Entering Mr. Blume's class, I scanned the room, hoping to see Jasmine, but she wasn't there. As I sat down, I couldn't help but overhear whispers from other students. They were talking about how someone was scared in the car with Jasmine I started thinking about how Jasmine gave me a ride home. Feeling uneasy, I decided to put my head down and try to ignore the gossip.
However, I soon realized that my name was being mentioned in nearly every conversation around me. It was as if everyone was talking about me behind my back. The feeling of being singled out grew stronger when we went to gym class. Jake, one of my classmates, was looking at me weirdly, and during our game of dodgeball, he seemed to be targeting me with every throw.
It became so uncomfortable that when he hit me in the face with the ball, I decided to sit out for the rest of the game. I could hear some of the other students taunting me, calling me names. "Pussy cat, you scared?" they jeered, and I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being targeted.
As the day went on, I couldn't stop thinking about who might have told everyone about the ride home with Jasmine. The only people who knew about it were me and Jas-- then it hit me, Jasmine. She must have told everyone.
Class finally ended, and time seemed to have flown by unusually fast that day. I remembered I had lunch detention, so I grabbed my lunch and headed to the detention room. When I walked in, I saw Jasmine sitting there.
Jasmine's eyes met mine as I entered the room, but she didn't say anything. I could feel a mix of frustration and hurt bubbling up inside me. Why wouldn't she just own up to what she did?
I decided to keep my distance and sat down, hoping to avoid any confrontation. But a few minutes later, I felt someone tapping on my shoulder. I looked up, and there she was, Jasmine.
"Why didn't you say hi, Dex?" she asked, her tone soft, almost pleading.
I couldn't believe she was trying to turn this around on me. "It's a two-way street, Jasmine," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. "You could've said hi too."
She looked taken aback by my response. "I thought you said we were gonna be friends," she said, her voice tinged with hurt.
I sighed, feeling a pang of guilt. "Until I found out what you told everyone about me," I admitted, unable to hold back my frustration.
Jasmine's expression softened, and she reached out to me. "I meant it as a joke, Dex," she explained, her voice filled with regret. "Not like that."
"Well, that joke made everyone not like me anymore," I retorted bitterly, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on me.
"The only reason people don't like you is because you're weird," Jasmine shot back, her words stinging like a slap in the face.
Anger surged through me, and I could feel my fists clenching involuntarily. "Just leave me alone," I said, my voice trembling with emotion.
Before Jasmine could respond, I stood up abruptly, unable to bear being in the same room as her any longer. "Ma'am, I need to use the bathroom," I said, addressing the detention supervisor, my voice strained with frustration.
Without waiting for a response, I stormed out of the room.
I pushed open the door to the teacher's bathroom, grateful for the solitude it offered. It was meant for one person at a time, and I was glad for the privacy as I needed a moment. Sitting on the toilet, tears streamed down my face as I tried to make sense of everything.
I should have seen it coming. Jasmine's behavior on Thursday should have been a warning sign. She never really liked me. Kirah was right all along.
I stared at my reflection in the mirror. A part of me wished that he could take over, and release all my pent-up frustration and anger.
Something in me snapped. A part of me wanted to let go, to unleash all my pent-up anger on everyone who had treated me unfairly, especially Jake. What had I ever done to him? Why was he targeting me like this?
With a sudden burst of anger, I clenched my fist and struck the wall. The impact echoed through the bathroom, and I watched in shock as a hole formed where my fist connected with the wall.
I couldn't believe what I had just done. I had punched a wall out of frustration and anger. The realization of my actions hit me hard, and I felt a wave of regret wash over me.
Just then, there was a knock on the bathroom door. Panicking, I quickly washed my hands and composed myself before opening the door. It was the detention teacher.
"What happened?" she asked, concern evident in her voice.
I shook my head, not wanting to get into it. "Nothing," I replied curtly, before making my way back to the detention room.
As I entered the room, I noticed Jasmine looking at me. Our eyes met, but I couldn't bring myself to care. I was tired of everything that had happened that day. I sat down and forced myself to try and sleep, hoping that when I woke up, it would all just be a bad dream.
I drifted off into an uneasy sleep.
I woke up to chaos. My hands were bloody, and I was on top of Jake, who was sprawled on the ground. The other students were chanting, "Fight, fight, fight!"
Confusion and panic gripped me as I stood up, trying to make sense of what had just happened. I looked around, and my eyes met Kirah's. She looked shocked and concerned.
"Dex, stop! What are you doing?" she exclaimed, her voice cutting through the noise of the chanting students.
I felt like I was in a daze, disconnected from reality. I heard a voice in my head saying, "You're welcome."
Suddenly, the principal arrived and took control of the situation. He escorted me to his office, where we sat down to talk.
"Dex, what happened back there?" he asked, his tone firm but not accusatory.
I struggled to find the right words. "I... I don't know," I mumbled, feeling overwhelmed by everything that had transpired.