Quad Squad
Page 18
Tim
People were all giving me shit, I guess they were all thinking that I think I’m such a hero but I don’t, I was just -- and also, people were saying that I did it because I wanted to impress Andrea but that’s so -- I mean, obviously, I do, I never said I didn’t like her. Okay? There, if anyone wants to know or whatever, I do like her, I’m sorry, and maybe I was watching a little more closely when that douchebag Miles was assaulting her, but that’s not why I hit him.
My dad taught me, way back when, to respect women. I guess if I had to say the truth, he didn’t really teach me a lot more than that before he left, he lives in the Philippines, but he did teach me that. Like, how sick is that fucker Miles to force Andrea -- in front of everyone! -- to, like, I don’t know what.
That’s what I said to him! I said, “What are you doing with her?” That’s just a question, right? If he had said, “I’m talking to her,” and she had said, “Yeah, it’s cool,” that would have been different. Okay? I did not go into it thinking that I would hit him, people totally don’t understand that. I didn’t go over from where I was standing just so that -- I’m overexplaining it, sorry, I know. Sorry.
Anyways, my dad said that if you harm a woman you’re the worst kind of scum, which is true, and that’s what Miles was doing. Now he’s denying it and people are saying stuff about me, that I went over there to start something, which totally isn’t true, but you know what? If nobody believes me I don’t even care. I know what happened and my conscience is clear.
Andrea basically has ignored me the whole time since then which is like, nothing new, but I kind of expected something different? I guess?
I mean, I’m not saying I did it for thanks, but it’s kind of rude to not even say anything. Also? I do like her but if she doesn’t like me I respect that, so if she wants to ignore me about it because she thinks that I’m too, whatever, gross and zitty or whatever she thinks, or maybe too aggro, I’m not even disagreeing with her, it’s her right to think whatever she thinks, I’m just -- I’m repeating myself. It’s pathetic how much I do that.
Also, I’m kind of pissed at Jerry because he said that the party was going to be at Andrea’s and that’s fine, I get it that he says that she told him that and that later it turned out it was at douchebag’s house or whoever’s house that was, but also? How the fuck does Jerry not have my back? I mean, I didn’t warn him I was gonna go have some words with that asshole, but obviously when your homie gets into it with someone, you get your fat ass off the couch and stop playing Cards Against Humanity with a fucking Korean chick who can’t even read English good, she told me that herself! I swear to you.
I mean, he’s my best friend and we’re still chill but it sucks that he didn’t have my back. I’m not saying he should have fucked anyone up, but just, like, be there, you know? Show up. Dude, I would for you. I told him that.
We talked about it the next day, I straight up said that to him, like show up, and he was all, “You didn’t have to go hitting the guy,” and I was all, “What the fuck are you talking about, he was attacking her,” and he was all, “I didn’t see it to be honest, but I’m not doubting you about that,” and I was all, “Yeah you are, you’re totally doubting me,” and he was all, “No, I believe you that he was coming on too strong or whatever,” and I was like, “Coming on too strong? He was fucking about to rape her,” and Jerry was like, “Come on, not in front of everybody,” and I was all, “Okay, like not full on that, but he was definitely about to do something.”
And then Jerry was all, this was just the two of us sitting on that planter by wood shop, the bell had already rung but it was like we both knew we had to have it out, and Jerry was all, “Okay, but even if he was, you could have maybe talked about it instead of hitting him,” and I was all, “What the fuck, I did talk to him, he was a fucking asshole about it, and then he grabbed her again, and she was definitely not into it,” and Jerry was all, “you don’t know that,” and I was all, “How do I not know that, everybody knows that,” and he was all, “Everybody? Not exactly, Tim,” and I was all, “What does that mean?” and he just goes, “People are saying she was sort of into him?”
And I was fucking pissed, but I just go, “Yeah, maybe, I don’t even know, but that doesn’t give him the right to assault her,” and Jerry was all, “You’re my friend and everything, but honestly if anyone was doing any assaulting, wasn’t it kind of you?” And I was kind of getting seriously pissed but I had to tell myself to chill, this is Jerry and everything, so I was like, “okay, maybe I should have waited, or whatever, or maybe not hit him like that hard -- I didn’t think he’d fall over and then go attacking me,” and Jerry kind of laughed like, “Right?” and then I was going to say to him that he should have had my back, but he flat out said it, he said exactly that!
He goes, “I should have had your back, what a weird night,” and something about the way he said it was like, well, damn, I was going to say that, but now he said it, but it doesn’t seem like a big deal when he says it like that, and then I started wondering if I was overthinking it, and I was about to think about that, and then, you won’t even believe this, but these two girls who were also ditching, one I think her name is Melanie, and the other was Maria Esquivel! So weird, walk by, and so I told Jerry about Maria kind of squishing her tits into me and he was like, “seriously?” and I was like, “I don’t know, she just was kind of pushing them onto me like I’m this shelf for tits or something” and he laughed.
But then he said that that meant that she was into me and I was like, “No, it doesn’t, it’s just,” and he was all, “Just what? Who pushes her tits onto somebody just to be casual about it?” And I was thinking, wait, no way, but then he said, “Anyway, that other one, Melanie?” and they were walking away from us and Melanie did have these really nice short shorts, made like jeans but with rips in them, whatever that’s called, and Jerry was like, “I’d like to take a bite out of her ass,” and we both laughed like really hard, this like embarrassed but also sort of healing laugh like all was chill now. Except that I didn’t want to say so, but that was kind of a harsh thing for Jerry to say and I was glad nobody heard me laughing about it. But also, to be honest I totally know what he meant, but that’s just weird, it’s like, that’s her butt.
Anyway we hustled back to class and I guess I can’t stay mad at him, it’s Jerry, but I still think he should have had my back and now if there’s going to be consequences from the school which is what somebody said, you can bet that Jerry won’t be getting any. And if that asshole Miles Turgeon wants to find me with his homies he can fucking try, I have a knife I’m not going to say where, and I’m not about to use it just for whatever, but I will defend myself if I have to. Is all I’m saying.
Also? I guess I’m partners with Sabrina on some project. I wasn’t listening when it was explained, I hate English, but you could tell that she was sad from people seeing her puke and her freaking out a little bit and everything, plus I straight up texted Jerry do you want to be partners and said it, too, from across the room, but he pretended not to see me and all of a sudden he was like laughing all fake hard with Andrea, that was the fakest thing ever, obviously he doesn’t think she’s funny, he just wants to fuck her, who wouldn’t, but he totally ignored me and I think he’s partners with her or Maya or one of the girls.
So I was like fuck it, Sabrina has never been uncool to me and it’s just this project, or whatever, but she looks so sad.
But then, get this? I have math next, which is really hard. I hate that I have to go to my locker in between, but if I didn’t then I would have to carry my heavy ass backpack all day and it was getting heavy but then I thought about it and all’s I really needed in math was basically a pencil and the book and even if I forgot those, I could always borrow a pencil from some girl. In fact that’s tbh a good strat for talking to girls, like a way to break the ice, actually no, that’s so stupid, God, what was a stupid strat, that’s completely fucking stupid, like,
what girl would say to herself, oh, I’m not that into that ugly Tim guy, except that he asked me for my pencil and it was so --
“What’s your fucking problem?”
I was like, “Wha--?” looking up, but keeping my back to my locker in case of shit.
Well, fuck. It was Miles Turgeon, the guy from the party who was hitting on Andrea, with his asshole friends Neil Emerson and Eli Malloy. Fuck those guys. Three sophomores, all bigger than me. One of them I had basically punched in the face, so it was kind of what you might call a tense encounter.
Actually my first thought was how weirdly this situation was just like in some bad teen movie and now either they were going to like, throw me in a trash can or opposite, this was the point where I was supposed to flash ninja skills and take all three of them down.
That thought took only an instant, and then I heard myself shout out, “What’s your fucking problem?” which wasn’t too very clever, since it was exactly what Miles had said, but it was basically what I wanted to know.
“You think I don’t know where you live?” Miles said, getting closer to me. Eli and Neil looked around, scanning for security. Miles was about an inch taller than me but bigger all around.
At that point I remembered the knife that I was keeping in its leather sheath under two bandanas at the bottom of the locker.
I know you can’t back down in that situation or you’re fucked, so I said to Miles, “You got something to say to me, say it right here, asshole.”
“Fuck you,” Miles said and basically just shoved me in the chest.
I kept my footing because I know about balance and basically I just stared right back at Miles. I guess I had pretty much been expecting to be shoved at some point, but my back had hit something like maybe a locker and it hurt like a motherfucker.
But then these two guys, seniors probably, came along, talking about the new iOS and how much it sucked. One of them surveyed the situation and said, “What the fuck are you assholes doing?”
Miles looked around at the emptying hallway. Class was obviously starting soon.
“Nothing,” Miles said.
“Pussies,” the senior said. “What, three on one? Seriously?”
Eli looked around and then plucked Miles on the shoulder. “Let’s bounce,” he said. Neil nodded.
So I was all, see ya.