I sat in my kitchen listening to my mother talk into the phone, she was speaking to my father about me skipping my sixth hour. We got caught not after we jumped the fence, Jess caught up to us with the principal. He took us to his office and said he thought it be best if he gave Josh another para. Someone that was more responsible to get him to his classes. It was hard for me to accept it, still is, but only because Josh is used to me taking him to his classes and no one else. I sat there as my mother got off the phone.

"I'm so disappointed in you Emily. Skipping class with a boy," she threw hands in the air then put them through her hair. "When your father get home we'll talk about your punishment."

Just then there was a knock at the door, my mother went to open it. I saw Jessica staying there talking to my mother. I looked away, feeling regret that I ever left with him. Jess entered the house, looking around, probably dumbfounded that my parents are rich. I scoffed as she sat next to me.

"Hey I'm sorry I got you in trouble. I did it because you're his para, not his girlfriend." She said. My mother sat on the other side of the table, listening.

"Was his para. Thanks to you he has someone new to take him to his classes." I scoffed. She looked down.

"I'm sorry. You're my friend and he's not in his right mind. I was trying to protect you." She reassured. I stood up, staring at her face.

"Protect me from him? He wouldn't hurt me." I started walking away from her. She stood up after me.

"Oh so what happened in the boys bathroom wasn't hurting you?" I frozen, I forgot she knew about that due to cameras. Mother, on the other hand, was curious on what happened.

"I don't care what you think you saw, but I know him." I ran upstairs, leaving her and my mother to talk. I slammed my bedroom door and knocked over my school bag. Grabbing my pillow, I screamed into it, not long after I started to cry. I didn't want to leave Josh with another person to tell him where to go, I knew he wouldn't like that. More regret poured over me. I slowly dropped the pillow and waited for my dad to come home.

———

Slapping my alarm from my phone, i pulled the covers off my body and groaned. I was still tired from last night. My dad came home and convinced my mom not to punish me because I was talking with a boy and had a friend. I just accepted it and went to bed. I put on a tight grey shirt and black ripped shorts, then put my long, brown, annoying, hair up. I grabbed my bag and went down stairs to eat breakfast. Grabbing a piece of toast, I ran out the door and towards the bus stop. Jess was standing next to the stop sign with a few other students.

"Hey, what did your parents say?" She asked. I shrugged and took a bite of my toast. I could hear the bus coming up behind me.

"My dad told my mom to let it go for other reasons." I waited for the bus doors to open and got a seat in the back with Jess. She scoffed and looked out the window.

"If I did something like that my parent would kill me, not even exaggerating." She giggled a little. I did a stiff chuckle, finished my toast and waited till we got to school.

I got off the bus and headed straight towards my first hour. I usually go to the office to pick up Josh, but this time I saw his, what seemed to be, mother with another girl, which I was assuming was his new para, standing next to him talking to the principal. I slowly tried to walk past them, but principal Shepherds caught me.

"Ah! Ms. Belrose, you're here," I stopped and turned to him, not looking at anyone but the ground. "I wanted you to know that this is Josh's new para, Katie, and his mother, Tyler Tanks." I looked at Katie, who was looking at me with an ugly glare.

"This is the skank that watched Josh? It's a good thing that I'm taking over as his para." She wrapped herself around his arm. I felt a tug at my heart, but immediately dismissed it. Looking at his mother to see if she had anything to say, I saw she looked very dull, no makeup and pale skin. She looked to be a drug attic. Her jaw and nose were boney and wrinkles all over her skin. She didn't say a word but goodbye and left after a few minutes. I could feel Josh's eye locked on me, but I was to busy having a starring contest with Katie. She had thick thighs but a small rack. She wore a crop top that showed nothing and skinny jeans that were ripped. The only flaw I could see is that her hair was filled with smoke and was dry.

Katie was the first to break contact and walked away with Josh still starring at me. That feeling came back again, but stronger this time. I knew exactly what is was. Jealousy. This was the first time that I ever felt that cruel word. I could taste sour in my mouth when I thought of that word. I shook the feeling again and walked to my first hour. I can still hear that word in the back of my head.

Jealousy.