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Dedicated to: 43PrettyOdd21

~Jaden~

"Knock-knock."

My dad lightly tapped against the wide opened door of my room to attract my attention. I'd been sitting on my bed trying to perfect my number for the recital coming up in a few weeks. I put down my violin and bow, smiling at him.

"You alright?" he queried.

"Yeah, of course. Is something wrong?"

"Not at all, no. Honestly, I was starting to get worried because I noticed your friends hadn't been coming over so often anymore. But... they're downstairs, asking if you're willing to talk."

"Oh..." I started to get up but he held up a hand, making me pause.

"You don't have to get up; I'll let them know if you're not in the mood."

I relaxed, shrugging one shoulder. "N-no, I am."

"What happened, love? Did you guys argue?" He crossed his arms, looking at me with pure concern.

"Somewhat."

"Do you wanna betray your inner teenager and tell me what happened truthfully or..?"

I chuckled at that. "Later, maybe."

He nodded. "Okay. I will be here, always." He came forward to lay a comforting kiss atop my head then pinched my cheek. "I love you, my little angel. Alright, I'll let them come up."

"Thanks, dad. I love you, too."

"Oh, by the way, I think I'm finally getting a hang of the whole cooking thing. We'll be having a home-cooked meal tonight so prepare your taste buds for battle."

"I'm very scared," I assured, my eyes widening.

"We should all be. It might get ugly. Your friends are more than free to join us." He headed out of my room and I sighed, moving my violin aside.

I'd been avoiding my friends a bit just because of how awkward it would have been. And now that I knew my own teacher spilled the details of my secret, I didn't know how to face my friends. I was simply grateful that at the end of the day, they had my back. Corbyn made me question that, and he knew exactly what he was doing. I felt queasy thinking about him though, and all those bruises over his body. I didn't even know if telling an adult would help him or make it all worse. I'd done enough to be honest. After our conversation in the restroom, I felt like we had this unspoken understanding that we would finally leave each other alone.

"Would you like some company?" Mae asked, walking inside followed by Kari.

"Hey guys." I sat criss cross as they joined me on the bed.

"No worries. We're on good terms now," Kari said, referring to her argument with Mae after my secret got out. "We're only trying to set things right with you, ya know."

I nodded slowly, heaving a sigh. "Sorry. It's been a difficult week. I found out who told Corbyn my secret."

"Yeah, he let us know who it was."

That explained why they came over. "I just don't get why she'd leave so suddenly," Kari shook her head in disappointment.

I wondered how Ms. C would take care of her ailing son now that she was unemployed. It was confidential though, so I didn't say anything about it. She didn't have to quit; I wish I could've told her that. Regardless of the mistake she made, it didn't need to affect her job security. I just hoped she'd find one soon.

"I... don't even wanna think about it anymore, to be honest."

"So don't," Mae agreed. "Just know we really do have your back. Come on, we've been friends forever; I certainly wouldn't throw that away over cheerleading."

I smiled at her. "Mae, you are dying to get back on that team."

Mae pouted. "I think I'll stick to the art club. At least now I know how to draw a stick-figure with clothes on. I might just be good at this."

"There's no chance. You draw the number 4 as human noses," Kari snorted, reaching into her pockets for a half-eaten bag of skittles.

"It's a shortcut!" Mae defended herself as I laughed.

"We should form our own club. Something for outcasts."

"Please, you're hardly outcasts," I doubted, reaching for a hair tie on my window pane. I used it to put my hair into a bun. "I'd be a perfect fit."

"When's the last time you saw your mom?" Mae queried with concern in her eyes.

"Last week before this whole drama. I don't plan on visiting her any time soon, not like before anyway." I shrugged. "Can't believe I thought that she'd stay this time around. I don't even know if it's fair to blame her or not, so I won't." I leaned back on the palms of my hands. "Changing the subject because I'm not about to cry, how are things with you and your crush? I've been dying to ask."

Kari popped a couple skittles into her mouth, shimmying her shoulders. "Oh you mean Sage? We're doing great, but who cares? I think you've been sneaking around with the one and only Kris."

I blushed, shaking my head. "Mm, no you don't get to redirect." We laughed.

"Wait, is it true?" Mae took my hands, shaking it in excitement.

I opened my mouth but I didn't know what to say. Kris and I weren't on the down low obviously. Theater kids knew, and it was surprising that it hadn't spread further. Or maybe it did; I hadn't been on social media to know otherwise.

"Okay, okay. We're a thing."

"Omg! A thing-thing?" And that was it. Mae was right back to herself, a squealing mess, while Kari just had a knowing eyebrow raised as all the dirtiest thoughts most likely filled her mind.

I traced the patterns on my comforter innocently. "Well... he sorta asked me to be his boyfriend--"

"I can't! This is everything--this changes everything!" Mae pointed at me, her eyes practically popping out of her head. She shot up and gasped. "Homecoming."

"Oh god." Kari rolled her eyes, offering me some of her skittles.

I shook my head. "You guys should go and have as much as fun as possible. I'm not going."

"But J!"

"But nothing. Look, Mae, after everything that's happened, do you really think I'd wanna show my face there?"

"Well that's the thing. It's Halloween and masquerade-themed. Nobody should know it's you. And frankly, I've had this plan locked in since day one sweetie. We are going to put you in the best costume and watch everybody's jaw drop, especially Kris's."

I gave her a blank look. "I'm not wearing some giant white, sparkly ball gown off A Cinderella Story."

She bit her lip, averting her eyes as she scratched her head awkwardly. "No, i-it's fine. I returned it anyway."

Kari and I laughed at that. "We can go to the game together tomorrow. I think we'll have a good time. I'll support my boyfriend, Kari can bring Sage and you could bring Tiana."

"Mhm." she sat down.

"You've talked to her, haven't you? I don't know, she seems pretty happy in rehearsals so I assumed you guys worked everything out."

"I guess I was just expecting her to ask me to the dance. I don't know where we're at to be honest."

"Aw, Mae. Maybe she's just waiting for you to ask."

"Okay, but does she want something huge and spectacular in front of everybody or..?" She shrugged, feeling defeated.

"Ooh, you should do like a backflip off the second story and land on the first floor with like a flash mob coming up behind you," Kari suggested. "I'll be in the mob, but just try not to break any bones so that you can actually, like, make it to Homecoming."

Mae glared at her before her phone beeped with a message. As she checked it, Kari nudged me with a confused expression. "Why did she do it? Ms. C?"

I understood her concern. We had her class together, and with no warning, she'd disappeared. At least I caught her beforehand. I wondered if I hadn't showed up before classes began, would she have told me the truth?

"Corbyn threatened her job."

"Okay? He's not the principal or something."

"His mon's on the Board of Education, and she has... more power than we think. He's gotten a former teacher fired earlier this year, so I guess Ms. C didn't take the threat lightly."

"And she couldn't report him somehow? I don't know; I feel like she had quite a lot more options instead of blatantly outing your one secret." She chewed on a skittle in thought.

I shrugged. "Well, everyone is different."

"Guys," Mae called, looking at her phone. "I have to go back home."

"So soon?" I inquired.

"Yeah, my dad's being annoying." She stood up and so did Kari.

"I'm her ride so... we'll see you tomorrow, J."

"Alright. And, Mae, you should just ask Tiana. She'll say yes."

"Okay. I'm dragging you to the dance, mister. We need to celebrate your first relationship." She winked at me before heading out with Kari. I decided to follow them to see them off, and once they were out the door, I wandered to the kitchen to hang out with my dad.

"Hey, bud. Look at that; lemon-pepper chicken." He pointed to a large bowl of seasoned and cooked chicken thighs and my eyebrows flew up.

"Dad! I'm impressed!" I leaned over the bowl a little to let the aroma rise to my nose. "Is it cooked all the way through?"

He paused then looked away. "We'll find out."

I laughed at that. "My friends had to head out."

"What a shame. I wanted them to suffer through dinner like the rest of us. So now I'm kinda curious. What really happened; why haven't they been coming over lately?"

I sighed dramatically. "I hate saying it out loud but basically... you remember when Kris came over this past weekend?"

"Can't forget it; you talked my head off about it."

"Yes, well, I briefly told him about Mom that night. Not in depth or anything; we just had like a moment and I felt like I could trust him."

Dad lowered the heat on the stove to give me his attention. I was sure that at the mention of Mom, he knew how serious this was. "Go on."

"Then on Monday this week, a picture was circulated on social media of me and Mom when I visited her. You know, after she left again. Everyone at school saw it and they've been teasing me ever since."

My dad was rendered speechless, and I could see the frustration in his eyes. "Jaden... if people are making fun of you, did you feel you couldn't come tell me so I can do something about this?"

"I was going to tell you, Dad, I swear." I shrugged. "I-I know I can talk to you, but it was easier just hiding out in my room."

"Who posted that picture?"

"Corbyn."

"The mayor's boy?"

I bit my lip. "Yeah. Actually, he's the main reason I'm being completely honest with you. He did a crappy thing, and out of anger, I... I told his dad what he did." I looked down at my hands for a moment, intertwining them nervously. Then I whispered, "I think he's being abused. No, I know he is. I s-saw it myself, all the bruises he had." I gazed back up at my dad, my eyes watering. "I don't know what to do or if I should even do anything- or is that worse?"

"Shh, it's okay." He hugged me, settling his chin atop my head. "No, you're right to let me know. It's okay, Jaden. I'll see what I can do."

🎻🎻🎻

Friday morning wasn't any easier than Monday, even though four days had passed since Corbyn revealed my secret to the world of social media. My dad informed me that he'd be speaking to the principal around noon today, and as much as I wanted to believe that would solve everything, I knew it wouldn't. People were always going to find a way to make someone a little bit more miserable than they were.

Once again, I was surrounded by childish jocks, calling me names and dropping their fair share of insults. One was busy asking if my mom did heroin, cocaine, or mixed them both, to which I didn't even know the answer. Mom and I never discussed those... details, obviously.

I rolled my eyes at them, trying to head to the orchestra to practice my violin. I was carrying my personal one because I'd be using it to play during recitals. It had a much more distinct sound than the ones at school and of course, it made me feel close to both my grandfather since he'd given it to me.

"Oh I wonder what this is!" One of the guys tried to unzip the case and I turned away from him quickly.

"Don't touch me!"

"Is that your stupid little violin?" He mocked as they laughed.

"He really is a fuckin fairy."

"What do we have here?" Someone barked, approaching us. The boys cleared a path to reveal Corbyn, who had assumed his usual stance of folded arms and that typical 'bitch, try me' expression on his face.

"All six of you jocks are complete wastes of space. You're on the soccer team, but we all know that your coach barely notices your skills-or the lack thereof." Corbyn raised one eyebrow. "None of you are important because I don't know your names. But I smelled your utter absence of talent from across the school... which led me here, only to find you shaming someone that I-and I alone-can torment. Now before I count to negative three, please disappear into a cloud of pathetic nonexistent dust. And don't ever give me the displeasure of seeing your faces until I graduate this cemetery." He flashed a smile and the boys instantly dispersed.

I blinked at him. "You didn't have to do that."

"Calm your bulge." He rolled his eyes. "I didn't do it for you. If anyone dishes out misery in this school, I'd like it to be me."

"So I can assume you're never going to change?"

He smiled as if he was proud of me, even cupping my cheeks. "Look who's learning." He turned me around and zipped up my violin case, closing it before stepping in front of me. "I know I made a mess, but sticking up for yourself isn't hard."

"Then why don't you?"

He knew I was referring to his dad, so he glanced down at the ground for a moment before looking back at me. And something about Corbyn's eyes could make those little hairs on the back of my neck stand. They were very piercing, and they held so many stories that he'd never dare to tell.

"Someday, I'll lose my shit in that house. God help my family when I do. But today's not that day. I'll see you in rehearsals so you better have those pipes ready and hope you don't lose your voice when the day's over."

🎗🎗🎗🎗🎗

Haha so like remember when I didn't update for a whole month... oh that was just now?

.

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Sorry y'all! I didn't even realize how long it'd been! I thought it was like 2 weeks.

Corbyn: Amara get your shit together! And sweetie, why don't you try getting rid of those six rolls before wearing that crop top k? Trash. Make yourself scarce.

Crying. Y'all, do an impression of Corbyn in the comments and I'll dedicate the next chapter to the one I love the most sksksks ☠️ ♥️

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