Chapter 7 #2
Spencer turns to me. “Let’s get you to class, newbie.
” Giving Spencer a shy smile, he leads the way.
The hallway is now less crowded as students make their way to class.
Spencer looks over at me and smirks. Every time he gives me that smirk, it makes my knees weak.
I don’t quite understand how to wrap my head around it.
Is it just new attention? A boy, or anyone really, has never noticed me.
Being told how worthless you are nearly every day that ends in Y starts to get to you.
Grant’s voice rings in my mind, You’re a stupid girl, just like your mother.
If I can’t love you, no one can. Drunken words still hit hard even when they are slurred and driven by whiskey.
I snap out of my daze when Spencer abruptly stops on the long bridge that leads to the next building.
His eyes soften as he turns to me. “You alright, you just kinda zoned out?” Shit.
I clear my throat and nod, giving him a forced smile.
“Yeah, I'm alright. Sorry.” I do my best to redirect the conversation. “So, this is the bridge? It’s amazing.” I walk forward, not giving Spencer time to ask questions.
The bridge is encased in windows and benches stretching along the hallway.
“This school is massive,” I say in a whisper.
I turn, and Spencer is looking down at something with curiosity etched on his face.
“What's with that face?” I ask while turning my head to the side.
Spencer shakes his head and chuckles. “Nothing, Beauty Queen, let’s go.
You're about to be late.” We arrive at the second door, and the sign reads ART - Mrs. Smith.
“Your next class is Math. You’ll need to go back the same way we came and go in the direction I sent your brother; it will be the last door on the left. ” Spencer hands me my schedule.
My hands tremble as I take back the piece of paper that holds my new daily life. Shaking my head, I take a big breath and start to head in. “Wait, Spence, thank you for helping me.” Disappearing into the art room, I feel relieved, escaping Spencer's sweet eyes and kind smile.
I have never been guided with a soft hand; I have never been looked at and seen.
I have been heard but not listened to; I have been yelled at but not spoken to.
My father painted men to be awful; to be loved by him is like being loved by an animal that plays with its food before eating it.
He plays the part of a loving father, just before he strikes, and when he does, he draws blood.
Then, there is Levi. The only man who has shown compassion, love, trust, and guidance.
He’s kind because I’m his sister; he loves me because he has to.
He guides me because if I were guided by my father alone, I'd be led astray, just like my mother. Levi listens because he knows I have no one else to turn to. Levi does it out of a sense of responsibility, not because he wants to. He stays because I’m a burden; he stays because the guilt of leaving would be too much to bear. After all, I am weak, just like her.
Art class flew by as we learned about Mrs. Smith and what we will be learning in this class. The students gathered around the door, impatiently waiting for the bell to ring.
The bell rings and the stampede rushes out, leaving me behind in the dust, just how I like it.
Making my way back through the bridge to the second-floor hallway where my next class is was easy.
Getting to the last door on the left, Spencer is leaning against the wall just outside.
He smiles widely and checks his smartwatch, “Made it before the bell, good job, newbie.” He smirks and pushes himself off the wall.
I watch as his biceps flex. Seriously, I was hoping he would be uglier this period.
“Why are you here? Do you have this class next?” I point to the door and squint my eyes at him.
He shakes his head, “Nope, just making sure I didn’t need to send out a search party for the newbie.
Wouldn’t want you getting lost in this massive school.
” He winks at me and walks away, leaving me in shock.
He was listening to me… even when he didn’t need to be.
Taking a seat in math, I quickly get out my phone.
Levi
How’s it goin', Letty?
Me
Good, just made out with a random guy in the bathroom.
Levi
Stop. See you at lunch, ya heathen.
A smile fills my face, and I can’t help but chuckle.
Setting my belongings down on my desk, I take out my schedule to figure out my next class and where it will be.
When I unfold it, something catches my eye on the back of the paper.
A map? Spencer drew a map on the back of my schedule.
The map has numbers one through four on it.
Number one is the art room, two is the room I'm in right now, and three and four are mapped out exactly where I need to be.
So, this is what he was doing on the bridge.
Looking down, I notice writing on the bottom,
Don't get lost. If you do, here is my number.
The math teacher starts his lecture, and I stuff my phone and schedule back into my bag.
My stomach growls as I make my way to the cafeteria.
Following the map back down to the first floor, I notice Levi and Spencer standing together right outside the cafeteria doors.
The smell of food makes my stomach beg for a taste, only it doesn’t smell as appetizing as my stomach thinks it does.
My nose scrunches, and Levi laughs. “It’s supposedly chili. ” He laughs, and I shake my head.
“Great, looks like I'm starving.” I tip my head back in defeat.
Spencer nods his head towards the door. “Let's go get some real food.” Spencer starts walking to the same door we came through this morning.
Spencer walks to a black F-150 parked in the front row of the parking lot, with a sticker on the back that says 'NCC Baseball' in black and orange letters.
This is a nice truck, not surprising given the house his parents own.
Little does he know that we can only afford our house because my mom killed herself.
I open the door carefully, not to hit the small sedan parked next to me.
Spencer starts the truck. “What are you guys hungry for?” He looks in the review mirror, and I shrug.
Levi is always the first to suggest where we go because I can never make up my mind, “Take us to your favorite fast-food place.” Spencer nods in agreement and heads down the road.
Pulling into an empty parking lot, we pull next to a random food truck.
With the name “The Taco Guy.” What is this?
I turn back to Spencer, who is grinning at me in the review mirror.
“Uh, where the fuck are we?” He laughs, and Levi looks back at me.
“What? If I wanted to get food poisoning, I would have eaten the school's chili. Instead, I will get it from The Taco Guy.”
Spencer laughs, shaking his head. “Trust me, this guy can make some damn good tacos.” He lifts his hand. “I swear, you won't get sick, and if you do, I’ll come kick his ass.” He winks and jumps out of his truck. Levi follows.
Walking to the window, a man in a cook's hat with gloves on smiles. “Hey, man, you want the usual?” My eyes grow wide as Levi looks at me and laughs.
“So, you're a regular?” Levi asks with a mocking tone.
Spencer nods. “Three orders of the regular.” He hands the guy his card, and the gentleman passes six tacos through the window.
Spencer thanks the guy and throws Levi two tacos, and me the other two, before grabbing his two.
“Thank you, have a good day.” Staring at Spencer with a what the hell look, he smiles cheerfully.
Sitting in the truck, the boys tear into their tacos.
Spencer looks back at me, still holding mine, questioning if I'm going to spend the last part of the school day in the bathroom if I eat this.
“Trust me, it's the best place. If it isn't, you can kick my ass.” I knew it was going to be good; it smelled amazing. My stomach was growling louder as I scolded it in my head to shut up. I didn’t want Spencer to be right; he’s been nice all day, and it's freaking me out.
Grant's voice enters my thoughts. Guys are only nice when they want one thing, and once they get it, they don’t give a fuck anymore.
Look at me. I can feel the shift in my posture, the falling of my eyes, and I know Spencer sees it as he looks back.
I quickly shift my focus and smile, opening the foil wrapping.
Spencer was right, the tacos were excellent, the best food ever, but one taco had me full.
It was huge, filled with steak, cheese, peppers, and onions.
It was incredible. I sink into the black leather seats, placing my hand over my now full and satisfied stomach.
“I am so full,” I groaned, holding out my other taco between the two beasts who just housed two tacos at the time I ate one.
“Who wants it?” Levi gives it to Spencer, and I know he did so only because he paid. Levi can EAT.
Arriving back at school, the rest of the day flies by because I'm feeling at ease here.
The teachers have all been caring and friendly, and I haven't had any encounters with the other students, just as I like it—a shadow, unseen, unheard, and unquestioned. It also comforts me to know Levi is here all day, working. I know he is close, if I need him. This town is fresh; there was no one asking about my dead mother, no one asking how she died, no one asking about Grant, or why he got demoted from the police force to a traffic cop. It was a breath of fresh air, a new start. I could be anyone I wanted here, and yet I still chose to be invisible, because that’s what I was taught to do.
Levi stands by the back door, surrounded by school employees laughing and talking.