BABY GIRL

5.

Maggie

I barely slept through the night.

I kept tossing and turning because my mind was stuck on what happened in the kitchen. God.

Why did he do that? He’s not in love with me, is he?

Ana’s soft breathing is steady beside me, her face buried in her pillow. She doesn’t have a clue another person’s world’s falling apart right next to her. The room is quiet. A bit too quiet than I like actually. Because it leaves too much space and freedom for my thoughts.

Just thinking about that kiss makes my whole body cringe. Not because it was a bad kiss, because it wasn’t. But I never saw that coming. I like Nate but not like that. I like him because he’s like family to me, like a friend.

I sit up slowly, rubbing my face and trying to breathe through the tension in my chest.

I think I’m just going to pretend like it never happened.

I swing my legs off the bed and check the time on my phone. It’s 6:27am, I need to get up anyway. To prepare ahead for school.

Ana’s still knocked out, one leg dangling off the edge of the bed. I stand up slowly and make my way to the bathroom, careful not to make too much sound. I wash my face, brush my teeth, all without looking in the mirror. Because I hate looking at my own reflection.

When I come back, Ana’s awake, groaning and reaching for her phone to turn off her alarm. It’s probably 6:30am now.

“I hate Monday. Monday sucks.” Anna grumbles

“Me too.”

“You sleep okay?“

Not even close, but I say, “Yeah. You?”

She shrugs. “Sort of. I had a weird dream.”

“How weird?”

“Like, really weird. You and Nate making out in Dad’s car, eww.”

I almost choke on my spit.

She’s laughing now, not even realizing the way my whole body has tensed.

“That’s not even funny.” I say as I roll my eyes and pretend she’s crazy.

Ana’s Dad is frying some eggs in the kitchen when we come down. He’s dressed in brown chino pants and a black shirt tucked in, sleeves rolled up. His hair looks slightly damp like he has just showered.

He glances up when he sees us.

“Morning,” he says.

“Morning Dad,” Ana yawns, heading for the fridge.

I mumble a greeting and grab a glass of water.

I’m avoiding all sorts of eye contact cuz I don’t need anyone else picking up on how off I look.

Especially not him.

“Dad, can you drop us at the bus station?” Ana asks, mouth full of toast.

He nods. “Sure.”

We eat quietly. At least, I do. Ana’s talking as usual. Nate hasn’t come downstairs, which is probably for the best. I don’t know how I’d act if I saw him right now.

We pile into the car twenty minutes later. I slide into the back, headphones in, pretending I’m listening to a music.

David takes the wheels. Ana’s in the passenger seat, pressing on her phone while I and Nate sit in the backseat. I stare out the window until we pull up at the bus station.

“Have a good day,” David says.

Nate’s already halfway out of the car. I mutter a small “Thanks” as I follow out.

***

I’m barely paying attention in class, just going through the motions. Every now and then, my brain reminds me to worry about my Mom, and I have to force it away. She hasn’t even called me since we parted yesterday. This only proves to me that she doesn’t really care about me as much as she pretends to. If she did, she wouldn’t even be living like this. She’s squandered all the money Dad left us and now instead of focusing on finding a reliable job, she’ll rather jump from one man to another.

After lunch period, I head to the library to grab a book and indulge myself when Ana comes running behind me. She hooks her arm through mine.

“Come, let’s go before they start.”

“Start what?”

“Basketball. Nate’s playing.”

I’m not feeling it, but hello, it’s Ana, she’ll never let me have it my way anyway. She’s already half-dragging me along.

The court’s so unnecessarily loud and full of high spirits. Guys are bouncing, talking and calling to each other. My eyes search for Ana’s brother and I see him warming up with his team, dribbling like the ball’s glued to his palms.

I cross my arms, pretending I’m not impressed even though I kind of am, with the way he bounces the ball so fast. The game’s about to start when a blonde Jock enters the court looking all angry and aggressively pushes Nate, yelling something about Nate taking his position on the team after disappearing for so long.

Nate stand up to the boy’s face and tells him something I don’t hear, and the next thing, the boy throws a punch.

Gasps erupts around the court as Nate returns the punch and the boys begin to fight. I expect the other boys to stop the fight but instead, they cheer loudly and clap, encouraging the violence.

Which is unacceptable.

I’m on my feet before I even realize it, but Ana grabs my hand, “No, let them sweat it out.”

“What do you mean?”

“Come on Maggie, they’re boys. They’ll fight again tomorrow if they don’t come to a truce today. I’ll rather have him fight once and for all than to watch him engage in more of it.”

“So we’re just gonna sit and watch?”

“Why yes of course.”

Turning our heads, Ana gasps out so loud the moment we both see what’s happening. About six boys are struggling with Nate to make him let go of the jock he’s put in a chokehold. This is when Ana begins to act as she literally flies through the stairs to go and stop Nate. I don’t know how I reach them too but I’m yelling.

“Nate! Nate, let him go!”

And he lets go the second my eyes connects with his. I don’t hold his gaze, I look away and watch the jock as he falls on the floor wheezing and panting like he’s just had a near death experience. The Captain, who was nowhere to be seen earlier, now arrives and tells the other boys to help the jock to the nurse office. He then tells Nate to come with him.