Jaden is quiet as we pull into his usual parking spot at the academy. He’s been quiet for most of the ride here. I’ve tried to make comments here and there but once I realized that he wasn’t taking the bait, I decided to turn up the music and allow him to stew in his own thoughts.
Jaden doesn’t turn off the car immediately, so I don’t take off my seatbelt. I sit there looking through the windshield as I wait for him to speak his piece.
Through the cracked windshield, I see Ren Takeshima standing in the parking lot. He’s leaning against his Mercedes, a cigarette hanging from his lips. I wonder when he picked up the habit. I hadn’t noticed him smoking before.
“I know that you think that I can’t do much,” Jaden’s voice is raw, causing me to look away from Ren. I turn my head towards Jaden and see that he’s still gripping the steering wheel. He continues speaking, “I know that all I am is just a janitor. I know I’m nothing compared to the students that go here and their rich parents, but I’m still your older brother, Octavia. I’m still here for you. My main job, my main priority is taking care of you. Tell me if someone is messing with you and I’ll do whatever I can to stop it.”
I bite my lip, “It’s okay, Jaden. It's nothing like that. I don’t think of you as nothing. You’re everything to me. You always have been and you always will be. The people who go to the school may be dumbasses but I don’t let them get to me, and you shouldn’t either.”
Jaden scoffs, “Do you really think that it's that easy?”
I let out a sigh, “I know it's not. I just- I just don’t want you to worry about me. Going to this school is the opportunity of a lifetime. I can go to any university I want to and it's all because of you, because of you and your sacrifice. Don’t worry about anything else. That’s all that really matters.”
Jaden doesn’t reply.
I take off my seatbelt and lean over. I pull him into my arms. We usually shy away from physical affection, as if needing to find comfort in one another’s arms was cringe or embarrassing. In truth, it was freeing. Jaden was a great source of comfort for me. I felt bad for ignoring his feelings, for thinking that he was stronger than he really was. I thought it would be enough to imagine the future after the academy, it had always been enough for me, but this was the first time I had seen that hope wasn’t enough for him.
It takes a second, but Jaden eventually turns to accept my embrace. I hold him, trying to be a source of strength and comfort for him, the way he had been a source of strength and comfort for me for as long as I could remember.
After a minute, Jaden pulls away. His face is blank but I can tell that he’s still conflicted. I give him a smile.
“Since when do Caldwells accept defeat?”
The corner of Jaden’s mouth begins to tilt into a small smile, “Never.”
I grab the top of his head and shake it from side to side, “And we’re not going to start now, are we?”
Jaden slaps my hand away, a real smile on his face now, “No, we’re not.”
“Exactly, that's what I thought, now let's go out there and kick some ass.”
Jaden laughs, “We’re not going to play the ending football game of some inspirational sports movie, Octavia.”
I grin, “That’s exactly the vibe I was going for but you’re right, this is only the second day of school.”
Jaden mellows out a little bit, “Thanks for that. I guess I kinda needed it.”
I nod, “Don’t mention it.”
I reach into the backseat and get my backpack. I give Jaden one last glance, my hand on the door handle.
“I’ll see you after school, okay?”
Jaden nods, “See you then.”
I get out of the car first while Jaden stays behind, no doubt needing a few minutes to himself.
I sling my backpack over my shoulders and then begin heading towards the courtyard.
I train my eyes on the ground when I near Ren who is still leaning against his car.
“Octavia.”
My heart skips a beat at the sound of Ren’s voice saying my name. I keep my head down and keep walking.
“Octavia,” Ren repeats my name, his tone sharp enough to make me stop.
I look up at him, “Yes.”
He throws down his cigarette and crushes it underneath his heel, “Come here.”
Something about the way he says the command makes it impossible for me to disobey. I walk towards him. I stop a few feet in front of him.
Ren stares down at me, his expression unreadable.
“Are you fucking him?”
Ren’s words are so blunt, I have to let out a surprised scoff, “What?”
Ren juts his chin out in the direction I came from. I follow his eyes to see Jaden staring at us.
“You like older men or what?”
“What? No. I-” My voice fails when Ren closes the distance between us.
“I didn’t take you for a whore.”
My jaw drops, “What did you just say to me?”
Ren leans down, our faces only inches apart.
“I said that I didn’t realize you were a whore. I can smell his cheap cologne all over you.”
I look up into Ren’s eyes, my cheeks filling with an indignant heat, “I am not a whore.”
“I saw you leave with him yesterday. I’m guessing you spent all night with him at his shitty apartment? How long have you been fucking him? You two looked real friendly just now,” Ren continues, his voice hard.
“I’m not fucking him, Ren. He’s-”
“Is everything alright over here, Octavia?” Jaden’s voice cuts me off as he approaches.
Ren and I both turn to look at him.
Ren sneers as he looks Jaden up and down, “I don’t think it’s anything that concerns you.”
Jaden steps forward, “If it concerns Octavia, then it concerns me.”
Ren scoffs and then looks back down at me. He looks like he wants to say something but he just shakes his head and then walks off towards the school.
I watch Ren as he walks away.
“Who is that guy?” Jaden’s voice brings me back to reality.
I tear my eyes away from Ren’s retreating figure and shrug, “Just some dude.”
“Just some dude, huh?” Jaden repeats.
“Yeah,” I huff out.
“How do you know him?” Jaden pries.
“He’s just a classmate.”
“What were y'all talking about? It looked pretty intense.”
I look up to meet Jaden’s eyes, “Nothing important.”
“It looked pretty important to me. What you’d do to piss that guy off?”
My jaw drops, “What did I do? I didn’t do shit.” I let out a harsh breath and then shake my head, “I’ve gotta go. I’m going to be late for class. I’ll see you later.”
I hear Jaden call out my name but I keep walking.
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaS2TRL4Yio
