"How nice of you to join us, Ms. Rodriguez." The teacher said quietly as he opened the door to see Gen. She handed him a small gold colored paper, he took it and read it to himself. Gen caught a glimpse of Eva and Juli sitting side-by-side arguing about a 'mistake' Juli had made on her project. She smiled and gave a small wave when Eva looked up at her.
"Gen's here." Eva said, directing the question to Juli, but was overheard by the third person at the table. Gen swallowed hard, catching the pained eyes of Juli. Gen was hurt too, but she hadn't bothered with telling anybody. Only the people there during the incident knew about it. Juli picked up a paper ball and headed for the trashcan by the door.
"Hey Gen." Juli said quietly as she dropped the paper in the trashcan. The teacher looked between the two of them and smiled at Juli. "I'll update Gen on what she's missed and explain the project to her. Okay, Mr. Sketch?" The teacher smiled and nodded at the use of his nickname. "Come on, Gen. Your lover boy is waiting." Gen rolled her eyes at Juli and she chuckled. "Just come on."
"Hey Gen." Eva said with a smile. Gen's eyes wandered to Mark and when their eyes met, she sat down beside him with a heavy sigh. "What's up?" Gen shook her head and smiled when the teacher put a blank piece of white paper in front of her. It was almost as bright as a highlighter, if there were ever white highlighters.
"What are we doing in here?" Gen asked Juli grabbing a pencil out of her bag, which she dropped on the floor between her and Mark.
"Here's the paper." Mark said sliding a paper over to her. She sighed and reached for it. She picked it up and read it to herself, groaning when she found out that she'd be drawing pictures of Mark for nine weeks as a 500-point project, which would more than likely is her entire grade for the quarter.
"When did you guys start this?"
"We started last Monday." Mark stated. Gen was trying her best to fight how she really felt about Mark to save them both from embarrassment. "Maybe Mr. Sketch will give you an extra week or something. Ask him." Gen stood up and looked for the teacher, who was sitting behind a wooden desk. She walked to the desk and he smiled up at her.
"Good morning, Ms. Rodriguez. Do you have a question?" Gen shook her head and looked back at the table. "Well, if you have no question, then why aren't you starting on your project, your already a week behind."
"I'd like new partner." Her voice was louder than she'd meant it to be, causing everybody to look up at her, including Mark. His eyebrow arched and his lips created a small frown. "I can't work with Mark." The teacher rose from his seat and started walking around the room. He looked at everybody's work and nodded at a few. He took a girls pencil from her hand and made a few marks on her paper. He stopped and looked at Mark's paper then up at Gen. He made his way back to the desk and looked up at Gen.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Rodriguez. Everybody has been paired up and started on their projects. Besides, Mark's already started. Real dedication if you ask me. Genevieve, report cards come out next week, do you think you did well?" Gen nodded. Mr. Sketch, who was really Mr. Gibbie, pulled out a red folder. She looked down a list to find her name, and then followed the line over to see her grade.
"I did good."
"Could've been better."
"What?" Gen questioned. "I'm perfectly happy with a B."
"That would have been an A." Gen looked at him intently. "Too many absences."
"Sorry, I have a daughter. She gets sick a lot. Last week I was in the process of moving, things were hectic. I moved out of my aunt's house and moved in with my dad. Things have changed and I may be moving back in with my aunt." Mr. Sketch leaned back in his chair and Gen looked down at the grades again, looking at Mark's. He got an F. Did he even deserve that grade? Gen looked over her shoulder at him and he was looking down at his picture of Gen. "Mr. Sketch?"
"Yes ma'am?"
"May I go out into the hall and talk to Mark?" Mr. Sketch looked up at Mark and nodded. "Thank you sir." Mark stood up and he followed Gen out the door, closing it behind them. Gen crossed the hall and looked at Mark as she leaned against a locker. "I actually believed you when you said you liked me and you didn't like Kate that way."
"Gen.."
"I don't want to hear it. I can't believe you did that to me. I thought I'd found somebody who liked me and you've proved that wrong for me. Thanks, Mark, thanks a lot." Gen started back toward the door, which Mark was standing in front of, and he stepped in front of her. He put his hands on her shoulders and pulled her close to him, kissing her lips softly.
"Please, let me explain?" It was more of a question than a statement. Gen nodded. "After I dropped you off, I realized that I left something in Kate's room. It must have fallen out of my pocket when we were sleeping. So, I went back and she said her aunt wasn't home, which must have been why she was just wearing a bra and jeans. I went upstairs, got what I left and was ready to leave."
"That doesn't explain what was going on when I walked in."
"She heard you and Jordan talking outside. She said she wanted to make you jealous. Then when Jordan opened the door, she tackled me and kissed me." He paused. "Jordan saw her do it. You can ask her." Gen nodded. "Do you believe me?"
"You swear you wouldn't lie to me?" She asked looking up into his eyes.
"I swear."
"So, you really like me?" He nodded and smiled, resting her hands on her hips. "Why did you go back?"
"I wanted to talk to Kate about what I read in her journal."
"What did you read?"
"It's kind of personal. I want to talk to her about it, but I have a feeling that now we won't be so civil about it."
"Mark!" They both turned toward the voice and Mark pulled away from Gen, having just enough time to brace himself for the little girl to launch herself into his arms. "Hi."
"What are you doing here?" Mark asked the girl, bouncing her a little in his arms. He set her down when another woman appeared in his view. He smiled at her then gave her a quick hug. "What are you two doing here?"
"We're here to get you." The older one said, putting her hand on her hip. "Dad's on his way home. Mom wants you to be there." Mark raised an eyebrow. "I don't know, Mark, just come on. I'm not trying to get yelled at for not bringing you home with me."
"I can't leave. I need to stay here. I've got school."
"Oh, Mark, it's just a day." They both looked down when the little girl yawned loudly, rubbing her eyes with her fists. Gen smiled at the girl and she smiled back.
"Who are you?" She whispered up to Gen. Gen crouched down to her level with a smile. "I'm really sleepy. Mommy woke me up early this morning."
"I'm Gen. I'm Mark's girlfriend. What's your name?"
"I'm Torrie." Gen looked back up at Mark, who was still talking to the woman, until she caught sight of Gen crouched down, talking to the little girl. Gen looked up at her and smiled when she extended a hand down to her. Gen stood and shook her hand.
"I'm Leslie. You must be Gen Rodriguez." Gen nodded and smiled a little. "I've heard a lot about you, Gen." She looked over at Mark. "My brother really likes you." Gen looked at Mark and his cheeks were turning red. "He talks about you, always in a good way, all the time. It bugs the hell out of our mom."
"Why?" Leslie shrugged and looked at Mark and smiled a little.
"I see you've met Torrie. She's my daughter, my pride and joy."
"She's a cutie, Leslie." Leslie nodded and smiled at her brother.
"Is this why you want to stay here?" She asked Mark. Mark shook his head and she chuckled, nodding her head just a little. She didn't believe him, neither did Gen. Leslie looked back at Gen and smiled. "You should come over for dinner some time, I'm sure Mark would be happy to have you. If you're interested and getting to know Mark's favorite sister, I'm there Friday nights."
"That's a nice offer, but I'd have to talk to Mark about it first." Leslie nodded and looked down at her daughter and held out her hands. She walked over and Leslie picked her up and rested Torrie on her hip.
"I'll let you stay. Don't you dare get home late. 3 o'clock." Leslie looked at Gen and raised an eyebrow. "Will you help make sure he's home by 3?" Gen nodded a little and smiled. "Mom told me about you coming home at noon when you went out with her." Gen took a step forward and looked at his sister a little harder.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Gen challenged.
"Hun, nothing, chill." Leslie said calmly.
"With her? What's that supposed to mean?"
"Well, I know you have a young daughter and..."
"You do too." Leslie stepped back and set Torrie down. "You were probably younger than me when you had your daughter."
"You're right." Leslie nodded. Gen clenched her fists at her side and Mark stepped up behind her. "Your so damn lucky your a minor."
"Why's that? You want to hit me?" Gen tested. Leslie chuckled and raised an eyebrow.
"Mommy!" Torrie said stomping her feet. "Let's go. I have to pee." Leslie rolled her eyes and picked Torrie up again.
"Later." Leslie said raising an eyebrow to Gen then looking back at Mark. "Three." He nodded and put his arms around Gen as Leslie walked away with Torrie in her arms. Gen turned and looked at Mark.
"Thanks for sticking up for me."
"You looked like you had everything under control." Gen sighed and looked at the floor then pushed past Mark but stopped when she heard somebody laughing from up the hallway. She turned and peaked her head up the hall.
"That was entertaining." The girl said walking toward Mark and Gen clapping her hands with long pauses between claps. Gen glared at her and sighed when Mark moved between the two of them. "Do you always get that defensive when people talk to you?" She asked. Gen glared harder and shook her head. "I see you believed Mark's story."
"I have no reason not to." Gen snapped back. "Why would he want to be caught kissing you anyhow? You're a ugly skanky bitch." The girl stepped back, put her hand over her chest and pretended to look hurt.
"Those words mean nothing to me, Gen." Gen was about to make her way around Mark when the door opened and Mr. Sketch stood there, watching the three of them expectantly.
"Are you two finished talking? Who are you? Why aren't you in class?"
"I'm headed back to class, don't worry." She stepped away and looked at Gen. "You are aware, that this isn't over, right?"
"I'm perfectly aware. We'll finish this after school, right?" Gen questioned. The girl watched Mark, flicking her tongue out over her lips with a grin. Gen moved in front of Mark and shoved her away. "We'll settle this after school."
"Right." Kate answered shortly before blowing a kiss to Mark and turning on her heel. She didn't even have time to blink before she was being shoved up against a locker, face first. Gen pushed her again harder then pushed her to the floor, crouched down and started hitting her repeatedly.
"Gen!" Gen heard Mark shout in her ear as he tried to pull her off of Kate. It was no use, Gen was just beyond pissed and couldn't help herself. Kate wasn't even trying to hit Gen back at this point, just trying to block her face from the heavy blows of Gen's fists.
"Genevieve Rodriguez." Mr. Sketch said slowly, tugging on Gen's arms and pulling her upright, but didn't pull her away before she could kick Kate in her stomach. Mr. Sketch looked at Mark and he nodded, grabbing each of Gen's arms and watched as Mr. Sketch helped Kate up off the floor. She leaned forward and rubbed her lip and looked at the blood on her finger. "Get in class." Mr. Sketch's eyes shifted to Gen, "I'll take you to the office later." Mark pushed Gen toward the open door and Mr. Sketch headed to the office.
"Well, that was smart, Gen." Mark said sitting her down in her chair across from Juli, who looked at her with a confused look.
"What happened? Where'd Mr. Sketch go, I need to ask him a question." Juli asked looking at Mark.
"He took Kate to the office. Gen beat her ass." Juli and Eva both chuckled and looked around the class, the girls by the door were laughing about it, it was obvious.
"YES!" Juli and Eva cheered together. "I hated that bitch." Juli added with a laugh. "How bad did you beat her?" Juli was trying her best to sound serious, but she couldn't stifle the laugh.
"Pretty bad." Mark chuckled. Gen nodded and looked down at her blank paper. Now how was she going to finish the assignment if she would be suspended for two weeks? She nodded to herself and started to roll up the paper. She stood up and walked over to a cabinet and started going through some shelves. She grabbed a box of oil pastels and checked to make sure there were enough colors and headed back to her table. "Is that what your using for your medium?"
"Did he say to use something specific?" Gen asked before slipping the box into her bag. Mark shook his head and smiled a little. Mark looked down at his paper and moved his pencil across it. "Mark?" Gen asked. He looked up at her. "Are you mad at me?" He shook his head and she nodded a little.
"No. I may think you had over reacted, but that's it. She's been messing with you for a while now, she deserved all of it. Maybe even more. Just glad she didn't get you."
"She didn't have a chance to." Mark nodded and looked down at his paper then up at Gen again. He gave her a small smile then went back to his paper. She nodded and watched him work on it so quietly.
He was such a perfectionist, which is why he had gotten the grade he had for the last quarter. He would take forever on the rough draft of the assignment before even starting the final draft, which is why he hated this class, but liked it all the same. Gen watched him as he carefully made marks on his paper, forming her face slowly. Gen smiled and lost herself in his vision of her.
"Genevieve Rodriguez?" Gen looked up toward the door to see an administrator with a walkie-talkie standing there. She swallowed and stood up, picking her bag up off the floor and putting it over her shoulder and heading toward the door. Gen watched the girls at the table by the door as she passed and one of them gave her thumbs up when the administrator wasn't looking. "We've already called your father, he's on his way here." She sighed heavily and followed the lady into the office, where Kate was sitting with a bag of ice to her lip. "Have a seat."
"Yes ma'am." Gen sat down across from Kate and sighed, looking around the office. This wouldn't be the first time she's been in here. The last time she was in here, was because some girl tried to feel on her in the bathroom and she'd slammed that girls head into the bathroom sink. Instead of the usual suspension for that, they wanted her to be put in a detention center for assault. But it didn't work out that way, she'd been forced to clean up all the blood and be suspended for two weeks.
"Gen?" She heard from the door. It was her dad. She looked back down quickly and sighed when he stepped up the desk, where there was a secretary sitting tapping on her keyboard noisily.
"Right this way, Mr. Toretto." The secretary said standing up and leading him into the principal's office. Gen looked up at Kate and she was already looking at her. Gen just now noticed the damage she'd caused. Kate's eye was already swelled and her lip was obviously busted, plus a few scratches from her nails here and there.
"Sorry." Kate said softly keeping her eyes on Gen. "How do you think I feel?" Gen raised her eyebrow and Kate sighed. "Not the fight. Before the fight, what you read..." Gen nodded. "I mean, I was two. I didn't ask my mom to take me to my aunt's house. She took me, and she left. I haven't seen my mom in sixteen years." Gen looked down at the floor. "She wouldn't have done it if it weren't for..." Gen looked up at her. Kate's eyes were filling with tears. "I don't even care anymore. She didn't want me, I don't ever want to see her again."
"It's not my fault." Gen said rudely, trying to shift the blame from her to Kate's mom.
"How old were you?"
"Ten." Gen looked up at Kate and nodded a little. Gen stood and crossed the office, under the watchful eye of the secretary, and seated herself beside Kate. "I think it was a trap I fell right into. I mean, she was going to leave him and I wanted to go with her, not stay. She left me with my aunt and said she'd be back for me soon."
"She never came back, did she?" Gen shook her head.
"She called a little later and said that my dad would come get me, he didn't. Turns out, he didn't even know where I was. All those years... I'm almost an adult now, I am an adult. I have a kid of my own. I don't want her in my life and she's trying to be now."
"Lucky you." Gen chuckled and shook her head. She leaned forward and put her elbows on her knees and looked over her shoulder at Kate and squinted her eyes a bit.
"Why didn't you tell me, though?"
"Tell you what?"
"That you were my sister, the sister I wasn't even aware I had... but I can remember vaguely from when I was really little." Kate shook her head sadly and shrugged.
"Didn't think you'd believe me."