K O A

Wilson combs his fingers through his already combed back hair. He grins, tapping his pencil against his hardback notebook. "Koa, I hope you know that if you need anything, or need a place to escape when things get overwhelming, then you can give me a call. I mean that."

I nod, "I appreciate that Wilson."

He pushes himself out of his chair, opening his office door for me, "I hope you have a good weekend Koa."

"Right back at ya."

He pats my back before crossing his arms and leaning against the door way. "See you on Monday."

I shove my hands into my hoodie pocket, pushing the school doors open. The crisp autumn breeze, there's nothing like that misty cold ass air constantly nipping at your neck. I quickly light a cigarette, inhaling deeply, letting the smoke blow out my nostrils.

"Bye Mrs.Morgenson!"

I gaze over my shoulder and see a perky, red headed Opal opening the school doors, it swings back and hits her in the face, causing her to drop all her books.  She rubs her forehead and closes her eyes before shaking it off and scooping her books back up. I think it's been two and a half weeks since she last talked to me.

Mark Geiger; the most annoying preppy douche bag of the school and Kenneth Jackson chuckle and slap each other, gesturing to look at Opals ass. I roll my eyes, it's pathetic that there's people like them in this barbaric world.

Kenneth whispers something into Marks ear, making them both buckle over laughing, clearly something derogatory about Opal. Mark chews on his bottom lip, taking one look at the guy you'd know he's a womanizer. Guys like him are human scum, unworthy of any girls attention.

He snatches her plastic yellow headband. She turns around and smiles politely, "Oh, hi Mark."

He smirks, "Hey Opal." He inches closer, causing her to take a few steps back, until her back hits the brick wall.

"I'm kinda in a hurry, could I please get my headband back?"

"Your gonna have to jump for it." He wiggles his eyebrows pervertedly.

She smiles kindly up at him, her face flushed. "Please Mark, I have things I have to do."

"Am I on that list?"

Kenneth clutches his stomach, his laughter roaring.

Her big green eyes widen, "Um..I-uh.. I need to go, you can just keep it." She sputters out, tripping over her words.

He places his hands on either side of her, trapping her between his body, he leans closer, "Oh come on freckles, I'm just playin."

"Yeah but I-"

He places his hand on the hem of her dress, slowly lifting it up. I flick my cigarette to the ground, grabbing the collar of his shirt, yelping in surprise. I slam his back against the concrete. "Leave the girl alone!" I spit.

He covers his face, "P-please don't hurt me Koa."

I chuckle at his distress, I don't think I've ever seen someone so frightened. I grab his shirt and pull him off the ground, "Apologize." I demand, my voice dangerously low.

He shakes his head up and down like a bobble head, "I'm sorry Opal. H-her-es your head-b-band baack." He trembles.

"Thank you." She mutters out.

"Now." I shove his back against the wall, making him whimper in pain at the rough shove. "If I catch you talking to anyone like that again, your roadkill, you hear me?"

He gulps, nodding his head.

"Good." I shove him to the ground.

"Thank you Koa."

"For what?"

"For saving my butt back there." She smiles, her green eyes flickering between mine.

"Opal, there's no need-"

"Yes," she nods, "Thank you."

I brush off her comment, readjusting the placement of my bag on my shoulder. She pulls a bag of sunflower seeds out, with my name written in her curly cursive handwriting. "I thought you might like to have some." She rubs her arm, her green eyes flick up to look at me, the corner of her lips lift into a kind smile. "I'm not done with you Koa Whiley. You're worthy of love. There's still hope for you. Sometimes it's good to look on a different side. Try to find the positive in the situation, it's molding you to be stronger than you already are." She loops her hands around the strap of her bag, walking over to her sisters white matted truck, loads of wood boxes full of fruits and veggies in the bed.

I bend down to pick up the cigarette that I flicked, tossing it in the trash. I give the two dibshits a deathly glare before walking away.

-

The breeze picks up, swirling freshly fallen leaves around like a mini tornado, leaves still clinging for life, still vibrate in color.

Are Opals words true, am I worthy of love? I feel like I'm unable to wrap my mind around it. It's something hard for me to believe, growing up around a man so cruel and telling me I've been unworthy my whole life, it's hard to fathom someone like me has hope, has love in his heart. My heart may beat, but I died a long time ago. How do you bring a dead person back to life? Simple answer; you don't.

I lean against a barren tree, lifeless like me. I pull a cigarette out, quickly lighting it. Inhaling the bitter aroma, watching the yellow and pink sky turn black, stars slowly forming in the night sky, the crescent moon lighting my path.

I kick a pebble along the concrete till I stumble in front of Sparkys place. A place I could call home since I was fourteen, a place where I could be lost and forget all my troubles. It's hard to resist a place like that.

I chew on the inside of my cheek, trying to withstand the urge to march through that red door and be happy for a short lived moment. To forget is my fragility.

My forehead sweats and my hands shake, I lick my lips. "Maybe just a little." I mumble. I stop myself before walking up his driveway. I smack myself, I can't, I gotta resist it for Knox and Princeton. I shake my head and focus on finishing my cigarette.

I stumble along an alleyway of a convenient mart, tossing my cigarette in the dumpster. I pull another cigarette out, trying to shake the urge for a fixing.

-

O P A L

I twist the cap back onto the red gas canister, since Irises car ran out of gas, I volunteered to get more gas since it's not to far in distance. I turn around and bump into someone. "I'm so sorry." I apologize before glancing up, Mark Geiger the boy who I ran into, his brown eyes light up as he looks down at me.

He smirks, raking a finger through his hair. "Oh, hey freckles, I didn't see ya there."

"Yeah, sorry, I'll just be on my way."

He nods, letting me slip past him. "Wait!"

I stop in my track and glance over my shoulder, "Yeah?"

"While your here I need to ask you something." He takes a few steps closer.

A shiver runs through my body, something feels unsettling. "Um, yes?"

"Since we're in the same math class, I couldn't figure out this question, could ya help me?" 

"Maybe tomorrow before class, I'm in a hurry Mark."

"It'll only take two seconds, I promise."

"Um," I chew on my lip thinking for a moment, "sure, but you need to make it quick."

"Okay," he nods, "I will." He pulls his backpack out of the car, placing it on the hood. "This question." He points to his worksheet.

I step closer to the hood of his car, staring down at the paper, but it's blank. "There isn't a question." I swirl around.

He places his hands on my hips, pushing me against the hood. "Wh-what are you doing?"

"Sh, I told you I'd make it quick." He grins, pressing his lips to my neck.

"Let go of me Mark!"

"Just let it happen Opal, you know you want it to happen, I see the way you look at me."

"N-no I don't. Stop!" He lifts me up, putting his hand up my dress. I punch him in the face with all my force. He stops what he's doing, raising his hand and slapping me. He turns me over and grabs my hair, yanking it back. I hear his buckles on his belt unclasp. "Let go of me!" I cry.

Marks hands let go of me, I hear loud groaning and moaning. I turn around and see Mark on the ground, his face covered in blood.

"K-ko-a?"

His blue eyes stare down at me, he leans down and punches Mark, knocking him out cold. He shakes his hand like it hurt him, blood dripping down his bruised hand. He huffs and wipes his forehead. "Opal?"

I wipe my swollen eyes and wrap my arms around his back, clinging to him. I lay my head against his chest, the sound of his rapid heartbeat slows down. I squeeze my eyes shut as his hands wrap around me, grasping me like he never wanted to let go.