CHAPTER 7: TRUST ISSUES
Spanish class was a major bust today. I didn't have enough time to study for it after doing that favor for Jake during lunch period. I passed it with a D- though, but I never really liked accepting a D for any test. I hope this doesn't happen often. From what Jake said back at the Jocks' Clubhouse, he was going to need me again soon. I just hope it doesn't fully interfere with all of my schoolwork. Oh well, no need to worry about that now. All I want to do now was to go straight to my room and rest for a while. I'm really beat after all that I did today in class.
Just as classes ended for the day, I left the Main Building and went straight to the Boys' Dorm. Once I opened the door to my dorm room, I found someone sitting right at my desk. His back facing towards me. "Excuse me, may I help you?" I asked considerately. He turned around and revealed his face. It was only Craig. "How did you get in here anyway? I locked the door", I told him. "I'm good at lock-picking", he tells me. "So what are you doing in my room? At my desk?" I then asked him. "I was waiting for you. We need to talk", he tells me.
I sat down at the edge of my bed and then asked him, "Okay, what about?" "Greg, I saw you in the Jocks' Clubhouse through the webcam", Craig says. "I couldn't hear anything though because one of my friends somehow forgot to turn the sound on. But anyway, I saw you talking to Jake and later, I saw you deliver a package to him. Did you ever take a peek inside to see what it was?" "I didn't take a look, no", I answered. "I was worried that he would notice and then get on my ass about it. I had to pick up his package otherwise he would have done something to me". "Do you even know what he has in those packages that he picks up once a month?" he asks me. "I'm new here, so you're gonna have to educate me on it", I said to him. "Cocaine and steroids", Craig answers flatly.
I could not believe what he just said. Jake had me pick him up some drugs? And not the kind that you can buy in a pharmacy, but the illegal kind where you have to buy from someone who was willing to sell them, a dealer. That Mr. Burton guy was a drug dealer? And I picked up his products in a store, where a cop could have been conveniently shopping at any moment? Okay granted, I knew it had to be drugs, but I never though that it would have been coke. Unlike other drugs like marijuana, you could be put away for a very long time if you're caught with even a single ouch of coke in your pocket. Man, I'm lucky not to have been caught with that package back in the store.
"Damn, coke and steroids for real?" I asked Craig just to make sure I heard correctly. "Coke and steroids", he replies. "Now what does he need those two drugs for anyway?" I asked him. "The steroids are to help them win every football game that they play. I believe you know what they do exactly", he tells me. "Yeah, I know what steroids do. But what's the coke for anyway?" I asked. "They use the coke for two things: partying and for when they want to get an enemy out of the picture. The last kid who crossed Jake had his entire locker filled with 2 kilos of coke. The police didn't bother asking him where the coke came from. They just arrested him and now has to serve five years in juvie. That was back in April", Craig tells me.
I got up from my spot on the bed and paced around the room with my hands running through my long hair. "Let me ask you this", Craig began, "did you only picked up the package for Jake because he threatened you?" "Yes", I answered truthfully. "I don't like Jake. You know that. I would not have worked for him otherwise". "Good, that's good to know", Craig says out-loud. "Is that all you needed to talk to me about?" I then asked him. "No, there was one more thing we need to talk about", Craig says. "Greg", he began before taking a deep breath, "I know about what you did back at North Algonquin High. I read your file".
My heart sank just as he told me he read my file. I told him not to read it. How could he after what I did for him the other night after Jake nearly beat him to a pulp? "I thought I told you not to read my file", I told him. "There was something off about what you said the other night", he told me. "You didn't want me to read it. If you didn't have anything to hide, you wouldn't have mind, but you said for me not to read. You were hiding something and I had to find out. I had to know if you're a danger to my friends or not and right now after reading it, I can't help but think that you are...unless, you explain to me what happened".
I took a deep breath and then told him everything. "I was going after the Jocks. Because I came across one of the hairy brutes naked, the entire team was calling me gay and spreading rumors that I had a crush on one of them. That one kid, she got in the way just as I was about to pour the pigs' blood on the Jocks. I should have never gone through with the plan. I didn't know what went through my head. I was so angry. She didn't deserve what she got. I feel bad about what happened. And the end result, I never wanted any of it to happen. Just please, don't tell anyone about it. I don't want to be labeled as an outcast. I don't want Cameron to despise me. She's the only friend I have right now. I lose her, I don't know what to do". At that time, tears were streaming down my face and I was on my knees begging Craig not to tell anyone.
All Craig did was stare at me. Stared at me straight in the eyes. Something told me that he was probably not buying what I told him. "Alright, I won't tell anyone", he finally says to me. "You look like you're really sorry and that you learned your lesson. There's no need to make you suffer anymore than how much you are right now". "Thank you", I mumbled to him. "But here's the deal: you hurt any of my clique members and you will be sorry", Craig threatened. "I won't hurt any of the Nerds. I swear to you and I swear to God", I told him.
Craig got up from the chair and then walked straight to the door. Right before he opened the door, he turned around and faced me one more time. "You better pray that no one else besides me and Dr. Kowalski has seen your file". Just as he said that, he opened the door and left the room. I quickly closed the door behind him so that no one else would look into my room and see me crying. I went back to my bed and sat down. I grabbed the tail end of my bedspread and started wiping the tears off my face.
That's one more person here that knows about my dark secret. How many more people has to know about my secret? Luckily, there was only two people here that knew. I know for sure Dr. Kowalski wouldn't tell anyone about it. That would be unprofessional of him to do and besides which, he doesn't seem mean like some of the teachers that I have for class. And Craig, he said that wouldn't tell anyone as long as I didn't mess with his crew. But is he really meant to be trusted with a secret like that? Could he use it against me for his benefit, or would he keep his word and not tell? Damn, I'm starting to regret helping him that night at the party now.