"So, did you care to explain why there are explicit images of you two together?" Mr Porter asked.
Both Monty and I, sat in his office, over the images. But why were we in trouble?
"Those pictures have been taken out of school hours, and out of school grounds" I explained "It was a private moment between Monty and I" I explained to him.
"Did you take the photo? I know that's what teenagers tend to do nowadays" My Porter commented. Monty frowned. I sat beside him and could feel him tense.
"Are you saying, we took the photos and spread them around the school? Calling my own girlfriend, a slut?" Monty asked.
"It was just a question" Mr Porter added.
"A stupid one" Monty mumbled.
"Look, Mr Porter. We didn't take those photos, okay? I have my own reasons not to. We were spending private time together, in the middle of nowhere, my guess someone followed us" I explained.
"And who do you think followed you two?" He asked.
"Tyler Down" Of course Monty wouldn't be slow enough to say that.
"It wasn't him. I asked him, and he said no. Why would he lie, especially to you, knowing what you are capable of" I turned to look at Monty as I spoke.
"And what are you capable of Montgomery?" Mr Porter asked.
"What are you trying to say, Mr Porter?" Monty asked, tilting his head. This conversation was getting nowhere.
"Monty is protective of me, Mr Porter, he would do anything to protect me, unless I say so. Tyler Down said he didn't do it, I believe him, can we drop this? It was out of school hours and school grounds, it's our problem to deal with" I added, feeling my phone buzz. Pulling out my phone from my pocket, I saw a message from my sister, Clara.
'Parents have seen the picture! They are coming to the school!"
"Shit" I whispered a little too loud.
"Please tell me it's not another photo" Mr Porter commented.
"Probably worse...my parents are coming down, they know about the photo"
"Your parents aren't going to rip my balls off, are they?" Monty asked.
"Language, de la Cruz" Mr Porter scalded lightly.
"Testicles then" He smirked.
"No, because they will listen to me. Look, Mr Porter, I have to deal with this" I said standing up and grabbing my bag, Monty following me to the door.
"Look. I want to help you, because it's affecting my students, and possibly school work, I would be willing to help you" Mr Porter stood up as he spoke.
"We will be fine, trust me, who ever has done this, they won't want to mess with the people I hang with" I added, leaving the room and heading out of reception. Seeing the group waiting for us. What would I do without them?
"You okay Chica?" Jeff asked, wrapping his arms around my body. Jeff was like another brother I never had.
"I will be once this is all over" I mumbled.
"Oh shit" Jessica whispered.
"Please no more surprises" I groaned against Jeff's chest.
"Well, does that include your parents?" She asked. Lifting my head up, I saw my mother, Marzia, and my father, Antonio.
My parents meant everything to me. My mother's side of the family came from Venice, Italy. We kept the culture and language running through our family and veins. So, my mother always spoke in Italian towards the family, though my father had no idea what she was saying half the time, until she spoke English. She had quite a heavy accent, even though some generations were born in America. The accent for me, and my siblings didn't stick, but we still spoke our language. My father; who was a second marriage to my mother, my adopted step father, meant everything to my family. His generations were born in Mexico City, until moving to Los Angeles. They were indeed a match made in heaven.
"Prepare for the heavy language" I mumbled, as they came forward.
"Alessia, vuoi spiegare perché ho visto le foto di te e Monty sui social media, avendo ... sesso?" My mother asked.
(Alessia, do you want to explain why I saw pictures of you and Monty on social media, having...sex?)
"We are sorting it out, we have only just discovered it, okay? We are trying to figure it out, and we don't want the school or anyone else involved"
"Well sadly, we are involved, Lexi, you are our daughter, seeing this, gives us a bit of a shock, just tell us this...you didn't take the photo?" My father asked with his heavy Mexican accent.
"Argh! No! Why does everybody think that?" I asked getting frustrated.
"Okay, it was just a question" My father put his hands up in defence.
"No more questions, please, I've already had a shit day at school. I just...I just want to be left alone" I told them all, turning away from my friends and family, leaving them heading somewhere.
I landed under the bleachers, I needed time to myself. Of course, my family and the gang were messaging me to where I was. All I text was, 'I'm okay'. I needed time to myself before I exploded.
"Lexi?" I turned my head seeing the long mousey haired, Hannah.
"Hey, Hannah" I spoke quietly.
"Want some company? Company you don't usually hang with?" she asked, her voice, soft.
"Yes, actually, they would be nice" I nodded watching her sit down opposite me.
"We won't talk about the obvious, we can just sit here" She told me.
"Sometimes I hate not talking to people...so let's talk...how come we never actually hang out?" I asked her. "You're in some of my classes, we speak, but don't hang out"
"I don't know. I guess, and not saying this with insult, I guess it's the people you hang with, the jocks" She told me.
"Movies and tv shows have really burnt an image into everyone's heads about jocks" I sighed. "They are my family"
"Oh, I know. I've seen them, the way they act together, and towards you and the girls. They are protective, but that's what you see...others don't see that, it's why we think that"
"If you have come to insult my boyfriend and friends- "
"I'm not...sorry that conversation went South. I just don't think your friends, are my type of friends. We all have types"
"And your type is Clay, Tony and..."
"That's about it. I don't think I connect well with others" she commented.
"It's why you have to make the first move. If you want to hang out with me, you can, as well as Jess and Chloe, then one day you will realise, the boys aren't as bad as you think" I told her.
"Is bad as you think, taking pictures of your underwear and showing everyone?" Hannah asked me.
"Shit...I forgot what Justin did...and I'm not defending him in anyway, but he has changed" I told her, silence falling among us. I then looked at the time, I missed some classes, but so did Hannah.
"I feel like you needed a friend, plus, we have been in the same situation, pictures and all" she smiled standing up. I followed suit.
"Thanks, Hannah for the talk, it's nice to speak to someone fresh" I smiled.
"See you sometime" She nodded before heading off. The school bell finally rang. As much as I felt like this was a selfish move, I had to get to my car before the gang found me.
Leaving the bleachers, I quickly ran to the car park, getting into my car, and texting my sister to meet me somewhere else. Driving out of the car park, I drove down the road into a more secluded road. Soon my sister, Clara got into the car. Looked at me, but didn't say anything. Soon driving and arriving home.
Entering the house, I walked to the kitchen to feed my stomach after one hell of a day. A single school day. But my mother and father were sitting at the breakfast bar. Both heads looking up at me. Clara had escaped somewhere else.
"Where's Rosa and Lorenzo?" I asked. My half siblings.
"We asked your grandparents to collect them, we need to talk about this" My father told me.
"I don't want to talk about a photo of Monty having sex with me, with my parents" I told them.
"Please sit down" My mother spoke in English, in a quiet tone. Something was wrong. Doing as I was told, I sat down on the breakfast bar.
"Is there something else going on?" I asked raising my eyebrow. Both parents looked at each other, sighing.
"We wanted to wait until the correct time, but due to the current situation, we thought it would be best to tell you, to make sure no stress is put on your mother" My father spoke.
"Please don't tell me you are pregnant again?" I asked. Both looked at me, giving the answer straight. "Seriously? Again?" I asked, before laughing, and rubbing my face. "Today just get's better! Yesterday, Clara tells me, Dean is coming back, today photos of me and Monty are spread around school and now you are telling me you are pregnant, and I have to keep you stress free?" I asked, laughing in hysterics.
"Wait...Dean is coming back?" My mother asked. I hadn't told them yet.
"I don't want to talk about it, and I don't want to talk about the photos, I just don't want to talk at all" I sighed getting off the bar stool "I'm sorry if I am stressing you out, but try and be me for these past few days, then you will know what is feels like when you want to explode, and trying not to fall back to where I have been before" Meaning my nightmares and panic attacks. "I'm going upstairs" I sighed, grabbing my school bag and heading upstairs. Slumping down onto my bed, my dogs, looking alert, climbing onto my bed, resting their heads beside my body, I grabbed my headphones, ready to inject my mind with my type of therapy and medicine. Pressing play on my mobile, my music started.
'Found you when your heart was broke. I filled your cup until it overflowed. Took it so far to keep you close (Keep you close). I was afraid to leave you on your own'