LUCAS

Truth be told, I am not really in for this relationship shit Nancy wants with me. For one, I enjoy the company of the girls. They swoon over me. Secondly, she asked me out and I should have just refused her but I agreed. No big deal about it. In actual sense, I am not the one who instigated the relationship talk, she is.

Despite that, I still don't get why she is not at peace with her step sister who happens to be my bestfriend.

I pick up my phone and notice that she dropped a message for me on whatsapp.

Are you home?
-Marie

Yeah, what's up?
-Me

Nothing. Can I come over?
-Marie

Sure.
-Me

Alright. Be there in ten.
-Marie

W

hen the sound of a bike graces the compound, I needed no one to tell me it's her. She is different from conventional girls which is why I click better with her, even though we have known ourselves since we were younger. Her brunnette hair reminds me of her mother. Rest in Peace, Aunt Becca.

About five minutes after, a knock sounds on my door and I open to see her.

"Hello, Kiddo." I know how much she hates it and I derive pleasure at it because we are almost age mates. I was born in November while she was born in March the following year.

"Shut up, we are age mates." She shoots back.

"No, we aren't." This is always fun. We both burst into laughter and I pick up a pillow to throw at her. Just like that, we start a pillow fight, laughing our hearts out.

•••••

"Good morning, mom." I say, giving her a peck on her cheeks.

"That's my wife, cheeks and hands off." God, this man. Mom's laugh which sounds so pleasing to the ears and like that of an angel resounds in the room, echoing through the house.

"Honey, cut the boy some slack." She voices out.

"When he gets his own wife someday, he'll understand." He slips his hands around her waist and gives her a kiss on her lips. My parents are no respecters of PDA.

"Ewwww, can someone just stop seeing eye damaging things in this house?" Well, that voice belongs to my over exaggerating sister, Gioia. She is two years younger than I am. Dad sends her a glare and I watch her widen her eyes playfully at them. Gioia is a handfull.

"Don't you kids have school to be at?" Dad says, scrunching his face a little, much to our amusement.

"Darling, they need to have breakfast first." She gives him a look which he understand before going to sit at the lone seat reserved for the head of the table. Mom seats by his right, I sit by his left and Gioia sits beside me. That's usually our sitting arrangement.

"Darling, honey. Urghh, all this livey dovey thingz you two do is making me wajt to puke." My sister says, actually making a puking sound. I really don't mind the PDA. I love and respect my parents so much and the love between them is amazing. I just don't see myself in their shoes, though. Not to be mean or something but sometimes mom can be really controlling of Dad and I don't want that situation for myself. It's a good thing my friends also think the same way too, even though not all with the same reason.

"Let's pray." After saying the grace, we began eating. I love my mom for this. Despite being wealthy, she does the cooking for us. We have just a cleaner who helps with laundry and house chores but everyone is expected to clean their room themselves. That's the rule in this house.

"Bye, mom. Bye, dad." Gioia says, throwing air kisses at them. I wait after her and bid goodbye before we head to school. I catch dad whispering something into mom's ears and nibbling on them just before I leave. They are one couple who are really in love.

"What's up, bro?" Nick says, wearing a goofy smile as he exchanges hand shakes with me.

Meet André, Nikolas and Fabian, my best friends. Marie is too but she does not belong in our clique and she has a closer relayionship with me than with the guys.

Fabian is the more laid back one so he does not say anything. Just nods and hugs me while André whistles playfully, nodding behind us.

I turn to see Marie standing at her locker, wearing a face cap and with her hair falling over her face.

"What's up with her, anyways?" Andre asks.

"Don't know. I'll find out during break." I say to him.

The first class for the day was Maths. Mrs. Sullivan was taking us on Quadratic equation today.

"So, from our previous class, I made it clear to you that there are four ways to solve a quadratic equation." Her eyes scan the classroom and they finally land on someone.

"Marianna Davis, tell us these methods." Marie does not seem to have her thoughts in one piece because she does not respond to her. Mrs. Sullivan squeezes a sheet of paper into a ball and throws it at her. Marie looks startled and quickly looks at her.

"I asked you a question." She shoots back.

"Errr, sorry could you repeat that?" She asks her.

"Tell us the methods with which quadratic equations are solved." She reiterates.

"Completing the square method, factoring method, graphing method and quadratic formula method." I sigh in relief. I am glad she could respond. The teacher gives her one long stare before asking her to sit. She does so and bends her head down, still brooding. A few seconds later, she starts playing with her pen.

After the class, I had Music while she had Drama class. Unfortunately, that means I would not be able to confront her. Well, I am glad that break follows suit.

As soon as I am done with my class, I dash to the drama theatre to wait for her. The cap gave off her appearance before she could even walk far. So I dragged her hands and led her to an empty class.

With my hands in my pocket, I give her a once over before asking.

"What's wrong?" I ask her.

"Nothing." She says.

"Don't tell me nothing, please. What is the problem?" She can be stubborn and sometimes, I have to press.

She sighs, defeated. "Close the windows and leave only one open." She says.

"Alright, ma'am." I do as told and walk back to meet her. Slowly, she lifts up her shirt for me to see.

I cover my mouth in shock as I examine what she reveals to me. Shit! This does not look good at all.

"Who?" I ask her

"Harlot." Even in pain, she still finds a way to be funny. Honestly, I would have laughed if this was not the situation.

"What? Has it gotten this bad?" She slowly nods her head in affirmation.

"When did it start?" I ask her.

"She did yesterday when I was asleep." My hand moves slowly to touch the razor marks on her stomach. She flinches in pain but still tries to put off a strong front. The injury still looks fresh.

"Sorry about this." I say to her.

"It's nothing. Hopefully it does not happen again." Is she really tring to play this off?

"Shut up. It is not nothing. This is cruel. You are just 17, Marie. Even at an older age, nobody deserves this." She chuckles bitterly before looking in another direction.

"Tell that to Harlot." She says, trying to force a smile. I take her in my arms for a hug before pulling out.

"Come, let's go get you something to eat." Together, we walk out of the classroom, hand in hand.

"Hey, boo." A hand slides over my neck and I am given a peck on my cheeks while the person uses their other hand to push Marie.

"I am not your boo." This is Harper, a pain in the ass. She still lives under the illusion that we are still an item. No matter how many times I try to let it sink into her head.

"What are you doing with that, anyway?" By that, she is referring to Marrie.

"Listen, Harper. You need to stop this. I hate it." I send an apologetic look to Marie's way. She just stands there with folded arms and showing no emotions as she watches us.

"Why are you arms around my boyfriend?" This is not the idea of how I wanted to spend my break time.

"We both know he does not like you, hoe." Nancy says with distate.

"You are the bigger hoe. I see the things you do in the toilet." Harper shoots back at Nancy. Well, I am glad I am not the one she does whatever with. I am even tired of this so called relationship.

"We're done, Nancy." I watch the shock on her face, followed by a scream. Harper gives her a crooked smile with a slight raise on the right side of her lips.

"You!" She launches at Harper and they are soon engaged in a catfight. Quietly, I slip out of their midst, making sure to take Marie with me. I don't want to be involved in their mess.

"The drama that follows you. So tiring." Marie says, laughing.

"I wonder how." I shrug to accompany my words.

"Really?" She asks, stopping in her tracks.

"You wonder how? You are one funny person, Lucas." By the time we arrive at the cafetaria, break had just fifteen minutes left. We get burgers and a glass of juice before joining the guys.

•••••

With the severity of the injury, one would think that would be the last time but imagine my surprise  on Saturday evening when Marie came knocking on my door, tears in her eyes. She could not talk, all she did was point at her sides.

It was a mess.  Sometimes I wonder why she does not tell her dad about the bullying they subject her to. This is inhumane and with the rate at which this is going, she could get killed in the hands of that woman.

"It stings." She says, finally finding words. Currently, I am sanitizing the injury using spirit and cotton wool.

"Sorry." I say tenderly, stroking her hair.

"What happened this time?"

"Dad has not been around for a while now and she gave all the helps a break, meaning I am automatically the one to fill in their position. I was doing the dishes when one mistakenly slipped off my hands and broke." She explains with a low voice, wincing in pain at intervals.

"Which is why she did this?" She nods in reply to my question.

"I am involving my mom in this when they return." She shakes her head in disagreement.

"No. Do not do that." It pains to see someone being treated thos way. What is even worse is the fact that she is still trying to protect them. For crying out loud, this is physical abuse!

"Please. If she does it again."

"So she kills you the third time?" I am so angry right now.

"I am a strong girl." She says, chuckling.

"Indeed. Even strong girls need saving once in a while." I point out.

"Yeah. The next time she tries it, you'll have the right to do what you want. I promise."

Gioia is pronounced as Joya which means Joy.