Sierra
Chapter sixteen
The annoying blare of the alarm reminds me it’s Monday.
The weekend passed by in a blur, and now I have five days of hell ahead of me.
I was scared to death when I talked to Rico at the end of my shift on Saturday.
His look of concern when I asked him about adding more shifts back on after just cutting back, along with the avoidance of answering his question as to why.
He asked me repeatedly to make sure I was positive this was what I wanted to do before he added shifts to my schedule.
I don’t know, but I think Rico may actually have a caring heart underneath that rough exterior that he shows everyone.
Not to mention, Cyrus once again gave me a ride home from work.
Stretching my arms above my head, I yawn before kicking the covers off of me.
The heat in the room is unbearable and the need for another shower weighs heavily on me, but I know I don’t have enough time.
Knowing I can’t lay here any longer, I roll over and sit up.
Taking a deep breath, I stand up and trudge down the hallway to Sam’s room.
Opening her door, I’m hit with instant cool air and just stand there for a moment basking in it.
If her bed was bigger, I’d crawl in it with her at night.
Hell, maybe I could just pull my mattress in here or make a pallet on the floor.
Standing there, I look at Sam curled up in her covers, snoring lightly.
Her bedroom isn’t as big as mine. She has her bed in the corner under the AC window unit and posters of the boy band she and her friends are in love with.
I can’t even remember their name, along with drawings she did of us, Mrs. Butler, and Mom.
I step up to Sam’s bed and place my hand on her shoulder, shaking her softly. “Come on, sleepyhead, time to get up.”
“Nooo! I don’t wanna,” she whines, pulling the comforter up over her head.
I take hold of the end and yank it off of her. “I don’t want to either, but if I’m doing it, then so are you. You have ten minutes to get dressed and get out to the kitchen to eat some breakfast.” I turn and leave the room, laughing at her.
I go through the motions to get ready, dreading today.
But if I stay home, I risk the school calling my aunt, and that could bring her running home.
She doesn’t want to take the chance of the state taking away her monthly support check, one we don’t see a dime of.
I’m tired and lazy today, so I just pull on a pair of well worn cut-off shorts and an oversized baggy shirt that reads, Coffee is the fruit of life, which today it is.
My new schedule at work now has me working the typical Friday, Saturday, and Sunday; as well as Monday and Wednesday.
This leaves me with Tuesdays and Thursdays off.
I wanted to add in another day, but Rico refused.
Instead of coming home tonight and being able to relax and hang out with Sam, I need to get my homework done, make sure she does hers, fix dinner, take a nap, and get there on time.
Ugh… My brain is already pounding, thinking about it all.
Brushing the last strands of my hair, I pick up a hair tie, gather all of it in my hand, and pile it high on top of my head in a messy bun.
My hairstyle of choice lately, especially with the heat.
Walking into the kitchen, the aroma of freshly brewing coffee assaults me, and I just want to snatch the culprit in my arms and lather her in sisterly kisses. Her hazel eyes are gleaming as she shines her toothy little grin at me. “I made you coffee.”
“Thank you, sweetie pie.” I take a few steps from the door to the counter and open up the cabinet, pulling out the travel mug. “Can you get me some creamer out of the fridge, please?”
“Okay,” she calls out as she skips across the room and opens it, pulling out the caramel macchiato creamer I splurged on the last time we were at the grocery store. I have a little left, so I’ve been drinking black coffee to make it last.
“Are you working tonight?” she asks sheepishly.
“Yes, whhhyyyy?” I draw the why out, knowing she’s up to something.
“I was going to see if it would be okay to ask Mrs. Butler if I could use her phone to call Destiny.” She clasps her hands together after handing me the creamer and puts them under her chin as she bats her eyes.
Sighing deeply, I mull it over for a minute, taking some inner enjoyment while watching her dramatics. “Fine. If she says yes, but not for long.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t,” she says before running out of the room and down the hallway.
I go about filling my mug with coffee and adding a little creamer.
Remembering the money I have in my bag with my costumes, I rush down the hallway and quickly retrieve it.
Rummaging through my nightstand, I find an envelope and place the money in it.
I talked to Mrs. Butler yesterday about stashing my money in her apartment, and she said yes.
“Okay, Sam, are you ready?”
“Yeah.” A second later she exits her bedroom, backpack on and a smile on her face. I’m glad one of us is excited about going to school.
We’re a few minutes earlier than normal, and I have to admit I’m thankful for not having to rush to catch her bus.
She’s engaged in an excited conversation with Felicia about their sleepover at Destiny’s and how they can’t wait for the next one.
They’re still going on about it as the bus pulls to a stop in front of us and she boards it.
She only stops long enough to turn and wave goodbye to me.
With Sam safely on her way to school, I move on down to the city bus stop to wait for my ride. There’s a small piece of me that’s praying to the gods above that the bus will have already come and gone, thus prolonging the time it’ll take me to get to school.
I hear the muttered remarks about me as I pass everyone already in the room.
Sliding into my desk in literature class, I keep my head down, focusing on my textbook. I’m flipping through the pages when I feel his presence as he sits down at the desk beside me.
“Hey,” Zander says in his deep voice, his breath brushing across my ear as he leans close. “How was the rest of your weekend?”
Turning to face him, it’s his genuine smile that surprises me.
He’s not glaring at me, nor does he have the sadistic look of someone who’s about to pull the rug out from under me as he embarrasses the shit out of me.
No, he seems happy to be talking to me. Like it’s something he actually wants to do.
“Fine,” I squeak out, stunned that he even cares enough to ask. What the hell is going on here? Am I in the twilight zone? As I gaze around the room, I can see the question on all my classmates’ faces, wondering why he’s even talking to me.
“Okay, class, time to get to work. We got a lot to cover today and no time to mess around. Turn your textbooks to page thirty-five and let's begin,” Mr. Blake says in a thundering voice from the front of the room as he sets his coffee mug on his desk. It makes me wish I still had some.
Throughout class, I feel Zander’s eyes on me, but when I peek his way, he’s always focused on what he’s writing in his notebook.
Maybe I’m just imagining the tingling sensation that’s ricocheting throughout my body.
I need to get my shit together. This is a trick just like one of the many others that have been played on me since Wesley tossed me aside.
I have a sinking feeling in my gut Zander wants to talk to me when we’re done and I’m not ready for it.
Run, that’s what I’m going to do as soon as the bell rings.
I’m going to hightail it right out of this classroom.
Nothing good will come from talking to him.
It's only going to make the abuse from everyone, especially Wesley, worse. It’s something I just don’t have the strength for today.
Staring at the clock on the wall above the chalkboard, I watch the minutes and seconds countdown. The ticking is so loud in my head, it’s pounding, and I can feel the building headache from it.
The closer and closer it gets time for the shrill of the bell, I get ready.
Picking my bag up from the floor and sliding it on my shoulder, all I have to do then is snatch the book that’s on top of my desk and dart out of here.
The others will want to hang around and socialize. Not me, I have no one to do that with.
Tick… Tick… Tick…
I’m poised and ready to bolt when the bell sounds. “Sierra…” I hear him call out, but I keep going. I rush down the hallway, ducking into the bathroom at the end of it. My eyes are focused on the last stall, the one I’m going to hide in, while I catch my breath and take a minute to regroup.
Finally getting myself together, I step out of the stall, passing a trio of cackling hyenas otherwise known as teenage girls. Their snickers increase as I pass by, but I choose to ignore them, knowing it wouldn’t make a difference if I respond.
For the rest of the morning, any time I saw Zander, I headed in the opposite direction. I’ve been successful in avoiding him and I’m praying the rest of the day goes the same. Right now, the only thing I’m looking forward to is the small nap I’m going to take before heading to the club tonight.
It’s lunchtime now and I have two options: brave the cafeteria and get some food of questionable substance or hit the vending machine and find a tree outside to relax under.
Avoiding the masses wins out and after stopping to get a snack, I find a spot to sit.
I’m just getting comfortable underneath the shadiest tree in the court, away from any living soul.
I’ve got my literature book in hand and I’m ready to begin my homework assignment when I see two large booted feet step in my periphery as I’m looking down.
“There you are.” His husky voice singsongs before taking a seat beside me.
“I saw you hit the vending machine and rush outside. That crap wasn’t anything worth eating, so I hit the cafeteria, got us each a plate, and I’ve been scouring the courtyard for you.
” He hands over a tray and my mouth drops. Why is he being so nice?
“Huh… What?” I can’t even form a complete thought.
“Oh, and I got you something.” He sets his tray on the ground and roots around in his backpack. “Here it is.” He pulls out a cell phone and hands it to me.
I look at it, confused, as he smiles. “What’s that?”
“Umm, it’s a phone, silly,” he says with a chuckle, turning it in his hand, showing it off.
“I know that. I’m not a fucking idiot. Why are you handing it to me?” I ask, rolling my eyes.
He sucks in a large breath and blows it out quickly. “It’s for you to use.”
“Look, Zander, I’m not your charity case and I don’t want your phone or this tray of food.
” Lifting it up off my lap and placing it on the ground beside where he’s sitting.
I gather my things and go to stand up, but before I can, I’m stopped by him grabbing my arm.
“Wait, Sierra, I didn’t mean it like that.
Look, it’s an old phone on an old plan I had before my dad added us to his.
It still has service, and I just figured you could use it so we could call, text, video, whatever we need to do to get this project done.
I know you said you don’t have a lot of time that you could meet up and I figured this would help us both.
You can give it back afterward. Consider it like a library book that you are just borrowing.
” He lets go of my arm and holds the phone out again.
His arm hovers in mid-air as I stare at it. Debating. Warring with myself internally.
“Come on, we need to do this project. This way we can contact each other whenever and work on it. Or if you want to just talk.” I see him smile a little wider at the last part.
“Zander…”
“Please Sierra, it doesn’t mean anything more than we need to get this work done.
Take the phone, use it, or don’t. Either way, I’m giving it to you, so I know I did as much as I could to do this assignment with you.
” He tosses it into my bag, picks up my abandoned tray of food, and places it back in my lap. “Now eat.”
Fuck me, something about his take-charge attitude has desire rippling through my body. I can feel the heat pooling in my core and I clench my legs together, trying to alleviate it.
“Thank you,” I whisper, holding my head down as I pick up a fry and take a bite.
“Okay, so I was thinking I could call you one night this week. We can work on it over the phone, and then maybe if you’re available, get together this weekend. What day is good for you?”
“Tomorrow,” I mumble.
“See? That wasn’t hard. So the phone has unlimited everything.
It’s an old prepaid plan I had that automatically renews.
I had it while I was in foster care and I couldn’t bear to let it go.
My number’s already programmed in it and if you need to add anyone else, well you can.
” He takes a bite of his burger, acting as if this isn’t a big deal for him to do, but it’s the nicest thing anyone at this school has ever done for me.
I sit silently for the rest of the lunch, except for a ‘yes’ here or there, while he talks my ear off.
When the bell rings, signaling the end of lunch, he helps me stand.
Picking my tray up from the ground, he places it on his and we turn to head back inside.
We’ve just reached the door to the building when the hair on the back of my neck stands up like someone’s watching us.
I quickly look around, spotting Wesley standing at the end of the building, his eyes conveying his malicious thoughts.