Page 6 of Hate That Blooms

“No, I can handle it. He’s just a stupid boy. He’s hurting and using me as a punching bag in a way.”

Cora pulls back. “He hit you?”

“No. Like with his words. It’s nothing I can’t handle.” I say.

I can handle it, like with everything else in my life.

Chapter3

Gabriela

He is doing everything he can to make me as miserable as possible. Joaquín and his two buddies take every opportunity to tease me, call me crude names, and scare off any guy who tries to approach me. I’m doing my best to hold my head high and keep my shit together, but I feel like I am getting to a breaking point. Life at home has gotten extremely rough; my sister has been having issues at school, and mom never being home leaves me to deal with it all.

Sometimes I just want to run away for the day, just so I can have time away from it all.

My feelings battle inside me while I copy the notes from the board in AP chemistry, zoning out the monotone voice of the teacher.

“Psst.” A voice on my left catches my attention.

I look over, and Isaac Dresden is giving me a friendly smile. “Hey, sorry, I know you were in the zone copying the notes, but uh... I was wondering if you had a date for the dance on Friday.”

Is he for real? Isaac is one of the nicest guys in our graduating class. He plays on the lacrosse team, is a part of the student government, and is in the running for class president. Tall, blond and not my normal type of guy, but he’s definitely cute. Why the hell is he asking me? Call me suspicious.

“No, I don’t have one.” I shake my head, flicking my eyes at his to see if he is fucking with me.

“Would you maybe,” he clears his throat, “wanna go with me?”

I pause for a moment, surprised by Isaac’s invitation. It’s not something I expected, especially considering the current state of my life. But something in his genuine smile and kind eyes makes me want to take a chance.

“Yeah, I’d love to,” I reply, mustering a small smile of my own.

Isaac’s face lights up, and I can’t help but feel a flicker of excitement deep within me. Maybe this dance could be a much-needed escape from all the negativity and stress that have been weighing me down.

“Can I get your number? I can either pick you up or I can meet you at the dance, whatever works for you. It’s a casual dance, nothing formal.” He looks me up and down, and I can feel my face flush.

“Yeah, I can just meet you here.” I scribble my number on a piece of paper and pass it to him. He looks up to see that the teacher’s back is turned, takes out his phone, and inputs my number. My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I pull it out and it’s a text.

Isaac

Now you have mine.

* * *

The bell rings, and I gather my stuff, heading out the door of the lab. Isaac is waiting, leaning up against the lockers across from the door. “Gabriela!” he says, waving his hand to get my attention.

My head snaps up from looking at the floor into his big brown eyes. “Yeah?”

“Can I walk you to your last class?”

Well, geez, isn’t he such a gentleman?

“Sure, Isaac. I’d like that.” I smile, biting my lip, knowing my cheeks must be flushed.

Crossing campus, we chat about our classes and other activities that are coming up. Isaac brings up his lacrosse game next Wednesday. “So it’s a home game, and it would be really awesome if maybe you wanted to go, ya know, to watch me play?”

I shift uncomfortably and say, “Uh, well, I’d have to bring my little sister with me. I watch her because my mom works the night shift in the emergency room. Would that be okay?”

He’s gonna say nevermind. Isaac wants to see me, not me and my little sister.

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