The Coloring Book

"That's..."

My grandma sets a plate down next to me, filled with watermelon slices. "It's the little charm you made me."

"Yes, I remember." She smiles, touching it with the tip of one finger. "I made it for you during your freshman year of high school."

I smile at her. "It's my good luck charm."

It was a little ball of materiel filled with spices, a bell tinkling whenever it moved.

I was home from summer vacation, walking from the airport to the place where my mom would pick me up, her fear of airports clear in the fact she wouldn't even drive near them. I had visited my Grandma over the summer vacation, and had just now gotten home.

It was nice seeing her, and relaxing. It was even nicer because I could spend time away from the Devil incarnate.

"Hey."

A kid around my age stands next to me. "What?"

"I just lost my wallet and need some help, can you lend me some money?"

"No." And I go to walk away, but he grabs my wrist.

"Come on, just a little."

"I said no, now get off me." I pull my arm away, my hand going in my pocket to get my phone, to call my mom.

I pull my hand out as I walk further away. Then he grabs my hand with the phone, trying to get my phone. I turn and kick him, his hand letting go of me, his other hand hitting me in the face, a cut opening in the corner of my mouth.

A bell lands on the ground.

It takes a while of me standing there, watching him run away that he's stolen my phone, and along with it, the charm my grandma made for me.

At school the next day, there's a crowd of girls hanging around outside my class room, the cheer squad looking upset.

What's going on? I shrug it off and try to squeeze my way into my classroom. Some girl pushes me away and I land on the floor, outside of the mob.

"Hey." I look up at the voice, a really tall guy, longish hair, and a snazzy beard stands in front of me. Who..?

"Azalea, what are you doing? Hurry up and get in the classroom." Girls are screaming his name, and I'm very confused until I realize its Nate. What the fuck?

Ian helps me stand. "He got really tall over summer, right? And hair started growing on his face."

"He should shave, doesn't look good." That's a lie, and by the look Ian gives me, he knows it.

Nate's seat is next to mine and he's cracking his shoulders, talking about how he had to get a bigger uniform because he grew.

"It was nice being short and semi-innocent," Which you never were. "But it was troublesome. I've found something even more interesting." And he looks over at me, trying to desperately ignore him. And then he stands abruptly.

"Where are you going?" Some girl asks him.

"Toilet." I cough, trying to hide my laugh as she makes an ugly face. He grabs my hand and starts pulling me along with him. He drags me into the men's bathroom, the girls making noises as he did.

"You do know that I don't have a penis and therefore can't be in here?" he just ignores me, pushing me into a stall and locking it after him.

He leans over me, his height crowding me against the toilet. He grabs me chin and starts to lean in and I know he's going to kiss me. "What's with that...wound?"