8 ALL EYES ON YOU

One word: Uneventful.

That's how detention is. I didn't expect it to be extraordinary or anything but I'm bored out of my mind, so much so that I can't even do my homework. Mrs Gomez left for a meeting or something of the sorts so we were left to our own devices.

Ryan, Mariah and I are the only ones in this 'holding cell' and I'm about ready to jump out of the window and make my getaway.

Mariah, for the most part, is making the most out of her time here by turning the classroom to a nail salon- she brought this box full of nail products and got right into coating her nails. Ryan. on the other hand, is counting the tiles on the wall and chewing his gum obnoxiously which is annoying me to death.

"Can you stop doing that, it's annoying." I say to him.

"Oh, I'm sorry,'' he responds cheekily.

"You're an eighteen year old high school student not a fifty-year old prostitute. Chew your gum in your mouth silently."

"You always have a comeback for everything, don't you?" He asks.

"I wouldn't be Melody Jones if I didn't."

After our group project at the library the other day, we became almost friends but not completely friends. More like acquaintances who say Hi to each other and have a conversation every now and then.

I've still not forgotten about my vow to find out what Jason is up to so I better start now.

"So Ryan," I say conversationally. "Jason wasn't in school today."

"Yea, he went out of town with his mum. She has this collection of men's wear that she's designing so she wants Jason to be the model."

First he was in a fight, now he's a model? Something is definitely fishy.

''Interesting,''

"Yea inter...wait a sec, why do you care about his whereabouts? Last I checked, both of you were oil and water?"

"I could care less," I say with an eye roll. "but today was quiet, almost too quiet for my liking. I didn't have anyone to insult today so I'm kind of bummed.''

He laughs and shakes his head, "I'll tell him you send your regards."

"Whatever dude.''

"Why are the both of you gossiping about Jay Jay like I'm not in the same room as y'all?" Mariah asks whilst adding diamond ornaments to her dark coated nails.

How fitting, her nail polish matches her heart.

"We weren't gossiping about your fuck buddy Mariah, calm your fake tits.''

"Jason is my boyfriend, not some fuck buddy,'' she snaps. Did I hit a nerve? "Haven't I told you to stop talking about him? The only person allowed to bad-mouth him is me.''

''Mariah, Mariah,'' I tsk. ''When would you get it through your skull that I don't take orders from you?'' She flips her hair back and drops the nail polish back in the box. "I'm in no mood to argue with you Mariah.''

''I don't like you, I hope you know that,'' she answers. ''You're always trying to steal Jason away from me.''

Here we go again with the 'you're trying to steal Jason away from me' speech. How am I meant to steal something that's not hers in the first place? It's quite pathetic and pitiful how she latches on to Jason like a rash that wouldn't go away.

He doesn't care about her, and she can't see that.

"It's quite obvious that you are highly insecure in your relationship with Jason. Please don't project those insecurities on me and leave me the fuck alone."

"You have no right to judge my relationship with..."

"Ladies, ladies", Ryan interrupts before the already brewing fire could turn into a volcano. ''Now I know you both care a lot about Jason,'' I shoot him a dirty look. ''and obviously have very strong feelings about each other, but if you haven't realized, we are in detention and Mrs Gomez could walk in at any moment. Imagine how she'd react if she walks in on both of you having a cat fight. That wouldn't be good for either of you-Mariah, you'd be suspended again, and Mel, you'd lose your scholarship and get suspended.''

Mariah points in my direction.''She started it. She's always starting it.''

''It doesn't matter who started it. Why don't the both of you be good little girls and avoid talking to each other for the duration of this detention?''

"Keep her on a leash,'' Mariah spits.

"The one that should be on a leash is you. You kinda look like..."

"Melody,'' Ryan warns.

" I'll behave, I promise."

"Good, because you know you're a trouble magnet and...", his phone rings and he frowns. ''I have to take this real quick." He runs out of the classroom, leaving Mariah and I alone.

I stand up to follow him. "Where are you going?"

"To nunya business, Mariah.''

I exit the classroom and follow the sound of Ryan's voice all the way to the door of the girl's bathroom. I tip toe quietly so as not to draw unnecessary attention to myself and hide behind the wall. I see him pacing back and forth with his hand combing his dishelved hair.

"The fuck do you mean the package wasn't delivered to the Russians, Jason,'' he whisper yells furiously.

Jason?

"This is bad! We have to deliver those drugs ASAP or we are dead meat, literal dead meat. Vladimir would feed our dicks to the vultures.''

My jaw slacks open and I blink in disbelief. Drugs?

Of all the people on this planet that I'd expect to be involved in drug trafficking, never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that it would be Ryan and Jason. I know, at least judging by the actions of people in my neighbourhood, that people only engage in drug pushing in order to feed their families. Is it the ideal way of making ends meet? Definitely not, but you have to do what you have to do to survive, especially when you live in the projects.

Jason and Ryan aren't in the category of those who are struggling to survive.

"Jason, I can't handle it now. I'm in detention and...No I just can't leave, idiot."

"Whatever man. We'll sort it out once I get to Base A."

He hangs up the call immediately and begins to walk towards my direction.

Uh-Oh! No time to bolt so I'm just going to wing it.

I get my phone out of my pocket and act like I'm having a very serious conversation via text. "Hey Jones, what are you doing here?"

"Well this is the girl's bathroom,'' I emphasize. ''I guess I should be asking you why you are here. Did you change your sexual orientation or something?" I quiz.

"N-no I didn't", he says nervously. "Why would you think that?"

"Well you are still standing near the bathroom and I need to pee badly, so can you skiddadle."

"You are a weird one, Mel."

The weird one is you, Ryan.

I close the door behind me and head towards the sink. Washing the sweat of my face, I stare at my reflection at the mirror. Dull eyes, mocha skin, pink lips. I don't look that bad.

Who cares about how I look? The main point is, I heard Ryan, Jason and drugs in the same sentence and my mind is racing in a million directions. ''For all you know, maybe they're delivering drugs at a pharmacy.'' I reassure myself.

Yea, that's it. There's always a possibility that my suspicions are wrong.

I turn off the faucet and make my way back to the classroom. Ryan is playing a game on his iPhone while Mariah is still coating her nails. None seems to notice my presence and that's fine with me. Mrs Gomez isn't back yet and we have about five minutes till detention is over which means I can finally go home.

"So Ryan, what do you like to do fun?" I ask innocently.

"Nothing much, just play video games and party with the guys.'' he replies, not taking his eyes of the game he was playing.

"Cool.''

I turn to Mariah and give her a once over. "Mariah, that nail polish looks so good on you. It really matches your skin tone."

"I don't know why you are even conversing with me right now and complimenting me, but stop it. I'm not in the mood."

Mrs Gomez comes bursting through the doors. "You may all leave now. You're dismissed."

Finally!

I walk to the desk where my bag is firmly planted on and pack my belongings. Ryan and Mariah do the same and we are out the door and into the parking lot faster than lightning. Detention is so boring and almost soul sucking, especially when you have to spend it with the devil's spawn…I mean Mariah.

"Going to see a boyfriend Jones or are you that desperate to get away from me", Ryan says, jogging towards me. I put the key in the keyhole and turn it. The car makes a beep sound. "You know I love you too much to run away from you." I reply jokingly.

"Good, 'cause for a sec there I thought you were going to break my poor heart."

"Never in a million years."

"So I'll see around, yea?"

"Be safe Jones."

He walks to his car which is parked in the opposite direction and zooms off. I get in and put the key into the ignition and drive, following Ryan closely from behind.

If I'm going to get the answers I'm looking for, I might as well start by following Ryan.