Beautiful Beasts by S. E. Gutierrez (macos ebook reader .TXT) 📕

I walk over the bridge and stood in the middle of the arch. I folded my arms, and leaned them on the railing. There were no fish, no ducks, and rarely a bird in any of the scrawny trees. It was as if the animals just up and left, scared away by the shouting on-the-brink-of-divorce couples and I'm-gonna-shoot-you-if-you-tell-anyone saggy-pants gangsters. I looked up at the fading stars, and wondered how I got here. I was a good kid. I did my school work, was always on time or early at work, I went to church. I had no idea how I wound up in this desolate land of thieves and little houses barely strong enough to withstand a storm.

I hung my head and glared at the cracked and stained concrete. I hated myself for so many things. I hated myself for not being good enough for my biological parents, for not being able to make enough money to help my aunt and uncle move out of this crappy neighborhood. For convincing Natalie that she was a beast.

I kicked at the crumbling pavement, and stood up straight. I glance at the water one more time, then started the lonely walk back home. When I finally got back tom my room, my alarm went off. I hit the snooze button, and flopped onto my bed. A few seconds later I was sound asleep. I woke up to Aunt Lonny shaking my shoulders and calling my name.

"Hm? I guess I hit stop instead of snooze." I said, rubbing my eyes.

"You need to leave like, right now, Hon." she chided.

I glanced at what I was wearing. It wasn't my usual nice jeans with a casual button-up loosely tucked in, but it would have to do. I stood up and stuffed all my work into my bag, grabbed a floppy piece of toast and dashed out the door. I had on my worn out and ripped old Converse on, and wished I had at leas put on my usual black ones. I just went with it and speedy walked to school. I got to class just as the bell rang, and sat down. I let out a long breath as Mrs. Lowell went around ad collected the English assignment. I rifled through my hastily stuffed papers, and realized I'd left it on my desk. I let out an enormous groan, and Natalie glanced at me. Her eyes were sad at first, then she shot me a frosty glare.

Mrs. Lowell asked me for my paper.

"I'm so sorry. I swear I did it, I just woke up really late and left it on my desk. Please can I turn it in tomorrow?" I begged.

Mrs. Lowell glared at me. "I'm sorry, Johnathan, but you must be more responsible, I hate to give you a zero."

The verdict was out, and I hung my head in shame as she walked away. Four -- Natalie

I saw as Mrs. Lowell asked Johnathan for his paper and was elated when he said he didn't have it. She gave him a zero, and moved on. After she had collected everyone's paper, she said that we were watching a movie about some dude who wrote the next book we'd be reading. She heard the unanimous groan and said that we could sit wherever we wanted. My best friend Claire sat near Johnathan, with only one seat between them. I had to either sit with nose-picking dweebs, or in between my best friend and self-righteous Mr. Johnathan I'm-too-smart-for-you Davis. I chose to sit by Claire.

I gave dear Johnathan an icy smile when when he looked at me. I sat down, next to him, and was displeased at how close we had to sit. These tables were mean for two, and with three there, everyone was rubbing elbows. Johnathan leaned back uncomfortably in his chair, trying to avoid physical contact with me.

After about ten minutes of sidelong glances, he finally looked at me.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered. "For everything I said. I don't know you at all and shouldn't have accused you of that."

I looked at him, and noticed how sad and lonely his hazel eyes were, and softened my sneer. "I really don't care what you think."

"That's fine but I'm still going to apologize, it wasn't right for me to say what I did." he responded.

"Nothing you do will ever be 'right'." I shot back.

Mrs. Lowell glared at us and told us to be quiet. Johnathan dug out a notebook, and scribbled something on it, and slid it over to me.

Just say you forgive me and we won't have to ever communicate again. he wrote.

I took the notebook scribbled I don't forgive you, and I really don't care about you, so deal with it.

He read my message, and his eyes seem to grow more and more sad. He finally wrote something and slid it over to me again.

I guess I'm gonna have to deal with that, but please, I can't get over how rude I was, I'm usually never like that. I was so mean to you. I read.

How about this: you leave me alone 'cause I really, really don't like you, and you deal with your sappy little issues on your own. I answered and shoved the stupid notebook back.

He read it, looked at me, and his face turned to stone. He slid the notebook into his bag, got up, and sat at the only empty table. I watched as he ran his hand through his hair, and an extremely sad look clouded his face. I felt kind of bad for being a tad mean, but I'd deal with that when class was over.

Five -- Johnathan

I sat at an abandoned table. I had no idea why Natalie was being so mean, and refusing my apology. I mean, I knew what I told her wasn't nice, but the more I see of her, the more I realize it's true. I decided I'd rather pay more attention to the movie than try and figure Natalie, so I turned my eyes to the tiny screen, and tried to focus.

After a few minutes of listening to an old guy with the most monotonous voice ever drone on and on about some historical author, I fell asleep. I didn't wake up until about five minutes until the bell. I stretched and glanced back at my original seat. Natalie was still there. I turned my attention back to the television as Mrs. Lowell shut it off, and told everyone to return to their assigned seats. I got up, and slowly walked back to my seat. I saw a scrap of paper with Natalie's slanted writing on it.

Sorry, meet me during study hall in the library.

That was it? No explanation? Nothing but a "sorry and meet me later"? I looked her way, and she shrugged her shoulders like she'd done nothing to contribute to the friction between us. I looked away, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath. I shoved the note in my pocket, grabbed my bag, and walked out the door as the bell rang. I went through the motions of school, anticipating and dreading study hall.

I walked into the library, and saw Little Miss I'm-So-Perfect sitting there reading a fashion magazine. I grimaced and took a seat across from her. She neatly folded the magazine, and placed it with the others.

"Well?" I asked.

"Well?" she mocked.

I got up to go.

"Wait, stay." she said, grabbing my arm.

"Fine," I moaned. "But, I swear if you start acting like a prissy little stuck up saint I'm leaving."

She nodded, and I took my seat once again.

"So why did you ask me to come here?" I asked.

"Because I wanted you to explain yourself!" she exclaimed.

"Me? You wanted me to explain myself?" I sneered.

"Yeah! I mean, what gives you the right to throw your weight around and act like some self-righteous know-it-all?" she shot back.

"You realize what a hypocritical fool you just made of yourself." I muttered darkly.

"Me?!" She whisper-screamed. "You-you-"

"I'm out." I said, and walked out, leaving her fuming and stomping like a whiny little child.

I walk outside, and found a slightly less scrawny tree to sit under, close to where the theater kids were. I slid my laptop out of my bag and opened it up. For a few minutes, I sat there staring at a blank screen. I closed my laptop, slid it back into my bag, and ran a had through my hair. Why is she so infuriating? I don't get it. All of the sudden, she popped into my life, threatened to ruin my nonexistent social status, and now it's apparently all my fault. I threw my bag over my shoulder, and marched back into the library. I found her table, stood next to it, and folded my arms.

"Oh, look who's back." She muttered.

I took a deep breathe, and told myself I'd stay calm. "Look, I just wanted to say I'm sorry for storming out, and pretty much everything I've ever said to you. Just say you accept my apology, and I'll get out of your life forever. If not, well, that's just one more problem on my currently lengthy list."

She blinked, and smiled a cruel, icy smile. "I guess you're gonna have to add two problem to that list of yours."

"What?" I ask, confused.

She showed me her cellphone and the text she just sent