Charles grabbed Tiger’s collar. He was about to hit him. Olive’s other foster brother stepped between them.
Shawn said, “Come on, man. Let’s go.”
Charles yelled, “Naw, move. He gonna try me. I need to beat him for what he did to Olive.”
Tiger laughed.
Charles was trying to get loose so that he could get a jab in. Shawn wouldn’t let him go. Olive was pacing back and forth.
“Prepare to die,” Tiger said as he was being pushed down the hall.
“See, I’ma die or go to jail,” Charles said to Olive as she held on to his shirt.
Tears were all in her face. “I know you care about me, but you can’t do this with him. He is so not worth it. Don’t let him make you lose it.”
Charles jerked away from her and walked in the opposite direction. Olive was terrified. She knew their threats were not idle.
Olive and Charles had PE the same period. She was in an all-girl class, and they played volleyball. Charles’s class full of boys played flag football, and they came inside dirty. She sat on the bleachers outside the boys’ locker room, waiting on him to exit so that she could talk sense into him. But it was taking forever, or so she thought. She kept tapping on her knee and sighing as if he could see her impatience and speed up.
When the boys’ PE coach came out, he said, “You need to go on to lunch. I don’t know who you are waiting on, but nobody is in there.”
“I just need to sit here for a second, Coach,” Olive said, stalling since Charles hadn’t come out.
“Well, do I need to write you a pass to the nurse or something?”
“No, sir. I just need to sit. I’ll be okay.”
“Well, I’m not going to leave you in here. But I do need to go pick up those cones from outside. If you’re not feeling better when I return, I’ll take you to the nurse myself.”
“Yes sir, Coach.”
Everyone knew Coach Court didn’t play games. He was tough, not just on his very successful football team, but on every student in the school. He made the boys pull up their pants. He also had a rep for sending girls to the office if their clothes were too revealing.
As soon as the coast was clear, she went into the boys’ locker room.
“Charles!” she yelled out, stunned to see Charles’s wet body standing there with a towel half draped around his waist.
“What you doing in here?” he said, not covering himself.
“I ... I was trying to talk to you,” Olive said, trying to compose herself.
“So you couldn’t wait until I came out?”
“Sorry,” Olive said and turned to leave, upset.
But he put his arms out and stopped her. They looked each other eye to eye. In that moment, something was happening between them. Instead of addressing it, she dashed out of the boys’ locker room.
About ten minutes later, Olive was in the lunchroom, trying to eat, but she kept visualizing the sight of Charles’s muscular, wet body, and her heart couldn’t stop pounding. Shawn had always joked that there was a connection between them, but both of them denied it. But now she knew there was no way she could deny the fact that something was going on, and it bothered her, so she couldn’t face him. She’d waited all that time to walk with him to the cafeteria to convince him not to fight, and when she found him, she’d dashed away as fast as she could. Sitting alone and biting into her pizza, she was startled when Charles sat down beside her.
He said, “What was all that about back there?”
“What was what?” she said, unable to look at him.
“You know. You felt something.”
They weren’t touching, but she felt his warmth. Then feelings she never felt for her ex-boyfriend started to flare up. She needed to use her influence to convince Charles to chill, but she knew she didn’t have much time when she saw Tiger and his boys darting towards them across the lunchroom.
“Listen, you can’t fight Tiger,” she said.
Charles wasn’t listening to her. Seeing Tiger heading over, Charles pushed back from the table abruptly. As soon as Tiger came over, he tried to give Charles a right hook, but Charles had his hand out and stopped the balled fist with one cool motion. The crowd that was gathering started cheering for Charles. Tiger didn’t like it, not one bit. He came back and charged at Charles, and they landed on the crowd. The two started tussling before Olive could scream “Stop!” Charles got in a couple of punches, but when he stood up to walk away, Tiger stood up and pulled out a gun. Everyone in the crowd ducked. Charles stretched his arms open wide.
“What? You that big and bad you want to do something?” Charles yelled.
“Don’t be stupid, Charles!” Olive screamed out.
Charles said, “Just go, Olive. You can’t rationalize with a fool who’s crazed.”
CHAPTER NINE
Realized (Octavia’s Middle)
Octavia couldn’t believe her eyes. Before her were two guys wrestling. And a gun. Where was the gun? At first everybody was cool standing around, but mayhem ensued as folks realized this was serious. Octavia saw Shawn as she jetted away and clutched his collar to tug him away too.
“Octavia, go,” Shawn said.
“You’re my boy! You gotta come too.”
“Out the way, Octavia. I’m not going to sit here and let Charles go down.”
“Please come, the gun could go off. We’ve known each other since what? Middle school? I’m not leaving you.” Octavia hugged him, seeing the rage in his eyes.
Feeling the closeness, she knew there was no way she could let him go. However, Shawn was determined to get Charles. Every time Shawn headed toward Charles, Octavia grabbed him.
Charles and Tiger were fighting hard. People were running to and fro. And then the gun went off.
It was like Octavia’s heart stopped beating. Seeing the panic on Shawn’s face broke her heart because they both knew Charles could be gone.
“Go on and get yourself out of here!” Shawn said to her.
“I’m not leaving you,” Octavia replied, though fright consumed her.
Then the school resource officers flew around the corner with some administrators, trying to get everyone to get to class. They were radioing the police. Charles was moving. Relief passed over both Octavia and Shawn.
“I’ve got to help him get away,” Shawn said as Octavia turned for them to leave. “He could get expelled.”
Another girl ran over to Shawn. She looked familiar, but Octavia couldn’t place her. As they hugged, Octavia realized it was Olive, the girl who lived at the foster home with them.
“We’ve got to help Charles,” Olive said, but her eyes told Octavia she wanted Octavia to stay out of their family’s business.
Though Octavia didn’t want to, she stepped back and watched the two of them quickly grab Charles, who, thankfully, was okay. He hadn’t been shot. They all ran. Shawn looked back at her. She smiled at him. But as she saw Tiger pick up his piece and flee, she realized it still wasn’t over.
Octavia stood by the door of the counselor’s office while all the teachers and administrators were trying to get students to get back to class. So much had gotten out of control, and all she had wanted was a little attention. She thought being on the swoop list would make her popular, but the last few days, the brutality she’d endured proved that being associated with the list was the worst idea she ever had. Now she wanted to talk about it. The principal, Mr. Way, came by.
“Young lady, you need to get on to class,” he said, and he went on with his work, writing people up and sending others to his office.
“I’m here to see Ms. Davis. I—”
Mr. Way cut her off. “Not today. We’ve had a school shooting. We’re on lockdown.”
Ms. Davis walked up. “What’s going on, Mr. Way?”
He huffed and said, “This young lady needs you.”
With a calm voice, Ms. Davis assured him, “Oh, that’s fine. No worries.”
“Alright, keep her with you. I
t’s just always something,” he voiced in frustration.
Ms. Davis said, “Come on in. It’s getting a little scary around here, huh, Octavia?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“So, you’re on the swoop list. You’re one of the quietest girls around here. How did that happen?” she asked.
Octavia looked up at the ceiling, looked down at the floor, and made crazy faces with her mouth, all in an effort to divert the question. She wanted to talk. However, she was nervous.
“Can I be honest?” Octavia asked and was happy to see Ms. Davis nod. “I’m tired of always being the sweet girl; niceness gets you nowhere.”
“But is negative attention the kind you want?”
“No,” Octavia admitted. “But I haven’t enjoyed being the last one guys ever look at. I get that I’m a minority in this school, but I want action. I guess I just didn’t totally think the swoop list through. I wasn’t trying to go from a sweetie pie to a hottie tottie.”
“How’d your name get on the list?”
“Do we have to talk about all that? I just wanted to come to you because I realized, however my name got on the list, I was wrong for pushing it. But can I fix it?”
“Honey, that’s a question only you can answer,” Ms. Davis said, leaving Octavia truly confused.
After the last bell rang, Jackson High was still chaotic. Camera crews were there, and tons of parents and police were all in search of the gunman. They were interviewing students, but no one was talking. Everyone knew to be quiet, or else. When they were finally dismissed, Octavia was heading to the parking lot when Ice came up to her and pinned her on the hood of her car.
“What are you doing? Get off of me!”
Ice slapped her. “I saw youtalking to the principal and talking to the counselor today. And you were over there with Shawn. You gonna try to turn us in or something?” Octavia was shaking. “And you’ve been holding out on everybody, quiet little girl on the swoop list. Somebody been hitting it. They ain’t going to be the only one.”
Ice reached down between her legs, spread them apart, and inched his way closer. Though they were both fully clothed, she felt sick.
“Please! Get off of me. I wasn’t saying anything,” Octavia shrieked.
“Dude, step off!” Shawn yelled, rushing over.
Octavia couldn’t see where he was coming from, but she knew he was there. As she closed her eyes, she felt the weight of Ice’s body lift away. All she wanted to do was go, but the two guys were fighting.
“You want to mess with somebody? You tryna rough up my friend?” Shawn demanded.
“Oh, that’s why y’all were all together. This who put you on the list? The two of y’all got a little something going on. Well, if she fast, she fast,” Ice said.
Ice shouted many more insults. Shawn lost it and hit him over and over and over like he was a punching bag. Octavia touched the back of his shoulders.
She screamed, “Please stop! I’ll take you home!”
Shawn finally stopped. He got in her car, and she drove away. She looked over at his bloody hands, and tears dropped.
He just touched her chin with his unharmed hand, stroked her brow, looked her in the eyes, and said, “I couldn’t let him hurt you. That’s what I realized.”
CHAPTER TEN
Intensified (Pia’s Middle)
Finally, the long week was over. Pia was trying to get ready to go back to the school to cheer. It was Friday night, and though there had been a gunshot scare at the school and the principal wanted to cancel the basketball game, students and parents thought life should go on as normal. So Jackson High School was hosting boys’ basketball.
Instead of her mom taking her straight to the gym, they made a stop before they got to the school.
“Mom, where ya going? I got to be back at the school at five.”
“The place we’re going closes at five, so you’ll be there a few minutes late. If I need to talk to the coach, I will. You’re seeing a doctor.”
Pia and her mom hadn’t fully talked. She knew telling her mom that she’d been raped was a lot. She didn’t mean to make her mother feel bad, but she and her mom both knew Pia didn’t have a great example. Even though her mom didn’t always take care of business—like having regular meals at home—she loved Pia, and she wanted her to have a better life. Pia’s mother got pregnant young, but she’d never told Pia the reason that her dad wasn’t around was because she was raped as well.
“What are we doing at a gynecologist office, Mom?” Pia asked when they pulled up to the red brick and mortar building. Pia was scared.
“We’re going in here to get you checked. You could be pregnant. I already made you an appointment,” her mom said in a shaky voice.
“Huh? Mom, there is no evidence. It’s been weeks.”
“I know, but our cycles are the same time, and you haven’t had one. You haven’t wanted to eat, either. Something is going on.”
Because of the whole swoop list thing, Pia had forgotten about her period this whole week, but it was overdue. She’d been sick on her stomach, but she thought that was just because her world was upside down. She was getting a little pudgy, too, and her breasts were tender. Was her mom right?
Forty-five minutes later, after they saw a doctor, it was confirmed.
“Pia, you don’t need to be going to any basketball game. You need to rest up for tomorrow,” her mother said to her as they drove to the school.
Pia heard her mom’s words, but they were definitely going in one ear and out the other. She had to go to the game. She didn’t want to go home, sit there, and think about a life growing inside of her that her mom wanted her to destroy. How could she keep the little life, knowing it was the result of her being blindfolded, forced down, and taken advantage of by three different males? Cheering, even though she had to deal with the drama of her fellow squad members, was the only thing that gave her joy. She desperately needed happiness to bring her out of her pit of gloom.
“If you just insist on going to this game, that’s fine. But I’m not going to be able to bring you home. I have to take this car back over there to Jim.”
“This is Jim’s car? I thought you were through with him! I’ll get a ride home, Mom,” Pia said, truly frustrated and wishing that her mom would hug her and tell her that it was okay. Truth be told, how could everything be fine? Pia was also stressing because she had to wait for the results of an HIV test.
When she got to the game, she stood alone. Her girlfriend Claire stretched with her and asked what was wrong. Pia didn’t say.
When they went over a few cheers, one of the girls shouted, “Pia, you’re giving half effort. Put more into it.”
So to shut her up, next time they practiced the cheer, that’s exactly what Pia did, except she made herself sick and ran straight into the girls’ bathroom. She knew what was wrong. It had already been confirmed. No way she was going to let the squad know. When she came out, she was more chipper.
“Sorry, you guys. The flu.”
“Yeah right the flu,” Chancy sneered. “You can hardly fit your uniform.”
Claire said, “Forget her ... you’re fine.”
Chancy teased, “And you can’t keep stuff down either. You ain’t got a bun in the oven, do you, swoop girl?”
Pia rolled her eyes and ran back towards the restroom. She ran right into one of the basketball players, Stephen Garcia—sheer perfection in her eyes. He was six-three, had muscles bulging, and had a gorgeous, honey-tanned Hispanic face. He was known to be a sweetie pie with a taste for chocolate sisters.
“Hey, I’m sorry,” Stephen said to Pia. “You okay?”
Pia was uncomfortable being touched. She dashed away, then looked back. Something about Stephen seemed familiar. It wasn’t his touch or his breath, it was his smell. Unable to make it to the bathroom, thinking about where she knew the smell from, she rushed to the nearest trash can and vomited.
Pia wanted to scream. She lay on the sterile table with her
legs up in the stirrups as the doctor performed the procedure ending her pregnancy. She so wanted it all to be a nightmare and not her reality.
“I know this is a little uncomfortable, but you’re going to be alright,” the doctor said.
She wanted to wring his neck. How dare he say she was going to be alright? The only thing that gave her solace was the fact that she hadn’t asked for any of this. Those boys forced themselves on her. How could she love a child when she hated how it was conceived?
Finally, when the procedure was over, she rested for a minute and just cried and silently prayed, Lord, I’m sorry. I could say my mom made me do this, but I know I’m not ready to be a mom. I know that’s no excuse. I know you could have helped me make a way. I know teen pregnancy isn’t the end, but Lord, I would have no help. I don’t even know who did this to me. I want you to make them pay for the rest of their lives, but how can I say that when I ended a life before it began?
Pia punched the table. She wished she could punch herself, but she kept thinking about Stephen. There was something about the way he said he was sorry. Did he hold the key? Did it even matter now? Of course it mattered, because, although there was no baby, Pia’s anger intensified.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Rattled (Sanaa’s Ending)
Sanaa had endured the worst week of school she’d ever had. Life was supposed to be great. She was a senior. She had a man. She had a best friend. She had self-esteem. But all of the last three were sketchy at best, so going to school, even though it was a new week, was the last thing she wanted to do.
She pulled into the parking lot late. She actually drove around before going to school and contemplated going home. But she stayed.
Sanaa got out of her car and saw a girl stooped down by the passenger side of another car, bawling. “You okay?”
The girl didn’t lift up her head, instead she pointed. Sanaa struggled to see what she was alluding to. When she saw the letters H-O on the trunk of the girl’s car, she knew the girl was not alright.
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