and then at Dan and then just does the unexpected. She kicks Dan and Dan stops punching my stomach.
"Did you just kick me?" He growls at her. No, gosh no.
"I did, actually" she answered him, crossing her arms. Oh my! This girl is really something.
"And you're gonna regret it little girl" he laughs and I get up with all my might. I have to run. But, Meriliya. I do what I do best. Running away. I ran making sure she didn't notice.
*Meriliya's POV*
"And you're gonna regret it little girl" Dan laughs and I roll my eyes at the nickname. Little girl? Really? Right on cue I see the Principal walking. Perfect timing!
"Ahh miss Sanchez." He smiles. I didn't return it.
"This is unacceptable. Can I please have a few minutes in your office?" I say the first thing that comes to my head.
"Oh-yeah sure" he answers quickly, walking to his office and opening the door for me. This is the fourth time today. "What happened?" He asks concerned after I take a seat in front of his table.
"We were just walking here in the hallway and then the guy, Dan and his friends I think, just makes himself known I guess is what you can call it" I say annoyed. "And then he just goes on about me being Mitchell's friend and has a laugh about it and then he just brings up things that are just so humiliating!" The words rush out of my mouth. "What he did back there was unnecessary. And then Mitchell obviously got angry because Dan said something about his mother. And he smacked his face but Dan..." I pause to breathe. "He just goes on punching Mitchell over and over again..." I explained. The Principal sighs. "It's not Mitchell's fault" I say wanting to make sure to get Mitchell out of this. He doesn't deserve to receive detention nor whatever punishment a student might get for situations like this.
"Look Meriliya, there will be people like this and I want you to understand that I can't 'control' them. It's not what we do, I mean I do here." What? I am about to say something but he continues. "I'm not saying what Dan did is right. I'll talk to him and his friends if I have to. But my advice to you would be to ignore them. I respect you standing up for Mitchell, but limit it to some extent." He says and I just sit there and listen. "You don't want to get into trouble, do you?" He raises his brow not jokingly though. He was serious.
"No sir. I don't. But-" I sigh. "Just-just please tell me you'll talk to them?" I almost pleaded. Almost.
"I will, of course. Dan will be getting some serious punishment for this." He says and I smile. "Now go, I'll give you a late pass" I giggle silently before thanking him and walking out of his office.
There's no one in the hallway. I thought Mitchell- wait a minute. Mitchell wasn't here when I went to talk to the Principal. I go back to the Art classroom and see that the teacher is sleeping on her desk and the class is empty. I look at the clock in the classroom. The time is 10:40. I have twenty minutes to find him and go for the third period.
I walked around all the hallways and corridors and even the places he had shown me earlier but there was no sign of him. Where could he be? He didn't leave school, did he? No, he would've got caught by the security guard and would've been escorted to his classroom or something. I slowly walk past the Principal's office again and then the library. Wait, the library! When I try to twist the handle, I find it still locked. I walk further and there he is, face in his hands, seated on the stairs. I smile sadly and then walk closer to sit next to him.
"Hey..." I say softly and he looks up and then at me.
"What are you doing here?" He asks probably not expecting me to be here.
"I was looking for someone-"
"Right...well, go find them. Leave me alone" he interrupts in a monotonous way.
"I was...looking for.."
"I heard you before, Meriliya" he interrupts again, rudely.
If you would just let me finish what I was saying." I say quickly and he stays silent. "I was looking for someone named Mitchell" I finally say and he looks at me as if I've grown another head.
"Oh. You found him..." he says softly, too softly to himself but I heard him. "I don't get why you're here though. Shouldn't you be going to class?" He says after a long silence.
"What do you mean?" I asked him confused.
"Didn't you hear them? What they said..." He asks me and I still stare at him confused. "Why are you still here? Aren't you supposed to ignore me or something?" He asks me and I still don't get why I have to ignore him after what I've heard.
"Ignore you? Why would I do that?"
"Cause...of everything they said..." he slowly said and then it struck me. "Look, I'm not some rich kid. My mom's a waitress, my dad's gone and I have a little sister who is being homeschooled because we can't afford to put her into a school..." he says looking away and I feel for him. I may not know him yet but I care for Mitchell.
"Mitchell-I-"
"You don't have to say anything. You can go, ignore me, do whatever you want" he says and I can't help but wrap my arms around him.
"I'm not gonna ignore you or do whatever those things you said." I say softly rubbing his back.
"But they-"
"It's ok. I'm here for you. I don't see you any differently or anything now that you've mentioned most of them to me. You're still my friend." I smiled and noticed tears pooling in his eyes but they didn't fall. He doesn't let them. "C'mon. Miss Morgan must have come by now. Let's go." I grab his hand and enter the library that is finally unlocked.