Brierra Lewis
October 9th, 2024
Baltimore, Maryland

  Break from Toronto by PartyNextDoor softly played through her AirPods as she walked down the empty school halls. Brierra couldn't stand walking to class when all the halls were packed.

Which is why she always waited a minute until the bell rang to start walking, her best friends Amaya and Sydney beside her.

The three of them were kind of the most popular girls in school. They never saw themselves as such but they were. Every girl no matter what campus wing envied the trio, and none of them understood why. They figured it might've just been because of their appearances.

"Ouu I'm so excited for these foreign exchange students." Amaya exclaimed, causing Sydney to let out a sigh.

Brierra sucked her teeth jokingly and rolled her eyes, they all knew the real reason she was excited. "Girl you just nigga thirsty that's all.. and it's so sick." Bri joked.

Sydney added on, "yeah girl you want that foreign dick. And hey I'm not judging! Shit I might get me some too."

Bri looked between the both of them in disgust. "Oh so y'all both jus' sick and twisted?"

Sydney shrugged, "Pretty much."

"Damn right I am!"

Brierra tucked her lips at the two girls and she finally reached her first period, the one class she didn't have with them. "Okay pookies I'll see you later. Lunch at the courtyard okay?"

"Sounds good. Bye Bri, love ya." Sydney smiled as Amaya pitched in.

"Mhm! Bye pooh, have fun in class."

She waved bye to her friends and headed to her first lecture, Psychology.

"Here I'll give you all something pretty easy! Write a 5 page essay on how the human body develops, and how the mental processes of life can affect development." Professor Gonzalez spoke. She always gave Brierra more help than anyone else mainly because she could see how difficult it was for her to retain information as quickly.

"I'll try but I'm not too good when it comes to remembering things.. You deduct points for that right?"

Mrs. Gonzalez fixed the glasses on her face and deeply sighed. "Normally yes I would, but I won't take off points in your case. Just try your best and email me with any questions."

Bri nodded, mentally thanking god for having such a nice professor. She did not want to hear the mouth of her mother if she came home with anything lower than a B.

"Alright class. We're gonna work on these essay's for a bit, and after that I have an exciting announcement to make!"

The whole class wondered what the announcement could possibly be.. their professor seemed so excited when bringing it up, they couldn't help but get curious.

After about an hour of working on essay's, the professor finally decided it was time to announce what everyone had been waiting for.

"So, as you all may know I run an international study program where students  from all over the world can sign up and qualify to enroll in our school," she spoke.

"I'm happy to announce that all 20 of our foreign exchange student slots have been filled! By the end of this week you'll all be assigned classes with at least one foreign exchange student. And it's up to you guys to help them out and show them around campus. Welcome them to our school with love and care, because they deserve it!" The older female finally finished.

Some people were ecstatic about the situation and couldn't wait to meet the new students. Most of the boys were excited to see the foreign exchange girls.. because of all the rumors, how foreign girls were the best in bed. They honestly just acted like a bunch of horn-ball kids.

She made a note to warn all the foreign girls to be careful and look out for themselves, especially if they were paired with immature idiots.

"One more thing class, so quiet down and listen. Depending on your gpa, 20 of you will be assigned a foreign exchange student to tutor and mentor. I'll be real with you.. some of them do not know proper English so if you're not up for the challenge then we just won't pick you." Mrs. Gonzalez shrugged and typed away on her MacBook. "Any questions before I dismiss you?"

The class stayed quiet and the bell rang about a second after. "Alright get up out of here! Make sure to complete all your essay's by Monday."

—

Brierra sat in the Garden plaza of her school— taking small bites of her leftover stew. Sydney and Amaya would be joining her shortly after they got the cafeteria lunch.

Bri decided to read one of her favorite books— The Poet X, as she waited for her friends. Her focus was so deep into the book that she didn't even notice the shady presence beside her. "Aye."

She looked up and her face immediately turned into a scowl. "What do you want Jerome?"

"Ion know why you actin' like that. You my girl I could come talk to you if I want to mane." He spat and yanked her chin up to look at him.

"Except I'm not your girl anymore! I always tell you this and you just won't comprehend it." She smacked his hand away and got back to reading her book.

"So it's like that?" He lowly chuckled and got closer to her. Bri was tired of talking, this man wasn't getting any more replies out of her and she needed him to know that. "You don't hear me talking to you?"

Again, she said no words. He didn't deserve any if he couldn't respect the simple word 'no'.

"You getting me mad and I'm bout to beat you smooth up bro." Jerome spat, snatching the book from her hands and gripping her arm tightly.

"Jerome let me the go, please just leave me alone!" By now her stomach was twisting in fear— frightened by the violent man in front of her.

When he slammed her against the tree she once rested on, she almost blacked out. The girl hit her head so hard that for a moment all she could feel was the thumping pain of it.

"Next time when I'm talking to you, you make sure to answer me bitch. Fuck wrong with you?"

Tears threatened to fall from her eyes but she wouldn't let them. Bri would never give him the satisfaction.

"I said let me go you psycho! I'll never be your girl again so leave me alone." She cried out, shoving him with all her might.

Unfortunately for her that didn't really do much. They were around the same height but he was extremely buff and hard to move.

Pushing him was like trying to push a bolder up a hill. And she knew he was probably about to beat her ass for fighting back. Shit, it wouldn't be the first time.

The look in his eyes said it all.. he had those crazy boy eyes. The same look of the killers she'd watched all those true crime documentaries about.. was he going to kill her? Just because she wouldn't take him
back?

The Garden Plaza was empty since a lot of students went off campus today, leaving just her and Jerome. Her eyes watered as he continued to scream in her face, yanking on her arm until the skin was a shade of red.

"I'm takin' you to my house bro, you gone get back wit' me somehow." Jerome spat while yanking her towards the school exit. The one nobody ever used since it was for emergencies only.

The girl immediately froze at the words 'his house'. She knew exactly what he would do when she got there.. the same thing he always did.

"No Jerome, you're not. I'm done with you and I need you to respect that."

By now her face was stained with tears and half of her makeup smudged off. She was a mess and completely defenseless against him.

"You don't mean that man. I know you don't." He shook his head chuckling, no way he was letting her leave him. In his mind they were still together, never even broke up.

Even though she clearly stated she was done with him several times before, he was in denial.

"Jerome what the fuck are you doing to her!?" Sydney yelled, dropping her food and rushing over to her friends side.

As soon as Jerome felt Bri slipping out of his hold he pulled her so hard to the point she slammed against the floor.

"Don't you touch her!" Amaya exclaimed. She grabbed a rock from the flower pit and aimed it straight for his head. He was lucky enough to dodge it but he had to let go of Bri in order to do so.

"Oh my god Bri come here mama. We're here now, I'm so sorry," A sympathetic Sydney called out. Bri couldn't see anything due to how teary her eyes were.

She could hear the faint yells of Amaya and Jerome arguing back and forth, the loud keys of staff members, and the touch of her friend trying to pull her up from the ground.

She could hear everything... but it still felt like she wasn't really there. She was dazed out, her heart beating so loud in her chest she felt like it was a speaker directed straight at it.

Bri knew this feeling all too well.. a panic attack.

authors note
uhhh how yall feeling? idk it might
get deleted AGAIN. + idk how college works yet y'all im only 17, so don't even try coming for me if it's not realistic 😐