It had been a week since I started hanging out with Reeve. I’ve learned absolutely nothing in that timeframe, maybe it is unreasonable of me to just assume I’d understand somebody that quickly. In the time we spent together in that week she’d bring me to some isolated places, the places where she usually hung out. An empty parking lot, the school rooftop, the outskirts of the city. The first few times I thought I’d find her friends there as well, or maybe a few thugs. But nobody was there, it was always just the two of us. Conversation was almost non existent, her carefree smile was always on full display, and yet- “Hello? Earth to Anon?” I was so lost in my own mind that I had forgotten I was having lunch in the cafeteria that day, making me forget I was talking with a very pink woman and her boyfriend, sitting right in front of me. “Sorry, I uh, got lost in myself a bit there, what were you saying?” Naomi crosses her arms, very much displeased. “Honestly I can’t believe just how rude you can be sometimes.” “I bet it’s the influence of that stoner you’ve befriended.” Naomi’s boyfriend, Naser, tilts his head. “Who, Reed?” “I don’t even know if he can influence anything or anyone really.” “Pretty sure he’s the one that gets influenced.” “*Sigh* No sweetie, I'm not talking about him, I’m talking about the OTHER stoner.” “Oooh! You’re talking about her.” Naser turns towards me, a concerned look on his face. “I’ve heard a lot of nasty rumors about her Anon, aside for the usual stoner related things that is.” Even though Naser was effectively badmouthing a “friend” of mine, I had to admit that she did have a rather terrible rep around the school, rumors were rampant. If it was just some guys here and there that disliked her then it could have just been some shitheads making things up, but this time it was almost the entire school that hated her. People don’t just hate you for no reason. “You should listen to Naser, Anon! I’ve heard that girl has been to jail!” “Yeah, as Naomi said she has been to jail, I’m not sure of the reason but most people have theories on that.” “Theft, possession and distribution of drugs, battery.” “And she doesn’t even attend classes, Anon! That’s just as awful!” Naomi shrieks right in mine and Naser’s face, my eardrums probably bursted right then and there. “...Babe, please don’t yell like that ever again.” “But anyway, she’s pretty much a delinquent.” “Look Anon, I’m not the kind of guy that tells people how to live their life and who the people they should surround themselves with, but she’s bad news.” “Yeah! She’s way too dangerous to be around, you should drop her and just hang out with Fang instead!” “Babe, what does my sis-sibling have to do with this?” “Oh I just think she’d be a better fit for Anon, that’s all.” “It’s up to him to decide who has to be his friend.” “Oh? Do I now?” Naser flinches slightly to my tone, I wanted to make it sound like a sarcastic question, but I ended up putting way too much venom in that question. Not like anybody can blame me, first they try to tell me who to befriend and then they say I should be the one to decide. Still, even if I didn’t really know Reeve, from this week we spent together I haven’t seen this “delinquent” side of her. She never even once tried to make me take some drugs, not like I can take the shit dino crackheads use, it would straight up kill me. “Just because YOU haven’t seen it, Anon, doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened.” Somehow Naomi replies to my inner monolo- … I said that out loud didn’t I? Shit. “Anon, I know that she’s your friend, and that makes you unable to accept the truth, but you have to admit nobody becomes a pariah for no reason.” I know that all too damn well. Naser shakes his head slightly, a resigned smile on his face. “Well, I tried to warn you, just promise me you’ll be careful around her.” “I live in Skin Row Naser, I think I can deal with a coke’d up teenager.” He chuckles humorlessly. “I’d rather you not have to deal with it.” Naomi looks at me, pouting like a child. “I still think that Fang is much better the-” “Naomi for Christ’s sake STOP USING MY SISTER AS A BARGAINING CHIP!” “Wait w- No nonono it’s not like baby I just-” I decided this was the perfect time to leave the table, I’m not really in the mood to watch those two bicker. Even though it would have been fun watching Naomi eat shit, I can’t help but feel like this was my fault. They were just trying to be decent friends and help me, but I just mostly dismissed them both. Or at least I tried to dismiss them. Theft, possession and distribution of drugs, battery. Naser’s description of Reeve’s possible crimes keeps bouncing around in my head, could she really have done all of this? Still, it’s entirely possible that she’s committed at least one of those crimes, and the others were just added later as wild theories after word spread of her crime. … …That’s just some massive cope, isn’t it? Even if she only committed one of those crimes is already a terrible stain on her rep. I roughly rub my face in my hands, I just wanted to coast through those few months I had left of high school, and now here I am colluding with somebody with a penal record. Fuck my life.