The Laxstar

Friend or foe?

Persephone's p.o.v

When school is done I walk to my bus stop, I hate the fact that I don’t own a car. I skipped out on the chance to get my license because Demetri said I was too pretty to drive. Not pretty enough to not take the bus though. I make my way to the back of the bus, trying to keep a low profile, Demetri and his goons aren’t here but I still don’t like being in big crowds. It makes me uncomfortable with being somewhat of a target. When I made it to the seat I always sit in, the red haired boy was already there, he was looking out the window and his ears were plugged up. I tried looking around for another seat but they are all filled with pre existing bodies. “You can sit down, you know” he said without looking in my direction. When I take a seat he passes me a candy rope “want one?” having no Idea of what to say, I sat quietly. When I didn’t take it right away he turned to look at me, I didn’t really notice his eyes before, but they are beautiful, one of them is green and the other an Icy blue. His face is showered with freckles. The expression painted on his face was curiosity. “You don’t like candy rope?” I didn’t want to be mean and tell him I don’t like them so I shook my head. “You must not talk alot.” I don’t know what his deal is with small talk but he sucks. “My name is Julius. May I ask what's yours?” The question was weird. He talks like he’s from medieval times as if he isn’t up to date on the twenty-first century. “Persephone.” I try not to look directly at him, the ways he looks at me makes me nervous. I’ve never seen Demetri pay attention to me like this, studying my every action. Choosing his word carefully. “Do you have any friends Percy?” I was confused by the question mostly because of the way he said the nickname my mother used to call me. The way he says it so naturally throws me off “Can you not call me that please?” I could have sworn I saw the excitement in his eyes but his face stays mutual. “What do you mean Percy?” I don’t say anything more. I know he felt the change in my mood and decided to leave me alone. Why is this boy being nice to me, he’s good looking, seems nice. And knows how to keep a conversation without being rude. So what’s the deal?

When the bus pulls to my stop I say goodbye to Julius and exit. It's about a two minute walk back to my house from the stop.

I open my door to an empty house, I place my bag on a chair in the kitchen. I do a small walk through to see if my mother is home, by this time of day she is usually hammered, and is in need of my help to pick her life up. She’s probably at a bar.

My mom has never been the same since her and my dad broke up. He divorced her and made her a single mom, not caring if I exist or not. He sends me cards here and there, but I know he’s too caught up with his new family. Taking them on expensive vacations to disney world and sh*t. But all I get is a drunken mother and a card with two hundred dollars every Christmas and birthday. I make my way to her bedroom and she’s sitting in a chair by the window. 

“Come here you lousy daughter of mine and get me some more vodka” I just sigh and do what I’m told, if I refuse then I would be kicked out to sleep outside don’t cry be strong don’t show her you’re weak. I slam the drink on the table next to her, almost spilling the content. I hate that she treats me this way, I hate I don’t have a mother. Or at least one that loves me “I bet you can’t wait til I die so you can be free, Huh? You want me to die you little b**ch.” without saying anything I grab my bag and head up stairs to my room. I locked the door, and turned up my speaker so I don’t have to be bothered with my mother. I start on my homework, getting lost in books trying to drown out my day, trying to drown out the hatred for my life. I can only distract myself from these thoughts, so I do as much as possible.

I get done with my homework at a reasonable hour, when I check the clock it reads 6:48pm. I decided I want to ride my bike down to this teen club called SHONIES. It’s where everyone goes to hang out, and for me to meet up with my childhood friend Ashley. We became friends on the way to camp about 4 years ago. We go to different schools since she lives on the other side of town. But we never let that stop us. I texted her to let her know I was on the way. 

I don’t really like being here, but when me and Ashley link up there’s nothing that can stop my day, not even Demetri. Walking through the doors I spot my girl in the sea of people. Before I can sit down she starts talking. “Oh my f**king god girl, you and that damn homework be taking all day, now listen I know you don’t like Demetri fat head ass, and you be feeling some type of way, but his cousin is throwing a party and we gots to go.” I stopped listening when she said Demetri, I don’t know why she loves hanging out with those pricks. Even though she’s the one who introduced us. “Come on girl, you know they don’t like me, you know they all bully me right?” she only looks at me with sad eyes. I know she feels bad since she set us up, but she couldn't have possibly known that Demetri was an asshole. “Girl if they say anything I got yo back but, I just need to see my future bae” Ugghhh, I hated when she talked about Chris like that. Chris is Demetri’s cousin, one of the guys who makes my life a living hell, but then again I don’t want to f**k things up for Ashley. I know they like each other, but I’m still not going. “Ash why do you need me to go when you just gonna have Chris tongue down your throat, if he really likes you then he wouldn’t keep hooking up with you at parties. Just so he could say he can’t remember the night, do you see what I’m saying” I could tell I made her mad because what she said next hurt me. “So you mean like you and Demetri? How that work out btw?” I can’t believe she said that when I was only looking out for her because what I go through isn’t anything but cool, but then again I’ve never really stood up for myself. She’s the only friend I have so I just say nothing and agree to go with her to the party. 

We headed back to my place to get ready, my mom wouldn’t mind because she passed out drunk on the couch, Ashley took her vodka and ran to my room. Instead of telling her to put it back I just grabbed another bottle and put it on the table so she wouldn’t notice it was gone. “Girl why yo momma be loaded everytime I come over here?” I don’t answer the question I just take a swig out the bottle, I don’t want to go to this house party sober. I can feel the liquid burn my throat as it makes a hot entrance to my stomach. Making me feel loose with every swallow, I can feel my cheeks getting hot, and everything seems woozy. I’m not worried about the events that are about to take place, but this vodka is not letting me give a sh*t. Ashley takes the bottle and cap out my hand then puts it in her bag “Damn girl you ain’t gotta get wrecked for the party, you can get wrecked there. What’s the rush” I just looked at her with a pouty lip and she tucks the bottle away. “Hey come on now, just one more squid.” instead of giving me the bottle she just got up and left the room. I thought that maybe she left without me, I was getting glad at the thought and started to undress. Before I could get my shirt off, someone pulled it back down, my eyes must have been closed because I can't see. All I can feel is something soft inserting my mouth. “What is this?” I say in between chews. When I open my mouth again for whatever this is another piece is found there. “Is this bread?” expecting another piece, I’m not greeted by it but a straw, I laugh at this unusually silent attention I’m getting. When I open my eyes Ashley is standing in front of me with a glass of water and it looks like she is laughing. “What's so funny”

“Girl you, how you gon go to a party already slammed, you gonna be sick before the night ends, you gotta pace yourself.” I took her words with caution, I knew what she meant. If you throw up at a party before everyone is slammed, you are banned. No one wants to take care of someone incoherent. Or worse, if you are a girl you can end up someplace you don’t want to be. After the sober up kit I feel well enough to say no, but drunk enough to say f**k it.  

Me and Ashley took my moms car, I slipped some nyquil tablets into her drink that she will eventually wake up to. Don’t worry she’s had worse.

Looking outside the car, and all I can see is a crowd that I don’t want to mingle with. I just think about the days that most of these people taunt me constantly. The hell I go through is enough to make me want to stay in the car. But when it comes down to Ashley I know that's not possible. When walking up to the house I feel nervous, but then again I feel fine once I see a familiar face. “Hey Percy, I didn’t think you were here” his red hair is the first thing I noticed.  Julius greets me with a smile, the girl he was talking to greets me with a scowl. I think she didn’t like the reaction I got from Julius. “Hi Julie, I’m not the only one who gets a shorten name, see you inside” 

I enter the party and first think that hits my nose is the smell of w**d, I don’t like the smell. My Mother and one of her old boyfriends used it alot. And that takes me back to a place I know I don't want to go to again. Ashley leads me with her to go find her “future bae” but I know that once we find one we find them all. I wasn’t looking forward to the negative attention that was waiting for me. We ventured all over before finding them in the kitchen, playing russian rulet. A game where you drink or dare. Eight people surrounded the table, two of them being Demetri and Chris. When Ashley takes sight of Chris she mingles her way to him stealing him away from any girl who thought they had a chance. Her words not mine. I stand back not getting too close to the table to the point where I’m sucked into the game. Knowing the fate of the things they’d make me do. It wasn’t long before Demetri spotted me, a dark playful smile was plastered on his face. He leaned over and whispered into his buddy's ear. The boy looked at me and back to him and whispered something back. The boy with blonde hair walked over to me, when he got close I saw the same smile Demerti had on. “Hey Demetri wants to know if he could talk to you?” I froze not really understanding the question, not really understanding what's going on. He wants to talk to me, after all the s**t that's happened with us this past week, all the hell he’s put me through. Does he really think I’m going to talk to him? “You tell him if he wants to speak to me, that he needs to man up, grow some balls and speak to me himself” oh no, where the f**k did that come from? The boy looks as shocked as I feel about my answer, he stood there not knowing what to do for a moment. Happy with what was said, I stepped away to mingle around the party. I tried looking for Julius in the crowd but I couldn't seem to pinpoint him in the scene. You’d think it would be easy with hair like his but it was hard. I made my way outside to see if I could see him out there but there was no luck. I walked to where the pool was and stood looking at the pool reflecting blue, the water seemed to flow like me. Hold still like me, it makes me want to cry at the sight of patients. Thinking about all those times I kept my composure to get no empathy, no compassion. I have no hero to save my day. 

“You look decent tonight, I took it upon myself to grow some balls to talk to you” when I turned to see Demetri in front of me, holding a plastic cup. He took a long drink from it, draining it of its content. “So, how you liking the party? Didn’t expect there to be h**s here but I guess so.” I didn’t even bother holding back, or staying quiet. “You know what, you talk a lot of s**t for having a baby d**k. Plus you didn’t steal my virginity. You go around telling everybody I’m a slut and that you couldn’t get it up, but you’re just mad that I didn’t give it up. ” that got a few people’s attention and a few laughs from the crowd. That was enough to make Demetri pissed awe sh*t I just really messed up. “Everybody knows you’re slut, I thought you were cool but you’re just a hoe. You just mad cause you got bussed down by the team and got exposed, dumb b**ch” once he said that I pushed him in the pool, when he stood up he was furious. “WHAT THE F**K” he kept asking me if I lost my mind, and calling me a b**ch. Without caring I went inside to look for Ashley to ask for my mom’s key. I don’t care if I don’t know how to drive. I don’t want to be here, rushing too fast I bump into someone. I can feel myself falling, but is caught in mid air. two firm hands appear on the small of my back. “Ya gotta stop doing this doll” I sigh with relief to find out that I’m in the arms of Julius. I can’t but help but look at his eyes, the way he looks over me with concern yet smooth. He stands me up and I smile at him. Before anything could go further, something is thrown on me wetting my hair and my shirt. I turn in the direction of where it came from, Demetri standing wet in front of me. “Did you really think you were gonna walk away with a happy ending, this is my place b**ch, remember you’re a nobody and a slut.” I looked around to people with phones in their hands recording what's going on, what I really want to do is punch him in the face, but I know that will only make things worse. I begin to walk away when I’m stopped and Julius's left fist connected with Demetri’s jaw, this makes the crowd go wild as the two boys scap, Demetri is slightly smaller than Julius, but he has the footing. Demetri sent a fist back, causing Julius to almost lose his balance but he was too quick catching his swing before it connected. Julius puts Demetri in a head lock until one of the other boys in the party comes and breaks them up. When Julius let go of Demetri, he had a lot of words. “You really out here defending a ran through slut, someone the whole gang had my guy. Someone not even worth the time of day.” Julius tried to break out one of the guys' holds but they’re not budging. “Who are you to say that about someone, she is a person. What if she was your sister, or mother. Someone close to you, who is caring and nice. What if some asshole like you tormented them. I’d kick your ass some more, because you’re a coward. Picking on a female, thats weak as f**k.” he pulled away from the guys and they let him go, he walked towards me. Grabbing my arm and leading me out of the room. “Hey thanks no one has ever stood up for me” I couldn’t stop thinking about the way he got into a fight for me, risking his chances of having a normal social life knowing Demetri this is far from over. “Hey do you know How to drive, My friend and I drove here but I don’t know how” he stopped in his tracks and looked at me, with curiosity playing on his face. “Yes, do you have the key?” when I think about the failed mission I went on to go look for Ashley I feel stupid. I call her phone but don’t get an answer. Eventually Julius offers to go inside and look for her. I showed him a recent picture of her and sent him on his way. When I sent Julius into the house, he didn’t come back right away, he was gone for what felt like ages. I watched as people began to leave. Couple laugh there way to their cars, happily kissing, happily ready to end the night with s*x. Julius emerges from the front of the house, dangling the keys over his head, when he comes close there’s a lipstick stain on his cheek. “Hey I got the keys, you ready.” I don’t say anything, I feel my heart sank when he didn’t explain what happened inside. I didn’t reply and only got into the passenger seat without saying anything. I close my eyes and pretend I’m asleep. I just want to go home. I have too much to say, but I don’t want to at the same time, that vodka made me courageous.