Piercing Chill
Chapter 5

The next day Iwas perched on my desk with Craig on my right. I was trying to draw lines thatdefined his jaw. I had already tried to recreate his soft ashy blonde hair withmy pencil. It was coming out well. I hadn’t realised that Ms Jackson wasn’t inthe room any longer until I felt my hair being yanked. I screamed at the suddenpain that shot through my scalp.

“You bitch.” Iheard Brittany’s voice above me.

She was the onepulling my hair. I tried to get out her grip but she didn’t let go. Suddenly Ifelt someone pull me away from her grasp. I looked up, some guy was holding herout of range while Craig held me. I felt my head, checking my fingers for bloodor any lost hair. Thank God there was none.

“Are you ok?” Iheard Craig ask behind me.

I nodded beforeturning my gaze towards Brittany. Was this her revenge for me spilling lemonadeonto her clothes?

“Is this aboutthe lemonade?” I asked, “I already apologised, I’m sorry ok? I didn’t mean tospill it on you.”

She scoffed atmy statement and wiggled herself from the guy’s grip. She crossed her arms infront of her before whipping her blonde hair behind her.

“I’m not angryabout the lemonade but the fact that you’re trying to steal Jason from me.”

Confused by herwords, I started laughing.

“It’s notfunny! I heard you’ve been all over my Jason. Please do us both a favour andkeep your thick thighs from my baby’s view. He doesn’t need to see imperfectthings such as yourself.” She finished.

I had nothingto reply her with. I wanted to laugh and tell her he was using her but Idecided against it. Jason had been in this school for two days and she wasalready claiming him as her own. I shook my head before turning away from her.

“Don’t pretendas if I’m lying. Yesterday, he followed you into the staff room at your work.You both did God knows what in there.” Brittany huffed.

I whirledaround at her words. How did she know? Not like we did anything that wasobscene. However, I couldn’t tell her that Jason had come to frighten me again.

“I don’t knowwhat you’re talking about.” I lied.

“Liar, I’mgoing to get to the bottom of this. Don’t you dare show yourself in front ofJason or else I will destroy you.” She finished before walking away from me.

How did sheeven know I was in art? How did she even get permission to roam around theschool freely? I shook my head in disbelief and watched Brittany exiting theroom. Everyone’s eyes were on me. I could hear people talking around me. Doesn’t she know that messing withBrittany’s men can lend her in jail? She’s so stupid. I wonder what Jason evensees in her. What were they doing in the staff room? That whore, she has bothCraig and Jason’s favour.

I felt angrytears forming in my eyes. I looked around fuming at the people’s words. Not oneof the students around me opened their mouths as they spoke these words. Was Iimagining it? I was brought out of myconfusion by Craig pulling me out of the classroom by my arm. He dragged metowards the girl’s lavatory. I tried to to protest but he pulled me in. Hechecked all stalls before turning towards me.

“Are you ok?”He asked again.

I noddedavoiding his gaze. What was happening?

“What happenedbetween you and Jason that caused that girl to bully you like that? Have youmet Jason alone before?” I didn’t reply. Jason warned me to not tell anyone.

“Fine don’ttell me. At least answer me this.” Craig paused, “Is he the one who causedbruises on your shoulders?”

I lifted myeyes at him immediately. How had he seen the bruises on my shoulders? Iinvoluntarily touched my shoulders. I didn’t reply but instead turned around toleave the room. However, Craig grabbed me by the arm and whirled me to facehim. He hesitated but lifted his hand towards my head. I felt him pull somehair, he was fixing my hair.

“There”. As ifnothing happened, he said with satisfied smile on his face, “Come on, we havedrawings to finish.”

He dragged meout of the lavatory. I was kind of thankful he didn’t push the matter.

Duringlunchtime, Tina and I were seating at our normal seats. Craig joined us earlieron. As soon as I sat down in my spot, I almost regretted it. Only two tablesaway, Jason was seated directly in front of me. Next to him, Brittany wasclinging to his arm. However, his gaze never left mine. I stared back angrily.Did he tell Brittany about last night? I saw his expression change into ashock. He glanced at Brittany before turning towards me. Now, an apologeticexpression was written on his face.

Did he read mymind or something?

I shook my headand turned my attention towards Tina who was busy stuffing her face with achicken burger. I looked at my own on the table. I picked it up with two handsand took a bite, brushing crumbs off my face right after. I glanced at Craig,he wasn’t eating. He seemed to be focused on something else. I nudged hisshoulders making him turn towards me.

“Why aren’t youeating?” I questioned him.

He forced asmile before replying, “I’m not hungry.”

I put my burgerdown and turned my full attention towards him. “What’s going on?”

He sighedbefore beginning, “I don’t like the idea of you with Jason.” I could hear agasp escaping Tina’s lips. I glanced at him in confusion. “He’s not right foryou and I think you should stay away from him.”

Funny he saidthat. I wanted to laugh at his words but I figured he wouldn’t appreciate it.Jason had said the exact same thing. Did these two share something that Iwasn’t aware of?

“What’s the deal between you and Jasonanyway?” Tina took the words right of my mouth.

I watched Craigpeculiarly waiting for his reply. He sighed before replying, “He’s my cousin.”

I gasped at thesudden revelation. I hadn’t expected that at all. I glanced at Jason then atCraig. They were so different from each other. I glanced at Tina, she wore thesame expression as me.

“I know. It’s hard to believe.” He pausedfor about three seconds before continuing. “He moved with my father and I. I heardit’s because his mother thought it would be good for him. You see, he causedall sorts of commotion when his father died last year. His father was brutallymurdered in front of him and he couldn’t cope with his death. Hence why hestarted doing drugs and became uncontrollable. His mother flew him from Romaniato Canada and told my father to take care of him while she tried to pickherself up again.”

That explainedhis wild side and his weird sense of humour.

Despite myhatred towards Jason, I felt a slight ping of pity and empathy for him. Iglanced towards Jason. So maybe he wasn’t bad after all. He just needed someoneto show him that life isn’t all too bad.

“Ugh, I can’t believe I told you this.” Craigreplied rubbing his hand on his forehead. He abruptly excused himself from thetable. I didn’t bother following him because I knew he wanted to be by himself.

I eyed Jason.He was following Craig’s movements until he was out of the door. He turned hishead towards me, an angry expression on his face before detaching himself fromBrittany and following Craig out of the cafeteria. Did he hear ourconversation?

I turned myattention towards Tina to see if she had just witnessed what just happened. Shemirrored my expression. We both didn’t know what to make of what had justhappened so we continued staffing our chicken burgers into our mouths insilence. However, pity still gnarled my brain.

That afternoon,Jason didn’t come to chemistry and I was left alone to do research. On top ofthat, I agreed to tutor him despite his words and actions.

I also didn’tsee a glance of Craig around the school.