Chapter 5

Derick started to focus on Celia, he was not expecting her to say that and he was not sure why she said it.

“Well if we are going now, why don’t I give him something to remember so whenever he thinks of snitching, he will think twice.” One of the boys said. And as he said that, he punched Derick so hard that he fell to the ground with also the stuffs he bought. The rest of the group started to laugh except Celia.

Derick was furious, all he could hear was their laughter and it made him even angrier. He tired as much as he could to control himself but it was just too much.

They group started to enter the car while still laughing. Derick turned towards them and placed his hand on his face, his cheek were swollen and a bit of blood was in his mouth. He managed to control his anger because if he did something now, the outcome will be very bad and he will not know how to go home to his mother.

They drove off and Derick slowly stood up, he cleaned his mouth and picked up his stuff and headed to his bike. All that was in his mind now was what he will tell his mom about his face because he knew how she would feel if he told her what really happened.

He got on his bike with all that happened on his mind and started to ride home.

He got home a little bit late, he kept his bike and chained it then entered inside his house. He wanted to go straight to his room but it will be unusual for him not to check up on his mom when he got back from school. He dropped everything he bought in the kitchen and headed to his mom’s room because she was not in the living room.

He slowly went to her room, the door was open as usual. Immediately he went in front of her room, she sat up. He was surprised that she already knew he was back home, as if she was waiting for him.

“Derick you are home, you are late today.” His mother said while he was still at the door.

He was surprised, but at the same time happy, because his mother was keeping tabs on him. He walked into her room and went close to her.

She immediately notice his face and became worried, which was the last thing Derick wanted. “What happened to you? What happened to your face?” She held his face with her hands.

Derick knew he had to come up with something fast and something reasonable.

“It’s nothing, I was trying to get home early so I was driving my bike and I fell off.” He lied.

He had no choice but to lie, and that was the best he could come up with. “Oh, I hope you are okay,” she moved her hands around his body. “I hope you are not injured anywhere else.”

“I am fine mom, it is just my face, I will get an ice pack from the fridge and I will be better in no time.” He tried as much as possible to make her not to worry too much.

And it worked, she stopped worry since it was not a big injury, “Go get the ice pack and put on your face.” She said.

“I will mom.” Derick started to walk out of her room.

“And how was school today?” His mother asked before he could leave the room.

“School was great mom.” He replied.

“That nice to hear.” His mom said with relief.

“And you seem brighter than before, you must be doing well now and in no time you will be okay.” Derick said looking at his mom.

“Well, when I know you are doing okay then I will be fine.” She smiled.

Derick left the room sad and also relieved at the same time. He was happy that his mother was doing okay but he was also sad that he had to lie to her again.

He was glad that he held himself from doing anything to the guy that punched him, if he did something then there would have not been an excuse to tell his mother later.

He immediately went to his room without getting the ice pack for his face, he was not in the mood for that. He was in his room, on his bed and he was tired. He started to think about how close he was to reacting after the guy punched him and also about what Celia said. He was still not sure why she said what she said. He could not stop thinking that maybe she said that so the whole thing with the guys would not escalate.

And the other thought was that maybe she did not just care about whatever happened, but also she did not join them to laugh. All this went through his mind as he laid on his bed. After a while of thinking, he fell asleep.

The next morning he woke up and his head was hurting him. He realized that he did not feel any pain after he came back home, he knew that was because of everything that was on his mind made him not to feel it. And he did not use an ice pack on it so now it was bad, he stood up from his bed and went to the shower, he could not do anything about the pain so he just had to continue with it.

He came out of the shower, wore his cloths, grabbed his backpack and went downstairs. He went to his mother’s room first, he opened the door and she was still sleeping. He did not want to disturb her so he went on to the kitchen to get something eat.

He got cereal then milk, which were one of the things he got from the supermarket yesterday. He got a bowl and poured both the cereal and milk into it. He started to eat it hurriedly, as he was eating his mother came into the kitchen.

“How are you doing now Derick?” She asked him.

He turned and saw her, “I’m okay mom.” He replied.

“That’s great, so you will be going to school after you are done?”

He finished the cereal, “Actually now mom, I am done.” He said dropping the bowl in the sink.

“What about the girl you told me about? When do I get to meet her?” His mother asked.

Derick knew immediately who she was talking about and he also knew that she cannot get to see the girl. So he tried to give and excuse and leave the house.

“Well soon mom,” He did not know when he said that. “Well I’ll be going now. Take care of yourself mom.” He said walking out of the house.

Derick was already riding his bike and on his way to John’s house. As he was about reaching John’s house, john was already coming out of his house then Derick stopped.

John went to his bike, but then he could not stop but to look at Derick’s face. “What happened to your face, did you get into a fight?” John asked.

Derick sigh, “Well not really. Remember I told you I was going to get some stuff from the super market yesterday.”

“Yeah…”

“I met Celia and the group that went out of school with her yesterday at the super market.”

“Well you don’t need to tell me more, I can only tell what happened next.” John said. “But are you okay, how did your mother react?” He asked.

“I am okay and for my mom, I didn’t really tell her the full story so I guess she is okay.”

John got on his bike and they both rode off to school.

When they arrived at school, they saw Celia coming out of a car. And a man with a lab coat came out with her. They talked for a short while before he went back into the car. Celia went right straight into the school. Derick and John chained their bikes and went into the school.

Their first and second period were over and everyone were in the cafeteria including Derick and John. They were sitting together alone. Celia was also their sitting with the girls in her group and Derick could not help but look at her.

While they were there, a school announcement was being made through the microphones in the cafeteria and everyone started to listen.

“For those of you who don’t know, there is going to be a school dance coming up this Friday at school second hall. This is our first school dance in a while so you’ll should come, come with your dates and enjoy yourself. It is going to be dance to remember.” The announcement concluded

After the announcement everyone in cafeteria were talking about it, there all happy about it.

“Well I know what I am not doing on Friday, I am going to stay home.” John said to Derick, but when he looked at Derick, he was distract. “So what are you thinking about this time?” He tried to snap Derick out of his mind.

“Well it’s nothing.” Derick said.

“Wait!” John said, “Don’t tell me what I am thinking is what you were thinking about.” He was perplexed.