Caged in Paradise (2nd Draft)

Complications, His Eyes

I'm in biology class, feeling disoriented... because Maya really just ditched me. I can barely look at Tarek at the moment, and even though he's not speaking, his disapproving stare from across the classroom makes me want to smash his face in. Glancing at the clock, I notice two empty seats to my right – the ones Maya and Alani usually occupy. Did they really skip class? I can't help but wonder if it's because of me.

Are they hanging out with Sera right now? Fuck this.

I rise in the middle of class, the teacher shoots me a frown as I pack my bag, Tarek on the other side gives me a questionable look. "Koa, where do you think you're going?" The teacher asks as I head to the door. I explain, "Migraine, sorry," and dash out without waiting for his response.

And this isn't even a complete lie. My head genuinely feels like it's on fire.

I push open the school's front doors and quickly head to my car in the parking lot. No one has ever messed me up this bad. I've never had someone's name race through my mind so uncontrollably, and it's really freaking me out.

It's not as if I spent a lot of time with her. It was just one night that we kissed.

One night...

I hop into my car, the sun making the steering wheel scorching hot. "Shit!" I exclaim in pain, feeling the burn on my hands. I crank up the air conditioning, snatch my sunglasses from the dashboard, and start sweating in the hot car, as I wait for it to cool off. Taking a deep breath, I air out my T-shirt. As I press the pedal, I shift into reverse.

Her body was wrapped around me that night...

I forget to release the handbrake, and as I try to drive off, my car stalls. "Damn..." I mutter as the unsettling rumble under the hood doesn't sound too good.

Frustrated, exhaling heavily, I softly punch the steering wheel, forgetting my bruised knuckles from an incident the other night... anyways; the pain hits me instantly, and I collapse, leaning on the now warm steering wheel. Tears well up as the agonizing pain electrifies my entire being.

"Fuck me," I whisper in pain.

I need to concentrate. Jesus christ, what am I doing?

****

As I'm driving home, my mind is racing with thoughts. It's one of those rides you don't even realize you're driving until you get home and reach the gate... I open the garage door, there's my dad, waiting for me. Fuck. This is definitely not what I was expecting or in the mood for.

He's dressed in a sharp black suit, holding a sizable briefcase. Placing it on the ground as I park the car inside, he takes out his glasses and starts polishing them. Shit, shit, shit.

Getting out of the car, I lean on the door and ask, "I thought you were heading to Prague this morning?

"Hello to you too. The conference got canceled. Seems there was a major problem in the stock market, and their funding went up in smoke. It's a real mess for the Gardners now," he chuckles, adjusting his glasses on his head, giving him a more serious look with slightly smaller eyes. "Sounds like less competition for us..."

I manage a smile and a chuckle, "That's great, Dad." As I attempt to walk away, he halts me in the doorway to the hall. "And I recall telling you not to take the Mercedes to school anymore?" I turn around, pressing my lips together, "Sorry, won't happen again. I know it's your work car and all..."