Finding Laila: Some Changes Are Necessary Part 25

Everyone continues talking, but I'm mentally berating myself for messing up. All I have left to write is my essay, but the subject matter is going to be hard for me to deal with. I excuse myself and walk around to clear my head. This view is one of my favorites. The quarry lit up by the moonlight and of course the clear sky covered in stars-it reminds me of my birthday.

"Whatcha thinking about?" Haden asks, standing next to me.

"Graduation. College. My birthday. Everything," I admit and lean my head on his shoulder. "I really screwed up."

"You have time-just write the essay tomorrow and we'll mail our applications off together."

"You haven't sent yours in either?" I look up at him, but his eyes are trained on the horizon.

"Not yet." He takes my hand in his and kisses it. "Just waiting on you."

"Guess I need to get my act together." I smile sadly.

He tugs my hand behind him to bring us back to the group and kisses me in front of everyone.

"Dude," Cole shouts, "it's not midnight, yet."

"Practice," Haden laughs.

"Resolutions," Joey announces. "We've got five minutes until it's midnight, let's do it."

"Resolutions?" Bailey asks.

"Yeah, it's our tradition," Braxton confirms. "We take turns saying what our resolution is for the New Year. We'll save you newbies for last and give you time to think. Joey, you're up."

He rubs his hands together over the fire and looks at everyone with a mischievous grin. "I'm going to try something new. This year, I'm going to go skydiving."

"Nice," Cole says. "All right, my resolution is-I'm going to get straight A's for my last semester."

"Good luck with that," I tease. "Okay, my turn: I'm going to find my birth mom-with my parents' blessing."

Haden wraps his arms around me and kisses my cheek. "Well, I guess I'm up. My resolution is that I'm going to enter a marathon."

Braxton nods his approval and clears his throat, "okay, my resolution is that I'm not going to hide who I am anymore."

I don't miss the look Braxton and Scot exchange before Scot speaks up. "Am I next? Okay, so I guess my resolution is that I'm going to try to mend things with my dad."

I suppose there's the reason why he moved to Texas, but none of us pry.

"What about you, Bailey?" Joey asks, holding her hand.

She looks around nervously and bites her nail. "My resolution is that I'm going to join a band."

"What?" I openly gape. I've heard her sing, but she's never mentioned that it was an interest.

"Just something I've always wanted to do," she shrugs with a shy smile.

"All right, Ree, you're up." Braxton points.

"Okay, my resolution," she starts but pauses for a second, "I'm going to stop going after the wrong guys."

I can't help the laugh that escapes me, but when I try to stop, she and Braxton join in. Everyone looks at us like we are idiots, which is a good thing because she knows I haven't said a word to anyone.

"Wait," Cole points to himself, "is that a jab at me?"

She smiles and shakes her head. "Nope. Not at all."

Chapter 21 ~ Finding Battles.

"Braxton," a guy calls out when he comes into view.

"What's up, Davis?" he asks, walking toward the football player.

I'm standing near my locker with Haden waiting for the first bell to ring. Even though he's in the middle of telling me something, my attention is focused on our other friend because something isn't sitting well with me. Braxton walks over and raises his hand to pat him on the shoulder, but Davis dodges the touch and pushes him away.

"Dude, back off! Just because I talk to you doesn't mean I swing that way," he says, loud enough for everyone to hear.

Braxton shakes his head and smirks, trying to take it as a joke, but it's clear Davis is trying to be a jerk.

"Get over yourself, Davis," he says with a shake of his head and leans in. "I'm not into you."

He turns to walk away and nods his head in our direction, but doesn't stop on his way to cla.s.s.

"Well that didn't take long, did it?" I ask.

"What, people being a.s.sholes? Nope, never does," Bailey chimes in. "What did you expect?"

"Decency," I mutter. "I can't wait to get out of here."

"Did you finally mail off your application?" Joey asks.

We haven't had much time to talk since New Year's Eve. We stayed out until well after one in the morning talking and laughing, but the next day I was glued to my desk, working on my essay for my applications. I spent the better part of two days getting it perfect and had my parents read it over to make sure that it was okay. The following Monday, Haden picked me up and we mailed off our applications together.

"Yep, all taken care of," I smile.

"Yeah, we each had three applications to mail off, and none of them were to the same school," Haden says.

I wrap my arm around his waist and hold onto him. We were both disappointed, but considering that he wants to study art and I want to study psychology, we had limited options.

"But most of our choices are only an hour away, so we'll see what happens," I remind him.

"C'mon, Lai," Joey says, "we're going to be late."

"Fine," I pout before giving Haden a quick hug. "See you at lunch?"

"See you."

The cla.s.sroom is buzzing with chatter, and it barely stops when we walk in; it's obvious what-or rather whom-they are talking about. Some attempt to modify the volume of their voices, but others talk louder.

Mr. Tredway slams the door shut and causes a few people to jump in their seats.

"You're on my time now. You can continue your conversation after cla.s.s." He narrows his eyes at the repeat offenders before turning around to the whiteboard.

"Laila," Kasey sneers at me, "how'd you do it?"

"Do what?" I play along.

"Turn Braxton gay-I mean, we all know he wasn't always," she laughs.

"That's enough, Kasey," Joey says.

"You better watch it, I bet you're next," she bites out.

"Please tell me you're not that stupid" I roll my eyes. "There is no way you are so ignorant to believe that someone can be 'changed,' right?"

"He was perfectly fine before you," she answers.

"And he's fine now. Jeez, Kasey, you need to get over it. You never stood a chance with Braxton. And even if he did like girls, there's no way he'd have ever gone for you because you're mean, self-centered, and obnoxious-so take your ignorant, small-minded, stupid opinions and keep them to yourself. Got it?"

"Are you threatening me?" she asks, feigning concern. "Mr. Tredway, I don't feel safe with Laila Nixon in the room."

"Don't worry about it, Mr. Tredway. I'm out," I announce, grabbing my things and leaving.

I hear the teacher call out to stop me, but I keep walking until I find myself outside the building and headed straight for Joey's car. I know I shouldn't walk out, but it p.i.s.ses me off-she p.i.s.ses me off. I open the door and toss my things into the back before climbing into the pa.s.senger seat and closing the door harder than I need to. I wish I had his keys to start the engine and run the heater-I'm just glad he always leaves this thing unlocked.

I run through a mental list of the things I'd love to do to Kasey, but for some reason I can't get past public humiliation. I'm not sure how I'd do it, but considering the things she's done to so many people, I think it would be fitting.

I'm not sure how long I've been sitting here conjuring up all the ways to torture Kasey, but I hear a noise outside that snaps me to the present. The driver side door swings open and Joey takes a seat without saying a word. He puts his key in the ignition and turns the heater on while we remain quiet. It's overcast and windy outside; the trees look like mere twigs without the leaves It's plain ugly out there, but I can't stop staring. Joey exhales a loud breath and clears his throat to get my attention, but I don't look at him.

"That was stupid," he says.

"Yeah, well, she's a jerk. Guess she brings it out in me," I counter.

"You let her win, Lai. You never let her win, why this time?"

"She was talking about Braxton."

"And she talks about you all the time, it's not like you've never heard it before."

"I can take it, Joey. I've always been a n.o.body, but Braxton was king of the school and now they're ripping him apart. Because he's gay?"

"You're not a n.o.body, Laila. People don't talk about n.o.bodies-they talk about the people they're jealous or scared of, and you scare people. Besides, do you see Brax crying about it? Is he hiding and slinking away? No, because he's better than that and so are you."

"Then why are you out here?"

"It's what best friends do, right?"

"Tredway sent you after me, didn't he?"

"Yeah, but only after he lectured Kasey and the others about treating people with respect." He looks at his watch. "We have a few minutes until cla.s.s is over-we should probably head back."

I nod in agreement and grab my things so I can meet Joey, who's waiting for me at the front of the car.

"How did you know where to find me, anyway?"

"You're always giving me a hard time about leaving my car doors unlocked-figured that was the only place you'd go. Bet you're glad I haven't started taking your advice."

"You know me too well." I smile lazily. "Guess that's why you're my favorite."

"I knew it," he laughs and wraps an arm around me.

We open the doors to enter the building and take a few steps in but the bell has rung and people are rus.h.i.+ng to cla.s.s. Someone pushes between us and I almost fall from the force, but I don't have time to reprimand the jerk because he's out of my sight by the time I look. Suddenly, people are pus.h.i.+ng to get to the far end of the hall with no regard for others.

Fight.

"Ah, let's go this way," Joey says, pulling me in the opposite direction, and I agree.

"Why do people like fights so much?" I scoff.

"Probably bec-"

"Braxton is beating that dude's a.s.s," someone shouts and I swing around to see what they're talking about. There's only one Braxton in the entire school and my heart rate increases as I rush toward the commotion.

"Laila, come back," Joey shouts, but I keep running and pus.h.i.+ng my way through.

I plow my body through a few people, trying desperately to get to the center, but it feels like I'm getting nowhere. The crowd doesn't notice me because they're too busy shouting and cheering the whole thing on.

"Stop it," I yell, but no one is listening. They never listen. They're like animals.

I can hear the lockers slamming and people are actually chanting in the chaos-it makes me sick to my stomach.

"Braxton," I shout, "stop it."

Somehow I manage to break through the last barrier and see not only Braxton, but Haden fighting with two other football players-Davis and Jason. Jason's arm is raised, poised to swing at Braxton when I run over and push him from behind, throwing him into the lockers so he knocks his head against them.

"Stop it!"

He turns around to face me and checks his face for blood. Don't worry, loser, there isn't any. Davis pushes me back, but I fight against him and break free so I can get to Jason, who watches every move I make with a sick interest.

"What's your problem, Jason? Braxton has been your teammate and friend for years, even though I've never understood why. And now you want to pick a fight with him? You realize he can kick your a.s.s any day of the week, right?"