O P A L

I pull an apple out of my lunch bag as Koas' legs enter my field of vision, I look up and see him staring back down at me. "Hi Koa!" I chirp, "How's your day going? Did you get new shoes? They look super nice!"

He pulls a pack of cigarettes out of his jacket pocket, lighting it, "If I sit here, will you shut the hell up?" 

I grin, "I can try, there's no promise. You know me, I'm constantly talking. Talkings great, it's how you make new frie-"

His hand is quick to cover my mouth, "I'm leaving." 

"Oh I'll come with!" I shove everything into my bag and grab the books beside me, hopping up and running up to him. "Where'd you get that bruise?" I ask, gesturing towards his black eye. 

"Why are you following me?" He growls, his hair falling in front of his eyes. 

I drop one of my heavy books on the ground and bend down to grab it. "Friends talk, so I thought we could talk." 

"We're not friends." He spits. 

I smile up at him, "You may not think that, but you'll come around."

He ignores my comment, turning his head the other way. 

"So how's Knox? It's been awhile since I've seen him." 

He continues to ignore me, acting like I don't even exist. I struggle to hold the many books in hand with how fast we're walking. I'm not the tallest person, so it's hard for my tiny legs to keep up. "I talked to Princeton last week!" I bubble out, "He's so sweet, he said he's trying out for Lacrosse, how old is he going to be again? Is it sixteen or seventeen? I can't remember. It's been awhile since I talked to either of your brothers so I thought what the hay! Did you know he joined the mathletes? Gosh, your brother is crazy smart. He's getting really tall, he's almost taller than you now! I haven't seen you around much today, did you just get here?" 

His head snaps to look at me, if his eyes could talk they'd say I'm going to kill you, he blows smoke into my face before flicking his cigarette to the ground. "Holy shit Opal! Just shut the hell up!" 

"But I brought you-" 

He shoves me up against the back of the bleachers, putting his arm against my collar bone,"Get away from me! I don't need some little buttery red-headed bitch following me around like a lost puppy!" He fumes, spitting on me. "I don't need any friends, and I sure as hell don't want any like you. So stay the fuck away from me!" He seethe, pushing away from me and walking towards the parking lot. 

I rub my collar bone as I watch him light another cigarette. I pick up my things that had fallen out of my bag when he pushed me. 

I don't know what's wrong with Koa, we used to be really good friends, he was such a kind person, never angry like he always is now. Always aiming to brighten someone's day. It's easy to be kind, it cost nothing, plus it's a bit rewarding after you make someone laugh or smile. It's nice to see people happy, I wish I could help Koa out, make him smile again. No one deserves to be in constant anger, it's not healthy. You'd probably end up going mad. 

"Let me help you!" Iris exclaims shooting down and picking up my books. "What happened?" 

"I just tripped and dropped everything, you know me!" I chuckle, "I'm a cluts." 

She cackles, "You sure are." 

We walk back towards the school, I spot Briar sitting on a bench, crowded by a bunch of sweaty boys. "Briar!" I shout. 

He completely ignores me, laughing with his friends. 

"Briar!" I exclaim as I jog up to him. 

He stares at me, confusion clearly written all over his face. The five guys around him stare blankly at me. "This is Blake." Ryan Stevenson, the quarter back tells me. 

"Huh? I thought it was Briar?" 

He shakes his head and smiles, "Nope it's Blake, I have a twin brother called Briar." 

"Oh! That makes sense," I chuckle, smacking myself. "Sorry!"

"No, your fine." 

"Fine as hell." Kenneth Jackson, one of the head football players blurts out, combing his fingers through his shoulder length hair. 

Mark Geiger the school soccer star, he inches closer to me, his eyes slowly trailing my body, he bites his lip and opens his mouth to say something, but I quickly interrupt.

My cheeks immediately start to burn. "So sorry." I grin awkwardly, "I'll go now, have a nice day!" I rush back to Iris. "Hide me!" I whisper. 

She giggles in my ear as we walk back into the school, "Did you think that was Briar?" 

"Yes!" 

"No, he has a twin!" She laughs out. 

"Well I didn't know that! Kill me now!" I feel a finger tap my shoulder, I spin on my heels and look up. "Briar?" 

He nods, "Yes? Oh, did you just meet my twin brother?" 

"Yes! And it was so embarrassing, I want to hide in a hole." 

He chuckles, "Hey don't worry about it!" He gives me a lopsided grin, lifting his hand to my shoulder. "These things happen, besides I should have told you I have a twin to save you the embarrassment." 

"Probably should of." Iris butts in. "But girl don't worry about it, I'm sure it happens all the dang time." 

"Not really." 

"Oh my goodness!" 

He shakes his head, "I'm kidding!"

"Really?"

He grabs my hand, his pinky wrapping around mine. "Pinky promise. It always happens."

"Can your mom tell you two apart?" Iris inquires.

"Yeah, it's my dad who has the hard time." 

"So what's it like being famous?" 

I nudge her arm, "Iris!" 

"No it's okay. You can ask me questions. It's not as great as people make it out to be. It was hard growing up in the spot light. That's why we decided to move here. Hoping we won't get noticed as much as back home."

Iris crosses her arms over her chest, "You're really hot, do you have any hot friends you could hook me up with?" 

"Um.. I'd have to check." 

I try to hold back my grin, "She's just messing with you." 

"Well the hot parts true."

His cheeks gradually turn red on his dark olive skin, "Thank..you." He says with the most awkward smile on his face. 

"So," Iris stands in between us, looping her arms with ours. "I heard you got beat up by Koa Whiley." 

"Beat up would be the wrong choice of words." 

She chuckles, "So what would you call it then?" 

"Surprise attack." 

-

I lay my bike against the brick wall, locking it to a bike lock. I button my cardigan as I walk towards the entrance of the gas station, a gust of wind hits me, knocking me a foot backwards. I hear groaning coming from the alleyway behind the building. I inch my way towards the noise, I poke my head around the corner and see Koa Whiley, holding his gut and limping. 

"Koa." 

His head snaps in my direction, "Opal Clemens?" 

"What happened to you? Are you okay?" 

"Just get away from me." He hisses. 

"Koa I'm just trying to help-" 

"I don't need any help!" He barks, wiping the palms of his hands on his shirt. 

He holds his stomach, I try to get a closer look, but it's just so dark it's hard to see anything. "You're obviously in pain, just let me help you." I take a step closer and see that a little blood has soaked through his shirt. 

"Just go home Opal, it's dangerous to be out this late at night." 

I grab his wrist, "I'm not leaving until you let me help you." He rolls his eyes and runs his fingers through his sweaty hair. "Tell me what happened."

"None of your damn business."

"Either you can tell me what happened, or I'll be talking in your ear all night. I'm pretty good at it, I didn't realize how much I talk until I started to annoy you. I wonder why I do that. Did you know that slugs have four noses? Isn't that crazy! I can't imagine all the stinky things they smell-" 

His hand covers my mouth, his dark eyes stare into mine. "If it'll make you shut up." He lets out a puff of air, "These guys ambushed me-" 

I gasp, "Goodness gracious!" 

He rolls his eyes, "Let me finish!" He pauses for a moment before speaking again. He raises the bottom of his shirt to reveal a giant gash in his side, "They kinda stabbed me." 

"Kinda?" 

"Well it didn't go all the way in and I haven't bled to death. So yeah, kinda."

"Okay we're in luck, I know how to use a needle and thread."