After Dark

Standing in the midst of the art room, I turned to Mr. Collins. He peered up the banner the Kindergartens made before turning back to me.

“Thanks for helping me hang the banner up Eva. I appreciate it. While you’re here,”

I sat down across from him as he stared at me in a disapproving manner. I didn’t know why Mr. Collins would have a problem with me. I had been volunteering to help him with meaningless after school things for extra credit when no one else would.

“You’re hanging around Gee.”
“Yes… But I don’t understand how that’s any of your business.”

I tried not to appear so offended, but he actually talking about it made me irritated. Ever since last night, the incident between Gee, I, and the other two men had become the talk of the school. Everyone knew before I had even gotten to school.

“It isn’t,” Mr. Collins agreed, focusing his bright green eyes on me.
“But I advise you to think about it. Gee… He’s got so much talk going around about him.”

Mr. Collins moved around to sit on his desk, crossing his arms over his chest as he huffed out.

“My sister was one of his one night stands. She was sweet just like you. After Gee, she was different. I don’t know what happened between the two of them but I know that the girls who hang around him change. It can really screw a female over.”

I stared up at Mr. Collins who trained his eyes down on me. I tried to see any signs of lying, but I knew that he wasn’t lying. He had told stories of his sister before, but never personal ones like this one.

“I know what happens to the girls.” I said standing up. “And I’m not going to be one of them. I appreciate your concern Mr. Collins, I really do, but right now I think I’ll be just fine.”

Mr. Collins nodded before unlocking the classroom door, allowing me out. He was the first person to actually speak to me about my relationship with Gee. Most of the teachers just glared and treated me shittier than normal. Mr. Collins was always my favorite teacher, but tonight had me reconsidering.

Outside the school, Alison and Isaac were waiting for me.

“Finally. I was about to leave.” Isaac muttered walking over to his car.
“Sorry. He stopped to talk to me about Gee.”
“Why does he give a fuck?” Isaac asked.

“Yeah. Why should your personal relationships matter to him?” Alison agreed.
“Apparently his sister had a fling with him and ‘changed’.”

Isaac rolled his eyes, saying that just because his sister had changed didn’t mean I would as well. Tonight, I was spending time with the two of them. I neglected to spend any time with them during the weekend and dodged most of their calls. I felt rude, so to make it to them I was going to spend the night with them.

“Tonight’s going to bomb.” Isaac said turning up the radio as a rock song came on the radio.
“It will! We just have to make sure our little Eva still spends time with us now that she’s got a boyfriend.”

“Gee isn’t my boyfriend.” I defended. “We’re just... acquaintances.”
“I’m sure ‘acquaintances’ hang out and go to bar’s together Eva. Admit it; you want to fuck him almost as much as he wants to fuck you.”

Isaac’s words caused me to blush as Alison leaned up, hitting him on the side of the arm.
“Oh hit me all you want Ali but you know it’s true.”

Alison began to rattle on to Isaac, on how it wasn’t true. In all reality, I wasn’t sure if it was true or not. Being with Gee wasn’t about sex or inappropriate things. It was about actually seeing each other as people and not persona’s.

“He’s actually a nice guy.” I said as we got out at my house.
“Oh god. See! I was right. He’s feeding you bullshit that’s actually a sensitive guy who’s a really complex person with feelings and all that shit when really it’s a scam to get inside your pants.”
“God Isaac you don’t have to be such a dick.” Alison muttered once we walked inside.
“It’s all true!” Isaac laughs.

“Well Dakota Storm is a notorious whore and we haven’t said one word about how she’s brainwashed you!”

The three of us were unlikely friends, but it’s what made it such an interesting friendship.

“Always nice to see the three of you.” My father said walking into the room. “Eva, I need you to talk to you for a minute.”

I walked into my father’s study, seeing the papers strewn everywhere.

Sometimes, it was hard to believe my father was only fifteen when he had me. He was too worn out to be 33 years old with two girls on his own.

“Listen to me Eva. I know about Gee.”
“You do?”
“Yes, I do. I’m not going to lecture you. But I am grounding you for drinking. I don’t want you to mess up like I did. I’m not saying I regret having you girls, but I would have waited a few more years. Being fifteen years old and becoming a Dad is one of the most stressful things. Grandpa was so incredibly pissed at me. I thought he might disown me.” My father breathed in and sighed.

“Gee… he may seem like he’s got a pretty face and a nice guy, but men will do everything for sex. I’ve had him in the station four times for multiple reasons. If you want to be with him, go ahead and do it. But don’t make a mistake that’s going to cost being a teenager.”

I nodded, walking out of my father’s study. I tried to think of all the times I didn’t like my father. Or said I hated him. Sometimes, I neglected to see all the troubles he had faced when he got stuck with my sister and me. We don’t talk about what happened to our mom, it’s never been a conversation.

When I walked back into the living room, Alison and Isaac were already starting a random horror film. I sat back next to Isaac while Alison scrolled away on her phone on the other couch. I wasn’t paying attention though, my mind caught in a crossfire between Gee and all the talk about him.

I didn’t really stop thinking until Isaac nudged my shoulder, alerting me that the film has ended and Alison had fallen asleep.

“You were pretty deep in thought.” He said whispered, sitting up and facing me.
“I’m just now getting my life sorted back out, and everyone is telling me that Gee is such a terrible guy.” I sighed, laying my head against his shoulder.

“Eva,” Isaac sighed. “You know my opinion about Gee. But, I guess I’ll give you some honest advice. You can’t let people’s hatred tear apart something that means a lot to you. If everyone did there would be no good musicians, they’d all be dead. If being with Gee really is important to you, then you have to get past all the looks and whispers. What matters is what he’s got coming for him, not what he’s already had.” Isaac concluded.

“Isaac. What if everything is true though? What if Gee really is a bad guy and I’m just falling deeper for his own games?”

“I can’t tell you want to do. It’s up to you for that. I know Dakota’s bad, but that doesn’t mean I’ll break up with her. You have to look by someone’s past and accept that people can change. People hurt you and there’s nothing you can do about it. But waiting for them to hurt you will cause you to miss everything great about that person.”
“What’s great about Dakota?” I asked.

“She’s got a wicked music taste first.” Isaac laughed, before beginning seriously. “She’s really good with kids. Like, I can see her with a family and when I feel like absolute shit she talks smack about everyone I hate to make me feel better. She’s just the best type of girl there is.”

Alison didn’t understand the love Isaac and Dakota shared. While I didn’t at first, I did now. Sometimes, you have to give people a chance, even if it means falling blindly into the arms of someone who may be no good. We’re teenagers; we can make our mistakes now.

“What happens when we go to college?” I said abruptly.
“What do you mean?”

“What about our friendship? All of us will be so wrapped up in school that we’ll stop hanging around each other so much. I don’t want to stop being friends with any of you.” I turned to face Isaac, trying not to let the tears in my eyes show.

“E.” Isaac pulled me into a bone crushing hug, burying his face into my neck just as G had.
“I don’t want to think about college. At least not tonight. Of course we’ll still be friends; nothing’s going to change that. We’ll just have to make time between everything.”

Isaac feared a lot, and one of those things was leaving to go to college. He didn’t care much about school, so he was afraid of going to college where the only thing on the line was his future.
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The next morning, all of us paddled to school, tired and beyond irritated that neither of us got enough sleep.

“Are you going to Collins’ classroom after school?” Isaac asked as we began to disband.
“Yeah. I’m taking my car tonight so you don’t have to wait up.” I said.

I stepped into Mr. Collin’s classroom, being the first one. He smiled at me turning around and facing the blackboard.

“Good morning Eva. Sleep well?”
“Nope.” I smiled, looking up at the banner once again.
“Having another night with Alison and Isaac?”

I nodded to him going to sit in his desk chair and getting on the internet. Collin’s was my favorite teacher because he allowed almost everything to take place in his class. As long as we pay attention he’s cool with everything.

“Are you helping me with organization after school?”
“Yep.” I nodded shaking my head.

As I logged into Twitter, I noticed 5 new follows. Clicking them, I saw that they were Gee and his band. I had already been following each of them, so I noticed a DM from Gee himself.

“You didn’t come to last night’s show...”

“He’s upset because you didn’t show up?” Collins asked leaning over my shoulder.
“Apparently so.” I sighed, beginning to compose a new message.

I was with friends.

“You know, you don’t have to spend every moment you have with him.” Mr. Collins said, sitting down on his desk.

“I know, but I like spending time with him.”
“This is my last warning Eva. I’ve met him and he is dangerous. Don’t let him pull you into something you know is illegal.”

I remembered drinking with Gee, and how it was illegal. Then I remembered the night before last when Gee and I got caught with the two men. It dawned me then that I hadn’t seen Gee or talked to him in two days. I missed him if that was possible, but I knew he didn’t miss me back.
I had done a lot of things in the last few days that would be considered ‘risky’. Mr. Collins acted as if I would become the Bonnie to Gee’s Clyde. I wasn’t going to rob a bank with him any time soon, so there wasn’t anything to worry about.

I went to sit in my seat as class started, watching as the students began to file in.
Abruptly, five minutes into class, the Principle and two police officers entered the room.
“We need to speak to Eva Lutz immediately. It’s highly important.”

I got up slowly, trying to ignore all the looks of disapproval passing through the classroom. I followed the three of them out of the room. I gasped, seeing Gee leaning against the office wall with handcuffs on.

“The two of you are being questioned. Two men came into our office this morning saying that the two of you assaulted and threatened them with a knife.”

I looked at Gee, who appeared utterly calm in the situation we were in.

I was handcuffed and sitting next to Gee as they went to call my father.

“Oh my god.” I whispered, tears flowing freely from my eyes.
“Calm down Eva. You won’t get charged; those men were twice your size. How could you ‘assault them’ with a fucking pocket knife? It isn’t logical. If something does happen, I take the rep. Stop worrying.” Gee looked over at me, his eyes showing real sincerity right them.

“I knew you were trouble.”

Notes