It's been three years since the gang has broken apart and went their separate ways. When TJ resigned as the leader of the gang, it went all downhill from was forced to travel with his father to a new home for the military. We eventually lost contact with him. Gretchen suffered an extreme head injury and was never the same afterwards. She let herself go, hung out with the Ashley's. Lost her self. She got rid of the geeky glasses, slur, and her whole personality. Along with the head injury, her two front teeth were knocked out. They were eventually replaced with perfect new ones. I'm not even sure if she remembers who we are. Mikey gained social anxiety, a little worse every time he lost one of his friends. He doesn't show up most days and just does his work at home. Vince and TJ got into a fight over Mikey. Vince said Mikey was useless and should be kicked out of the group. TJ, being the leader he is, thought we should help Mikey through his anxiety. That decision ended up ruining our gang. Vince got involved in the wrong group when we joined the seventh grade. They all stole and broke the rules. Vince, of course, went along with it, almost getting himself suspended.
TJ and I were the only ones left. I didn't think twice that we'd stay friends for the rest of our lives. I even thought he would be the one I would marry. But nothing in this town remains perfect for long. Once eighth grade came around, a new boy joined school. Tyler Nelson. I guess he developed a crush on me some time in the school year. We went out for recess, as usual. I joined a game of kickball on the baseball field. I suddenly saw Tyler coming over. I'd heard the rumors he had a crush on me, but I didn't know what to believe.
"Hey Spinelli." I stopped and turned around. I expected it to be Teej. After the gang split up, it practically became a rule no one called me Spinelli. Everyone now called me Lee, short for Ashley.
"Oh hey Tyler" I began to blush. Mostly everyone playing kickball glanced over once they heard Spinelli, but the game continued. I dug my boots shyly into the sand. There was something about this boy that made me not want to hit him.
"I was wondering if you were free tomorrow night?" Tomorrow.. tomorrow.. I don't believe I had any plans, but I might be wrong. TJ kept staring from the corner of his eye at us. It was his turn up to base. Hopefully it would make him stop staring. The way his eyes were growing bigger made me slightly uncomfortable.
"Yeah, I think so." I smiled
"Cool. How about the movies?" His eyes made contact with mine. He had to look down because of the significant size difference.
"As long as you pay!" Right as I was finishing my sentence, Tyler's head flew forward. The kickball bounced off the back of his head and off towards the courtyard. Tyler's face grew with anger as he whipped around to see who it was. I peered from behind Tyler's tall figure. The kick wasn't just an accident. TJ was angrily walking towards us. His eyes almost popping out of his head. His veins raging from his neck. He walked right up to Tyler, who was a few inches taller than him, and pushed him backwards. I stepped out of the way as he stumbled back. TJ socked him square in the face before Tyler could even recover from the stumble. He crouched down, holding his face. Blood was dripping down his chin and onto the sand. I stood there in shock, staring at the boy I thought was my friend.
"Lay off, man!" Tyler shouted but was muffled from his hands cuffed around his face. Now everyone on the courtyard and field was gathered around us.
"What's wrong with you?" my voice was shaking. Teej had a look in his eye, he wasn't himself. He had gone from the biggest jokester to some type of monster.
"Friday?" He said, his face tilted. Something clicked in my head. The gang had made a pact that we hung out in the treehouse every Friday. My face clearly showed I understood what he meant by that.
"Forget it, Lee." He exited the crowd of people around us. I was left, baffled. I helped Tyler wipe up the blood. He didn't simply call me Lee. He made a point. The gang was officially over. He never called me that. He was trying to make a point that our friendship was over. I began tearing up, just over the fact that I had lost the one person that truly understood why I am the way I am. I hid my face as I helped Tyler. It would be a disgrace if people knew I was becoming emotional.
"What a pathetic excuse for a friend." Tyler exclaimed. He began bad mouthing him, his lips stained with blood. I stood up from the stoop. And pulled Tyler up by the collar of his shirt and didn't let go.
"Don't you ever, ever say anything bad about TJ, you ignorant dirtbag, ya hear?" Tyler laughs in my face. I can feel my blood start to boil.
"I take it you don't want another bloody'd up face, now do ya?" I kicked him in the shin, making him fall to the ground. "I don't think I can make it Friday either." I spun around and walked away. Teej was staring at me with a certain flicker of satisfaction in his eye. I realized the look in his eyes before was jealousy, an emotion he rarely expressed.
Now, that time is passed and highschool is just around the corner, tensions between the gang with begin to diminish. Hopefully, we'll all be more mature enough to be stay civil. If we can't, I won't even attempt to hold back a swing or two.
