“Did you hear she pissed herself in front of everyone?”
“I heard she really thought Dillon wanted her.”
“Like there’s anyone who would go to the dance with that reject.”
“What was God thinking when he made her? She’s defective. Her mom needs to return her.”
Tears are building in the corners of my eyes and I don’t want anyone to see them, so I start running, pushing past the kids that reached the door first and speeding up even more as I run for the nearest restroom. All I need is a stall with a door that actually locks and a few minutes to collect myself. I’ll be fine if I get that.
I know what’s coming if I don’t make it in time. The very thing the kids were all talking about seconds ago. I can’t let that happen. I can’t let everyone see me break. I need to be stronger than this.
The girl’s bathroom comes into sight, but before I can reach out to push the door open, I’m swept off my feet and spun around by a strong pair of arms I can’t place. I start to struggle against them, wanting to break free and hide before everything comes crashing down, but I’m powerless against the person holding me.
“Isabelle,” the voice says, quieting me as he pulls me against his chest. “It’s okay. I’m not gonna hurt you.”
I know that voice. The low, melodic rumble. I heard it yesterday when just like now; he’d rescued me from everything his friends had done.
Kayden.
I need to tell him to let me go, warn him that if he doesn’t, things are going to get a whole lot worse, but I can’t get the words to come out. It’s constricted, like something is lodged there preventing me from even making the smallest noise.
This is definitely not the right time to be mute.
I keep struggling against him because it’s the only way I can let him know to let me go, but he doesn’t. If it’s possible, I think he’s holding on tighter and even though I don’t want it, I can’t help but admit that it’s comforting.
“I’m gonna let you go but don’t run, okay?”
I nod my head and I feel his arms relax, allowing me to move. I don’t do it though. I do exactly what he asked me to do and I stay still, my eyes drilling holes into the floor with the intensity of my stare.
I can’t look up. I can’t look into his eyes and see pity. For whatever reason, I’ve become his pet project and I don’t want any part of it. So despite my body responding to his words, I won’t give him the satisfaction of letting him see just how much he gets to me. Especially since he’s probably doing it so he has more material to make fun of me for later.
“What’s your first class?” he asks, as he leans in close, other students now passing around us.
I don’t know why he’s asking me this. He has to know by now that I won’t answer.
“Shit. I’m an idiot. You’re upstairs right?”
I nod again, thankful that he’s finally catching on. Just like a minute ago, he sweeps me up into him, moving ahead, pushing through the throng of students that are now filling up what had been a near empty hall a minute ago. I’m not sure if it’s so busy because of everything being floated around or if it’s because Kayden’s here now, but whatever the reason, I hate it. I just want to get to my class and away from him, so I can calm down.
“Ignore everything you hear okay?” he speaks down to me as he continues moving toward the stairs.
I do as he says and instead focus my attention on the woodsy smell that seems to be wafting off of him and directly into my nostrils. It’s a scent that even with the help he gave me yesterday; I don’t think I’ve ever smelled. It’s strong but not heavy. It’s like a mixture of freshly cut wood and the way the grass smells after it’s been cut in the summer time.
Turning the corner once we’ve reached the top, he stops and turns until he’s directly in front of me. The smell still lingers between us, but it’s more distant now, not nearly as overpowering as it was a few seconds before.
I turn toward the classroom, prepared to move myself around his body in order to go in and take my seat, but before I can take a step around him, his arm comes out and brings me back, startling me.
He did his good deed for the day so what else can he possibly want from me?
“When class lets out, I want you to wait for me here, alright? Promise me you won’t leave and go on your own.”
He sounds like my father with what he’s asking and if I could smile or even laugh, I would do it now. Just who does he think he is? Babysitting the autistic kid is not a job he wants, he must know this, so why is he doing it?