Nap Queen

Sixteen

Brandon ignores me and runs to her. He holds her face in his hands and tilts her head to assess damage done. A guilty feeling surges through me when I see blood trickle down the side of her head. 

I don't know what to do. I stand there watching Brandon move as if on autopilot in a routine that looks rehearsed. He grabs her backpack and unzips the small pocket pulling out a-- is that an epipen? Did she have an allergic reaction? I feel like I should go, but this is my chance for answers, so instead I observe.

He jams it into her thigh and counts to five. Evie gasps and sits up. Her whole face is ghostly  white and her head is still sporting a small cut. 

"What happened?" She asks with a small voice, in a way that makes it seem like she knew exactly what happened and simply didn't want it to be true. This comment followed immediately by her brushing her fingers over her lips turns Brandon upon me.

"I can't believe you fucking dropped her, Man!" Walker yells. That's what he can't believe?

I don't know how to respond so I just look at Evie who refuses to meet my gaze. 

"What's wrong with her?"I ask.

"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with me!" She looks up with murder in her eyes. " You are what's wrong with me! You can't go kissing people, they might have... they don't... ughh!" 

"Don't even try to say you didn't like it, you could've pushed me away." I reply. 

"I'm going to kill you!" She pushes herself up and off the lockers and comes after me. She doesn't make it.

Brandon was coming for me too but runs to her instead as her eyes roll back in her head and she goes down again. He catches her and swears.

"Fucking christ, Davis. Leave!" I do. As I'm going to turn the corner he has her awake again and in his arms. 

"Don't tell mom. Brandon please, please!" Evie begs with tears in her eyes.

"I'm so sorry, E, you know I have to"He picks her up on his back and grabs her backpack. Tears still stream down her face, I can't take my eyes off her until she turns the corner and the bell rings.

I march to first period with the rest of the school and sit down at our table in a daze. I wish I hadn't looked out the window because hidden away in the load/unload bay, I see Oliver, Boston, and Brandon struggling to get her in Brandon's jeep as she thrashes around while Evie's other friends watch on sadly. 

I don't understand what happened. One minute she's in my arms kissing me back with a passion I've only ever dreamed of, and the next she's fucking dead on the floor. I can tell it's bad though if all her friends are worried like this. At first I though I had stolen her first kiss or something and she just fainted. That wouldn't cause this much of a fuss though. They handled it discreetly though, no one is any the wiser... except me.

I'm lost in my thoughts, so I don't see Mia slip back into class until I feel a gaze on me and look up to find her glaring. Moments later a note lands on the table. 

I look up at her curiously and she motions for me to leave.

I raise my hand and go. Seconds later Mia comes crashing out. She slaps me, hard and I stumble back. It reminds me of Evie, slapping me in detention. I'm shocked.

"You're lucky I didn't beat your ass in front of everyone in class." She snaps."You fucking kissed her."

"What's the big deal? She liked it." I counter.

"She's never been kissed before! Sensory overload! Then---" Mia mimics a snoring noise. 

"I'm so confused what does that mean!" 

"You know what? It doesn't matter. I hope you didn't like her or anything, she's probably never coming back."

With that Mia returns to class. She's right I don't see Evie in class the next day.

Or the next day,

Or the next day,

Or the next...