The answer to that was 'yes'. Apparently assault is assault, even if the victim is Satan.

Graves didn't believe any of us when we said nothing happened and played back the parking lot cameras, which had caught the entire altercation. In the end, Layne ended up saddled with a two week suspension, not that Wren was there to see it. She'd called in sick, needing time for her face to heal. 

In addition, it also caught the surplus of seniors parking in the teacher lot, instead of the student lot, so by Wednesday Layne is gone and almost everyone else is ticketed for violating parking.

I get out of class early, and put on my headphones, walking to my truck. The song changes in the middle, and it takes me a second to realize my phone's ringing. As I told you...

I answer it, "Hey, baby---"

She cuts me off, "What are you doing right now?" she rushes.

"I don't know for real for real. The best I can I guess?" I joke.

"Stop being a dumbass," she tells me, "I need you. Like right now."

"Look sweetie we weren't all put out of school. I have NCT still."

"That's why I'm telling you to hurry!" she whines, "I can see you, swaggering your slow ass to your truck right now."

I become self conscious of my gait and quicken it, "Okay, okay. I'll be there soon. Love you."

"Hurry!" she hangs up and I speed to her house. My mind immediately starts to race. What could be so important? Why was she talking so fast? Is everything okay?

I blow past more than a couple stop signs and pray that the cops in this area have better things to do at the moment.

Doing 80 in a 60 fuck a ticket...

I reach Layne's building in record time and bound the steps to her apartment, letting myself in. "Layne?"

The apartment is suspiciously quiet. Max raises his head from his bed, but otherwise is unbothered by my presence. I'm over so much, I'm no longer a surprise. I make my way deeper and into her room, where she's casually reclined in bed. She smiles, "Hey."

"Hey?" seeing that she's okay, I go off, "Layne what the fuck? I just broke like every traffic law ever to get here," I rant, "I could've gotten arrested, I could've gotten shot. Shit, they kill black people nowadays. I could've hydroplaned into traffic. I could've--- "

"Ssh," she stands, crosses the room and kisses me, "Sorry, Baby. I had to show you something..." she lets the covers fall away from her, revealing her in total unclothed glory, "I didn't mean to make you mad..."

My eyes drink her in and she smiles, clearly pleased with my reaction.

"Fuck," I drop my bag in awe, "Layne---"

"Ssshhh..." like magic she unzips my jacket, pushing it off my shoulders. I'm paralyzed as she pulls my unbuttons my flannel, kissing my neck, my chest, my torso. My heartbeat increases and I swallow. I should be telling her no. But all I can think of is yes. She stands again, kissing me on the lips. Like second nature my hands go to her waist, feeling the soft skin there.

I pull away, "I have school." It's a weak protest at best. Honestly, its too little too late, considering she already has me topless. 

She unbuckles my belt, pulling me toward the bed, "That just means we have to be fast."

"Dammit," I realize I'm already stepping out of my jeans, "You're gonna make me late, I swear it."

"I didn't do anything," she gives me a devilish smirk as I hurriedly rip my clothes from my body.

"That's a lie. You did everything."

***

I get to class early, somehow, even with Layne and I's midday booty call. I smile at the thought of it, imaging Layne, just moments ago. I find a seat in the school's rarely used courtyard, a small alcove with one tree in the center, shading most of the area. Even though its freezing, I feel warm inside. I eat my gas station lunch of hot fries and Arizona watermelon, staring at my phone, thinking about thirty minutes ago.

***

"You could've said it was about sex," I hurry to get dressed, pressed for time.

"Not nearly as fun," she hands me my shirt, "I also didn't want you to have a chance to say 'no'."

"You don't know what I would've said," I protest.

"Oh, okay, maybe next time I'll call like 'Baby I'm horny come fuck me' and still expect you here in record time, alright?"

I glare at her, "Or you could ask? Like 'Hey Baby do you mind stopping by?'"

"That implies I give a fuck what you want," she leans over and kisses my cheek, "That's cute you think I care, though."

My face heats and I roll my eyes, "God when did you get so spoiled?"

"Around the time you started spoiling me," she teases. I notice that she picks up my t-shirt and puts it on. Another one bites the dust. I'll never see that shirt again. She walks me to the door, "Anyway, don't do any hoe shit at school without me. I'm watching."

"Of course not," I kiss her, "My hoe needs are now satiated."

"Don't ever say some shit like that again," she hardens her voice, "Anyway, now if you catch yourself thinking about any other hoes, you can close your eyes and think about me. Your memory can last that long right?"

****

"Kaylie Jane," I jump, seeing Wren sitting right next to me and I wonder how she'd found me. I glance up and flinch at the sight of her face, a faded purple bruise forming on her left cheek.

"Jesus," I hadn't seen her up close since immediately after and she hadn't been at school Tuesday.

"What?" she touches her face gingerly, "Oh right. The remaining evidence that you're dating an untrained monkey."

"You don't have to talk about her like that," I say, "And if you're gonna insist on it, I need you to leave."

"Really now?" she scoots closer to me, "Is that what you really want?"

I take a good long look at her, taking in her caramel skin, her jawline, her lips and the damage done to it all by my girlfriend. My girlfriend. Layne.

"KJ!" Lori appears, grabbing me my the shoulders and pulling me up, with Nik collecting my things, "My dude! Missed you yesterday!"

"Yeah I was here though?" I question. They usher me inside, "Yeah, yeah whatever. Friendly reminder you have a girlfriend."

"I know I just fucked her before I got here," I mumble, "Why does everyone keep saying that?"

"Because you need to act like it!" Lori hits me, "I'm trying to help you homie. If that bitch comes around: Leave. It's really that simple. Don't speak. Don't fraternize. Don't do shit with the bitch. Act like she invisible dammit."

Nik nods in agreement, "Yeah, girl, you treading on thin ice with Layne as it is. We're trying to keep y'all together. Y'all cute as fuck."

"Thanks," I brush them off, "I got the idea though."

We head into class to see Graves is writing on the the board.

"What's that?"

"New seats," Graves smiles and I see why.

Wren grabs my bicep, "Hey table mate!"

"Are you fucking serious?" I groan.

My phone buzzes in my pocket and I pull away from Wren to check the message. Of course it's Layne's passive aggressive ass.

I miss you. Signed -- Your Girlfriend

I miss you too, Baby. Never should've left.

I swear it.

***

By some type of miracle I am able to stay out of the way of Wren. The entire day I consider fighting Graves for making this God forsaken seating chart before deciding against it. As soon as class is over I outta class like a bat outta hell, all but running to the student lot. I settle into my truck and exhale, most of my anxiety melting away, if only momentarily. My phone buzzes in my bag pocket and I fish it out along with my headset before pulling out the lot.

"Hey baby," Layne's voice slides into my ear like honey. The sound of her voice probably my favorite sound in the world, "How was your day?"

"Hey," I answer and swallow. Tell her now and that way she can't say you lied, "It was good. I have to tell you something, Baby?"

"Are you about to have me fucked up?" she immediately guesses, "It's literally not even been a whole day."

"Can we just appreciate the fact I'm actually telling you something, instead of finding from it like a bitch?" I point out.

I can almost hear the stubborn gears turning in her head as she realizes she's jumping the gun a bit. After a while she exhales, "Fine. You're right. What is it that you need to tell me?"

"Um... Graves gave us new seats today."

She must detect the hesitation in my voice because I hear her exhale, clearly expecting some bullshit to flow from my lips. "And?" She waits for me to finish.

I swallow again, "So... Wren sits next to me now. Have I mentioned I love you?"

"Excuse me?"

"I love you," I repeat and wait to be fought over the phone.

"Are you shitting me Kaylie Jane? You have to move seats. Like immediately."

"I can't do that."

"What do you mean you can't?" I can almost hear her crossing her arms.

"Baby, if I ask to move seats Graves is gonna wanna know why I'll have to admit to kissing Wren and then I'll get in trouble for breaking curfew and then Wren will think she's gotten to me. It's letting her win."

"Oh my God you're so stupid!" She shrieks in frustration.

"Baby---"

I'm met with silence as she hangs up on me. I don't know what else I expected. She's gonna have to calm down eventually.

I slide into work early, running into Chess. Since my promotion we'd seen each other less and less as he work the day shifts and I worked the nights.

"Long time, kid," he greets me, "How's your girl?"

"You aren't gonna ask how I am?" I smirk, puzzled.

"I have to assume how she's doing is how you're doing. It's the rules of a relationship. Y'all conjoined now," he laughs, although nothing he said was particularly funny.

"Are you done mocking me?" I wait for him to call down.

"Yeah, sorry," he exhlaes, "But really how are you guys?"

"Have you ever cheated on your girl?" I question and his eyes bulge.

"Jesus Kaylie Jane are you serious?" he turns serious, "What the hell?"

"It wasn't my fault." I pause, "Okay so it wasn't entirely my fault."

He gives me a skeptical look, expecting me to elaborate.

"Okay, so long story short, this hoe from NCT is trying to break up Layne and I on the low," I pause, "And she's doing a pretty good job of it."

"What? Does she want you to herself?" he inquires.

I nod, "Only it's weird because she could've had me last year but she was a hoe our entire relationship."

"Relationship?"

"It's complicated," I brush it off, "Anyway the bitch is everywhere and it's starting to piss both me and Layne off. Emphasis on the Layne part. She doesn't trust me and every time I leave her presence she acts like I'm just fucking every bitch I see."

He shakes his head and clocks out, "You tell me how that works out for you kid."

"You aren't gonna help me?" I ask as he slides out the back, "I don't get any advice?"

"I've given up on that shit. I'll pray for you though," he leaves and I stand in the break room for a few seconds before heading into work myself.