Battle Scars

Lupe Fiasco

Chapter 2

…..

Something was off. Very off. Had to be. That would explain why Andre couldn't open his locker. Looking at him, he angrily turned the dial on his combination. Walking up to him, Tori leaned against the locker beside him. So unsettled, he didn't notice her.

"Andre spill." The beautiful Hispanic, folding her arms, smiled as he shook his head irritated. "Woah. This is really major isn't it?" Her face dropped it's silly smile. She knew her best friend who could make the most sinister laugh.

"Nothing." He shrugged, dropping his books in his locker, seeing Jade walk in the hallway. "Definitely nothing." He walked off before Jade got towards them.

"Woah…..woah. O my gosh….what happened?" Tori asked aloud seeing the look her friend gave the black mistress who had the same saddened look on her face. Jade never smiled, hardly. But she never frowned either. She wore an icy mask to cover how she truly felt. Everyone knew this.

"What's with you Vega?" Jade asked seeing her associate's face of curiosity and shock and question.

"ummm….nothing…..Andre wait up….." she said running behind Andre as Jade watched the girl run. Seeing Cat, Robbie, and Beck together. No care in the world. Oblivious to her. And she wanted that. She didn't want to be noticed by even herself.

Opening her locker, a pair of scissors fell out. Looking at the blade, she put it in her bag as she headed to class.

He didn't need to hear this from Tori. Seeing her and not being able to touch her again hurt him more than words could describe. Her pale skin accenting her hair with green streaks. But she walked the halls as if she was unaffected by him. But he should have known. Especially when your ex was Beck. The nonchalant ladies' man who knew he was attractive.

"You can't ignore me Andre." Tori cornered him in the hallway.

"Tori…look…I don't want to talk about it." He let out a deep breath grabbing his backpack straps.

"What happened between you and Jade? Even she is off more than usual….and don't try to lie because you are terrible at it." Tori observed the situation not paying attention to Cat walking up to them.

"You wanna know what's off?" The bubbly red head said as the black boy just laughed at her naivity.

"What?" Tori asked in frustration.

"My shoes." She said laughing showing them her pink polka dot socks.

"I'll bite….why are your shoes off?" Tori asked knowing the response would be a crazy one.

"How else would I be able to glide on the floor." She laughed running as other students got out of her way. Andre tried to walk off as Tori pulled his arm.

"Not so fast." She said.

"Fine…." He couldn't hold it in anymore. "Me and Jade kissed the other night."

"O my God. That's wonderful. You always liked her." His best friend exclaimed seeing Beck walk up to them.

"What's wonderful?" The charismatic tan boy asked putting his arm her. Andre saw why Jade felt insecure with boy. He was known to flirt with any beautiful girl who called themself his friend.

"Nothing man. Catch you later." He walked off as Tori wished she knew what she could do for her friend.

….

He was angry at her. But she would rather him be angry at her now than later on. She saw his dreds from afar. And she wished she could tell him what he did to her. She wished she could tell him everything. Explain to him why she acted the way she did.

Why she couldn't be around him. If only he knew how hurt she was because of him.

Sitting on the bathroom stall. All she wanted was to be…..normal. a normal teenager with normal problems. Not worrying about her mother every second. Or how scared she was to let people close to her. Or how to stay away from the one person who she knew was truly genuine.

On her arms, the scars from that day. Her mother pushed her away. That was why she stayed covered. She didn't want to answer any questions.

She would have to speak about the lust for alcohol in her mother's eyes. Or how she would have to lock the door at night to keep her mother's random boyfriends from sneaking into her room.

Once was enough….and she wouldn't let it happen again. She wouldn't wish that on anyone. She still felt that man touch her. And when she told her mother. The woman only laughed. At least her grandmother cared enough to take her away. To another state. And helping her accomplish her dreams.

She was being over dramatic. She said over and over again to herself. This was something Vega did. Not her.

And Vega always outshined her. With Beck. With Andre. With everything. Everything she touched turned into gold. Why couldn't she be like that?

Taking out the scisiors from her bag. She began to open them. Staring at the blade. The metallic metal that was sharp to the touch. Calling her. Begging her to use them.

She had done this many times. When that man made her touch him. the only pain she could control. And right now. She needed to be able to control something. She didn't want to but this craving made her.

The craving. The untamable beast that tangled itself around her heart. And made her relive every agonizing moment of her life. The craving that made her relive Andre's soft lips against hers. He holding her so gently.

Taking the blade, she held it over her arm. Biting her lip, as it pierced her skin. The blood cascading the scissors as she soon felt nothing but relief. Relief that the pain escaped some way. Grabbing some toilet tissue. She added pressure to the wound.

As blood began to clot, she placed her black sleeve down. Putting the scissors in her bag. Walking out the stall, Vega walked inside.

"Jade. Where have you been? I tried texting you a gadrillion times. We are on our way to set some sushi." The beautiful girl who people gravitated too said.

"Last time I checked you weren't my mother." The black mistress said as Tori rolled her eyes.

"I'm not your mother. I am trying to be your friend. Include you. It's like you don't want to be around us."

"Bingo." Jade washed her hands. Looking at herself in the mirror. Her eyebrow pierce. Her red lipstick. She was just too damn pale.

"Jade." Tori tried to plead with.

"no I don't want to go eat sushi. Why? So I can see you and Beck flirt. So I can be around Rob's dorkiness. Cat's ditziness. Andre's…." She couldn't say the right words as she began to be breathe slowly. Resting her hands on the bathroom sink.

Tori caught on to the girl's last words. How she stopped at Andre's name. She did…..wait. The red liquid dripping on the counter. From her arm. Her heart began to clench.

"Jade." Tori quickly grabbed at paper towels putting them on her friend's wound.

"I hit my wrist." Jade said not looking at the girl.

"On what?" The other expected an answer from her.

"Why can't you just mind your own business. And leave me alone." She walked out pressing the towel on her wound still.

…..

Andre knew she wouldn't here. At least with him here. And he found himself not wanting to be here. But he had to realize that life moved on. and not every story would have a happy ending. He wanted a moment and he got it. But it didn't satisfy him.

"Hey Andre….what do you call a stick that can do kung-fu?" Cat asked as he shrugged.

"Chopstick." Her voice lightened the mood as Robbie looked at her with admiration in his eyes. A light blush on his face.

"What's been up with you lately? Is your grandmother sick? Is there anything we can do?" Beck asked his best friend as the black boy shook his head.

"No she's good." He ate his shrimp tempura realizing that his choice was the one Jade always got.

"Then why the distance man?" Robbie asked as Cat snuck a piece of raw salmon from his plate. "Are you mad at me because of that comment Woody said about your big toe?" he asked as Andre laughed at his friend's nativity.

"No that's not it."

"Well what ever it is. I hope it gets better." Beck said as Tori slurped her drink in emphasis. She did her best to not give anything away with her facial expression.

…..

Pouring rubbing alcohol over her wound. She wrapped it with gauze. Waiting on her grandmother to come back from Bingo. The woman did deserve to have some fun. Smirking at the thought of her, she opened the freezer.

Pulling out porkchops, she unwrapped them. Letting them unthaw. She would surprise her granny with a good meal. Give her a break. Show her some appreciation. If only she would show this side to her friends. They would think the world was ending.

What would they say if they found out she cut herself? Forgetting her incident, she seasoned the meat as she turned on the stove and greased the pan.

Walking to the answer machine, she pressed the play button.

"2 messages…."the automated voice said.

"Jade you aren't answering your phone. I was making sure you got home ok. Just call me."

"Vega, get a life." She rolled her eyes as she erased the message.

"1 new message…..mom you cant keep Jade away from me forever. I am her mother….i know in the past I have messed up….but I am trying to make things right." Her mother's voice made her tremble.

Erasing the message, she continued to cook her meal ignoring what she just heard. This couldn't be happening to her. Not again.

….

She knew she could meddlesome. But she couldn't help it. All she wanted was for Jade to get help. As the gang headed to the parking lot, she pulled Andre behind.

"I know you are mad at her but she does have good reason to be defensive and…scared." The meddlesome girl said as Andre shook his head.

"I don't want to hear…." He began.

"No….it's really serious…she cuts…" The statement lingered in the air.

"Are you sure?" Andre stopped walking, looking at her again as Tori nodded. "I saw the blood from her arm. She gave this bogus story but I know she is lying."

Seeing Jade do that to herself in his mind. It hurt his heart. And the pit of stomach grew deeper. His instincts took over. And he was compelled to help her. No matter what she said. She was more important than his crush on her. Correction. His love for her.

Beck couldn't be the only thing that caused her to cut. Forgetting to say goodbye, he hopped in his car.

Turning his ignition on, he drove leaving his wolf pack behind. He had dropped Jade off a couple of times, but had never met her family. Nor was he never invited in. He always wondered why she didn't talk about them.

"Are you going to tell me what has Andre so upset?" Beck asked Tori who only shrugged in the parking lot.

"his life right now is complicated."

….

Jade smiled placing salad, mac and cheese, and pork chop on her granny's place. The woman in her sixties smiled at her beautiful granddaughter. Times like these the girl reminded her of her daughter when she was sober. Helpful, she carried everyone else's problems on her back. Everything was going great until she met Jade's father.

Better known as sperm donor. He left when Michelle was 3 months pregnant. But Jade was a blessing to her. And she did her best to give her all the love she could.

"How was your day honey?" The woman began to ate.

"Same old, same old?" Jade said as she ate some salad.

"I can't wait for you to record another song for me. You were just like your mother….."

"Grandma…..I am nothing like Michelle." The girl cut her off. Why did she say such things knowing they would upset her.

"I know that dear. You are stronger, but we cannot change out blood lines. We also can't run away from them." The woman finished eating.

"Good night dear." Her granny kissed her on the forehead as she went to sleep. It wasn't as if Jade could jade could after that statement.

Cleaning up the kitchen. She knew she couldn't change where she came from, but she tried so hard to keep her life and grandmother's together.

…..

He knew what they said the other day. But that was in the back of his head. When did the dark princess cut? And did she do this when she was with Beck. She always wore sleeves. It would explain everything. Getting out of his car, he braced himself for anything. He would put his disdainment on the side for her.

Walking up to the brick home, his feet got heavier with every step. His hand got heavier too as he rang the doorbell.

"Who could that be?" Jade dried the dishes as she walked to the door. Opening it without looking through the peephole. Expecting it to be a saleman.

"Look we aren't buying what you are sell…."her sentence ended seeing Andre in front of her. Andre saw her arm. The gauze that covered it through her sleeve. But it didn't stop their eyes from meeting. It didn't stop her from wanting him to hold her again. Touch her again. And that was what Andre did.

Reaching for her injured arm, she hit his hand away. as he examined it with his eyes, she examined him. he was so gentle. Unlike Beck who saw what he wanted to see.

"It was just an….." she began.

"No it wasn't." Anger raged inside of him. The fact that she would do this to herself. The fact that what ever the source was causing this was still there in her life.

"you weren't there. So how would you know." She said tartly. He ignored her lie as he admired her pale alabaster skin. Soft and smooth to touch as he rubbed her cheek.

So gently that Jade closed her eyes. It was as if his touch could heal her. And that was what she wanted. But this had to stop. Her heart was racing. This was too much. The closeness of him. the light hint of axe that made her want to kiss him again.

He smiled as she let him touch her. She was so beautiful. And the way she was looking at him now.

"Am I hurting you?" he asked.

"No..." She dropped her defenses.

"Let me help you. Jade. Let me be there for you."

"You can't…..don't you get it Andre. Are you stupid or…." He only placed his finger on her lip.

"Please?" he asked as she just shook her head.

"I can't." She broke his grip running back in the house. Leaving him there.

"Why can't he just leave me alone?" she closed the door. Sliding down it. Holding herself.

Andre didn't know what he was supposed to do. Help her or leave her alone. He stopped lying to himself a long time ago. He couldn't leave her alone. Not now. Even if she didn't want his help. She needed someone. And for some reason she always let him see the softer side of her. It had to be him.