Serenity

by Ava O'Shay

  “You don’t have to. You don’t like the way I dress.”

  “I never said that.”

  “You said I dressed inappropriate.” She put her hands on her hips. The shorter chunk of hair fell forward into her eyes.

  Jolin stepped toward her and tried to put it behind her ear. It was too short to stay.

  “My mom wanted me to get rid of the color. I didn’t, so she decided she should cut it off,” Ren explained.

  He ran his fingers through the light curls she had. “I don’t dislike how you dress. I just prefer the softer Ren to this image you hide behind.”

  Ren ran her hand down his letterman jacket. “Don’t you think you hide behind your clothes, too?”

  Jolin shrugged out of his jacket. “I guess I do. Not anymore.”

  “You can still wear it. I was just saying.”

  “No, you’re right. I don’t need this to try and prove I’m still one of the crowd. I can hack it without my armor.” He walked to his closet and grabbed a hooded sweatshirt, pulling it over his head.

  “It isn’t like I can just undress and go to school. This is all I own.” Ren held her hands out to her sides.

  “I wasn’t implying you had to change. I was just making a point for myself.”

  “Well, I’m not.”

  “Fine,” he smiled.

  “Fine,” she repeated.

  “Ready?” He smiled.

  “No.”

  “Well we’re going anyway. C’mon.” Jolin grabbed his bag and headed out the door. Ren pulled her messengers bag over her head and followed.

  Jolin may not like her look, but the makeup did a good job of covering the bruises. Her ever present long sleeves covered her latest injury and everything else was hidden under her clothes. The day would have been like every other except Jolin expected to waltz through the front doors with her hand in his. It wasn’t going to end well.

  -oOo-

  Jolin parked in his spot near the front of the parking lot and turned off the engine. “Here goes nothing.”

  Ren looked over at him and gave him a sad smile. “Why don’t you go in first? I’ll see you in bio.”

  “I told you we were going in together. I want people to know you’re with me.”

  “What are you trying to prove?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Then why does it even matter?” Ren argued.

  “I don’t know, it just does.”

  Ren leaned her head back on headrest. “Jolin. A lot went on after the party. But in these people’s lives, all they know is I showed up with Ty and you were looking for Elizabeth. It will look really weird if we all of a sudden are skipping into the school together.”

  “I don’t want to let them dictate what I can and cannot do anymore. Who cares if they know what they think was going on? I want to be with you.”

  “As a fuck you to Brock and Elizabeth?”

  Jolin didn’t say anything at first, and Ren thought she hit the nail on the head. He was using her as a way to flip off everyone in the school. It hurt to think that’s what he wanted, but she’d been used for a lot worse. “It’s okay. I’m all for sticking it to the establishment.”

  Jolin dropped his head onto the steering wheel.

  “We’re going to be late,” Ren finally said.

  “I thought you understood,” Jolin mumbled.

  “I do.” Ren opened the door and stuck a leg out. “I’ve been asked to do a lot worse. You gave me a place to stay. I owe you.”

  Jolin grabbed her arm. “You don’t get shit.”

  Ren looked at where his hand sat. “You’re hurting me,” she whispered.

  Jolin lightened his grip but didn’t let her go. Slowly, he moved across the seat. “I like you, Ren.” His breath made the hairs around her face move. “I really like you. This isn’t about anyone but us. I want to walk in the school with you because I want to. Not because of anything else. It’s just me and you.” He leaned in and took her mouth with his. A slow and tender kiss that brought tears to her eyes.

  “You and me?” she asked.

  “Yep.” Jolin rested his forehead against hers. “You and me.”

  “Okay.”

  By the time they got out of the car most of the students had moved from the parking lot into the hallway. Jolin grabbed her hand, threaded his fingers through hers, kissing their fists before pulling her after him. “C’mon, we’re gonna do this.” It only took one step into the crowded hall to be reminded it was homecoming week. Streamers hung from the ceilings, banners announcing the candidates lined the wall space above the lockers.

  “Oh God,” moaned Ren.

  “Holy shit,” muttered Jolin.

  Ren turned. Jolin’s gaze was glued to a sign hanging above the line of lockers that housed the football players, a huge orange sign with black lettering announcing Jolin as a favorite for Senior Homecoming King. A smaller sign was beside it with Brock’s name.

  Jolin’s hand went slack. Ren searched his face. She’d lost him before first period. She pulled her fingers from his without a single complaint. Her heart sank a little. Someone nominated him and he was back on top. Ren was easily shoved to the side as the team encircled him and patted him on the back. Pushed out of the celebratory crowd, she headed off to biology.

  Jolin

  Wednesday, October 29

  7:00 a.m.

  The last thing he expected when they walked through the door of the school was to see his name larger than life for Homecoming King. He was in shock…that was all. But Ren took his mood as one of indifference to her. He had to find her. He needed to explain this didn’t change anything. But Elizabeth intercepted him… and he’d lost her.

  “Jolin,” Elizabeth squealed. “Isn’t it great? We both got nominated!” Her perky ponytail swung back and forth.

  Jolin pushed her aside, looking through the crowd for Ren.

  “Joli?” Elizabeth grabbed his arm.

  Jolin shrugged her off again. “We aren’t together, Lizzie.”

  “Jolin, don’t be like that. That was before. Obviously the school is behind you.”

  He turned on her. “It doesn’t matter. I told you. I’m done.”

  Elizabeth stopped her bouncing and frowned at him. “We aren’t done until I say we are.”

  “You don’t have that kind of power. This is a fucking high school, Liz. Not a monarchy. Get a life.” Jolin pushed past the crowd and headed down the hall to find Ren.

  “Mr. Daniel.” The principal peeked his head out of the office.

  Jolin stopped and looked at the ceiling. This day was not going as he planned.

  “Mr. Daniel, we need to have you and Elizabeth in the office with the other nominees so we can set the ground rules for the campaign.”

  “I’m not really interested in campaigning.”

  The principal looked confused. He probably couldn’t understand how anyone wouldn’t want to be a Homecoming King. But Jolin had bigger things to worry about.

  “Well, someone obviously thinks you’re worthy of the nomination, so you need to get in here and get with the program.”

  Jolin groaned, looked over his shoulder in one last attempt at finding Ren then followed the principal into the office. As soon as Elizabeth saw where he was headed, she plastered herself to his side and followed.

  “I think you have a great chance at winning,” she chattered after they sat around a big conference table. “I guess the sympathy vote is working for you.”

  Jolin glanced over at her and shook his head in disgust. She was such a bitch. How could he not have seen it before?

  Everyone but Brock assembled around the table. Jolin’s fellow football players gave him fist pumps and high fives then settled in.

  Finally, Brock showed up and slid into the last seat next to Elizabeth, laying an arm across the back of her chair. He gave Jolin a quick nod then turned his attention back to Elizabeth. She annoyingly giggled at whatever he said. She was keeping her options open apparently.

&
nbsp; “Ladies and gentleman,” the principal began. Jolin’s patience with the entire ritual was running thin.

  “The nominations were counted up over the weekend and as you all know, you were one of the top three for your grade. However, for senior King we only have two. There is one prince for every grade level, including the Senior class. You three are separate from the King nominations. Same is true for the Queen. Lisa and Elizabeth, you are the Queen candidates.” The principal moved to the side and the school counselor stepped forward. Jolin eyed him as she shuffled through a notebook. Why hadn’t he ever noticed Ren and questioned the shit going on in her life? Especially with Quill screwing up all the time.

  Finally, he seemed to find what he was looking for.

  “Tomorrow we will have an all school assembly where you will be given a chance to introduce yourself and talk a little about your love for the school and why you would represent the class at the dance. Please prepare about a three minute speech for that. Also, each person is allowed to spend one hundred dollars on their campaign. You don’t have to spend anything, but that is the limit. You are able to buy candies, fliers, whatever you think will help to win you votes. You can do as much or as little as you want. It’s up to you. The more you get your name out there, the more votes you may get. Remember the freshmen don’t know the upper classmen and they tend to be the biggest voters.” He paused before turning a page in his notebook. “We will not tolerate the destruction of any other candidate’s materials. If you are found to have altered or maimed another’s posters, etc… you will be automatically eliminated from the running and have to reimburse the cost of the vandalism. Any questions?”

  Jolin had a question, but he didn’t figure the counselor wanted him to ask if he would ever shut up.

  After a few asinine questions from the freshman, they were excused. Elizabeth grabbed his arm as he fought to get out of the room.

  “We can work together to make posters. Come to my house after school,” she babbled on.

  “I have plans.” Jolin peeled her off his arm, but she just reattached herself. Jolin looked over his shoulder to see Brock whispering into Lisa’s ear and her giggle in response. How many girls was he hooking up with?

  Even before he got to Biology, he knew it was going to be bad. He knew how Ren’s mind worked. The walls he knocked down would have returned and twice as thick. He was screwed. Ren surely thought he’d deserted her and was back on his road to popularity… and Elizabeth.

  When he walked in, she wouldn’t even look at him.

  Elizabeth shimmied up on him again.

  “Well it looks like our potential king and queen have decided to grace us with their presence. It’s a work day. Find your partners and see what you can do with what’s left of class.” Mr. Carson waved his hand toward the tables.

  Elizabeth found her seat, but didn’t get any of her stuff out. Instead, she leaned forward and started her campaign by kissing up to the students sitting around her table.

  Jolin slowly walked to where Ren had her head buried in a book. He pulled out the chair next to her and started to sit down. Without a word Ren flipped her notebook and book closed, collected her things, and rushed out of the room. Jolin dropped his bag and slouched into the chair. This was so fucked up. If he didn’t know better he would have blamed Elizabeth and Brock, but he knew it was just his shitty life. Karma sucked, and he was getting kicked in the ass for all the sucky things he’d done in the past.

  “Ms. Diaz class is not over yet.” Mr. Carson looked up as Ren rushed from the room, smacking into Brock as he was heading in. Brock grabbed her arms to steady her. Ren stopped and stared at him for a minute before he held up his hands in surrender, letting her go by.

  “Mr. Carson. She wasn’t feeling well and thought she was going to throw up.” At least Jolin could cover for her.

  Brock stared Jolin down. He wasn’t sure what Brock wanted from him, but he kept his face void of any expression. He wasn’t going to let Brock rattle him.

  Elizabeth turned in her seat, her eyes were huge. “Jolin Daniel, you didn’t stutter.”

  Jolin felt the blood rush to his cheeks when the entire class turned around and stared at him. The hell with this, he thought, and grabbed his stuff, following after Ren.

  Mr. Carson’s voice trailed after him, but he was nominated for homecoming king. He was back on his throne and a pass wouldn’t be required. What a fucked up system.

  Ren was nowhere to be found when he got into the hall. But Quill was.

  Quill looked like he had a rough weekend and wasn’t moving too fast to get to class.

  “Hey Quill.” Jolin jogged over to where he stood.

  “Hey bro.” Quill gave him a nod. “You still got my sister?”

  Jolin wasn’t sure what he meant by that. “No, uh…have you seen her.”

  Quill looked at the floor and nodded. “She took off?”

  “Just from class. You’re welcome to stay at my house too.”

  Quill cocked his head up to look at him. “Ren tell you she’s gonna stay?”

  Jolin thought for a minute. She hadn’t really told him anything. “No, not exactly.”

  “I appreciate the offer, but she’ll head home in a day or two when things calm down. I’ll try and be there.” Quill pushed himself off the wall from where he was leaning. “She knows how to take care of herself. Don’t worry. This isn’t our first rodeo.”

  Jolin stepped in front of him. “Would have been nice if you stuck around after the shit hit the fan.”

  Quill laughed. “Like I said. It isn’t the first. Or for that matter the worst. It’ll happen again until either someone gets hurt so bad the police have to do something or we get out of this shit hole.” Quill stepped into Jolin’s chest, shoving him back a step. “While you have her…” Quill’s expression turned hard. “God help me, Daniel, if you put a hand on her I will fucking kill you.”

  Jolin held his ground. “Why don’t you fucking kill the men that used her or for that matter the guys who are still using her?”

  Quill’s expression softened. “Because dude, you’re the only one she fucking cares about.” Quill shoved his shoulder into Jolin and walked past him down the hall. “Don’t break her.”

  Jolin’s shoulders slumped. He had a feeling he already did. The bell rang and the halls filled with students. He knew she had a math class next and decided he needed to fix this mess as fast as possible.

  But she wasn’t in class.

  Serenity

  Wednesday, October 29

  8:00 a.m.

  Ren hadn’t gotten far when someone grabbed her arm and tugged her into a corner of the hall. It took only a moment for the smell of mint to hit her nose, and she knew who had sequestered her.

  “What’s up with you and Daniel?” Brock snarled.

  “Nothing. I had some trouble at home. His mom is helping me out.” Ren tried to slide away, but Brock put his arm up on the edge of the locker, fencing her in.

  “I thought I was helping you out.” Brock sounded surprisingly hurt.

  Ren turned her face away from his. “Yeah, but she doesn’t ask for a blow job after she gives me dinner.”

  “You’re a comedian now?” Brock grabbed her chin. “We need to talk.”

  Ren pulled her face from his grasp. “I don’t think so.”

  “I wasn’t asking your opinion.”

  “Later.” Ren tried to move around Brock, but he grabbed her arm holding her in place.

  Brock raised an eyebrow. “Don’t worry about Jolin. He’s busy chasing Liz.”

  “I thought you had her.”

  “I do. She didn’t appreciate his running off with you after having her against a wall at the party. He doesn’t give up as easily. Him getting nominated is complicating things.”

  “He didn’t run off with me.” Ren kicked herself for even getting in this conversation with him. She knew what had gone down at the party, and she knew Jolin turned back to the darkside. “Look. Either talk or
let me go.”

  Brock ran the back of his fingers down her cheek. “My dad is kicking you out of the house.”

  “What the fuck!” she yelled. Brock slid his hand over her mouth quieting her.

  Brock leaned in. “Keep it down. The police were at your house. The neighbors have been complaining, and my dad’s had it. The end of the month and you need to be out.”

  Ren jerked her head away from his hold. “It wasn’t my fault.”

  Brock stepped back and shook his head. “He doesn’t care. Your mom is trashing the place. I tried to talk to him. Make a deal. But he’s done. You’re out.”

  Ren felt like she was being sucked into a black hole and she was drowning. Before she could stop herself the words tumbled out, “I’ll sleep with you. I’ll do what ever you want.” Her stomach dropped at what she was offering. “I can’t lose the house.”

  Brock rubbed his hands across his face. “As much as I want that. As much as my dick is killing me to take you up on your offer.” He rubbed his nose against her temple drawing in a deep breath. “I can’t. We’re done. I got what I needed. Can’t chance Liz finding out.” He set his stare on her. “This never happened. I hope you built a nest egg.”

  Ren bit the inside of her cheek in an attempt not to lose complete control in the hallway of the high school. The iron taste of blood filled her mouth.

  “If I hear a word out of you about our arrangement, I’ll destroy you.” Brock’s kind touch turned harsh as his whisper swirled around her.

  “I’m already gone,” she muttered. “What could you possibly do that could take any more away from me?”

  Brock surprised her by running his hand down her arm in a sentimental motion. She raised her gaze to meet his. His sad expression surprised her.

  “We had some good times, huh?” Brock said. “I’m sorry it had to end.”

  Ren shrugged before he turned and left her standing alone in the corner. She leaned against the wall and took a moment to pull herself together. Her day with Jolin had been filled with empty promises. All it took was a few posters to give Jolin and Brock a chance to get the popularity they wanted so badly.

  The energy of the school was crackling as she entered the classroom. The football team was flying high for their game on Friday, not to mention not a single candidate for Prom court was a normal student. Each class was represented by a football player. Jolin was the only one who didn’t play, but his past stardom obviously catapulted him into the mix.